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The purpose of this thread is not so much to discuss the pros and cons of such reasons, but to just find out from readers what kinds of reasons they harbor regarding travel to "bad" places. So explain your motives, but don't be argumentative or comment on other people's reasons, please.
Yes, most of Boticelli's post above was in pretty bad taste. More or less a troll comment. I didn't even want to respond to that so I'm glad you pointed out the purpose of the thread and why it should not be turning into SMALL MINDED arguments.
If you're into photographing and observing people in harsh conditions, or perhaps just eating some crazy foods, then it would make sense to go to places like Cambodia, Sierra Leone and Bangladesh on vacation. If you love old art and architecture, then most of western Europe will be paradise for you. If you're really into sports, you might go to Cooperstown, NY or Canton, OH or perhaps shell out the really big bucks just to go to Phoenix and see the Super Bowl (2015). If you're a knitting enthusiast, you might choose Portland. And if you love, hiking, paddling, mountaineering, backpacking and other non-extreme outdoor activities, then you can't beat the beautiful parks and open spaces of the American West!!!
And if you love, hiking, paddling, mountaineering, backpacking and other non-extreme outdoor activities, then you can't beat the beautiful parks and open spaces of the American West!!!
really? How many countries have you visited before jumping to such a conclusion? For example, does the American west offers the diversity of life one find on the African savannah, or Galapagos? The amazon forest?
America has beautiful nature. One can't deny that. But to say it has everything the world has, or it is unbeatable is small minded.
Following your logic, the Chinese/Indians/Brazilians/Australians never need to go outside their own countries too.
Many people don't venture outside America because
1) they don't have enough money
2) they are not comfortable with exploring foreign countries (different language, food, infrastructure etc).
But please don't pretend it is because America has everything and one doesn't need to go abroad. One who hardly venture outside America is by no stretch a well travelled person, no matter how many states he has been to.
"crazy food"? Anyone familiar with food should know American food is extremely boring and lack in variety. Do you consider anything other than hamburger, salad, fried chicken, pasta, and steaks "crazy food"? Do you know what is crazy food? Hamburgers - so primitive as if we live in the 16th century.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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Quote:
Originally Posted by botticelli
Hamburgers - so primitive as if we live in the 16th century.
You've crossed the line, man.
Quote:
Originally Posted by otterprods
Yes, most of Boticelli's post above was in pretty bad taste. More or less a troll comment. I didn't even want to respond to that so I'm glad you pointed out the purpose of the thread and why it should not be turning into SMALL MINDED arguments.
If you're into photographing and observing people in harsh conditions, or perhaps just eating some crazy foods, then it would make sense to go to places like Cambodia, Sierra Leone and Bangladesh on vacation. If you love old art and architecture, then most of western Europe will be paradise for you. If you're really into sports, you might go to Cooperstown, NY or Canton, OH or perhaps shell out the really big bucks just to go to Phoenix and see the Super Bowl (2015). If you're a knitting enthusiast, you might choose Portland. And if you love, hiking, paddling, mountaineering, backpacking and other non-extreme outdoor activities, then you can't beat the beautiful parks and open spaces of the American West!!!
Yeah, I can't agree with you here. We have some great places for that stuff, and some stunning vistas, but can't be beat? That's quite a stretch.
Yeah, I can't agree with you here. We have some great places for that stuff, and some stunning vistas, but can't be beat? That's quite a stretch.
Fair enough, it's fine if you don't agree with me. Truly. But what do you really think I meant by, "...can't be beat"? That no place in the world has any decent outdoor activities or natural beauty? Or that acre for acre, no other region has the level of diversity, quantity and accessibility of natural wonder that the American West offers. But if you still disagree, I can't prove that you're wrong, because it's mostly a matter of preference.
I was just illustrating how different places excel for different things, not trying to say that one place or one sort of travel is better then another.
Quote:
Originally Posted by botticelli
really? How many countries have you visited before jumping to such a conclusion? For example, does the American west offers the diversity of life one find on the African savannah, or Galapagos? The amazon forest?
Eleven so far, I think, if it matters. Have you been to those places?
