Advice needed

On a trip to take with my mom over the 2009-10 transition.

My mom and little sister went to Paris together years ago, and mom and I have yet to take our trip.  The conversation over this past Christmas was to get it done already, life is too short.  I know the lower 48 pretty well, but appauling little about travel outside the US.  Here’s the idea:
~2 weeks.
After Christmas thru middle of January.
Adventurous.
Physically active, but not too strenuous.
Not too many people.
Mix of nature and culture.
Navigable without good Spanish (not too worried about this one).
Sunshine.
Thus far I’m thinking Argentinian Patagonia (inspired by the master) with a little time in Buenos Aires.  Some variation on the Inca Trail comes to mind, too.  
Thoughts?

5 responses to “Advice needed”

  1. don’t know that it’s the best time of year to visit, but belize was super-cool when I went in march a couple years back. Easy to get around, pretty cheap, and everything from awesome jungle hikes to river tours to world-class snorkeling. Tix are pretty cheap to get there usually, and it’s pretty tourist friendly. No spanish required and they even take dollars.

  2. I would give your left nut to go to machu picchu. Just sayin’. No idea about how much language you’d have to have though.Also Tibet/Nepal always come to my mind, with a night or 3 at base camp on Everest. But then that’s probably not what you mean when you say “sunny”…

  3. Inca Trail has to be guided now as a heads up.A friend of mine had the most enjoyable trip of her life touring the fjords down there around Punta Arenas. Could hike into the Patagonia range before or after and I think Jan. is primetime. I can get the info from her if you are interested. A niece of hers ended up marrying one of the companies owners (something like that).

  4. Don’t sell Kauai or Big Island short, while perhaps not as sexy as international travel (and its not, dont get me wrong). So much hiking, riding, touring, gardens, paddling and you can do it very cheap and not leave the country.

  5. I have always wanted to go to the Swiss Alps… but I’m not sure how much sunshine you’d get!Kuai rocks too!

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