Let’s face it, Mrs. MM and I do not typically regard ourselves as the roughing it types, nor have we ever traveled with such rugged mountaineering, backpacking, outback style luggage with extremely strict weight requirements to boot! For nearly the past 2 weeks we have been on an adventure trip of a lifetime, definitely crossing something off our personal “bucket list”. It’s an advance celebration of our joint “100th birthday” this year (that’s 50 for each of us) and we have saved up for years, and hope it turns out to be everything we expected, and more. I had written and programmed daily posts to keep you all amused and unaware of my absence (except for my rare comments whenever I could go on-line) and as this post is published, we are hopefully well on our way home.
The question is, where did we go? The only clues are these four pieces of luggage for three people for nearly 2 weeks. And no, I don’t climb serious mountains as I have a fear of heights. :)
Many years ago, I had a “fill in the blanks” kind of post that seemed to keep a lot of you amused, see here, so maybe I’ll try that again to keep you occupied until I get over jet lag and errands and come back on-line.
FILL IN THE BLANKS, LEAVE YOUR ANSWERS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW:
Marketman and family are off on a trip of a lifetime to _________1__________. We were not allowed to bring our normal luggage and had to pack wisely, cramming a carefully coordinated wardrobe into these duffel bags because this is all that would fit on __________2__________. On arrival, we jump into/onto _________3____________ and almost instantaneously run across a _________4___________ while on the way to our ___________5___________ star hotel. Temperatures may range from 8C to 30C, and keeping warm or cool enough will be a challenge, but to see some _________6____________ and _________7__________ it’s hopefully all worth it. While there will probably be sufficient _________8__________ to drink, MM frets Coke Light will be scarce or non-existent. MM has his supplies of champoy and spicy sampalok close at hand, to battle potential motion sickness. Despite the type of luggage, MM had to make sure he brought along only the finest underwear, as the ________9_________ might judge him. This is a part of the world we have never visited, but we hear there is rice. The fourth duffel is mostly empty, leaving space for some shopping and we are likely to stock up on ________10_________ and ________11________ if the price is right. On the way home, a quick stop in the _________12__________ airport will mean superb duty free shopping and we are close to home.
If one commenter leaves a particularly accurate and/or amusing set of answers, I may award them a couple of bags of chicharon to be LBC’ed to any Philippine address that the courier can reach. No relatives, friends or work colleagues who know where we are can join this contest. Have fun! :)
52 Responses
I’m guessing Machu Pichhu, Peru.
San Sebastian, Spain?
1. antartica 2. Snow mobile 3. Dog sled 4. Polar bear 5. Ice 6. Glaciers 7. Icebergs 8. Vodka 9. Penguins 10. Blubber 11. Dried Whale/ seal meat 12. Changi
1. Jordan
2. Cargo
3. Camel
4. Snake
5. 3
6. stars
7. Ancient ruins
8. Shaneeneh
9. tour guide
10.hummus
11. falafel
12. HKIA
love the bags! have a great adventure, MM and family!
by far…the funniest/most intriguing? post ever MM!
I do however know where my family will be tonight..Zubuchon..so lucky to live in Cebu!
i was about to say sagada but rice is available but not a staple…
happy trails Market Man and fam!
cant wait to find out.
Let me give this a shot:
1. Kenya 2. tiny planes they use in the african bush 3. safari van 4. herd of elephants 5. 5 6. lions 7. giraffes 8. water 9. locals 10. handicrafts 11. diamonds 12. Changi
The rice threw me off though.
1. the seychelles 2. cessna 3. ferry 4. a pod of dolphins 5. 5 star 6. sharks 7. rays 8. fruit juices 9. housekeeper of your hotel 10. cacao and 11. gem rough 12. dubai
Somehow, Tibet comes to mind.. Mt Everest?
1. peru 2. plane 3. train 4. ramp 5. two 6. machu pichu 7.other incan arts 8. water 9. peruvians 10. woven art materilas11. processed meat 12. changi airport
1. Serengeti 2. a small plane 3. safari van 4. herd of elephants 5. four 6. lions and 7. giraffes 8. water 9. natives 10. gemstones and 11. spices 12. Dubai
1. Tanzania 2. a small plane’s compartment 3. 4×4 vehicle 4. pride of lions 5. three 6. zebras 7. giraffes 8. water 9. mosquitoes 10. spices 11. gold 12. Changi
S.Africa?!
