Do you consider yourself well traveled and what would you say were the most interesting countries and cultures you have visited?

[Mario666]

Dear all,

 

I have traveled quite a lot in my life.

 

I come from the UK and I used to think I wanted to go everywhere, but that is neither practical nor probable at my age.

 

I have traveled extensively in Europe, been around the USA both business and pleasure.

 

I have been around Australia and North Island New Zealand....(South Island was "Closed" due to earthquake).

 

I will be visiting a friend in Vietnam shortly and plan to have a good look around....maybe a month.

 

I have worked in the Middle East , UAE and Bahrain and even spent 10 days in a Sharjah "nick" (a very interesting experience, but not one that I wish to repeat or would recommend).

 

I have never been to Africa and have no intention to ever do so....The dirt and things trying to kill you everywhere....not to mention the locals.

 

I fancy South America..... my Spanish is limited, but <deleted>?

 

Russia....erm NO!.....China....yes but with but with reservations.

 

The Poles...Too Cold.....I don't mean Polish people. I mean as in Polar bears and/or penguins...obviously not at the same time.

 

I am 60 now, retired with enough dosh, but not a fortune.

 

Where would you recommend?

 

Please let me know your best travel experiences and stories.....the funnier the better

 

[midas]

I have also travelled a lot and without doubt the most fascinating place for me was North Korea.
A continuous series of awesome experiences from watching young virtuoso children give virtually unblemished performances playing the piano, singing and other types of performances to visiting the gigantic mausoleum where the Dear Leader's body is on display in a  glass casket.

We received tremendous hospitality and it was interesting to listen to the other side of the story so to speak.
I wouldn't fancy even trying to visit as an individual tourist (even if it were at all possible) so I went on a group tour with Koryo Tours which I highly recommend as their management were formerly BBC employees and obviously had a good relationship with the North Korean government. People from all over the world rendezvoused in Beijing to make this journey and I think everyone left feeling it was an unparalleled travel experience.

https://koryogroup.com/

Edited April 22, 2018 by midas

[THAILIBAN]

Myanmar is close to Thailand and still offers some unique cultural experiences when mingling with the incredibly friendly locals off the beaten path, though I do not like what happens there (again) recently and haven't been there for a few years.

Colombia is fantastic too and quite safe nowadays, those folks have such an incredible vibrant lust for life. In 2001, I was wondering if I should move to TH or CO, and as of 2018, I believe I made the wrong decision

[Old Croc]

23 minutes ago, midas said:

I have also travelled a lot and without doubt the most fascinating place for me was North Korea.
A continuous series of awesome experiences from watching young virtuoso children give virtually unblemished performances playing the piano, singing and other types of performances to visiting the gigantic mausoleum where the Dear Leader's body is on display in a  glass casket.

We received tremendous hospitality and it was interesting to listen to the other side of the story so to speak.
I wouldn't fancy even trying to visit as an individual tourist (even if it were at all possible) so I went on a group tour with Koryo Tours which I highly recommend as their management were formerly BBC employees and obviously had a good relationship with the North Korean government. People from all over the world rendezvoused in Beijing to make this journey and I think everyone left feeling it was an unparalleled travel experience.

https://koryogroup.com/

And you come away with the warm feeling that your tourist dollars will help the "Dear Leader" build another concentration camp where citizens and their children can be tortured and killed.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_North_Korea#Internment_camps_for_prisoners

[midas]

18 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

And you come away with the warm feeling that your tourist dollars will help the "Dear Leader" build another concentration camp where citizens and their children can be tortured and killed.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_North_Korea#Internment_camps_for_prisoners

I can think of many countries that commit atrocities (and are still doing so today) and yet it doesn't stop people from travelling to them. So what's your point?

[Mario666]

45 minutes ago, midas said:

I have also travelled a lot and without doubt the most fascinating place for me was North Korea.
A continuous series of awesome experiences from watching young virtuoso children give virtually unblemished performances playing the piano, singing and other types of performances to visiting the gigantic mausoleum where the Dear Leader's body is on display in a  glass casket.

We received tremendous hospitality and it was interesting to listen to the other side of the story so to speak.
I wouldn't fancy even trying to visit as an individual tourist (even if it were at all possible) so I went on a group tour with Koryo Tours which I highly recommend as their management were formerly BBC employees and obviously had a good relationship with the North Korean government. People from all over the world rendezvoused in Beijing to make this journey and I think everyone left feeling it was an unparalleled travel experience.

https://koryogroup.com/

Well thank you and Wow!....didn't expect that, but I think NK will be at the bottom of my "Bucket List" for now at least!

