I don't wanna play.

No, I'm sorry, I don't have any suggestions.

Rarotonga and Aitutaki! Beautiful and you can do it on your budget easily

Spain.....you can't go wrong. Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, Madrid, Barcelona!

Ooops..I did not see the time frame - cancel the suggestion.

It seems like you have a positive taste for Asia. I suggest checking out the Philippines...islands like Boracay & Palawan & Dumaguete are spectacular...and can be done quite inexpensively.

Rocco, Michael, am I missing something? Why post only to say you aren't going to participate? Seems rude - better not to post at all - unless I'm missing something.

NKS267 is that budget for one person or for two? If it's for one I'd go to Botswana for a luxury fly in safari - check out Wilderness Safaris amongst others.

Thanks everyone...the budget is for 2 people...

I assume you're posting here because you're considering a trip to Africa?

Are you thinking of safari or something else?

What interests do you have?

Are you intending to go with a tour group or on your own?

Kavey,
As this question has been posted on 4 different boards on Fodors, I don't think the OP really has an idea what he/she wants Just not anywhere in North America or the other destinations listed.

I appreciate that (and had noticed it myself as I clicked on their name when I first read the thread).

But should this board be limited to those who are asking advice only at a certain stage of their planning process or can't we offer a little something to those who are just asking for some low-level, introductory advice on which to base a destination decision.

I can appreciate that people may choose not to answer such a query - perhaps they feel it's unlikely the poster will choose an African destination and that they'd be wasting their time - and maybe they'd be right.

I just don't see where the query merits rudeness, is all.

Don't wanna play? Ignore the post. Simple as, really.

I'd suggest Capetown, wine country (Stellenbosch) and a little of the coast
maybe out to Hermanus and back. However that IS about peak vacation time and summer in South Africa. You would need to hop into planning fast because you would DEFINATELY need reservations for places to stay.

I can't recommend my home town too highly - Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. It has everything you could reasonably want.

Patty,

Due to the fact that I did a search and found that NKS267 had posted this question on so many other boards, I did not waste my energy with much of a response. Why should I waste my effort on a person who is just likely going to waste my time.

I really go out of my way to help most people on this board, both on the board and in private e-mail correspondences, but this person did not warrant more than a one sentence response that summed up my feelings...I don't want to play your little game...go away, please.

Rocco,
I think you meant Kavey.

Rocco

That's fair enough but why take the time to post that you aren't going to post? It's rude.

And besides, you could have made the difference and swayed this person into visiting Zambia!

Fair enough not wanting to invest time if you think the chances of it being worthwhile are slim but... just ignore the post then! Why the need to stamp it with your approval or disapproval or presence?

Rocco's reaction reminds me a little on the issue with Mark of TAGA safaris.
Maybe some of us now better understand how TAs sometimes must feel.

Mitch

PS: Rocco, this is not meant against you!

Mitch,
Except we're all here giving advice and expecting nothing in return (well not nothing, but no monetary benefit), and this isn't our profession, so we should feel free to reply or not reply however we want. I chose not to reply, though somehow I've managed to post on this thread anyway! A TA is different, answering a potential client's question is their job (one that I wouldn't want BTW )

Interestingly I checked the 3 other threads the OP started and with the exception of the one on the Latin America board which doesn't get much traffic, they all have a lot of replies. Maybe we're just mean on the Africa board

I was too jealous to reply. I know EXACTLY where and how I'd spend that 5k.

Patty,

I can't agree. The motivations for giving advice can be different (profession or idealism) but even professionals are still human and have a right to refuse (unless they are legally bound).

Mitch

Kavey,

If I thought there was even the remotest chance that this person would consider Zambia, I would have done my spiel, as I have done time and time again in the past, and as I did minutes afterward or before to another newbie poster.

When a person posts to four different boards, they are not serious. Nowhere in the post was wildlife mentioned. Also, the fact that this person just copied and pasted their post onto each different message board, without even taking the time to personalize, or to express any specific interest in Africa was a real turn-off.

I know that others are not mind readers and some may have construed the original message differently, but again, what it said to me was that this person really does not care about Africa, didn't care to greet us, didn't care to thank us, etc. Hopefully this person will stay home and learn some manners before continuing to circle the globe.

OK Leely, I gotta know: Where?

I'd like to chime in here.

I have only been to Africa once and I will be very lucky to make it back within the next decade. However, this forum was very informative to me before my trip last year and continues to have good information. I also enjoy reading the trip reports.

For many of you who are fortunate enough to go to Africa annually all of this becomes second nature. But some of the questions that I think you may find mundane at times can actually be serious inquiries by a newbie to the continent. I don't think it would hurt to answer some of their questions seriously (a little humor included never hurts). For all you know, the person you are jokingly encouraging to call "kitty, kitty" might actually take you serious and end up in your safari vehicle.

Rocco has a point but Kavey does as well. I think the main reason I am posting this is because I am increasingly seeing more flippant responses to questions that are questionable themselves but could be quite innocent.

The main attraction I initially had to this site was how helpful such seasoned travelers were to the novice (myself).

I hope it stays that way.

It is worth noting that on the other three forums where this question was posed, there have so far been 24 responses, yet not even a "thank you" from the original poster.

The only reason why the original poster replied on this forum was to clarify that the budget was for two people, otherwise you would be able to add quite a few responses in here to the 24 responses received.

I sensed it would be like this from the beginning. In my eyes, this is just another species of troll. Nothing more.

Lisa,
Uganda/Rwanda. Gorillas. Need I say more?

However, I'm not sure the food is good (do they have ugali in Ug. and Rw.?) and that was one of the original poster's requirements.

Still waiting very patiently for my windfall.

