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 Favorite and Worst Countries and Places to Visit, What are your favorite and least favorite places? |
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| uncle_davros |
 Sep 9 2006, 02:49 AM
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Planet Pioneer
Group: Members
Posts: 2344
Joined: 21-August 05
Member No.: 226
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QUOTE(will @ Sep 8 2006, 10:33 PM) 
Bangladesh is amazing! What an amazing INTENSE three weeks I had there. Highlights for me, apart from the friendly hospitable people, were getting lost in old Dhaka, St Martin's Island, and the countryside near Barisal.
Everywhere you go, you are met with stares. I think I was a bigger attraction for the locals then the country was for me!
Being a star in this countyr, that is what you are. Kind of like Myanmar, but 100 times more. We were there during the recent Australian tour, and a friend of mine turned up who has only lived in the UK and Ireland. HE was amazed at the friendliness of the people. Especially, when he became sick, and all of a sudden, four doctors appeared from nowhere to look after him
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| scchin |
Oct 10 2006, 12:22 PM
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Newbie
Group: Members
Posts: 1
Joined: 10-October 06
Member No.: 21655
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love every place I've been to, and you're right.....you gain to learn from anywhere you go. I'm from Malaysia, so I really like SE Asia, but found myself being hassled rather a lot in India. Still, a smile and polite "no", usually works. Usually! Top picks so far: Turkey (Cappadocia is fabulous - go horse riding there!), Canada, Thailand, Finland , Australia and Malaysia!  |
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| siscri |
Oct 16 2006, 12:41 PM
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Commuter
Group: Members
Posts: 617
Joined: 22-June 06
From: Munter University (Dublin, Ireland campus)
Member No.: 5389
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One of my biggest annoyances when traveling is when people tell me a place is S*$# and I shouldn't bother going there. To quote Paul Theroux, "All places, no matter where, no matter what, are worth visiting."
Sometimes I think a place is almost irrelevant to how much you get from it. So much of it is your current mood and what happens to you while you're there. I almost think of places and sights as more of a backdrop than the focus.
Having said that, I think the USA is one of the greatest countries in the world to holiday in. I also loved Australia, Fiji, Cambodia, China and Hong Kong.
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| wakingdream |
Oct 16 2006, 02:36 PM
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Rolling Stone
Group: Local Expert
Posts: 5853
Joined: 18-August 06
From: Guelph, Ontario
Member No.: 13336
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I certainly did not "search long and hard" for your comments. I happen to have many interests and read most of the threads on this site. I'm not trying to 'do better" then anything. I am also not trying to make an example of you. I read. I disagreed. I replied. I am not in any competition. Are you? I was not, whatsoever, making any comment about your travels, or how you spoke about them. Not. At. All. Your comments don't upset. What I have is called an "opinion". Simple as that. Allen, I am not disputing that most TP'ers travel on the cheap. I myself have never had the luxury of not watching my budget when I'm travelling. However, just b/c I choose to travel cheaply, I should not assume that every single person does this. I was merely stating that I think it is inappropriate to judge someone, WHOEVER it is, on how much $$ they spend on a trip, whether it's a guest or a member, or whoever. Or to assume that someone is lying about a story b/c you don't agree with it. People have bad times in places, whatever the reason might be, it does not change the fact that they had a bad time.  And Simon, I agree with you, I like to make my own mind up about a place.
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~Susie
'Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future. Today is a gift - which is why they call it the present.'
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| wakingdream |
Oct 16 2006, 08:16 PM
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Rolling Stone
Group: Local Expert
Posts: 5853
Joined: 18-August 06
From: Guelph, Ontario
Member No.: 13336
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QUOTE(Allen @ Oct 16 2006, 08:51 PM)
wakingdream
Two people stated that the $ spent on the Italy trip was a lot. Me and "I agree with the last post by Allen- Who ever spent $8,000 on a trip to Italy must have had temporary insanity." Yet you choose me to try and berate. At least four people made disparaging remarks about India, yet you choose me to comment back on. Then you leave a snide comment - "Get over yourself" What is that about if you don't have an axe to grind? If you want to really get into a discussion about anything. Let's do it. Don't take a cheap shot and then dance around like nothing happened. Your message came through loud and clear.
Allen, all I am saying is that b/c you, or anyone else think that the $$ spent on Italy is alot, it is not a reason to judge. Some people spend more, some less. It just doesn't matter how much $$ anyone spends. It is not a reflection of their intelligence nor ability to travel, merely a reflection of their pocketbook. It does not mean they travel worse or better then anyone, does it? Why must they be temprarily insane? Maybe this is a trip where they have the ability to splurge. No one knows their reason but them. And this applies to everyone, not just that particular person who spent $8000- on their trip to Italy. So b/c I may choose to stay in a cheap hostel and someone else chooses a 5 star hotel, this lessens their experience? Well, we don't know that. It may, and it may not. Who knows? You don't, and I don't, do we? I can stay in a cheap hostel and still not truly experience things for what they are as well. I am not taking a cheap shot. All I said about India was some people love it, and some hate it. I can appreciate both opinions.There are merits to both. Same with the guy and Italy. He hated, you liked it. Case and point. It just pisses me off that anyone would choose to judge another b/c of $$ spent. That's all. I am not about being an amateur or an expert. I am about being myself. No axe, no grinding, no dancing around anything. Well, maybe dancing around, but not right now.