[Old Croc]

2 minutes ago, midas said:

I can think of many countries that commit atrocities (and are still doing so today) and yet it doesn't stop people from travelling to them. So what's your point?

My point was very clear.

Your point seems to be - there are other bad places in the world so it's alright to contribute to the economy of the worst of the worst even though most of the world , including probably your own. have imposed sanctions in an attempt to force them to stop human rights abuses and other actions threatening the peace of the planet.

 

[Mario666]

2 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

My point was very clear.

Your point seems to be - there are other bad places in the world so it's alright to contribute to the economy of the worst of the worst even though most of the world , including probably your own. have imposed sanctions in an attempt to force them to stop human rights abuses and other actions threatening the peace of the planet.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

My point was very clear.

Your point seems to be - there are other bad places in the world so it's alright to contribute to the economy of the worst of the worst even though most of the world , including probably your own. have imposed sanctions in an attempt to force them to stop human rights abuses and other actions threatening the peace of the planet.

 

Cha - Cha Guys....Iet's keep it lighthearted , funny and interesting please?

[midas]

4 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

My point was very clear.

Your point seems to be - there are other bad places in the world so it's alright to contribute to the economy of the worst of the worst even though most of the world , including probably your own. have imposed sanctions in an attempt to force them to stop human rights abuses and other actions threatening the peace of the planet.

 

Post number 3 above refers to Myanmar. And yet you didn't criticise that country. Why not?

[Jingthing]

I'm pretty well traveled. 

 

For whatever weird reasons, two places stand out.

 

Cappadocia, Turkey under snow. Just magical views. Didn't really get into the culture. Visit was too quick. 

 

Buenos Aires, Argentina. Very long stay in an apartment. I was fascinated by how schizo the culture is there. They seem to think they're Europeans but they're South Americans. Very high number of psychiatrists like New York City, and plastic surgeons, like L.A. and Thailand. 

[Mario666]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I'm pretty well traveled. 

 

For whatever weird reasons, two places stand out.

 

Cappadocia, Turkey under snow. Just magical views. Didn't really get into the culture. Visit was too quick. 

 

Buenos Aires, Argentina. Very long stay in an apartment. I was fascinated by how schizo the culture is there. They seem to think they're Europeans but they're South Americans. Very high number of psychiatrists like New York City, and plastic surgeons, like L.A. and Thailand. 

Thank you for your reply....I was hoping for interesting suggestions and your comment about Argentina is revealing....Obviously being a Brit I will not be popular with some Argentinians if I go there, but hey That was Then and This is now....I even have some German friends and EVEN a Japanese guy as a mate.

 

I have been to Turkey a couple of times....the first was a disaster...A shit-hole called Marmaris.

 

However, the second place I went was called Olu Deniz and was lovely...Locals friendly, cheap food and good beer and I went Paragliding twice......Wow....that is almost better than sex.....Correction ...better than most sex....Maybe I've been doing it wrong...I mean sex...not Paragliding

Edited April 22, 2018 by Mario666

[billd766]

If you were thinking of South America and like good food and wine, Chile is a great place.

 

It is long and thin and I spent 3 months working there a few years ago.

 

If you are British you can stay for 90 days without a visa.

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/chile/entry-requirements

 

Visas

If you are a British passport holder visiting Chile for less than 90 days, you do not need a visa. If you wish to stay longer, you should consult the nearest Chilean Embassy.  On arrival in Chile the immigration authorities will issue you with a ‘Tarjeta de Turismo - Tourist Card’, an A5 sized white form. You must retain this document and present it to immigration when you leave.

Once in Chile, if you decide to stay for 90 days or more, you should contact the Chilean Immigration Department located in San Antonio 580, Santiago. Telephone: 600 626 4222.

 

I styopped for lunch one day with my Chilean workmate and we ordered charcoal grilled steaks. I thought it was dinner plate sized but it was actually folded in half and was far more than I could eat though I did try.

 

I also stopped at a supermaket to get some water to drink and to clean my teeth with. I found the difference when I cleaned my teeth and my mouth started foaming. If you get con gas it is soda water and sin gas is ordinary water.

