Experiment - Are there any Tildes users in Europe, Asia or Australia/New Zealand who might be interested to meet for a meal or a drink?
I am faced with an unusually busy year this year between work and school. I have one window for a vacation between December 27 and January 7. My planned travel companion can no longer come along. My ticket can be changed to most destinations worldwide.
Before I choose to go alone or to not travel this year, I decided to ask this community the following question. Is there anyone who lives on a continent I consider less risky to visit alone, who would be open to a meetup and provide some local travel advice? I understand that many people fiercely protect their anonymity and I am not trying to convince anyone. If no one responds, that is fine.
I also don't need or want handholding or babysitting. I am a middle aged, american married woman with some health issues. I am a moderately experienced traveler.
If you are open to discussing this possibility, please feel free to reply or message.
Apologies to my friends in South and Central America and in Africa. I need this trip to be relatively easy and to feel 99 percent safe while traveling alone.
In theory I would certainly be happy to do so, in west-central Germany or south-west England (I live in one and will visit family for Christmas in the other). Feel free to PM me at any point to discuss further, and more importantly, best of luck with your trip!
Speaking as the guy who made the census a while back, I think the second largest community behind the US folks are the UK folks here, so I think your biggest chances are there. However, right afterwards are the Germans. I'm from Austria and have been to the UK and I must say, mainland Europe is definitely preferable (sorry). That being said, Germany is a big place. If we meet in Munich I can be there in 3 hours, but Berlin would be 6h+ trip for me.
Vienna is a cultural mark of the world so I can recommend visiting! I'd be happy to meet up there or in South Germany.
I've traveled and lived abroad a lot. Vienna in winter (and especially Christmas) is one of the prettiest cities I've been too. Cold though.
Messaging you, Thank you.
27th of December onwards is a bit late for a Christmas market, right? Otherwise I'd suggest that. There's good ones all over Germany and probably Austria.
British Christmas markets are great too
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This is off topic, so please label as such, but is there any plans for another census? From what I can tell, the last one was 3 years ago, and now that the Reddit influx has settled down a little I think it would be really interesting to see how our population has changed because of it. I know that it was a lot of work, and that one of the people involved has now left the site, but I thought it was really cool and would love to see an update on it.
I'm currently pretty busy, and I was told by the site admin that last time I ran it some folks were pretty unhappy with its existance due to it's data collective nature, which dissuaded me from doing so again. However, you're the second person to ask and I think with the reddit exodus it's definitely a valid question to ask which surely will have an interesting answer, so I might dedicate a weekend to it.
Hmm, do you recall what those people were unhappy about?
I feel like a census only collects data from those who voluntarily provide it, so there's no problem? Or I might be failing to imagine some way it might be bad.
My best guess right now is that knowing the platform's demographics would reveal some probabilistic knowledge about this platform's users in general, which is partial info even about people who deliberately avoid the census.
That's still a fairly weak justification for opposing a census in my opinion.
Unless you are using a VPN, you are providing that meta information everytime you use the site.
If you're about the Bristol area of the UK (just next to Wales) then I'd be happy to... I guess point at our big bridge and agree that it's an awfully nice bridge.
Tbf the area is actually pretty top drawer, and it's a bohemian hipster/hippy hotspot, but it's not on the scale of Madrid or Berlin.
Thank you very much redbearsam. @shoelace also offered a welcome in South west England, so that might work out as a combination. Also, a quick look at a map and a visitors guide tells me that from Bristol, I have some interesting options including pirates and naval history, public transport to Bath, the option to venture into Wales and almost certainly more I haven't found yet.
One of the things that most impressed me about the UK is that if you are willing to do a little walking, you can take a train from and to damn near anywhere. It makes getting around so easy. I believe they offer very reasonable time-limited tickets that have unlimited stops, so if you like exploring and want to visit several places/people that is an option. This also extends to other EU countries, the rail networks are impressively extensive.
How much walking do you mean by 'a little walking'? Where I live, the closest train stations to me on separate lines are:
Not to mention, large stretches of the roads on these walks have no footpath, or require walking through fields. One of the great lamentations of my life is the 1963 Beeching cuts, which axed huge amounts of train services across the country that were losing the Government money. Many proposed bus lines to replace a lot of these services were never instituted. Unfortunately, this disproportionately effected northern and rural communities, many of which (like my area) were left without reasonable access in and out of towns. Truthfully, my area is still reasonably well connected, all things considered. There are other places in the country much more cut off from the trains. If you want to see a visual for this, search 'Beeching cuts before and after'. Thousands of communities were effectively cut off from their neighbours because the trains were seen as something that ought to make profit and not as a public service.
