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I don't know how to respond to this. Don't you think if it even semi-often affected tourists, that millions wouldn't/couldn't enter the country freely every year? It's a fascinating place. You close yourself up to many opportunities if you just go through life avoiding anything "third world". If I've learned anything from visiting the "third world", which I have several times now, it's that it's not as poor and decrepit and sad as newscasts and documentaries make it out to seem.
And yes, I stand by my statement about cleanliness. Many people in India are filthy rich and there are parts that are very organized and clean to match your unrealistic standard of living.
True, even "third world countries" can have nice parts. Plus, a few days of inconvenience out of our usual comfort zone won't kill us - don't we travel to see and experience something new? All the ancient European cities some day become a bit tiring and repetitive, although nice and clean.
That being said, I do have difficulty accepting unsanitary/smelly washrooms. I don't want to go to great length describing them, but some of them can be outright disgusting, so I can understand the complaints. I would say, it is ok for a third world travel destination to be chaotic, dirty and full of scammers, but at least make the toilets clean. This is something I always need to research before deciding going to a place
Any place on your "definitely not going" list? That's the thread title, yet some chastise others for stating where they don't want to go
Great you think India..Africa.....insert other places on someones list of not wanting to go are fabulous more power to you, but please stop with your holier than thou chastising and you know who you are..more than 1 that's for sure.
Any place on your "definitely not going" list? That's the thread title, yet some chastise others for stating where they don't want to go
Great you think India..Africa.....insert other places on someones list of not wanting to go are fabulous more power to you, but please stop with your holier than thou chastising and you know who you are..more than 1 that's for sure.
Well, it's a discussion. Would you prefer if 100 different posters simply posted the name of a country and left it at that? There should be dialogue, and statements should be challenged, as is the case with any discussion.
I don't know how to respond to this. Don't you think if it even semi-often affected tourists, that millions wouldn't/couldn't enter the country freely every year? It's a fascinating place. You close yourself up to many opportunities if you just go through life avoiding anything "third world". If I've learned anything from visiting the "third world", which I have several times now, it's that it's not as poor and decrepit and sad as newscasts and documentaries make it out to seem.
Neither you nor I know the state of origin for these alleged "millions of tourists" who flock to India every year. However, given that India lies in southeast Asia, I would like to think that many of these "millions" come from neighbouring states that live in similar, squalid conditions.
As for how said conditions affect tourists, I don't believe for a second that you are as seasoned a traveler as you claim to be, yet have never heard of "Montezuma's Revenge" nor has visited to a Third World country without a qualified medical practitioner advising vaccinations for the exotic diseases that run rampant in some of these places. My own doctor recommended malaria and typhoid vaccinations when I went to Cuba on my honeymoon, and (unlike India) Cuba provides free health care for its citizens, for the love of god.
Quote:
And yes, I stand by my statement about cleanliness. Many people in India are filthy rich and there are parts that are very organized and clean to match your unrealistic standard of living.
I have an "unreasonable standard of living"??? Perhaps open defecation, corpse-filled rivers and regular outbreaks of cholera and other exotic diseases are "common" where YOU come from, but I can assure you they definitely are not existent anywhere I have lived nor anywhere I have visited in either Canada and the U.S.
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Originally Posted by botticelli
True, even "third world countries" can have nice parts. Plus, a few days of inconvenience out of our usual comfort zone won't kill us - don't we travel to see and experience something new? All the ancient European cities some day become a bit tiring and repetitive, although nice and clean.
That's awesome if it works for you, but a trip to most of the Third World sounds more like a nightmare to me than anything close to an enjoyable holiday... Which is kind of what we are discussing in this thread.
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Originally Posted by njkate
Any place on your "definitely not going" list? That's the thread title, yet some chastise others for stating where they don't want to go
Great you think India..Africa.....insert other places on someones list of not wanting to go are fabulous more power to you, but please stop with your holier than thou chastising and you know who you are..more than 1 that's for sure.
Any place on your "definitely not going" list? That's the thread title, yet some chastise others for stating where they don't want to go
Great you think India..Africa.....insert other places on someones list of not wanting to go are fabulous more power to you, but please stop with your holier than thou chastising and you know who you are..more than 1 that's for sure.
I travel (usually) twice a year for volunteer and relief work to Africa and impovrished parts of Asia and Europe. 30+ years now. I come away with some modest understanding of what it's like to live on a dollar a day. That knowledge has changed my life - given me some understanding of how one, two or three billion* people with whom I share this planet and common days live. I'm grateful to have had the experience. But I come away humbled, not holy
That's awesome if it works for you, but a trip to most of the Third World sounds more like a nightmare to me than anything close to an enjoyable holiday... Which is kind of what we are discussing in this thread.