[boomerangutang]

Growing up, I went to 9 schools in 6 countries, 4 languages.

 

More recently:   

Namibia:  I found some small mountains in the middle: v. secluded, dry.  Namibia has the 2nd smallest population density in the world.  #1 is Mongolia.

 

Hawaii, big island:  took long hikes each day, many types of lava.  Water wells don't exist there, because water percs down too far, through the cracked lava.  

 

Am thinking of climbing a mountain in the middle of Irian Jaya, the west half of Papua New Guinea.  It's the tallest mountain between the Himalayas and Andes.  There's even a sizeable peak there (40 miles west of the tallest) which has never been summited.  Trouble is:  Indonesian authorities are very restrictive on travelers.  Even Indonesians can't get permits to some regions.

 

Am planning to spend part of each year in a region north of SW USA's Grand Canyon. I'll likely be based at a small isolated town called Escalante, and then go out to explore deserts/canyons from there.   Note: Escalante is hear one of the large park areas which Trump and his anti-environmentalist buddies want to de-list as a park - in order to let miners go in there to rip up the terrain.

 

 

[Samui Bodoh]

Sorry, but can't do the humour part as I am cursed with an American Mother...

 

However, in terms of travel, I'd go to Komodo island, Flores Island, the three islands at the eastern end of Flores and finish up on Alor island, all in eastern Indonesia. If you look at a map, see Java, Bali, Lombok, etc until you get to Komodo, then keep going down the chain. Actually, I'd keep going to Timor Island, which you might have to do anyways for transportation links.

 

Komodo for the dragons of course, they are truly remarkable creatures. I was last there about 15 years ago, and I have since heard that Komodo has been built up a tad, but not sure how much. Flores has the greatest natural beauty that I have ever seen (yes, I am widely traveled as most on here) and has an excellent mixture of beaches, mountains, hot springs, diving, snorkeling and, especially Keli Mutu, the crater lakes at the top of a small mountain near Moni on the eastern end. Heading east after Flores, there are three islands with special, distinct cultures, weaving, natural beauty and more. The end visit on the three is to go whale hunting from the island of Lembata. Next is Alor, still an undiscovered (at least to a large degree) island with all the above.

 

These islands are truly stunning, have a very wide variety of distinct cultures (in a small area), are simply gorgeous in terms of natural beauty, all have a story to tell, and all are unique in their own way. If this is of interest, I'd spend some time with your friend Google to plan something out in terms of times and transportation links as they are all a bit... primitive (relative to Thailand).

 

It's close by, relatively cheap, one language would cover you everywhere, and you'd need a month? Perhaps a bit longer?

 

Remarkable places; if you are into natural beauty, 'primitive' cultures (not really, but...), local crafts, etc., then this is the place for you.

 

Good luck!

[Mario666]

42 minutes ago, midas said:

Post number 3 above refers to Myanmar. And yet you didn't criticise that country. Why not?

Because I am on TVF for a laugh mostly..... I also appreciate serious issues, but my post was simply asking for travel recommendations.

 

I was neither inviting nor encouraging political or human rights discussions.....Some boring w8nker can do that in their own post???

 

 

[Mario666]

19 minutes ago, billd766 said:

If you were thinking of South America and like good food and wine, Chile is a great place.

 

It is long and thin and I spent 3 months working there a few years ago.

 

If you are British you can stay for 90 days without a visa.

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/chile/entry-requirements

 

Visas

If you are a British passport holder visiting Chile for less than 90 days, you do not need a visa. If you wish to stay longer, you should consult the nearest Chilean Embassy.  On arrival in Chile the immigration authorities will issue you with a ‘Tarjeta de Turismo - Tourist Card’, an A5 sized white form. You must retain this document and present it to immigration when you leave.

Once in Chile, if you decide to stay for 90 days or more, you should contact the Chilean Immigration Department located in San Antonio 580, Santiago. Telephone: 600 626 4222.

 

I styopped for lunch one day with my Chilean workmate and we ordered charcoal grilled steaks. I thought it was dinner plate sized but it was actually folded in half and was far more than I could eat though I did try.

 

I also stopped at a supermaket to get some water to drink and to clean my teeth with. I found the difference when I cleaned my teeth and my mouth started foaming. If you get con gas it is soda water and sin gas is ordinary water.