Rocco, come off it.
My point was that I could totally understand your decision not to contribute - I too doubt that the original poster will end up selecting an African destination though posting on four different boards in itself doesn't bother me - it just means that they are open minded at this point on where in the world they go.
My issue was solely that you felt the need to effectively pronounce your judgement of the worthiness of this thread, as though you were some all-seeing, all-knowing arbitar of worthiness!
As I said, why didn't you just ignore the thread and move on?
I'm doubting too that you psychically knew at the start that the poster would not post much or post thanks which you use as justification now.
I'm just fed up with the way this board is turning into a clique where only posts deemed worthy by the elite are treated with courtesy and others are belittled for even posting here.
No one is saying you have to waste your precious time posting if you don't feel it's worthwhile - I wouldn't waste mine either.
But what you (and Michael, according to another similar thread) see as humour is really just taking a cheap shot at someone else's expense. If that's your idea of humour, you're welcome to it.
I have seen people suggest we should all lighten up and not take things so seriously - believe me I'm not one to take life too seriously but that doesn't mean I won't call it when I see someone behaving in such a juvenile way.

"all-seeing, all-knowing arbitar of worthiness!"

I thought Rocco was Grand Pooh-Bah of Mauritania after yesterday's coup, seems like any self respecting dictator would consider himself in such terms

Napamatt,

I thought the same. You mean I am not Grand Poobah of Mauritania?...and here I already had my call in to the Royal Mauritania Navy to come fetch me from San Pedro!

Rocco, you are, at least, according the the "Coup in Muaritania" post.

I'm looking forward to ads for "Feral Dog Green Season" safaris in Muaritania.

Kavey-at times it seems this forum more resembles a chat room than an information gathering forum as it is meant to be, but I personally have learned a lot about Africa from all the posters on this forum, especially you, Rocco, Patty, Bwanamitch, napamatt and many others. There are no stupid questions, especially for newbies such as I, and the "experts" should realize that, and if someone can't help, they shouldn't bother to respond...that is why I "practice" my questions on LonelyPlanet before posting here!

No no Rocco IS hte Grand Poubah, I picture him in a Grand Poubah crown of thorns and everything!

Matnik, I think that's the thing people forget - if everyone knew everything already there wouldn't be any posts her at all!

matnikstym,
I agree with you that the Fodors board can sometimes feel more like a chat room compared to other boards. But I think nowhere else will you find the depth of knowledge that you find here when it comes to specific travel related advice (other than airline related, for that I go to Flyertalk). I've been frequenting the Fodors boards for at least 5 years (but only started posting on the Africa board last year) and don't consider myself an expert on anything except how to maximize my frequent flyer mile earnings so I can travel more so I've certainly posted my share of newbie questions. Sorry you feel like you have to post 'practice questions' on LP. Actually if you find Fodors intimidating (although I would hope that we're not an intimidating bunch), you should try posting over at Flyertalk - it'll take you at least a couple of weeks to decipher their lingo

Matnikstym,
I am the queen of dumb questions, but I think the people on this board are soooo patient and helpful. Snarkiness is generally at a minimum.

The only problem is my imagined next- and next- and the-one-after-that safaris keep getting more and more expensive. I'm perpetually learning about new fabulous places to visit.

And to the original poster: what about Guatemala or Costa Rica if Africa's too far to fly for 7-10 days?

Leely,
If the OP hadn't specified 'outside of North America', I would've suggested Belize. I think it would make a great destination for a week or so in December. Still one of our favorite trips after many years.

Oooh snarkiness - that IS a good work - may I steal it....

to snark
to be snarky
snarkiness

Patty,
But he/she didn't list any countries in Central (or even South) America as places they've visited. One could live like a king on 5K there. Of course, I did my big C.A. trip in 1990, so things have probably changed a bit!

Kavey, please help a poor foreigner.
What means 'snarkiness'?

snark·y ( P ) Pronunciation Key (snärk)
adj. Slang snark·i·er, snark·i·est
Irritable or short-tempered; irascible.

Darn, now I have to go look up 'irascible'

Patty, I got it. Thank you.

Mitch

PS: Isn't this smiley intellectual property of Kavey?

Mitch

I do grin a lot, don't I? But sadly the smiley is not my own!

Snarky: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=snarky

snarkiness = the state of being snarky?

Even if this smiley isn't your own, I would call the usage of it 'successful branding'.

Mitch

snarkiness: oh crap, I didn't make that up, did I? I'm sure I've heard it before.

In my defense, I began my post by saying I am the queen of dumb questions. Self-awareness counts for something, right?

On an Africa topic: Patty, I am showing fares (in coach) SFO to JRO last week of June as 6K pp!!!! I'm assuming this is just a glitch. 'Cause THAT would sure put a dent in the ol' budget.

And here I thought I was the diva of annoyingly excessive use of smileys On second thought, I think that title belongs to Rocco!

Leely,
$6K, ouch! I found some flights for $2K+ but with many stops Hopefully if you wait a bit, you can find a decent routing for under $2K. But I think those of us on the west coast are stuck with a minimum of 2 connections to JRO unless we overnight in AMS.

Can I be crowned yet?

All hail Kavey, queen of smileydom!

So what was this thread supposed to be about?

Good lord, Kavey, the title is definitely yours.

Patty--thanks, I know I'm freaking out too early, but I'm a little more focused on the bottom line now that I've a few unexpected life expenses. For example, a bonus riding safari is definitely out this time around; I will have to live vicariously through you and your husband.

Around 2K pp was more in line with what I'd been expecting to pay.

Kavey,
The flower looks a little melancholic.

I remember the very first time I heard the word "snark." I didn't know what it meant but I guessed it was sort of a combination of the words "sneer" and "remark"...which is still the way I think of it.

The word was used to describe a particularly nasty political op-ed piece.

I love how some words just sound like exactly what they are.