Monday, June 8

#23 - a nice place to visit


You have been pondering how to spend some upcoming vacation time. While walking down the street one day, you notice a travel agency and decide to stop in to get some ideas.

The agency is very clean and new, though not overly busy. You spend a few minutes looking at some maps, but are soon seated in front of a friendly travel agent.

After exchanging some pleasantries, you describe the reason for your visit. The agent listens intently, then leans forward and makes you a remarkable offer: an all-expenses paid, one-week trip to the (earthly) destination of your choice.

The catch is that after the trip, you will be metaphysically prevented from ever visiting that location again. Your specificity does make a difference. Were you to choose "London" for this scenario, you would still be able to visit other non-London areas of the UK at a later date (but would be confined to the city for this particular vacation week).

Though the travel agent cannot detail the ins-and-outs of how this exactly works, the small collection of documents you receive does not set off any red flags (you are not being asked for any deposits or commitments). The agent explains that the free trip is being extended to you in order to generate positive word of mouth for the fledgling agency. You are encouraged to mull things over and are told you may accept the offer anytime within the next week.

Should you take the agent at their word, where do you decide to spend the week?

8 comments:

Evan said...

I would elect to have a week-long pole tour. Arctic and Antarctic. I want to see em, but I don't think I'll ever need to go back.

Unknown said...

This agency is obviously run by the devil (deals too good to be true, trying to spread influence, odd metaphysical powers), so I'll go to hell for a week. Then I guarantee I don't end up there later, because otherwise, it's pretty much a lock for me.

laura said...

The Antarctic was also an early thought of mine, but I'll have to go with Easter Island.

I feel like it's really important to see, but somewhere I'd be comfortable with experiencing in only one visit. One of these reasons is that it's small, so I feel like I'd be able to spend my trip really wisely.

Ahh! Easter Island!

Unknown said...

I thought about the Arctic/Antarctic as someplace I wouldn't want to return, but I don't think I want to go there enough even for the first time. So, I'll go more towards Laura's idea and say the Galapagos or some island that's in danger from global warming (Kiribati, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea...) since they may not be around long enough for me to go again.

Jack said...

Ry had a great idea.. but a week... according to Constantine, that would be like decades. I dunno.

I place I would WANT to visit is Ireland, but I have my doubts about being able to every make the trip twice, so just in case, I'll pick out only a city or two, then, if I get another opportunity, I'm not banned from all of Ireleand (assuming I don't get deported in the original week)

Chris said...

I like the idea of the poles, though lean more toward Antarctica in that debate. However, I don't know if I want to be somewhere that cold.

Although, most places I travel now (particularly outside the United States) will be once-in-a-lifetime trips. I love to travel, but finances and life in general don't really support a travel habit. So I suppose it doesn't matter where I choose. Maybe I should choose someplace fabulous like a secluded (fully staffed) island in the South Pacific or Kilimanjaro or Patagonia.

If I could somehow translate this into a week long space journey, that would be fantastic.

Angela said...

I think I'd go to Tokyo and do every insane, expensive thing there is to do within the city limits for one week.

Matt said...

I really like the Arctic/Antarctic idea too. It would be cool to see the poles and I would hate to fall in love with a place for a week and not ever have the opportunity to go back (I'm assuming here I would not fall in love with the South Pole).

But that's balanced by, for this week, not having to worry about the cost at all.

Maybe a Scandinavian tour. I like Europe, but those northern nations are a little out of the way. I can't see myself visiting several times in my life but I would really like to see them.