No, I enjoy the cleanness and order in wealthy countries too. I was simply pointing out that not all poor countries are that bad everywhere. For example, Americans do visit parts of Mexico frequently. Thailand is also a third world country. China can have very advanced regions where modern facilities put most of the USA into shame and backward areas where finding a toilet is difficult. It all depends.
Some people visit other places for pure enjoyment, some visit to learn something about other places, both are usually called "vacation" but can be vastly different.
Well, it's a discussion. Would you prefer if 100 different posters simply posted the name of a country and left it at that? There should be dialogue, and statements should be challenged, as is the case with any discussion.
Dialogue is fine, challenge not so much in this venue, for what ever reasons some people love some places, others not so much. You're going to challenge someone because India is on their no fly zone??
Different strokes for different folks
Neither you nor I know the state of origin for these alleged "millions of tourists" who flock to India every year. However, given that India lies in southeast Asia, I would like to think that many of these "millions" come from neighbouring states that live in similar, squalid conditions.
As for how said conditions affect tourists, I don't believe for a second that you are as seasoned a traveler as you claim to be, yet have never heard of "Montezuma's Revenge" nor has visited to a Third World country without a qualified medical practitioner advising vaccinations for the exotic diseases that run rampant in some of these places. My own doctor recommended malaria and typhoid vaccinations when I went to Cuba on my honeymoon, and (unlike India) Cuba provides free health care for its citizens, for the love of god.
I have an "unreasonable standard of living"??? Perhaps open defecation, corpse-filled rivers and regular outbreaks of cholera and other exotic diseases are "common" where YOU come from, but I can assure you they definitely are not existent anywhere I have lived nor anywhere I have visited in either Canada and the U.S.
That's awesome if it works for you, but a trip to most of the Third World sounds more like a nightmare to me than anything close to an enjoyable holiday... Which is kind of what we are discussing in this thread.
Great riposte.
Yes, of course most tourists are of neighbouring countries, but there's no shortage of North Americans, Kiwis, Australians, and Europeans hanging out in India at any given time, having a blast and seeing something new. You would certainly hear of many more dreadful tales from tourists if they were in danger of cholera or having feces tossed at them. You're not giving people enough credit. It's always the people who have never been that speak so loudly against certain destinations. Funny how that works.
Also, Moctezuma not Montezuma. Of course I've heard of it. It often has less to do with sanitary conditions than it does your body not being accustomed to different strains of bacteria, or fresher, exotic ingredients coming as a shock to your system. I had a brief bout of it in Mexico City (one of the most fascinating places on Earth, and some of the greatest, most affordable food too, by the way. Incidentally also home to the world's once richest man - Carlos Slim), but never experienced it after weeks in India, interestingly. That could happen in Cuba, too. In fact, besides Mexico, the only other time I've been sick from food in a foreign country was Germany back in 2012.
Malaria vaccinations are actually often recommended for coastal regions of many Caribbean Islands, but rarely in the Pacific. Reason being is that mosquitos are abundant to the Western side of Central and South America, but less on the Pacific coasts.
I thought everyone needs Typhoid, so I've already had it. I've never taken anti-malarials as it's never been advised, and all my other shots are up to date as needed. The only other uncommon thing people sometimes need is a Yellow Fever shot, but typically only people arriving in foreign countries from South America, to where it is endemic.
I said 'unreasonable standard of living' as the entire Western world has a lifestyle that in many ways, comes at the expense of cheap foreign labour, and other general exploits that affect most of the world negatively. While this is true, the world is still by no means filled with crime and disease just waiting to kill you. I do indeed travel often and far and it is something I really appreciate and look forward to, and seldom feel fear or as though I am being threatened biologically or otherwise. You should try it at least once before you speak so loudly against it.
Dialogue is fine, challenge not so much in this venue, for what ever reasons some people love some places, others not so much. You're going to challenge someone because India is on their no fly zone??
Different strokes for different folks
I'm not challenging the idea of not wanting to go to specifically India, but this general feeling people have that anything identified as "third world" is some disgusting cesspool where nothing but bad happens and you probably won't make it out alive, in good condition, or psychologically intact.
Dialogue is fine, challenge not so much in this venue, for what ever reasons some people love some places, others not so much. You're going to challenge someone because India is on their no fly zone??
Different strokes for different folks
An important reason for my participating in these forums is education. People here have been to various parts of the world, and by discussing many topics, we learn a lot that we simply can't in real life - how many friends you know have been to Syria and Lebanon? We develop a lot of our understand from imagining and stereotyping, much of it can be quite wrong.
We through our imperfect education don't have a complete understanding of the rest of the world. Sometimes it can be downright wrong, or biased. So it is very reasonable for our view to be challenged on this board by people who actually have first hand experience. To say "I just don't like it no matter what you say" is kind of arrogant not to mention ignorant. At least hear it out and then make our decision.
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