Thanks Pal,

 

I am indeed British (English first) and welcome your response.

 

I had a friend who did South America and said that apart from Buenos Aires (The Brazilian one) and Rio (for all the wrong reasons....or maybe right reasons depending on your morality or lack thereof) Chile was his favourite place....He is not the brightest guy in the world....He should have said " his third Favourite Place in South America" was Chile ...Nice guy though....Bless him!

[Odysseus123]

11 minutes ago, Mario666 said:

Because I am on TVF for a laugh mostly..... I also appreciate serious issues, but my post was simply asking for travel recommendations.

 

I was neither inviting nor encouraging political or human rights discussions.....Some boring w8nker can do that in their own post???

 

 

Natal and Zululand are a great place to visit.

 

I enjoyed sailing through Melanesia and Polynesia,

 

I really liked Portugal.

 

[Mario666]

43 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Natal and Zululand are a great place to visit.

 

I enjoyed sailing through Melanesia and Polynesia,

 

I really liked Portugal.

 

My brother was a Top-Flight Engineer  in the oil business and traveled throughout Africa for over 25 years and hated it, but he was either living in mansions with servants, or 5 star hotels when he was not on a rig or in a desert somewhere.

 

He said that each country he visited in Africa was dirty, corrupt and dangerous without exception.....those countries included Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Angola, Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, etc.

 

From what I can see the only place that is even semi-civilised on the whole continent is South Africa and I don't wanna go there either..Racist Pricks and can't stand the "Accent".

 

Polynesia....Nice idea....Don't know Melanesia yet but will Google it.

 

Love Portugal...been Val De Lobo many times as my parents owned a few apartments at Four Seasons there.

 

Many thanks for responding.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Mario666

[worgeordie]

I got the travelling bug very early,while other kids would be reading

the Beano or Dandy,I would be looking at atlases,reading adventure  

magazines like Wide World.

So from 14 onwards,away nearly every weekend either Hosteling,or

camping, Scotland,the Lakes,Devon,Cornwall,then when I past my driving

test bought a second hand Ford Thames van,which i thought was the

dogs <deleted>,mattress in the back,done most of Europe in it from Norway

through Denmark,Germany the low countries,Italy.

 

Later on I had a VW van ,did same trip but got as far as Turkey, marriage 

did not stop me,in another VW van,made it to Egypt with the wife and kids,

stayed there 3 months camping beside the Red sea near Hurghada,nothing

much then there,now i understand its a first class resort.

 

Coming back home we are driving through Cairo ,and people are waving and

shouting ,looks in the mirror and there's smoke belching out the back,the engines

on fire,out of nowhere there's about 6 guys with those little car fire extinguishers 

and they put it out,I could imagine them having them in their cars for years,just

hoping for this to happen to someone.

 

So stuck there with the van,lucky the whole lot did not go up,people standing

around looking, the distributor,spark plug leads,Coil all burnt, then this young

guy comes up ,I work in a garage,can fix it for you,obviously I am suspicious, 

thinking this is going to be a scam,I said I don't have enough money,and its

Saturday the banks are closed,no problem he said,I have a friend ,a rich woman,

she will lend me the money so we can get the parts and repair,and you repay when

your money comes through (had to transfer), nothing to lose so I said OK,towed

the Van to the workshop,and he went off to get the money,OK said will see you

Mon/Tues, we checked in cheap hotel, something like 2 quid a night,boiled egg,

bread and cup tea for breakfast included.

 

So the van got fixed,and the price was very reasonable,he repaid his friend,and

i am still very grateful to him ,he was a great guy.

A couple of days before this happened we were parked up beside the Nile,sleeping,

middle of the night I hear low voices, stark naked look out the window,several men

with big sticks advancing from two sides, now this van had a quirk.quite often it

would not start, turn the key and it just clicked,you had to go under it and fiddle

with the wire to the solenoid on the starter,so in a panic,naked,thinking you have

got to start !...I jump in the front seat and turn the key,  fires straight up and I am

out of there ,see the men at the back running after us,waving their sticks.

 

Think thats enough for today,but since then I have been to 70 odd countries,

from USA,Central America,S.America,Caribbean,Pacific islands,OZ,NZ,PNG,

Most SE Asia,N. Africa,E.Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, just glad I did the traveling

then,when I was a lot younger, walking around places like the Pyramids or 

Chichen itza, very few people,now i understand they are all fenced in and

crawling with people,and the terrorist thing makes travel a headache now.

just 3 more places I would like to see before I pop my clogs, Machu Picchu, 

Madagascar, and Easter Island, living in hope.