I don't think any destination or form of travel is superior to another. It's just about circumstances and preferences to me. If you look down on people for traveling in a certain way to a certain areas, then frankly I'm glad if you're going to places very far away from me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by botticelli
"crazy food"? Anyone familiar with food should know American food is extremely boring and lack in variety. Do you consider anything other than hamburger, salad, fried chicken, pasta, and steaks "crazy food"? Do you know what is crazy food? Hamburgers - so primitive as if we live in the 16th century.
You're making assumptions about me that aren't true, based on some caricature you have in your mind. Is there any point in my trying to correct you? Why does it matter to you if people like to eat hamburgers or travel exclusively in the US? I don't know any more about you than you do me, but from your words in this thread, you don't seem very enlightened for a seasoned world traveler.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,743,887 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by otterprods
Fair enough, it's fine if you don't agree with me. Truly. But what do you really think I meant by, "...can't be beat"? That no place in the world has any decent outdoor activities or natural beauty? Or that acre for acre, no other region has the level of diversity, quantity and accessibility to natural wonder that the American West offers. But if you still disagree, I can't prove that you're wrong, because it's mostly a matter of preference.
I think/thought you meant that for the activities you listed (biking, hiking, mountaineering) that the American West can't be beat. Just that.
I think/thought you meant that for the activities you listed (biking, hiking, mountaineering) that the American West can't be beat. Just that.
Not necessarily. I was just making a point that different places are better for different things. I also mentioned Portland 'the (unofficial) knitting capital of the world' to make that same point. Sorry in advance to any Portlanders on here if it sounds like I'm insinuating that the only sport your city offers is knitting, and also to any die hard knitters for calling your sport unexciting. (Like how I just declared knitting a sport?)
I didn't list biking, but for Mtn Biking, Moab UT is considered a sort of mecca. I'd personally choose the giant National Forest across the street though. For road biking, there are certainly some fantastic places in Europe, but who wants to put a nice road bike on a plane all the way to Eurtope? I think I'd just rent in that case, but that would be kind of hard with a 2 and 4 year old in tow.
I personally don't have any interest in visiting a country that treats women like third class citizens, like most Muslim countries where their religious laws mandate that a Western/non-muslim woman, such as myself, would have to adhere to wearing a stupid veil or cover my ankles. Any religion that fears independent women is nothing I want to associate with. It is a great offense to me as a human being, and someone who has no interest whatsoever of observing muslim rules over non-male people.
For other countries where there is political upheaval and severe economic problems, I would evaluate the risk/rewards.
I would love to check out Cuba and I will probably in the next few years or so.
The only "bad" countries I wouldn't visit are ones where I feel my personal safety would be at risk, like kidnapping or a high risk of being sexually assaulted. I have no problems visiting a country where their politics or philosophy are vastly different, but I value my personal health and safety.
Exactly this. Which is why I will probably never visit India. After hearing so many stories of rape, it would terrify me to visit there (even with a man or group of friends). Yes, sexual assault can happen everywhere but the justice system there seems off putting and India is not (and probably will not be) on my bucket list ever.
Exactly this. Which is why I will probably never visit India. After hearing so many stories of rape, it would terrify me to visit there (even with a man or group of friends). Yes, sexual assault can happen everywhere but the justice system there seems off putting and India is not (and probably will not be) on my bucket list ever.
Well, think of how much gun violence goes on in this country. I'm sure foreigners hear about it consistently yet they still come here. And, we still live here, right?
As for eating crazy foods in foreign countries, you can give a round of thanks to our American fast food chains, which have penetrated every corner of this globe. Don't like the native food, go to McDonald's or KFC. I happened to be in Beijing when the world's largest McDonald's opened there, with 2 floors! I wasn't too keen on the food in Ecuador and Honduras, when I was there, and to McDonald's, Burger King or KFC I went!
Overlooked, is medical tourism! Which I've sampled in a number of foreign countries I visited, and it helped pay for the trip! And bringing back much cheaper medications!
The $60 crown I had put in in Argentina, helped defray the cost of the trip!
I don't see how you can create a thread like this, and not avoid some inevitable arguments!
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