Want a supercool trip next year....

I've been to India (Delhi, Agra and Madras/Chennai). Very cool trip but I got pretty sick from the wedding dinner in Madras. But I still would highly recommend India. And dirt cheap. In Delhi, stay at the Imperial Hotel, a beautiful 5+ star hotel for only $100 USD a night!! You'll be treated like kings and queens. A full meal at their Asian restaurant (recently named one of the best in the world by Conde Nast) was only $50 USD for a dinner for two, with wine!  I must do Goa and Bombay next trip, and possibly Sri Lanka where I have some friends. 

Africa: Been all over Egypt. Highly recommended, especially a cruise on the Nile from Aswan to Cairo. Would love to explore souther Africa and do a Safari.

Japan: never been but it's on my to-do list

Dubai: Overrated. It's one giant Duty Free Shop so unless you're a big shopper or searching for Russian prostitutes, you'll be very bored by the second day.


My next big trip is a ski week in February in Italy. Woo hoo!

extreme... smells, sounds and sights (not all nice either).

see now this is why i am struggling.......

do i want to spend 2 weeks and not feel...truly...relaxed?

thanks b, i'll keep that in mind if we go!

see now this is why i am struggling.......

do i want to spend 2 weeks and not feel...truly...relaxed?

All third world countries are like this, though don't let that put you off.  As I said about before about making a trip to Africa, I would say the same with India.....but I am obviously biased.   

If you want to relax on the beach in India, I highly recommend a trip to Goa.  I went there in 2003 and had a great time.

>>either way be perpared for the extreme... smells, sounds and sights (not all nice either)<<

It all comes down to your personal comfort level. And bvamin is corect, all third world countries will have that atmosphere. But I stayed in 3, 4 and 5-star hotels throughout India and was perfectly content. I'm the type of traveler who wants to experience something completely different than my usual surroundings (with limits), rather than visiting a resort that is a sanitized version of the way most people in that country live. 

I also stayed in 4 and 5 star hotels while in India, and they were all lovely and comfortable.  It just wasn't my cup of tea and it didn't help that I was sick for the first 4 days and my allergies went crazy.
  but as it was said it is a third world country and you have to be perpared for "certain things".