Sailing round a small cove and seeing Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Uluru (Ayers Rock) at both dawn and sunset - magical. The Western Wall in Jerusalem - extremely moving.

Babs135

Any time flying into Venice Airport, over the alps

I think for me, it has to be my first glimpse of the pyramids and sphinx whilst traveling through Cairo. It was a surreal moment. Realising how close they actually were to the town. I expected them to be miles out into the desert. I was impressed with the size of the pyramids but amazed how small the sphinx was in comparison.

My other memorable moment from the same time, was standing on top deck of the ship and arriving at Port Said at 5.00am when the sun was just about poking up over the horizon. It was eerie and quiet and such a romantic experience.

My whole Egypt trip will remain with me for many years to come.

I haven't been to anywhere with these fantastic 'solid' things, but one night on my first gulet trip in Turkey, moored up in a quiet bay with the sea still and the sky clear and not even a distant orange glow from a town, the moon appeared on the horizon and it was the biggest moon I ever saw, and bright orange.

I'm excited because this year I will be on a gulet when the full moon comes on 30th June.

For me...overlooking the rest of Jerusalem while stood on Mount Olive..walking down the Hebron Valley...staring across into Jordan across the Dead Sea.....scuba diving at Farun Island looking at Saladin's castle and behind were 4 mountains..one was in Egypt, one in Israel, one in Jordan and one in Saudi..simply mind blowing...On top of Mounte Teide in Tenerife looking at the views of the other Canary Islands....The church of Ta Pinu in Gozo, flying over the Swiss alps, looking at the Forth Bridges of Edinburgh through the mist and lastly, my first morning in the mountains of Montana USA when I saw the views through the bedroom window. I have been lucky enough to travel, but there is so much more I want to experience...the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Ayers Rock and the statue of christ that overlooks Rio are just 4 things that I would like to see.

Despite having travelled in the Far East and through most of Europe, the Canaries, Cuba and various trekking holidays, all of which bring back such wonderful memories, in the end the most breathtaking sight I remember is probably one of the closest to home. We were touring round Scotland and had had the most appalling weather - in late June! And ended up at a youth hostel right on the shore at Achmelvich Bay up in the northwest Highlands. My parents and I were the only three people staying there, and the hostel was so basic that the toilets were outside in a separate block. I had to get up and use them in the early hours and the view took my breathaway. It was not long after sunrise - about 3.am at that time of year in that neck of the woods and the rising sun had bathed the clouds out to sea in the west in this incredibly rosy glow and these 6 foot+ jade green Atlantic breakers were rolling in underneath them. It was so awe inspiring that I went back in and woke my Mum up and the two of us just sat there on the back door step in our nighties and cagoules watching them and knowing that the next landfall was the eastern seaboard of north America made you feel so small in the bigger picture. We were so mesmerised that it never occurred to either us that my Dad might actually want to be woken up as well and when we told him, he grumbled all day that we'd left him sleeping!

The postscript to the story is that nearly 2 decades later I was in a glass craft gallery in York and spotted a paperweight that was made from a swirly combination of jade and white glass. It took me right back to that morning and I bought it there and then for my Mum's Christmas present. The moment she unwrapped it - before I could say anything - she said 'Achmelvich, doesn't it just take you right back? Aren't the colours exactly the same as the breakers?' She still has it in pride of place in her paperweight collection and everytime I go back and visit her - I now live in Scotland - it takes me back to that magical morning.

SM

Sunrise over the Annapurna mountains in Nepal
Red square in Moscow
Taj Mahal in Agra
Karnak Temple in Luxor
Pyramids in Cairo
Old Palace in Katmando
Wailing Wall in Jerusalem
Sunrise in Kenya
Reclining Buddha in Bangkok
Huge reclining stone Buddha (can't remember the name) in Sri Lanka
El Jem in Tunisia
Sunset in Kuramathi Maldives
Beau Bassin Water temple in Mauritius
Great Wall of China
View from the top of Hong Kong
Great Mosque in Istambul
Kavadee festival in a remote town on the Pakestan border
Gold souke in Dubai
Volcano plateau in Bali
Dozens of Stupas in field in Burma
Table Mountain in South Africa
Views from mountain top in Switzerland (Can't remember the name of it, but had to use 3 different kinds of lifts to get there)
Great Square in Marakesh
Giant Causeway in Ireland

I have always been a workaholic which has enable me to travel, yet coming from a very very poor background, I have always been amazed and in awe at the sights that we have been lucky enough to see and have never ceased to be grateful that we have done so - but what we have enjoyed the most is meeting the people in these countries. We are very lucky to have received so much friendship from total strangers.

