Shinryu good vacation spots Hi, I was wondering what good vacation spots you might suggest(aside from the heavens of course, since I am not quite ready to join the next world yet)what places do the ppl here like to go to on vacation when you feel like taking a break from answering calls? also is there anyway to tell whether or not a previous call will be answered or not? since I have sent previous calls though I am not sure if they will be answered or not, and I was curious if its possible to find out if they were ignored or have yet to be answered, or do you have to be working here in order to learn which calls don't get answered? well thanks anyway, oh yeah if you missed it there was two added parts to my previous message about Vash, hopefully someone notices them, ok thanks. ^^ Riku What kind of vacation are ya looking for? I see two kinds of people at Destiny Islands; those who want to go, be pampered, and be utterly relaxed, and those who want to cram every possible experience and moment into as short a period a time as impractical. In other words, people who want to relieve stress and people who don't know how to let go of it. Riku Me, I'm an explorer. I can't let go of stress; when I go someplace new, someplace exciting, I like to see things and do things. However, lots of people seem to like going to the beach, laying in the sand, drinking something cold, and just letting the sun and the sea rob them of their tension. I live here though, so it's kinda boring. I'd go hike mountain trails, climb cliff faces for fun, kayak whitewater rapids, spelunk cave systems, swim underground rivers, and climb really tall trees. I'd also like to eat new and exotic foods. So maybe it would help if you told us where you lived, or what part of the world you had access to? New England is famed for it's fall weather, baked goods, and rustic country charm. Virginia has some of the prettiest forests around, I hear, while the west coast has the Yosemite valley, the John Muir trail, Las Vegas for those seeking lights and glitter, Arches National Park, and the great woods of the northwest. In more exotic parts of the world, there's the ancient city of Rome, the mysterious glens of Ireland, romantic Paris, glitzy and frenetic Hong Kong, the lush jungles of Thailand and Vietnam, the wonderfully quaint mix of high tech and tradition that is Japan, and the wickedly exotic but strangely familiar Australia. Of course there's more than that, but that's what I'd be interested off the top of my head. Solid Snake Hmm, right now I wouldn't recommend most of the middle east; not Iraq, Iran, nor Israel or Palestine, though Israel is fairly safe. Most of the Malaysian states are really cheap to travel to now, but that's countered by some of the recent history of Muslim activity... you'd want to doublecheck of course, since my bias is suspected Gear activity. If you're going to travel the world, be aware of cultural and local differences. "Rich" American tourists aren't universally revered, and there is, and has always been, a lot of tensions caused by US policy. There shouldn't be any problems with a little care and research; find out what local conditions are, and don't assume money can fix anything. Here's a handy list of warnings and advisories that the US government has assembled; it talks of terrorist threats, SARs, other diseases, and local unrest. Shinryu I live in North America, state of Oregon, though I have visited most of the other states, I was thinking of other vacation spots outside of the states that might be worth visiting. and thanks for that list snake. Alucard Tepis Just to be obvious, on a site populated by Japanese animation and game characters, there is always The Land of the Rising Sun. (As opposed to The Land of the Falling Sun...Microsystems that is, better known as Silicon Valley.) You can make multiple trips to Japan and practically see a different country every time you go. There is feudal Japan, which still exists in places like Kyoto, Himeji, and Nara, where ancient temples and castles are preserved to this day. There is historic Japan, with memorials at Hiroshima and Nagasaki and museums just about anywhere you want to go. There is rural Japan, with little inns and onsen in the Japanese countryside and mountains. (Not to mention great skiing up in Hokkaido.) Then, of course there is ultra-modern, urban Japan. From the "Electric Town" of Akihabara to the chic streets of Ginza, there is hardly a more modern place than Tokyo, but that shouldn't prevent an ambitious traveller from exploring Osaka and elsewhere. And of course, some times, the many worlds of Japan are shuffled right next to one another. This Japan is where you can see the massive globe of the NHK building from the peak of Osaka castle, and pass right by an ancient Buddhist temple on the way to Tokyo Tower (slightly taller than it's French forefather built by Gustave Eiffel, and much more colorful). And if you are worried about a language barrier, don't be. While it helps to bring friends that can speak Japanese, or be able to speak it yourself, if you only know English, you can likely get along just fine. English instruction is compulsory in school, so even average people you meet on the street may be able to help you find where you want to go. Every sign you see will nearly always be marked in English, so navigation is not difficult. At most places of interest, you will find brocures and attendants who can help you in English. Most major hotels even have concierge staff that can speak fluent English. I suppose you are tired of me sounding like a travel guide about now, so I'll stop.