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~Susie
'Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future. Today is a gift - which is why they call it the present.'
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| grumpytraveller |
Dec 1 2006, 05:20 AM
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Newbie
Group: Members
Posts: 9
Joined: 24-July 06
Member No.: 9771
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I don't think it would be that difficult to spend $8000 in Italy, especially if you're coming from the US and that includes flights. I had my honeymoon in Italy and probably spent $5-6000. Only the flights were much cheaper because we were coming from the UK. Did I enjoy it? Hell yeah, Italy is a fabulous place and the Italians are nice people (maybe a bit more closed off in the South to the North, but I've had great experiences all over Italy). If you got nothing else out of Italy the food alone is worth the trip.
As for countries I like and dislike; particular favourites are Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and Spain, but I've got enjoyment out of most of the forty or so countries I've been to so far. The only country I've had a really bad experience in was Morocco, and although I've been back since for a short visit I don't think I'll ever get over my initial dislike, but I know plenty of other people who love the place.
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| samhoso |
Mar 5 2007, 11:11 PM
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Wanderer
Group: Members
Posts: 14
Joined: 5-March 07
Member No.: 42428
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so far i've traveled 23 countries (i know, it's nothing compared to some of the extreme travelers on this site, lol).
i prefer to say "best experience" and "worst experience" rather than "most favorite" and "least favorite" - because a lot depends on the personal experience, and i do not want to come across as rude and ignorant when i talk about my "least favorite".
best experience:
- korea: an amazing twist of modern and tradition, best food, great parties, friendly locals and some of the most stylish and sophisticated women you'll ever meet.
- turkey: friendly locals with big hearts and amazing architecture.
- vietnam: most honest people i've ever met in my life.
- usa: a country of many faces and different opportunities.
- ireland: charming, traditional, cool, friendly.
- italy: it has it's charme that can't be beaten.
worst experience:
- greece: i encountered rude locals, got ripped off and threatened. it appeared to me that locals had prejudices against foreigners. sorry, my greek friends, no offense but it's my personal experience. note: i lived in a greek neighborhood in new york for many years, and loved the greeks, it was just a bad experience when i visited their country. ps: food is good!
- switzerland: people i met were ignorant snobs, including the restaurant and hotel service staff.
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| asiabill |
Jul 4 2007, 10:23 AM
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Newbie
Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: 30-April 07
Member No.: 51979
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Why the Philippines? Here's Ten Reasons
1 )English widely spoken and Understood
2 ) Low cost of living and travel
3 ) Population very exposed to "western" cultures and family ties
which span the globe with 1/2 million in UK, 2M in USA, another
million in Europe and another 4 million overseas contract workers
employed as nurses, doctors, seamen, cruise ship staff and domestic
helpers.
4) Music Capital of Asia with most Filipinos being natural artist /
musicians. Singing is almost their national sport ( besides
basketball, boxing and chess ). Could be compared to Africans being
"born" with IT.
5) Simple, "happy go lucky" , friendly, local people who definitely
work to live rather live to work like so many people in highly
developed nations.
6) Racially, the "melting pot" of Asia with more percentage of mixed
races than ANYWHERE in Asia. So should you have children with the
local people they are almost elevated in status rather than looked
down upon as in most other Asian countries.
7 ) An incredible diversity of climate choices from mountainous alpine
to tropical, coconut palm tree lined beaches .
8 ) The only majority Christian nation in Asia being a big plus to
many foreigners but at the same time very open minded and tolerant
about other religions
9) Very relaxed or maybe the MOST easy going Immigration policies in
Asia and very flexible about the enforcement of laws.
10) Very practical and tolerant concerning age differences between
spouses, dates, or live-in mates.
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| wakingdream |
Jul 4 2007, 09:58 PM
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Rolling Stone
Group: Local Expert
Posts: 5853
Joined: 18-August 06
From: Guelph, Ontario
Member No.: 13336
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QUOTE I'll go against that and say most of the time the service I received in USA was piss poor I've received good and bad service...I thin sometimes it gets pretty ridiculous in really touristy spots. I did try ordering breakfast with no meat years back in deep south Tennessee and the cooks must've yelled back and forth to each other increduously about 6 times or so: "Giiirllll dooon't waaaant aaannny meat?"..... "Noooo, she dooon't waaaant aaany meat!!" " She reeeally dooon't waaant aaany meeat??" I think I heard the banjo from Deliverance in there somewhere.  Thai's have their own way. You can't really place them up against N.A. service standards. They are in their own special class.The pace is pretty relaxed but the friendliness and conversations can't be beat. Oh, and the food ain't bad either!  Mmmm.
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~Susie
'Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future. Today is a gift - which is why they call it the present.'
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| ylnkrdvc |
Oct 3 2007, 04:26 PM
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Newbie
Group: Members
Posts: 1
Joined: 2-October 07
Member No.: 94369
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I have not been many parts of the world, but Italy is my top destination. I even began to learn Italian!!! Italian people are mostly polite and very nice people. The only reason that you had a problem there might be that they do not speak English. But it does not really matter, bec. you can even understand from their body language if you really pay attention to what they say.
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