Nepal and Tibet was the last long haul holiday and totally utterly shattering, so now it's just Tunisia for us - a blissful 2hours 40 minutes away! Jenny

But which one was the most breathtaking?

Hi Judith - they were all incredible, but for totally different reasons. You cannot really compare them.
The most mind boggling was the Cavadee Festival. We had seen pictures, but to see young men with literally dozens of knives and swords pushed through their bodies and then suspended from them high in the air for ages - with no sign of pain or blood - and no wounds after the things were removed, really pushed one's mind to the limits. You just cannot forget that! Jenny x

Mine is sitting on the edge of the grand canyon, listening to the wind blowing and feeling very small. Also, on the same holiday, driving over the Sonora pass into yosemite National Park the views of the mountains and lakes were beautiful.

Mine was watching my son get married on board the Caribbean Princess cruise ship. The only difference was I was at home in the study and he and Becky were sailing into Jamaica. I watched it on the ship wed cam. We were thousands of miles apart but I saw him get married with just a 3 minute delay...... Truely Amazing!!!!!!

my first pint of beer in the pub on my first night

My first pint of beer in the pub any night.

But, apart from that, seeing the Symi harbour open as the ferry rounds the point. Oh, and Venice wasn't too bad either.

The three that I will never forget are:

Maya Bay in Thailand (the beach from the film "The Beach").
My first view of New York City...that skyline is amazing! The skyscrapers are huge!!!!!

Oops...only put two! The third is Kuoni Bay in Ithaca, Kephalonia, Greece...paradise!

Mine are quite simple compared to most folks favourites as only been to a few places so far.

My very first time in a plane, and the sight of the lush green beauty of England from the air bought a lump to my throat.

The breathtaking view from my turreted hotel room in an ancient and bleak West coast of Scotland hotel. Looked out over a loch with castle ruins in the distance. Especially first light at dawn with the heather and the mist, Beautiful.

Sunset on the beach in Goa with small Goan children running happily around near the shoreline,and the tourists all chilled out and relaxed. A huge sun in the most orangey/pink sky i have ever seen.

Sitting in a boat moored off a tiny cove in Paxos, Greece. The beauty of the island and the turquoise colour of the sea was just so gorgeous, i shall never forget it. I would love a dress the same colour!

The drive up to the top of the Troodos mountains in Cyprus, and the view from the top while eating hot roasted cashew nuts and mulled wine. Bliss!

View from the top of the Auile de Midi next to Mont Blanc

The Viaduct de Millau is pretty spectacular.

I think one of the most amazing views for me was from the seaplane going to resort in the Maldives. It was pretty amazing.

Also when i did parasailing in front of Le Morne mountain in Mauritius, especially as i am scared of heights. It was something i just had to do. Its a miracle i managed to keep my eyes open. I asked the boatman to not go quite as high as usual. It was still mega high though !!! Glad i did it as the views were amazing.

Mine was back in April 2004. Hubby and I had 3 days in Athens at the end of our honeymoon. We went to the Temple of Jupiter/Zeus. From there, I saw the Acropolis for the first time. I'd wanted to go and see the Parthenon since learning about it in Year 4. We then went up the Acropolis and walking through the Temple of Nike was amazing as well. Also in Athens is the deaprtment store 'Hondos' which has a restaurant on the top floor and you can see the Acropolis from one side of it. Guess where I told hubby to sit. having luch gazing out at the Parthenon was really good.

Places I'd like to go.
Australia- Sydney harbour bridge climb and I'd want to see Ayers rock.
Norwegian Fjords
Grand Canyon