Did you do much in 2025?

[Olddaddy]

4 hours ago, vinapu said:

go to bed just past midnight as i do every night at home and wake up on Jan 1st in the morning

So you get up at 8-9am?

Your a "afternoon" person is when you get your energy ⚡🤸🏿‍♂️

 

 

[Olddaddy]

5 hours ago, unicorn said:

We're booked for a trip to Borobudur in July (with additional time in Java and Bali). It's the biggest bucket list site I haven't yet experienced. One of these days I'd like to go to Madagascar. So far away!

Nice 👍🏿 

I guess being a 💊 doctor you can go anywhere 

I just made an appointment to see my doctor in Sydney,he has gone to Los Angeles for the week, great life !😁

[TMax]

After a few red wines I shall be in bed sound asleep by midnight as per usual at that time of year. As for my bucket list, right at the top is to heal properly and get a trip to Bangkok in the latter half of 2026 and get to enjoy some fun times and get intertwined with some hot brown bodies again😛

[thaiophilus]

11 hours ago, unicorn said:

We're booked for a trip to Borobudur in July (with additional time in Java and Bali). It's the biggest bucket list site I haven't yet experienced. One of these days I'd like to go to Madagascar. So far away!

Borobodur, midnight 31 December 2009

And don't miss Prambanan, not far away:

[floridarob]

13 hours ago, unicorn said:

One of these days I'd like to go to Madagascar.

Go to Pattaya for a road test... plenty of them there to learn more.

[vinapu]

11 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

So you get up at 8-9am?

Your a "afternoon" person is when you get your energy ⚡🤸🏿‍♂️

 

 

actually no, all my life i sleep relatively little but by grace of God I sleep well , usually 1-7.30. My worst time of the day is 6-9 pm  , I think it's price for short sleep. If I survive till 9 I'm on the roll again. Very hand when one in in Bangkok or Pattaya

[vinapu]

11 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

 

I guess being a 💊 doctor you can go anywhere 

 

everybody can go everywhere providing is careful with money and doesn't waste it on shiny hotels like Capella or Nantra Silom.

One of my friend use to say ' 90% of my money I spent on girls and booze and only 10% I wasted"

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, thaiophilus said:

 

And don't miss Prambanan, not far away:

 

and much less crowded

[Olddaddy]

58 minutes ago, vinapu said:

everybody can go everywhere providing is careful with money and doesn't waste it on shiny hotels like Capella or Nantra Silom.

One of my friend use to say ' 90% of my money I spent on girls and booze and only 10% I wasted"

Who said they wasted it on Wine 🍷Women & Song ?

[khaolakguy]

13 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

I guess being a 💊 doctor you can go anywhere 

I just made an appointment to see my doctor in Sydney,he has gone to Los Angeles for the week, great life !😁

I expect he heard that you were making an appointment and thought..... "no time like the present" for that out of town item on his bucket list!

[unicorn]

9 hours ago, thaiophilus said:

Borobodur, midnight 31 December 2009

And don't miss Prambanan, not far away:

Yes, thanks, Prambanan is on our itinerary.

[unicorn]

15 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

...

I guess being a 💊 doctor you can go anywhere 

...

Lots of places a US citizen cannot and/or should not go. I'm definitely not one of those people who intends to go to every country on the planet, regardless of the danger involved. US citizens are forbidden to travel to North Korea, and visas are not issued to US citizens by Venezuela or Chad. Travel to Cuba is severely restricted. Countries I would like to visit, but are too dangerous for US citizens include Myanmar and Iran. I never have nor probably will I travel to Level 4 countries, though I will make a minor exception when our cruise ship docks in the highly guarded, fenced-in peninsula at Labadee, Haiti in February, so that will be my first time in a Level 4 country. That will put me not far from having every country in the western hemisphere, leaving only Bermuda, Cuba, Turks & Caicos, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guyana, Suriname, and Bolivia. I must confess that I'm not much motivated to visit Guyana, which is a Level 3 country, nor Suriname--and my husband has hinted that he wouldn't be excited by that prospect, either.

I'm now in Chile, whose citizens hold what I consider the world's best passport, along with those of South Korea, Singapore, and Brunei. 

[PeterRS]

Such a shame you did not visit Iran before the present diplomatic and wartime impasse. I was there in 2018 for two quite amazing weeks. One of the most stunning countries. And my guide even got me a bottle of red wine (totally forbidden in that country). His father made it at his home in Shiraz! Should relations become more normal, I'd certainly suggest coupling Iran with somewhere like Jordan with Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash and Mount Nebo if you have never been.

[vinapu]

19 minutes ago, PeterRS said:

Such a shame you did not visit Iran before the present diplomatic and wartime impasse. I was there in 2018 for two quite amazing weeks. One of the most stunning countries. And my guide even got me a bottle of red wine (totally forbidden in that country). His father made it at his home in Shiraz! Should relations become more normal, I'd certainly suggest coupling Iran with somewhere like Jordan with Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash and Mount Nebo if you have never been.

while I can easily second what you are saying above ( I beat you to Iran by 18 years young man), don't forget you are not an American and Unicorn (presumably) is and in certain countries  they are in much higher risk of landing into trouble

( ransom , arrest etc.) than Samoans or Bruneians

[PeterRS]

16 minutes ago, vinapu said:

while I can easily second what you are saying above ( I beat you to Iran by 18 years young man), don't forget you are not an American and Unicorn (presumably) is and in certain countries  they are in much higher risk of landing into trouble

( ransom , arrest etc.) than Samoans or Bruneians

I fully understand. But the day after my departure my excellent guide in Iran was to be picking up a party of 20 Americans who were visiting iran on a 10-day tour! It was not dangerous then, although it had been occasionally in the past. I accept it is very dangerous now but who knows when the international situation will change?