At first, I thought Tahiti/French Polynesia where due to island hopping you’d need to pack light and it is very expensive in the South Pacific, hence the saving for years. But what about the 8 C temperature? Do the highlands get that low? But even with trekking and sea activities, tahiti would seem more luxury travel than adventure. So I crossed that out. Then looking at your survey, “adventure” and Patagonia are put together. Therefore, I think that’s where you went. It ticks all the boxes – extreme weather differential, light packing due to activities, expensive, a dedicated butler/helper who’d notice your underwear come laundering time, wild life both sea and land, and I guess you’ll be stocking up on jerky and cured meats.
St. Barts?
1. Alaska
2. Sleigh
3. Sled
4. Frozen lake/Glazier
5. Igloo
6. Penguin
7. Polar bear
8. Water
9. Eskimo
10. Fish oil
11. Meat
12. Changi
You have to be a seasoned mountaineer and with altitude to go to Everest so I am guessing…
1. Nepal
2. A mule
3. A gargantuan rickety bus with chickens top loaded
4. Yak
5. 2
6. Ancient temples
7. Breathtaking lakes
8. Chai tea
9. Tibetan monks
10. Tea
11. Black cardamoms
12. Changi
Now that I think about it, 8C to 30C can also be Ecuador.
1. Africa
2. small plane
3. jeep
4. herd
5. five
6. cheetahs
7. leopards
8. wine
9.gorillas
10.spices
11. nuts
12.Changi
been a lurker for 5 years already. it’s my first time to comment here. love reading your blog MM!
1.madagascar
2. a small plane
3. a truck
4. zebra or a lion
5. 5 star hotel
6. flamingos or hippos or giraffe or lemurs
7. baobab trees
8. tea
9. oompa loompas hehehe
10.vanilla
11. cocoa or chocolate
12. Changi
1. Patagonia 2.jeep cherokee 3. yatch 4. whale 5. 5 6. glaciers 7. wildlife 8. wine 9. butler 10. leather goods 11. dried meat, fruits or spices 12. Buenos Aires
Correction on 12. Should be Changi airport.
Galapagos?
1. an African Safari
2. an hovercraft
3. an elephant
4. a pride of lions
5. 10 ??
6. Silverback gorillas and
7. white rhinoceros
8. tea
9. personal valet
10. dates
11. saffron
12. Dubai
1. an african safari
2 a small plane / camel
3 land rover
4. giraffe
5. 6.
6 lions
7 The Great Migrantion
8 wine
9 personal concierge
10 spices
11 caviar
12 dubai.
1. africa
2. light plane
3.4×4
4.zebra
5.4 star/lodge
6. cheetas
7. rhinos
8. kilimanjaro beer
9.masaii men
10african handicrafts
11. zebra skin
12. qatar
1. Botswana
2. Cessna
3. Land Rovers
4. herd of wildebeests
5. Five
6. Lions
7. Hippos
8. South African wine
9. laundresses
10. spices
11. wood carving
12. Changi
Wherever it was, certainly must have been quite a trip given your standards. Cheers, MM!
1. Tibet 2. A light plane. 3. 4×4. 4. goat. 5. shooting-for-the-(star) 6. yak 7. Lama reincarnations. 8. yak butter tea. 9. laundry women. 10. cashmere 11.silk. 12. Hong Kong
If availability of rice even comes into question, this is definitely not in Asia and most likely not in Central or Latin America either.
Between 8° and 30°C in late May means temperate zone.
If sufficiency of water is a question, it’s out in the wild and rules out most of Europe.
Involves lots of plane or boat transportation so the attraction is probably a sprawling group of islands or remote points of interest.
Could you be hemming your way around Mount Kiliminjaro?
I have no clue! But I’m guessing Africa? :) Looking forward to finding out about your grand adventure! I’m sure it was epic!
