76 replies to this topic

[Frank Merton]

If you are at all into motorcycles and motorbikes, spend a few weeks in and around Ho Chi Minh City (or anywhere else in Vietnam for that matter).  That is the way 80-90 percent of the population gets around and it can be, shall we say, invigorating.  Be aware, though, that the toll in broken arms and legs among young backpackers is pretty horrific. I'm almost 70 and I do it, so anyone can once they get use to it.  If you can't get use to it, there are lots of taxis available all the time, so you can sit back and watch the mayhem.

Cheap ($20 dollar range) hotels abound, with private western-style baths.  For a little more if you get out of the central city you can stay in Asian opulence for $50.  (The downtown hotels of course are much more expensive and not as nice).  Food of all sorts is abundant and very cheap.

I remember a Finnish couple approaching me once they noticed I spoke English asking me to help them with their meal -- it was 15,000 dung (about 75 cents) for the two of them, and was a good spread.  They were worried that they had misunderstood the price and that it should be a multiple of what the man was asking for.

[G Donnelly]

It's definetely got to be an Englsh speaking country.
But it's not going to be the States were your constantly living under a knife's edge.
So that just leaves South Africa,Canada,New Zealand and the ex- pat community in Spain.
However I'm going to plump for Australia for it's one of the safest places in the world.
This is how my travelogue would look for the land down under...

Visit Prisoner Cell Block's old set and maybe catch Queen Bea herself.
Check out Ayers Rock and see if there's any skeletons of missing girls from a picnic.
Try and walk on all the coral at the Great Barrier Reef.
Be like a joey and take a ride in a Kangaroo's pouch.
Take a twelve pack of Fosters and wilt in the Bondi Beach sun.
I'll finish off with whittling gum bark in the shade of a Billibong tree.

Don't forget also that you don't see snow on the low ground and the Queensland rainforest is benign.
When my uncle and aunt finally decide to emmigrate they are taking me on their flight.
I just hope my visa can last long enough to honour my travelogue.

[Frank Merton]

Medium Brown, on 16 February 2013 - 12:54 PM, said:

It's definetely got to be an Englsh speaking country.
But it's not going to be the States were your constantly living under a knife's edge.

Boy you sure have some silly stereotypes.  First, you can find plenty of English speakers almost anywhere in the world, unless you are going to the far countryside.  Second, you are certainly as safe in the States as in South Africa, and I never feel under any threat there.

[G Donnelly]

Frank Merton, on 16 February 2013 - 01:05 PM, said:

Boy you sure have some silly stereotypes.  First, you can find plenty of English speakers almost anywhere in the world, unless you are going to the far countryside.  Second, you are certainly as safe in the States as in South Africa, and I never feel under any threat there.

I don't think I have played to any stereotypes well apart from the States..
My brother and my wife are constant visitors there and I fear for their safety.
They might frequent the more touristy areas but all it takes is one drive- by shooting.
There is such a thing as collateral damage in this day and age.
They have come back unscathed time and time again which isn't bad considering the climate of fear there.
But I don't want to be put in the unenvious position of flying their remains back to the UK.
As a whole I don't have anything against the Americans.
If you ask me to pick a state to live it would be Arizona.
I'm sure I can wilt in the sun there as much as Bondi Beach.
My opinions came from the fact that I'm very limited in other countries lingo.
But "Holla" and "Gracias" was enough to get me by in Spain.
I did seriously under-estimate the other ex- pat communities out there including yours.

Btw South Africa isn't a bad option considering the cacti- like Eurphoria's are there.
Well worth a detour in the veldt.

Edited by Medium Brown, 16 February 2013 - 02:37 PM.

[Alex89]

Most likely the USA, which is a very vast country, with many things to explore. This is one of my ambitions.

[G Donnelly]

Alex89, on 16 February 2013 - 03:34 PM, said:

Most likely the USA, which is a very vast country, with many things to explore. This is one of my ambitions.

I just hope I've not put you off too much.

[Frank Merton]

I have to say I feel safer in Vietnam than in the States, but trouble can happen anywhere; the worst scrape with criminals I ever got into was in Arnhem, the Netherlands, of all places.  I also recall being aggressively followed a good distance by a beggar in Aachen (Germany).  Nothing similar has happened in the States.

One neat thing about the states is that whether or not you are in a "good" neighborhood is not hard to discern.

[freetoroam]

Well i have seen  the beautiful rural unspoilt parts of central France and have lived in the hectic multicult squalid estates of Sauf London. Am now living my dream on the beautiful canals of England.
Next visit will be Wales, my husband is from Chirk in Wales.
But by boat, this is next on our list:

[Frank Merton]

It's a big world.