I think in comparison to this map a lot more of the UK falls under "a little walking" for at least most urban centres.
It's quite an unfair comparison. A quick google search tells me that the USA is 40x bigger than the UK with only 5x the population. Of course things are going to be a lot more sparse. But that wasn't really my point. What I was trying to get at was that
To @Amarok 's point, I suppose that yes, you can get most anywhere in the country if you want to walk. I mean hell, you can walk from our southern most point to the northern most point in a month or two if you really wanted. I think the record for running it was just under 10 days.
Anyway, all that to say, I take your point that the UK is better connected by train than some countries, especially in urban areas where we do have some good connections. If you've come to visit for a city based holiday or a walking holiday, that's great, I'm sure the trains will serve you decently. But large amounts of our public transport system remain woefully inadequate throughout the country. In a village near me, the only way in and out is the school bus that comes twice a day, never on weekends, and never on the summer holidays. Despite the country's size, the lack of public transport makes it impossible to live without a car for shopping, working, and leisure.
Edit: since this is a travel advice/meet-up thread and OP seems to have decided on England, I should probably try and keep it somewhat on topic. In regards to rail travel, there are two important things to know at the moment. Firstly, rail travel isn't always particularly cheap, especially if you don't plan ahead. This is location dependent of course, but I know people who've flown domestic flights to get places because it was cheaper than the trains.
Secondly, rail travel at the moment is quite unreliable. Between rail strikes, staff shortages, and weather, a lot of trains are being cancelled. (Only) 3% of trains this year so far were cancelled, but that rose to 7% in Wales and 6% in the North East (interesting two places that are already underserved by the rail network). I think these two things are worth considering of trains are going to be @boxer_dogs_dance 's main method of transport.
Thank you for the travel advice!
No worries at all, a pleasure to contribute to the community. Does sound like a good combo with shoelace's offer. The things you list are all classics in these parts, for sure. No worries if you go a different way with it all though ofc! One way or another, bon chance with the big trip.
The London residents have also volunteered their hospitality, I think a trip to England is decided. I hope to see you in Bristol. We can coordinate details by dm.
I messaged you re coordinating.
It'd second the suggestion of Bath for a tourist. Lovely place you can see most of in a day with lots of little places to eat and all very walkable (plus it's daytrippable from London)
I've been to Bristol, I also agree, it is a lovely bridge!
My son lived there for a year and swore blind the best pub was a Hobbit themed one??
Hah.... uuuuuh.... Maybe? Is there a chance he was just getting pissed up in a school?
Happy to offer advice and/or meet up if you are planning to be in Australia.
It's a big continent we have here, so I may or may not be able to physically meet with you - but nothing ventured, nothing gained. DM me any time.
I'm not too keen on meeting total strangers but I would be happy to give you advice about traveling in Denmark, if you decide to come this way!
Thank you, I really appreciate it.
I'm in Sweden roughly between Gothenburg and Stockholm, a little closer to Gothenburg. I think you'd be bored in my little town but I'd be happy to show you around one of the bigger cities.
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I’m in the South East of the UK (within an hour of London) and would be interested :)
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Hi, South Island of New Zealand here. I'd be happy to chat about travel in NZ and even consider a meet up, but I will say that it's a long way to travel for what's a relatively short stay!
I would love to meet up! Live in Sweden, on the island of Gotland. Search it up. It is magical. I'd be happy to make time for a drink, a chat, and some travel advice. Gotland is super safe, and if you like history, this is the place to be.
If for whatever reason, you want to hit up southern Japan, I'd be more than happy to buy you a beer and give you some travel tips
Thank you! messaging you
I can give advice if you travel to Berlin. My wife and I might not be in town during that period for our own Christmas travels but if it lines up and we are in town at the same time I'd also be up to meet for dinner or drinks somewhere!
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Asia is pretty huge but I can give travel tips for Singapore
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Happy to give some tips/travel advice if you go to Ireland. I'll be away for the Christmas period myself but happy to help!
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Am from the Netherlands and, whilst travelling myself during that time doesn't lend itself easily to meet for coffee, I'd be happy to answer any questions if you're considering heading this way!
Thank you!
I would love to meet up! Live in Sweden, on the island of Gotland. Search it up. It is magical. I'd be happy to make time for a drink, a chat, and some travel advice.