Haha, I’m fixated on the fact that I have the same duffel bag. In fact I have two of them. :)
Africa
Temperature range and rice isn’t enough to be sure, but my guess is that it could be somewhere down down under or way up the northern end of the globe. But where would you be unable to bring normal luggage? I was thinking you might be on some sailing trip but certainly, if you were on a cruise ship part of the time, Coke lite should/might be available. I might go along with Betchay’s or Jenny’s guess, or the Arctic circle perhaps with an airport stop in Norway or Scandinavia where MM can stock up on caviar, smoked salmon and cheeses.
Galapagos!
My son went there with just a backpack a few years ago sometime in early July…said it was cold and hot….plus 49 years old …maybe celebrate the last day of being 49 by the 49th parallel?
This is o much fun…looking back and remembering my Geography teacher…thought you would want your celebration turning 50 by the 49th parallel!
On second thought…maybe by the equator…Galapagos for sure, then there is the Maldives…or checking out the Silverback gorilla?..but that involves a lot of hiking and strength for you need to push Mrs. MM when you pass through a steep terrain!…Buti na lang Mrs. MM weighs an ounce!!!
Ha ha, I was going to demur but refrained in time.
Back to my sleuthing, denizens of the Tropics need warm bulky clothes than would fit in a gym bag to survive a polar trip in late May. What threw me off though is the reference to underwear but then they always throw me off.
Might you be on an uber luxurious African safari ( underwear concerns) where even if close to the Equator would have microclimates depending on altitude, but then they don’t have caviar or smoked salmon and you would come back with an alligator briefcase or Kenyan coffee or cacao or highland tea or a nice leather safari hat or pith helmet:) You can actually get motion sickness riding in those safari jeeps especially when running after wild life sightings!
1. Serengeti
2. Cessna
3. Range Rover
4. herd of elephants
5. no star
6. zebras
7. wildebeest
8. coffee
9. gorillas
10. coffee beans
11. tea
12. Hong Kong
1.Madagascar 2.light aircraft 3.offroad vehicle 4. ring-tailed lemur 5.three-star 6.baobabs 7.orchids 8.H20 9.aye aye monkeys (hi! hay—hot guy!) 10. coffee beans 11. vanilla beans 12. Changi
My guess is an African safari, too!
1. A secluded exclusive island
2. A private plane
3. Humvee
4. Lost camel
5. Three-star hotel (bed and breakfast) with common facilities h ehe…
6. Exotic plants
7. and a chef challenge
8. Water and wine
9. Heck mm if its for mrs. Mm I bet you don’t need them fine, so it’s gotta be other members of this expedition.
10. Spices, dried fruits,
11. Cups and other implements particular to the area
12. HK is close to home
You are somewhere in Australia- duty free is excellent here. Happy and safe travels
Good grief, I am VERY IMPRESSED. Several of you were very close to the actual answers… :)
Goodmorning MM! Excited for today…will I be lucky for June 13 event? Keeping my fingers crossed! :)
The 1st thing that came to my mind for this post was Nepal but Peru’s Machu Picchu came close which is in my bucket list. However, I chose to post Antartica….it answers most of the clues although the least likely as it is not much of a tourist destination but definetely I find it amusing.One thing that goes against it…internet connection??because you posted a lot while you were on vacation. @ ConnieC thanks for concurring with me! :)
I think Joy D got it right. But wherever you are going, I look forward seeing the pictures. Enjoy!
Hi MM! I’ve been a lurker for a few years but this post made me want to make may first comment. First thing that came to mind when I read your post was Mongolia. It was a long shot but my boss went there a few years ago and based in your post, looks like simple amenities would be a luxury. My second guess would be somewhere in Africa. The underwear thing made me think of the movie The Gods Must be Crazy. hehe
Anyway, have a safe and fun trip. I’m looking forward when you reveal where your destination is.
1. Carribean
2. Cabin
3. Limousine
4. Pirate
5. Five
6. Critters
7. Iguanas
8. Coconut rum
9. Lifeguard
10. Pepper Jelly
11. Spices
12. Chek Lap Kok
1. Kruger National Park
2. a small aircraft
3. a Jeep
4. zebra
5. 5 star hotel
6. African elephants
7. African lions
8. cocktails
9. roaming giraffe
10. wines
11. African handicrafts
12. Hong Kong airport
Darn, close but no chicharon.