Often it's the food. I found I was going to my Ethiopian restaurant in New York so often that I had to go spend a month there. Similarly, I love Japanese food and wanted to travel around Japan for a month to get to know the local specialties.

I also love trains -- hence my first long solo trip was to India (for the food as well); Japan also fit that bill, and I've enjoyed planning trips through Russia and Scandinavia for the pretty train rides. My dad gave me Paul Theroux's "The Great Railway Bazaar" when I was in my teens, and that made a strong impression.

Sometimes it's a spark from a picture or article. I saw a photo of the Potala Palace and decided I'd end that India trip in Tibet. Most of my leisure trips involve picking two places and traveling from one to the other by land and sea over a month or so.

Nice thread!

Seth