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Increasingly, if you're still among the 20% who still wish to smoke, your choices are becoming more and more restricted, what with smoke-free cruises, beaches, hotels.
I was planning an early Dec. trip to NYC, until I read of Emperor Bloomberg (a notorious anti-smoker) submitting legislation a couple weeks ago, which will ban all smoking in Times Square (sidewalks and all), pedestrian plazas, city parks and beaches.
Can't smoke on the Southern California beaches no more.
Not even any smoking allowed in the bars and restaurants in Mexico.
Increasingly, a number of these places are making their way onto my: Popular places I have no desire to see again.
Will they miss the tax revenue? Heavens no! I'll be replaced by two happy nonsmokers delighted to hear I stayed put here in smoker-friendly Las Vegas!
Alaska. Even in the summer, it will probably be too cold for my preferences.
Hawaii. Here on the East Coast, there are numerous islands that I can get to much quicker. I can get my mahalo on and feel irie at the same time.
I used to want to see London back in the 80's/90's back when the second British Music Invasion was in full effect. Now, not so much.
Paris? I dunno.Je parle un peu de francais(I speak a little French) but I think after visiting the Louvre and staring at the Eiffel Tower, I'd be ready to head to a less "cosmopolitan" French city.
I used to think LA was overhyped but after a visit in '09 for a family reunion, it wasn't as "bad" as I thought. I did skip the "obligatory" Beverly Hills tour, and I don't necessarily need to see Hollywood again (except maybe for Amoeba Records) but it were winter time, I wouldn't mind hanging out on Manhattan Beach for a little while.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tijlover
Increasingly, if you're still among the 20% who still wish to smoke, your choices are becoming more and more restricted, what with smoke-free cruises, beaches, hotels.
... I stayed put here in smoker-friendly Las Vegas!
Seems most of Indonesia / Malaysia was friendly to smokers last I visited.
Denmark and Hungary are still pretty liberal with smokers, but most countries have followed the lead of South Africa in banning smoking in public places.
As you mentioned, for USA there are still the beautiful states of NV, ND, PA, LA, AR, TN, FL to visit and feel pretty safe to be lit up.
That's exactly the problem. People who know everything there is to know about Muslims from watching TV, so they never need to see the real thing. It makes it a lot easier to kill them, doesn't it?
Has it ever occurred to you that what you see on TV might have been edited, to show what someone else wants you to see?
Can TV show you what a polluted river smells like, or what Tucson feels like in July, or what it's like to have an African sitting in the truck next to you give you a gift, for some small gesture?
The reason you travel is because those things will not come to you, not even with the help of TV.
I know everything I need to know about them--I certainly don't need to visit them in their country to find out. And I don't have a desire to kill anyone. I'm not a sensualist, and I'd rather learn about things from a book rather than experiencing them for myself.
Would you prefer to have someone TELL you that a hot stove will burn you, or would you prefer to be burned yourself? By having to experience things to learn about them, you have to experience the bad things as well as the good ones--you don't get to pick and choose. Much better to learn about them mentally, in the mind, without ever experiencing them for yourself.
I know everything I need to know about them--I certainly don't need to visit them in their country to find out. And I don't have a desire to kill anyone. I'm not a sensualist, and I'd rather learn about things from a book rather than experiencing them for myself.
Would you prefer to have someone TELL you that a hot stove will burn you, or would you prefer to be burned yourself? By having to experience things to learn about them, you have to experience the bad things as well as the good ones--you don't get to pick and choose. Much better to learn about them mentally, in the mind, without ever experiencing them for yourself.
Wow, I can't even begin to get my head around this......... everyone is entitled to their own opinion and can decide how they want to spend their time and money. I guess I just can't imagine never getting on a plane with a guide book and camera in my hand ever again.....since I started working my main aim was to be able to pay to have 2 good holidays a year....I would live on cheese sandwiches to be able to pay for the next flight if I needed to - fortunately now that is no longer the case
For me it was worth getting food sickness form the crappy prepared hotel food I ate for lunch because I ate it on the Great Wall of China, sunburnt shoulders when I snorkeled on the great Barrier Reef, Altitude sickness because we ascended to Everest Base Camp too quickly, nearly being arrested because I argued with the chinese customs official who cancelled my China visa on my entry into Tibet. Hell it was terrifying to be on the beach in Sri Lanka when the tsunami knocked my hotel down but it wouldn't stop me from traveling and experiencing....
I know everything I need to know about them--I certainly don't need to visit them in their country to find out. And I don't have a desire to kill anyone. I'm not a sensualist, and I'd rather learn about things from a book rather than experiencing them for myself.
Would you prefer to have someone TELL you that a hot stove will burn you, or would you prefer to be burned yourself? By having to experience things to learn about them, you have to experience the bad things as well as the good ones--you don't get to pick and choose. Much better to learn about them mentally, in the mind, without ever experiencing them for yourself.
I can see your point and it takes all types. Personally I like to travel, but also I am past the point of roughing it just for roughing it's sake.
There are some places in the world for me like India which I have seen all I need to see in photos and videos. Don't need to experience it in person.
Yeah, I can relate to the last few posters. I want to return from my trips unharmed, thank you.
People have marveled that I take vacations solo, but I've never traveled abroad. Nor would I do it unless it was with a tour group. Because my type of visiting is not the safest in many places. I see no point to visiting places that are in a violent war, or that passionately hate Americans. To go to certain Middle Eastern countries right now would be, to me, the act of an imbecile.
Going to an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica would not be how I'd want to do it. I'd rather be out 'n' about exploring the REAL area and its culture, including drives outside the townships. But that would be a dangerous risk in many places in the Caribbean. (Besides, I can go to an all-inclusive resort in Palm Springs if all I want is to bask in the sun.)
Disney - I have never had the desire to go, and I hate places that are packed with tourists and families. Actually, just about any theme park I can live without.
Miami
Atlanta
Mall of America
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Je parle un peu de francais(I speak a little French) but I think after visiting the Louvre and staring at the Eiffel Tower, I'd be ready to head to a less "cosmopolitan" French city. 
) but it were winter time, I wouldn't mind hanging out on Manhattan Beach for a little while. 
