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Most exotic place you ever visited?
Author: Tom Moungovan
Date: 04-03-2010 - 12:51
I thought I'd try to start something interesting here. Am looking for comments on the most
exotic place you've ever stayed, preferably involving railroading. It could be a remote campground in the Rockies or an inexpensive hotel in South Africa. Please add whatever comments you feel would help explain.
Mine is admitedly a bit of a stretch, but since this is all in fun nobody should object too strenuously. Three years ago, I spent a week on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, I had made a promise 40 years prior to a Marine NCO that I'd do it in my lifetime and it turned out
to be one of the best things I've ever done.
My late uncle George had fought there with the 1st Marines and I made certain to swim across
the river where he had fought. When the cabbie who had driven me out there reminded me to watch out for crocs, I picked up my stroke you can bet on that. There are big salties in this area and I did see a few, but not on this day.
The Hotel that I stayed in had a funicular ry. up to the rooms and I used it daily, There is a steep hillside behind the lobby/dining room and one or more battles of the Matanikau were fought right here in 1942. The US Army also had a 2' construction railroad around Henderson Field after it was secured, but that is long gone.
I met up with an Aussie named Mike Hammond who took me across Ironbottom Sound in his boat and showed me the islands of Tulagi, Gavutu and Tanambogo. The Marines also engaged in fierce fighting here in August of '42. There are still shipwrecks and sunken aircraft that are easily visible including a Japanese 4 engine Mavis flying boat. The owner of the islet Gavutu
walked into the scrub on Tanambogo and came out with a rusted, but complete air-cooled Browning .30 cal machinegun with tripod. This kind of stuff is still being discovered some 60 plus years after the fighting.
I saw flying fish, dolphins and pilot whales up close, 3 young salties right next to the boat and had a red parrot land on my shoulder. It must have been somewhat tame, although this was aways from any structure.
One of the best parts of the week was having lunch at the Point Cruz Yacht Club. Once you were were introduced by a member, you could walk in on your own. They offered fish and chips, but their local beer SB, has a really high alcoholic content and it was all I could do to find my way back to my Hotel later in the afternoon.
Hard to believe today that so much bloodshed went on here. The Marines had it bad and the Japanese even worse, but it is a really beautiful locale and the native people are as friendly
as anywhere. I sometimes think about returning.
exotic place you've ever stayed, preferably involving railroading. It could be a remote campground in the Rockies or an inexpensive hotel in South Africa. Please add whatever comments you feel would help explain.
Mine is admitedly a bit of a stretch, but since this is all in fun nobody should object too strenuously. Three years ago, I spent a week on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, I had made a promise 40 years prior to a Marine NCO that I'd do it in my lifetime and it turned out
to be one of the best things I've ever done.
My late uncle George had fought there with the 1st Marines and I made certain to swim across
the river where he had fought. When the cabbie who had driven me out there reminded me to watch out for crocs, I picked up my stroke you can bet on that. There are big salties in this area and I did see a few, but not on this day.
The Hotel that I stayed in had a funicular ry. up to the rooms and I used it daily, There is a steep hillside behind the lobby/dining room and one or more battles of the Matanikau were fought right here in 1942. The US Army also had a 2' construction railroad around Henderson Field after it was secured, but that is long gone.
I met up with an Aussie named Mike Hammond who took me across Ironbottom Sound in his boat and showed me the islands of Tulagi, Gavutu and Tanambogo. The Marines also engaged in fierce fighting here in August of '42. There are still shipwrecks and sunken aircraft that are easily visible including a Japanese 4 engine Mavis flying boat. The owner of the islet Gavutu
walked into the scrub on Tanambogo and came out with a rusted, but complete air-cooled Browning .30 cal machinegun with tripod. This kind of stuff is still being discovered some 60 plus years after the fighting.
I saw flying fish, dolphins and pilot whales up close, 3 young salties right next to the boat and had a red parrot land on my shoulder. It must have been somewhat tame, although this was aways from any structure.
One of the best parts of the week was having lunch at the Point Cruz Yacht Club. Once you were were introduced by a member, you could walk in on your own. They offered fish and chips, but their local beer SB, has a really high alcoholic content and it was all I could do to find my way back to my Hotel later in the afternoon.
Hard to believe today that so much bloodshed went on here. The Marines had it bad and the Japanese even worse, but it is a really beautiful locale and the native people are as friendly
as anywhere. I sometimes think about returning.
Most exotic place you ever visited?