I find that I've seen about all the mountains and lakes and jungles and rivers and monuments and castles and so on that I can take.  What I'm most interested in is people.  They are all the same and all different -- fascinating.

[Seeker79]

Oh my goodness where don't I want to go. My first stop is china. Mabey Nepal and Tibet. I like far flung placs. I want to visit tiny little villiges that barely see the outdid world. Hell if my wife would come I'd probably move to one.

[Grey14]

Medium Brown, on 16 February 2013 - 02:36 PM, said:

I don't think I have played to any stereotypes well apart from the States..
My brother and my wife are constant visitors there and I fear for their safety.
They might frequent the more touristy areas but all it takes is one drive- by shooting.
There is such a thing as collateral damage in this day and age.
They have come back unscathed time and time again which isn't bad considering the climate of fear there.
But I don't want to be put in the unenvious position of flying their remains back to the UK.
As a whole I don't have anything against the Americans.
If you ask me to pick a state to live it would be Arizona.
I'm sure I can wilt in the sun there as much as Bondi Beach.
My opinions came from the fact that I'm very limited in other countries lingo.
But "Holla" and "Gracias" was enough to get me by in Spain.
I did seriously under-estimate the other ex- pat communities out there including yours.

Btw South Africa isn't a bad option considering the cacti- like Eurphoria's are there.
Well worth a detour in the veldt.

Boy you make it sound as if danger lurks around every corner. Dang that couldnt be farther from the truth. You also seem to think we live in a cloud of fear? Maybe if your paranoid. Granted you go out at night in downtown detriot (or any city for that matter) in the "bad" part of town then yeah you may have to worry but that would be true in any city in the world. Living here really  isn't any different than where you live. I think that if you were to visit the US you would find it to be so much different than what you think.

[The New Richard Nixon]

Medium Brown, on 16 February 2013 - 02:36 PM, said:

I don't think I have played to any stereotypes well apart from the States..
My brother and my wife are constant visitors there and I fear for their safety.
They might frequent the more touristy areas but all it takes is one drive- by shooting.
There is such a thing as collateral damage in this day and age.
They have come back unscathed time and time again which isn't bad considering the climate of fear there.
But I don't want to be put in the unenvious position of flying their remains back to the UK.
As a whole I don't have anything against the Americans.
If you ask me to pick a state to live it would be Arizona.
I'm sure I can wilt in the sun there as much as Bondi Beach.
My opinions came from the fact that I'm very limited in other countries lingo.
But "Holla" and "Gracias" was enough to get me by in Spain.
I did seriously under-estimate the other ex- pat communities out there including yours.

Btw South Africa isn't a bad option considering the cacti- like Eurphoria's are there.
Well worth a detour in the veldt.

i think you will make a mistake in South Africa, if you, go always be armed. I know a South African and his family lives in the middle of nowhere and its very dangerous and best to carry a gun

I have been to the US twice on my own, i felt safe each vist

[spud the mackem]

Euphorbia, on 25 January 2013 - 09:17 PM, said:

There are many countries that I would love to visit, but the country where my father's ancestors immigrated from is Wales. I would love to see where my families roots are from.

I would love to see the towns and meet the average people from the non-touristy areas. I would also love to hike all through the countryside and walk the shoreline. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Maybe during the warm season, (is there one?)

After that I would make a swing north to Scotland where my Mother's ancestors came from. Hopefully, I could get through all of the accents.

Anyway, my last name in Wales is as common as Smith or Jones is here in the US.

  Wales is indeed a beautifull country,and the people are mostly friendly in the south,the north usually speak Welsh, "cwmru am beth" (Wales is best") They have loads of ruined Castles to see, and are well geared up for tourists,and they love singing at the slightest excuse,the only problem is the Main route from England crosses either of two bridges which you have to pay a toll of about $15 to get across,but its free to get back to England.I live just over the boarder in  England and can see Wales from my home.Rugby Union is their national sport,If you ever get the chance its worth a visit, especially in the rural part away from the Cities.
Sorry to digress from the post,but having been around the world three times,I prefer my own Country,with America 2nd,and Hawaii 3rd choices.

[freetoroam]

Somerset have some very beautiful parts. We are cruising the Kennet and Avon later this year.

[spud the mackem]

freetoroam, on 16 February 2013 - 03:56 PM, said:

Well i have seen  the beautiful rural unspoilt parts of central France and have lived in the hectic multicult squalid estates of Sauf London. Am now living my dream on the beautiful canals of England.
Next visit will be Wales, my husband is from Chirk in Wales.
But by boat, this is next on our list:

  Well well we have something in common , ha, my friend owns a Canal Boat which I go to every week to mess around,The outstanding thing I like about Canal Boaters is that they will usually help each other out without question if needed,especially at Locks.