 

All the places I have been to, never been mugged,robbed,had anything stolen,

any tight spots have been able to talk my way out of them, like when a bunch

of Rastas in Jamaica,said I was CIA, no man, I am Worgeordie from Newcastle 

few laughs and a smoke ,all OK.

Regards Worgeordie

[Mario666]

16 minutes ago, Mario666 said:

My brother was a Top-Flight Engineer  in the oil business and traveled throughout Africa for over 25 years and hated it, but he was either living in mansions with servants, or 5 star hotels when he was not on a rig or in a desert somewhere.

 

He said that each country he visited in Africa was dirty, corrupt and dangerous without exception.....those countries included Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Angola, Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, etc.

 

From what I can see the only place that is even semi-civilised on the whole continent is South Africa and I don't wanna go there either..Racist Pricks and can't stand the "Accent".

 

Polynesia....Nice idea....Don't know Melanesia yet but will Google it.

 Thnaks!

Love Portugal...been Val De Lobo many times as my parents owned a few apartments at Four Seasons there.

 

Many thanks for responding.

I Googled Melanesia and now understand...Apologies for my ignorance, but I had honestly never heard of it and I consider myself reasonably well traveled and reasonably well educated.....Never too old to learn, EH? Thanks!

[Mario666]

6 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

I got the travelling bug very early,while other kids would be reading

the Beano or Dandy,I would be looking at atlases,reading adventure  

magazines like Wide World.

So from 14 onwards,away nearly every weekend either Hosteling,or

camping, Scotland,the Lakes,Devon,Cornwall,then when I past my driving

test bought a second hand Ford Thames van,which i thought was the

dogs <deleted>,mattress in the back,done most of Europe in it from Norway

through Denmark,Germany the low countries,Italy.

 

Later on I had a VW van ,did same trip but got as far as Turkey, marriage 

did not stop me,in another VW van,made it to Egypt with the wife and kids,

stayed there 3 months camping beside the Red sea near Hurghada,nothing

much then there,now i understand its a first class resort.

 

Coming back home we are driving through Cairo ,and people are waving and

shouting ,looks in the mirror and there's smoke belching out the back,the engines

on fire,out of nowhere there's about 6 guys with those little car fire extinguishers 

and they put it out,I could imagine them having them in their cars for years,just

hoping for this to happen to someone.

 

So stuck there with the van,lucky the whole lot did not go up,people standing

around looking, the distributor,spark plug leads,Coil all burnt, then this young

guy comes up ,I work in a garage,can fix it for you,obviously I am suspicious, 

thinking this is going to be a scam,I said I don't have enough money,and its

Saturday the banks are closed,no problem he said,I have a friend ,a rich woman,

she will lend me the money so we can get the parts and repair,and you repay when

your money comes through (had to transfer), nothing to lose so I said OK,towed

the Van to the workshop,and he went off to get the money,OK said will see you

Mon/Tues, we checked in cheap hotel, something like 2 quid a night,boiled egg,

bread and cup tea for breakfast included.

 

So the van got fixed,and the price was very reasonable,he repaid his friend,and

i am still very grateful to him ,he was a great guy.

A couple of days before this happened we were parked up beside the Nile,sleeping,

middle of the night I hear low voices, stark naked look out the window,several men

with big sticks advancing from two sides, now this van had a quirk.quite often it

would not start, turn the key and it just clicked,you had to go under it and fiddle

with the wire to the solenoid on the starter,so in a panic,naked,thinking you have

got to start !...I jump in the front seat and turn the key,  fires straight up and I am

out of there ,see the men at the back running after us,waving their sticks.

 

Think thats enough for today,but since then I have been to 70 odd countries,

from USA,Central America,S.America,Caribbean,Pacific islands,OZ,NZ,PNG,

Most SE Asia,N. Africa,E.Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, just glad I did the traveling

then,when I was a lot younger, walking around places like the Pyramids or 

Chichen itza, very few people,now i understand they are all fenced in and

crawling with people,and the terrorist thing makes travel a headache now.

just 3 more places I would like to see before I pop my clogs, Machu Picchu, 

Madagascar, and Easter Island, living in hope.

