Where did you visit from? How old were you?

Your impressions?

Me:

First international trip: Mexico

Age (at that time): 17

Country of origin: USA

Impressions: Dirty, fun, cheap, good food, and great party action

And you?

Border cross to Tijuana Mexico with the family, age 10.

Got on a donkey and put on a sombrero.

Independently all over western Europe summer long backpacking trip, age 15, but avoided Spain because they were shooting hippies on the beach!

I remember crying when I got back to the U.S. No more buying bottles of wine!

Eire - it was green.

English lad ......by car to Italy, 1969..........

Ah a member of The Italian Job, squad

"You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"

1973 UK (Manchester) to The Netherlands to see loads of tulips. I was 14.

Sticks in my memory not because of the tulips or the cheese (or for that matter not being allowed in a certain street in Amsterdam), but because the aircraft was a Vickers Vanguard operated by Invicta Airways, it was only a short time after a similar aircraft also operated by Invicta hit a mountain in Switzerland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invicta_International_Airlines_Flight_435

Majorca family holiday aged 11

Impressions:

Being freaked that no one was speaking English, but enchanted at this warm, sunny pine scented place buzzing with insects 24 hour a day, the blue of the sky, the yellow of the sand and the blue of the Med, having to learn Spanish phrases and the shops being full of loads of weird stuff like Lemon flavoured chewing gum.

London via Singapore and Abu Dhabi from Sydney, an organised tour for 6 weeks then another 2 months wandering around, aged 19.

Loved it.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) it is difficult to drive overseas from Australia.

Fieberbrunn, Austria, skiing aged 10.....all the way by train from Lincolnshire (except for the ferry). They still loaded cargo and luggage in nets in those days, and gave access out onto the deck while at sea (admittedly, we had to man the oars).

Switzerland I was a boy scout and 14 years old

Aussie bloke..., I was 17 years old surfer looking for waves in 1973 - Kuta, Bali was it..., was really quiet back then.., a couple of shopfronts and losmens surrounded by rice paddies and fields....., so very much not like today's cluster f*** !

Canvey Island.......................

All over Europe from the age of 7 or so with my parents later alone, then Turkey, then Thailand and parts of Asia. Usually the Dutch are well traveled because of the size of our country

If I was American I would have traveled the country as it is big and varied I would have stayed there.

Fieberbrunn, Austria, skiing aged 10.....all the way by train from Lincolnshire (except for the ferry). They still loaded cargo and luggage in nets in those days, and gave access out onto the deck while at sea (admittedly, we had to man the oars).

And no doubt the train section would have been on a Stephenson's steam loco.

Farq! If I'd know about that, we'd have upgraded to third class tickets.

Kwajalein

From Australia in 1963 Spain, I was 21. Loved it, stayed 2 months then went on to see a lot more of Europe and North Africa.

Alone aged 15 for 4 months to Canada from UK and again for 3 months at 17. [Mother was from Toronto so lots of family there]

Wales when I was ten!

And then The Rhine valley at age 15, that was the trip that started it all for me, I never stopped travelling after that - but I never went back to Wales.

Spain in my young teens

Cant remember a damn thing about it.

Saigon, 1968 - 19 years old.

my father chartered a small plane to fly my mother, my two brothers and I to Switzerland in winter 1945. Incredible experience ski-ing and gouging ourselves on food and sweets at a 5 star hotel as guests of the management. I was 12 years old.

Saudi Arabia 1960. It was a shithole.

My dad had businesses in Africa so by 6 years old I had already been to Zambia, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda. Circa 1972 British born and always had wandering feet.

Blackpool.

Lurved it ever since.

First international trip: 7th Grade Spanish class trip to Monterrey Mexico
Age (at that time): 13
Country of origin: USA
Impressions: Fun shopping at curio/souvenir shops, cheap, bought a bull horn & woke up the entire Plaza Hotel, good food & music, interesting site seeing.

of course Thailand. I remember looking at the traffic and general chaos going on at Don Muang from an overpass and felt a Deja vu.

There was also this wet soggy old smell at the airport, I love it, this is tropical SE Asia!! I have sniffed a lot of other pleasant fragrances since then and I am definitely addicted to this place despite all my whinging.

UK to Germany in 1968 along with another 100 or so who had just joined up.

France, on a school trip from the UK when I was about 12. All I remember was getting the fire crackers we had bought confiscated by the teachers on the boat home.

Saudi Arabia 1960. It was a shithole.

In case you're wondering...it still is.

My first trip abroad has a bit different slant:

- To Vietnam, platoon commander, 20 years old.

Impressions:

- Then:

- Never to be forgotten deaths and injuries etc., still firmly in my head and still come back as nightmares.

- Ultimately lots of valuable lessons of how things work, behaviors, expectations, of a different society.

- Wonderful friendships and caring with both own soldier colleagues and some locals.

- Now:

- Visit often to teach MBA programs.

- Very committed, clever, hard working, and very pleasant students.

- Uni. administration staff so helpful and well organized.

- Great food.