Your top 5 views that made you go "wow"
Discussion
blindswelledrat said:
Personally I have found that lots of iconic landmarks are a bit of an anti-climax because you have seen them so many times in photos that you get there and the photos do actually do them justice (see pics above) so you arrive at pretty much what you expect to arrive at.
That makes sense and I can see where you're coming from now.
I think you're alone there Justin. That looks rubbish to me and demonstrates exactly why I don't particularly like the Canaries.
1. Jokulsarlon - never seen anything like it. Could be said for the rest of Iceland for that matter.
2. Northern Lights in Abisko - was disappointed a couple of times before chasing the lights but this display was spectacular.
3. Maldives - no other beach resort ever feels special after you've been there.
4. Calakmul - we were literally the only people there, having a picnic on top of a Mayan pyramid over the jungle.
5. Trundling down to the Foxhole at the Nurburgring for the first time at 130mph - you never appreciate the gradients and the compression/G forces on Gran Turismo.
2. Northern Lights in Abisko - was disappointed a couple of times before chasing the lights but this display was spectacular.
3. Maldives - no other beach resort ever feels special after you've been there.
4. Calakmul - we were literally the only people there, having a picnic on top of a Mayan pyramid over the jungle.
5. Trundling down to the Foxhole at the Nurburgring for the first time at 130mph - you never appreciate the gradients and the compression/G forces on Gran Turismo.
blindswelledrat said:
Yes I definitely seem to on the minority on this thread.
Personally I have found that lots of iconic landmarks are a bit of an anti-climax because you have seen them so many times in photos that you get there and the photos do actually do them justice (see pics above) so you arrive at pretty much what you expect to arrive at. Added to the sheer number of people that you invariably find in these places it just doesn't do that much for me.
I don't disagree with that. I'm guilty in that I did immediately thought of far-off places for this thread when there are several places in the UK that have blown me away too.Maybe familiarity lessens their impact over time. I'm still impressed with the white cliffs of Dover but I've seen them so often they didn't spring to mind.Personally I have found that lots of iconic landmarks are a bit of an anti-climax because you have seen them so many times in photos that you get there and the photos do actually do them justice (see pics above) so you arrive at pretty much what you expect to arrive at. Added to the sheer number of people that you invariably find in these places it just doesn't do that much for me.
I also think there is a lot more to consider than just the place itself. The weather, your mood, the people you're with, the journey there; it all adds up. Sometimes it all comes together and you're lost for words, sometimes you just see it and... meh.
One of the most incredible views of my life was arriving in Byron Bay in Australia, but it didn't seem to fit here because technically it was just a beach and a sunset (and we travel with the mantra, "sunsets are overrated," so never go out of our way to see one
).But as we parked up, the light was absolutely beautiful. There were dolphins playing in the surf. A bloke sat outside a VW campervan, tapping out a beat on some drums and the smell of barbecues was in the air. I'm sure we've all seen views like that which stunned us into silence at the time but a photo couldn't possibly do them justice.
I am pleased I started this thread... some great ideas coming for future holidays! One of the things for me is having the time to enjoy the view... a couple spring to mind, one mentioned in my first post...
View from the Regina mare hotel in Santorini. The only place we have been more than once (been 5 times now, usually have a chill out week there the end of summer...)
The other one is quite recent... we stayed at the Portmeirion Hotel , North Wales during this summer... The view from the terrace at 7:00 on a sunny morning was stunning.
This is one from 2012 when we did a tour of Canada. this is Bow lake, we stopped off as we saw a sign for toilets... this was at the back of the car park! spent an hour just taking the view in. I am surprised Canada has not featured more in this thread!
View from the Regina mare hotel in Santorini. The only place we have been more than once (been 5 times now, usually have a chill out week there the end of summer...)
The other one is quite recent... we stayed at the Portmeirion Hotel , North Wales during this summer... The view from the terrace at 7:00 on a sunny morning was stunning.
This is one from 2012 when we did a tour of Canada. this is Bow lake, we stopped off as we saw a sign for toilets... this was at the back of the car park! spent an hour just taking the view in. I am surprised Canada has not featured more in this thread!
Lake District
Ullster by Scott W McCormack, on Flickr
Local
Southend Seaside Sunset by Scott W McCormack, on Flickr
Greens Pool
IMG_9829 2 by sophiefreethy7, on Flickr
And the view across WA (Thats me)
IMG_4066 by sophiefreethy7, on Flickr
Ullster by Scott W McCormack, on FlickrLocal
Southend Seaside Sunset by Scott W McCormack, on FlickrGreens Pool
IMG_9829 2 by sophiefreethy7, on FlickrAnd the view across WA (Thats me)
IMG_4066 by sophiefreethy7, on Flickrdurbster said:
I don't disagree with that. I'm guilty in that I did immediately thought of far-off places for this thread when there are several places in the UK that have blown me away too.Maybe familiarity lessens their impact over time. I'm still impressed with the white cliffs of Dover but I've seen them so often they didn't spring to mind.
I also think there is a lot more to consider than just the place itself. The weather, your mood, the people you're with, the journey there; it all adds up. Sometimes it all comes together and you're lost for words, sometimes you just see it and... meh.
One of the most incredible views of my life was arriving in Byron Bay in Australia, but it didn't seem to fit here because technically it was just a beach and a sunset (and we travel with the mantra, "sunsets are overrated," so never go out of our way to see one).
But as we parked up, the light was absolutely beautiful. There were dolphins playing in the surf. A bloke sat outside a VW campervan, tapping out a beat on some drums and the smell of barbecues was in the air. I'm sure we've all seen views like that which stunned us into silence at the time but a photo couldn't possibly do them justice.
Completely agree with all of that.I also think there is a lot more to consider than just the place itself. The weather, your mood, the people you're with, the journey there; it all adds up. Sometimes it all comes together and you're lost for words, sometimes you just see it and... meh.
One of the most incredible views of my life was arriving in Byron Bay in Australia, but it didn't seem to fit here because technically it was just a beach and a sunset (and we travel with the mantra, "sunsets are overrated," so never go out of our way to see one
).But as we parked up, the light was absolutely beautiful. There were dolphins playing in the surf. A bloke sat outside a VW campervan, tapping out a beat on some drums and the smell of barbecues was in the air. I'm sure we've all seen views like that which stunned us into silence at the time but a photo couldn't possibly do them justice.
Definitely the most memorable things throughout my life where holidays are concerned are snapshot moments found by accident, and never scheduled tourist must-dos.
Swimming with killer whales in a Norwgian fjord in the winter perma-sunset, sitting on a hilltop overlooking Tsavo national park in Kenya with no one else around, sitting by the amazon watching pink dophins whilst billions of fireflies came out at dusk behinds us -etc.
The thing for me that they all have in common is few other people around.
t hole. But this picture was good.Don't have the photos on this computer but, in no particular order:
- from the top of Trollstiggen, Norway
- view from the cottage we rented on Skye for our honeymoon. (Portnalong)
- through the glass floor of the CN Tower
- from a helicopter (side window, looking down) over Niagara Falls
- Ferrari museum, the room with about 12 F1 cars of different vintages (does that count?) brought a tear to my eye
- from the top of Trollstiggen, Norway
- view from the cottage we rented on Skye for our honeymoon. (Portnalong)
- through the glass floor of the CN Tower
- from a helicopter (side window, looking down) over Niagara Falls
- Ferrari museum, the room with about 12 F1 cars of different vintages (does that count?) brought a tear to my eye
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