 

All the places I have been to, never been mugged,robbed,had anything stolen,

any tight spots have been able to talk my way out of them, like when a bunch

of Rastas in Jamaica,said I was CIA, no man, I am Worgeordie from Newcastle 

few laughs and a smoke ,all OK.

Regards Worgeordie

Great reply man and admit without fear that I am jealous of your travels.

 

I have been in a few dangerous places....including getting mugged in Istanbul and threatened with a shooter in Penn Station New York, but hey I lived in Manchester for 40 years so "water of a duck's".

 

I was in software sales and used to visit Newcastle many times....Loved the scene below the Tyne Bridge....crackin' bars and girls.

 

I met a very dirty large breasted Mature lady  (in Gray's Nightclub) which was a "Grab a Granny place" back in the day.....she was 50 and I was 29 at the time and I loved the Geordie Tottie. Smashing girls and I remember arranging to meet a girlie one night under the Tyne Bridge and then we were going to some Ship which was parked near the Bridge, but was now a nightclub called The Tuxedo Princess....Do you know it?...I was amused as it was a freezing January night  with rain and sleet and I turned up "Suited and Booted" and wearing a Crombie overcoat....she turned up in jeans and a TShirt

[Mario666]

2 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Growing up, I went to 9 schools in 6 countries, 4 languages.

 

More recently:   

Namibia:  I found some small mountains in the middle: v. secluded, dry.  Namibia has the 2nd smallest population density in the world.  #1 is Mongolia.

 

Hawaii, big island:  took long hikes each day, many types of lava.  Water wells don't exist there, because water percs down too far, through the cracked lava.  

 

Am thinking of climbing a mountain in the middle of Irian Jaya, the west half of Papua New Guinea.  It's the tallest mountain between the Himalayas and Andes.  There's even a sizeable peak there (40 miles west of the tallest) which has never been summited.  Trouble is:  Indonesian authorities are very restrictive on travelers.  Even Indonesians can't get permits to some regions.

 

Am planning to spend part of each year in a region north of SW USA's Grand Canyon. I'll likely be based at a small isolated town called Escalante, and then go out to explore deserts/canyons from there.   Note: Escalante is hear one of the large park areas which Trump and his anti-environmentalist buddies want to de-list as a park - in order to let miners go in there to rip up the terrain.

 

 

Been to Hawaii...Well Maui actually and loved it, but was it FF-ing expensive??? I was earning big money at the time and the trip was a "Club Trip" for the top sales guys so everything was paid for by the company for the first 5 days, but Hell I had traveled from the UK (21 Hrs.) so I decided to extend a further 5 days....$5,500 US and that was in 2001. Great times though and don't regret a single penny!

 

As regards mountain climbing those days are gone...I have had operations on both knees due to skiing accidents and now find it hard to walk in all the cold weather we have here! ..but seriuosly my knees are FF-ed!

 

Been to the Grand Canyon...Not brilliant ..... after went to Vegas on the same trip via the Hoover Dam (That is impressive)...i actually won over $1,000 on roulette, but only stayed overnight.....Then drove through Death Valley in an open topped Mustang....Big Mistake

[Odysseus123]

2 hours ago, Mario666 said:

My brother was a Top-Flight Engineer  in the oil business and traveled throughout Africa for over 25 years and hated it, but he was either living in mansions with servants, or 5 star hotels when he was not on a rig or in a desert somewhere.

 

He said that each country he visited in Africa was dirty, corrupt and dangerous without exception.....those countries included Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Angola, Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, etc.

 

From what I can see the only place that is even semi-civilised on the whole continent is South Africa and I don't wanna go there either..Racist Pricks and can't stand the "Accent".

 

Polynesia....Nice idea....Don't know Melanesia yet but will Google it.

 

Love Portugal...been Val De Lobo many times as my parents owned a few apartments at Four Seasons there.

 

Many thanks for responding.

Of course..responding was my pleasure.

 

I had an aunty (2nd times removed ) who went to the USA and reported that it was dirty and full of rascist p...ks but we merely responded by advising her to actually walk out of San Francisco airport and catch a taxi to her hotel.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Odysseus123

[Mario666]

13 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Of course..responding was my pleasure.

 

I had an aunty (2nd times removed ) who went to the USA and reported that it was dirty and full of rascist p...ks but we merely responded by advising her to actually walk out of San Francisco airport and catch a taxi to her hotel.