Also we should note that Iran is undergoing a massive water shortage at present and there is even talk that parts of Tehran will have to be evacuated.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/rain-autumn-falls-irans-capital-drought-ravaged-nation-128268554

[Olddaddy]

5 hours ago, vinapu said:

while I can easily second what you are saying above ( I beat you to Iran by 18 years young man), don't forget you are not an American and Unicorn (presumably) is and in certain countries  they are in much higher risk of landing into trouble

( ransom , arrest etc.) than Samoans or Bruneians

Samoans ?

What would Samoans be doing in Iran? 🤨

I see the Majority of Samoans working as bouncers in nightclubs here in Sydney 

 

 

[alrajee]

A few highlights of my year:

- Visited seven countries in Europe, four of them new.

- Visited Colombia for the first time. Loved the country and can't wait to come back!

- Went on a 10-day cruise to the Lesser Antilles.

- Started working out again after hernia surgery and general lack of motivation. I'm taking it easy on the heavy weights and doing more reps instead.

- Had sex. A lot. I'm usually not this slutty lol

[unicorn]

9 hours ago, PeterRS said:

Such a shame you did not visit Iran before the present diplomatic and wartime impasse. I was there in 2018 for two quite amazing weeks. One of the most stunning countries. And my guide even got me a bottle of red wine (totally forbidden in that country). His father made it at his home in Shiraz! Should relations become more normal, I'd certainly suggest coupling Iran with somewhere like Jordan with Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash and Mount Nebo if you have never been.

I have visited Jordan, but dare not visit Iran. Should the political situation change, I'll be first in line to visit Iran and Burma. Hopefully that'll happen during my lifetime... 😬

[vinapu]

8 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

Samoans ?

What would Samoans be doing in Iran? 🤨

I see the Majority of Samoans working as bouncers in nightclubs here in Sydney 

 

 

still minority may be intertested in seeing Persepolis, Cyrus's tomb in Pasagard and Czak Czak Zoroastian temple in the desert near Yazd

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, unicorn said:

I have visited Jordan, but dare not visit Iran. Should the political situation change, I'll be first in line to visit Iran and Burma. Hopefully that'll happen during my lifetime... 😬

Burma you can go but staying away from Iran in you case is wise for now. Resign yourself to watching You Tube clips from there

[Olddaddy]

9 minutes ago, vinapu said:

still minority may be intertested in seeing Persepolis, Cyrus's tomb in Pasagard and Czak Czak Zoroastian temple in the desert near Yazd

Lol..😅.true they maybe interested 

[PeterRS]

15 hours ago, unicorn said:

I have visited Jordan, but dare not visit Iran. Should the political situation change, I'll be first in line to visit Iran and Burma. Hopefully that'll happen during my lifetime... 😬

I have a feeling it definitely will. Iran has so many internal problems there will have to be some form of revolution against the regime sooner rather than later. The corruption is massive. My guide estimated that the Supreme Leader pocketed US$13 million daily in bribes (this in 2018). He showed me part of Tehran with lovely blocks of relatively small but lovely apartments which he said sold for US$500K up! Only the leading mullahs, army and secret police could afford to live there. We also travelled on part of an unfinished expressway. He told me money was set aside for completion every year - and every year it vanished.

To whet your appetite for this etraordinary country -

Persepolis

Ahura Mazda, the Prophet of the Zoroastrian religion above the Temple of Fire

An early form of Air Condtioning in Yazd

The main mosque in Qum

Teheran's Golestan Palace, once home to the Shah

One of the superb gardens in Kashan, "Paradise" in Persian meaning a beautiful walled garden

The Vank Armenian Cathedral in Isfahan

Mosque Interiors

One of the mosques in Isfahan's huge Naqsh-e Jahan Square

 

[Olddaddy]

Is it still possible to go to Iran today as a tourist??

[PeterRS]

35 minutes ago, Olddaddy said:

Is it still possible to go to Iran today as a tourist??

I can't be certain but i expect it is - as long as you are not American, British or Canadian, all of whose governments advise against it. I think the Australian government is the same. Even back in 2018 I was slightly concerned since I am British and the Brits were party to sanctions against the country. I have to say, though, everywhere in Iran I was met with extreme kindness by Iranians. One young mullah even showed me round one of the most important mosques in Qom. He, too, could not have been more polite and welcoming to a western visitor.

If you are seeking gay sexual adventures, I would not be tempted. My straight guide was a tallish slim guy around 40 and he had a hooker in every city we visited! I saw no evidence of gay sex, though, paid or unpaid. I was just too afraid of what might happen if caught in such a liaison by the secret police.

If you consider going, I can send a PM with the details of my travel agent in Shiraz. He had been recommended to me by two Chinese friends and was excellent. Visas, though, are very expensive! Mine was around Bt. 8,000 but that may be because I was from Britain. Half the tour fee was paid in advance to an Iranian in Chicago (to get around tax in Iran) and the rest in cash on arrival.

[TMax]

Technically yes Australians can visit Iran (at this point in time only god knows why though) however the following is from our governments smart traveller website.

Quote

Still current at:12 December 2025

Updated:20 November 2025

Latest update: Do not travel to Iran. If you're in Iran, you should leave as soon as possible. Australians, including dual nationals, are at a high risk of being detained. The security situation is volatile. If you remain in Iran despite our advice, you’re responsible for your own safety. The Australian Embassy’s operations are suspended. Our ability to provide consular assistance in Iran is extremely limited.