Getting Away....Far, Far Away
 

So every 2 years or so I have to get away. I work with technology, and find that the only way to truly disconnect is to put as much distance, both psychologically and physically, between me and my normal obligations. I have a wife and 2 kids, all of whom are incredibly supportive of my need to disappear for a week. My last three trips were to Ecuador, Austria, and Nepal. Now I'm gearing up for another.

Here are my ground rules:

• I have to be able to get there on miles (*A)
• I should be able to find cheap lodging
• It should challenge me in some interesting way (Ecuador = culture, Austria = isolation, Nepal = terrain)
• It should be far from SFO (how far is negotiable, but it should be outside North America)
• I should feel like I'm in a different world/foreign culture/another planet

I have a list of places that sound far away (and, often, are): Mongolia, Kazakhstan, etc. I've toyed with places outside Manaus, Brazil. But I'm looking for thoughts, recommendations, and suggestions about where to go, where to stay, and anything that can be added that might enhance the feeling of social disentanglement.

One last thing. The flight is part of the experience. I've had people question why I'd spend 52 hours in the air for a 4-5 day visit to Nepal. I tell them that this is not a vacation, but rather an experience of escaping the world. So distance shouldn't be a factor, even given the short timeframe (1 week).

So...anyone see anything interesting, go anywhere fascinating, or just have suggestions for places that might meet these needs?

Thanks in advance!

Enki

Tristan da Cunha, but very difficult to get there.
Pitcairn Island. Also difficult to get there.
These also might have too much British influence for you.

Consider:
Kotzebue, Alaska
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Oran, Algeria

Not sure if your logon name refers to the Sumerian deity Enki or if it's just your name. If the former, you might consider Kuwait or (southern) Iraq. Kuwait is probably relatively safe; Iraq - especially the boonies - not so much.

wyoming.

Lalibela Ethiopia? You can certainly get to Addis Ababa with *A partners and Ethiopian Airlines has joined *A so may be able to get all the way there with a phone call on miles. A quick look on the aeroplan site returned SFO-PEK-ADD and ADD-LHR-YVR-SFO as one option...local hotels are cheap and comfortable though basic. I had a great trip as a weekend away from work in Addis in the past.

How about Petra, Jordan?
This trip report (below) has me intrigued again....and sad that I did not do this "side trip" when in Israel...... enjoy!
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...ddle-east.html

How about Iceland? While not as cheap as some other places, the scenery is memorable and the food is great. SAS flies there from various cities in Scandinavia.

All great suggestions so far. Addressing a few thoughts/questions:

Yes, Enki is based on the Sumerian deity. I'd love to throw Kuwait on the list, but I suspect that one constraint I didn't mention might get in the way -- my wife needs to be comfortable about where I go. I try to educate her about what's safe and what isn't safe, but preconceived notions might still reign. So Jordan, Kuwait, and Ethiopia might not be possible. At least for now. Despite reports to the contrary, she still thinks that most of Africa is unsafe for travel and a bad option. Thought many (most?) places aren't any more dangerous that any other place in the world, compared to Iceland, Japan, etc., her reaction is still a consideration.

Keep these suggestions coming. I'm probably about 6 months out from my next trip, so I do have time to educate and plan (love what I saw about Lalibela and Petra, despite what I said above!)

Thanks,

Enki

Laos or Burma.
You will definitely know that you are not in any kind of western civilization, and I find the both cultures amazing.
Lodging is very cheap (although they are not your average Ritz Carltons ;)) and far from SFO, no doubt.

CA or TG serves RGN or VTE, so getting there shouldn't be too much of a problem from SFO.

Antarctica? Can be reached from 3 places and pretty much the most remote and unique place on Earth.

Was just going to suggest this. A friend went on a week's cruise in Antarctica. Said it was fantastic.

Next year, she goes to Everest base camp.........maybe that's an option.

Not nearly as 'exotic' as some of these suggestions, but how about the Scottish Highlands (and Islands if you want to expand it a bit)? Some fantastic walking that can be made as difficult as you like, you can take a tent and camp, so cheap lodging, and walk from point-to-point over a few days, carrying everything you need with you (please take the normal safety precautions of doing such a venture of course) and you should certainly be able to get a long way there on miles. I think some of the scenery is absolutely breathtaking, and certainly standing in some spots, without another soul for miles around, you really feel as tho you are the only person who has ever set eyes on the valley you are looking at. I think your wife should be fairly comfortable with the country choice too.

How about Uruguay?

You can get there on TAM (which is for now still a *A member, so you should be able to book the flight on miles) or Copa (which even though it's not a *A member is still available since it's a UA partner, no?).

There are lots of small towns, many near nice beaches, and I'm sure you can find a reasonably priced inn, particularly if you go during off season.

The culture/language will be different, and you're very unlikely to meet too many tourists (unless you go to Punta del Este, but that's easily avoided.) Actually, outside of Montevideo and Punta, it's very easy to unwind because the country is so sparsely populated.

Very far from SFO.

It's also extremely safe, so your wife should be comfortable with the idea. Plus you can eat and drink very, very well there. ^

Atacama Desert, Chile, maybe with a day or two in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. Really feels like being on another planet. San Pedro de Atacama is touristy but has nice, inexpensive private hostel rooms, and is a good base for drives into the desert. Use *A miles to get to SCL, then buy a cheap ticket to ANF or CJC on Sky Airline.

You mean Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. :cool:

I agree this could be a good option. And if the OP wants a challenge, the elevation will certainly provide a physical one - it may take him a couple of days to get acclimated.

My only quibble is that accommodation in San Pedro in my experience is quite expensive, and the quality that you get is pretty poor unless you want to splurge on luxury spa-type places. But I guess it may be possible to keep the cost down at the expense of creature comforts like reliable hot water and electricity.