Once on a business trip (I had just joined a big USA software company) I arrived at a hotel in Santa Monica California just North of LA.

 

I was alone and bored so went out for a walk to get some exercise and a bite and a couple of beers.

 

Everything seemed "pretty sleepy"......not much goin' on so I returned to my room and turned the TV on.

 

After flipping through the channels I stopped on a station showing a documentary about random "Video Mugging" and "Video Murders" self filmed by gangs......To my horror one video was shot in the exact location I was staying and exactly where I had been walking just minutes before.

 

I would not blame you if you thought this was made up....I didn't believe it either....FF ME!

 

 

 

[citybiker]

Interesting thread, sort of like a 'rough guide' to avid travellers.

 

Myself, up until 2006 I travelled extensively due to work commitments, although I took those opportunities to class it as a pre-holiday recce to locations I want to revisit or avoid.

 

Admitingly I spent more time in the US, ME & Asia than I have in Europe however my bucket list is too extensive to post.

 

Lastly, every trip I do make I learn and plan better for the next, I'm also a minimalist traveller, unfortunately Mrs CB isn't.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[billd766]

5 hours ago, Mario666 said:

Thanks Pal,

 

I am indeed British (English first) and welcome your response.

 

I had a friend who did South America and said that apart from Buenos Aires (The Brazilian one) and Rio (for all the wrong reasons....or maybe right reasons depending on your morality or lack thereof) Chile was his favourite place....He is not the brightest guy in the world....He should have said " his third Favourite Place in South America" was Chile ...Nice guy though....Bless him!

 

The worst country I ever worked in was Angola in the late 1990s. In Luanda there were only 4 hotels that took credit cards, few real places to eat or drink and it was not a nice place to be in the night.

 

Sri Lanka was OK, Portugal was great also for wine, port and great food. I spent 6 months working there but not many other places were as good. I only clocked about 38 countries.

[phuketrichard]

have visited 95 countries, lived in 7, ( USA, Mexico, Zaire, Nepal, HK, ( before it went back to China), Thailand, Cambodia), over the past 48 years.

 

Best; India, Switzerland, Nepal, Myanmar, Morocco, Thailand, Mexico, USA

 

Worst; Sudan, Pakistan

 

all for varied reasons

Edited April 23, 2018 by phuketrichard

[Mahseer]

PNG and Tibet are on my list.

 

PNG coupling a Sing-Sing with a river trip and maybe one of the islands to the east would make for a memorable trip but well expensive.

 

Tibet likely to happen this year and will include an overland leg from Kathmandu to Lhasa and exploring northern regions and taking in a festival or two.

 

Most interesting countries I have visited? Well having been to Burma and India in excess of a dozen times each they would feature. Burma I prefer the more remote regions to the noth west and India anywhere in the Himalayas. Also visited Pakistan twice in the past 3 years and never felt so welcomed especially by the wonderful Kalash.

[phuketrichard]

4 minutes ago, Mahseer said:

PNG and Tibet are on my list.

 

PNG coupling a Sing-Sing with a river trip and maybe one of the islands to the east would make for a memorable trip but well expensive.

 

Tibet likely to happen this year and will include an overland leg from Kathmandu to Lhasa and exploring northern regions and taking in a festival or two.

 

Most interesting countries I have visited? Well having been to Burma and India in excess of a dozen times each they would feature. Burma I prefer the more remote regions to the noth west and India anywhere in the Himalayas. Also visited Pakistan twice in the past 3 years and never felt so welcomed especially by the wonderful Kalash.

:-) did it by bicycle ( ran tours) back in the 80's  

[gk10002000]

Well traveled?  Not really.  I have been to a handful  of countries.  Have lived and worked in 15 of the USA states.  I have been in all 48 continental states.  I been to Jamaica, Mexico, three of the Canadian provinces, Japan, Taiwan, Cambodia, and Thailand.  Thailand culture has turned out to be a bit disappointing, although it did motivate me to actually learn about Buddhism which I have come to appreciate greatly.  Frankly, some of the straightforward policies in Canada appealed to me.

 

What defines a culture?  Music?  Food?  Dance?  Dress?  Marriage and Dating concepts?  Religion? Moral concepts?  Laws and governance (giving Thailand a low mark on this feature).