I've got some leave days that I need to cash out by November and a little cred burning in a hole in my pocket. As such it looks like a paid vacation is in order.

Sadly I'm paralyzed by my options, there's just too many goddamn cool places to visit over here. I've been to mainland Japan and I've been living in Japan for almost 2 years now so I'm ready for a bit of a change. Where do you, my fine globetrotting DS comrades, think would be a great place to go for 2 weeks or so?

The Situation:
-I currently live in Okinawa, Japan.
-I'll be traveling with my girlfriend who, bless her soul, is willing to fly out here from the States.
-I'd like to spend less than 3k on this trip (excluding airfare) but could be convinced to go higher if the situation merited (+250 per net successes on opposed... er wait a second).
-I'd like to keep roundtrip airfare between 1k to 1.5k

Places I'm Interested In (But open to other suggestions):
-Australia
-New Zealand
-Thailand
-Singapore (4 days and back by midnight? Hell no that wasn't enough)
-Hong Kong

Other Considerations:
-I like food, no seriously, I ate not one but two balout in the Philipines and stingray in Singapore. Yummy.
-I love big cities but I'm equally enamored of the outdoors. It's been awhile but I have been known to do a spot of whitewater kayaking.
-My optimal time frame includes the first week of October, either the week before or the week after.

My Idea of a Good Vacation:
-Not being raped to death by knives or sold into slavery.
-Eating delicious food
-Seeing cools things (I have a very broad definition of cool things.)
-Experience things outside of my normal American comfort zone. I actually don't percisely enjoy this part but I have to add it because otherwise I'd comfortably sit in a nice restraunt and get fat for three weeks. Not the best use of my resources

Tokyo and Osaka. For the foodie in you, Osaka.

Of course, I'm going to assume you have been there and I say head towards the Mainland (EDIT: China).

EDIT: Damn you and your damn, dirty edit.

How much of an option is New Zealand?

Osaka has better chow than Tokyo? Hell, i might have to layover a day or two.

China is an option but... ugh... kinda pissed off at the country right now. I know that's stupid, it's not like I suddenly stopped buying or using products from there but still. Plus getting country clearance is a huge pain in the ass, but I'll have to do that for anywhere I go really.

I would be willing to go to Hong Kong though, if only to put a face to the Runner Haven entry

New Zealand is a very real option, my only problem is that it costs like hell to get down there and I'm afraid Fortune will fly back from the States to hunt me down for coming within a goodly distance to his homeland.

But in all seriousness the flight cost is the only real hang up. They have sheep, kayaking, and hobbits... what more could a guy ask for?

When do you want to take your vacations? And what's your idea of a good vacation?

From what I know of SE Pacific places:
- Hong-Kong is a great place, but don't go there in Summer, it's too hot and rainy. And 3 weeks may be too much for just a tourism trip. You can see plenty of the sights in 10 days or so.
- Beijing is an interesting place to visit. There are quite a few things to visit, and it's always good to know what tomorrow's world first superpower looks like. Besides, going there before the Olympic Games will allow you to tell everyone "Been there, done that." everytime they'll talk about the city.
- Seoul is a funny city but there's not much to see for a tourist compared to other places.

I'm looking at September, October time frame. I have to check to see what we agreed would be the best month.

How will HK be during those months? A little better?

What makes Seoul a funny city? Does it do a good impersonations?

It'll be the perfect timeframe to go to HK, from what I've heard (I was there from January to June and it was ok, but nearly always grey/misty/cloudy except toward the end, when I finally had blue sky, but it was just too hot).

Well Seoul is funny in the sense of it's a weird but fun place. I guess the best way to explain would be with some examples:

First when I arrived at the airport. In the hall there were people waiting in front of TVs and there comes this guy, looking bored, flipping through the channels until he got some porn movie and getting back to his chair to enjoy the show.

When I went to the national museum. First there was a guard who followed me through all his perimeter, after seeing me take a picture of something he seemed to like, nodding in approval whenever I took pictures of things (maybe I've got an eye for Ancient Korean Sculptures), and trying to explain things in English with nearly no knowledge of English.
Afterwards, I got out walked around the park and saw this quite big building (about as high as a 2 story building, and as large as a house) with man and woman logos, like toilets logos, on it. Guess what, that really were public toilets! Whole families live in houses smaller than these! Granted, they were "Seoul Best Toilets" in 2005 according to a plaque. They don't only have huge luxury public toilets, but they also have a comitee who awards the title of "Best Toilets"!

I've also met Mario walking down the streets, got talked to by random strangers (who often had trouble speaking English) on the streets or in the subway - though maybe not as many as random girls in Beijing -, gathered a whole crowd of fans around me after several headshots in a row in some shooter arcade game, seen a banner advertising Nana Mouskouri's next concert (in France she's gone out of fashion in the 80s/early 90s) and so on.

Great trip, really.

Ah, wow... that is a bit on the funny side

I've been informed by the brains of the operation that we're down to 15 days abroad lest her boss conviently forget that she's employed at his office. If the money lines up right a couple days in HK sounds like an outstanding idea.

@Drogos. You got some good info on NZ?

*Looks around Sydney apartment*

When did I fly over to the States?

New Zealand is probably cheaper on the ground than Oz at the moment.

Have you considered Burma?

Taiwan
South Korea
Singapore
Shaft the Roo Runner go to the land of Oz, tell him if he makes a stink you will stay and breed with the locals. Just do not go to Micky D's and you will never run across him.
New Zealand is also nice.
Bagio in the PI

Victoria in the Seychelles Islands, but that will be a far piece to travel.

WMS

And since this thread is in no way shape or form a gaming or SR related post, it shall now be closed