So, Gurdur...

[godfry n. glad]

I seem to remember your making some reference to our mutual interest in travel. Yet, I don't remember seeing anything about your travels. You're an Aussie in Germany doing research for a living, from what I can tell. That must be a story in itself.

I suspect you are more widely traveled than I.

Wherelseyabeen?

What's on your list for recommending others not miss?

[Gurdur]

The following are just where I've been, not recommendations; my recommendations come later.

11 years in Tanzania, with sidetrips to Uganda, Kenya, Sri Lanka (very short), Cocos Island, etc.

All over Australia (biiiiiig place), excepting (sadly) Tasmania, Darwin, Great Barrier Reef.

Britain, spent time living & working in London & Glasgow

Germany (round and around, now living there)

Longish side-trips to Poland, USSR (Ukraine, Moscow & Azerbaijan), Bulgaria, Hungary, Prague

Longish trip round Japan

Short trip to USA --- Ohio and New Mexico

Very short trips to other places (Toronto, Spain, etc. )

[Gurdur]

What's on your list for recommending others not miss?
hmmm. The less-known places:

Seychelles Islands (never been there myself yet)
Kilwa Kisawani, southern Tanzanian coast
Serengeti & Ngorongoro, Kiliminjaro (just around, not actually right up the mountain --- the mountain climb kills easily, and you can use your time for more pleasant and less deadly things)

Kyoto
Mt.Fuiji
Osaka

bottom south corner of West Australia (great wood art)
Snowy Mountains, NSW
Geat Barrier Reef (never been there myself yet)

[godfry n. glad]

Yeah, I thought so...

You Commonweath types, you can go a lot more places and live than us 'merkins. I've never lived overseas, or even out-country, although my late wife lived in Dublin for less than a year.

Aside from the cross-Asia trip as illustrated in the Tightwads on Tour file in the Gallery, my travels include:

Israel, being mostly Old City Jerusalem, but with day trips out to places like Ashkelon, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Haifa, Ceasarea, Akko, Zfat, and the Dead Sea. I rode a public bus through the West Bank from Zfat to Jerusalem, but only stopped for lunch in Tiberius on the Sea of Galillee.

Britain twice. Stonehenge, Avesbury, Castlerigg. Tintagel and Glastonbury. Tramping the Lake District. Inverness, Loch Ness and a ride on the West Highland Line to Kyle-on-Lochalsh and thence by mail packet boat to Maillag. My wife and I fell in love with Penzance. Oh, and York, too....that's the best tourist trap I ever fell into.

One circuit of Eire, including Ulster. (Larne, Belfast, Dublin, Sligo, Galway, Shannon, Cork, Wexford, and Dun Laoghaire.)

Bruxelles, Brugge and Amsterdam. All worthwhile.

A circuit of the Laurentine Valley, the Canadian Maritimes and New England, during the foliage change. Ville de Quebec, Halifax and the Cape Breton Highlands National Park all get my hearty recommendations.

I lived one summer in Fairbanks, Alaska...no winters, though.

I've been through most parts of the United States, save the deep South. My mother-in-law used to live in mid-town Manhattan. For a while, she lived in Las Vegas (aka Lost Wages). I spent enough time in both places to develop a healthy distaste for both. I've in-laws in the Baltimore/Washington area. I highly recommend Washington, DC, for tourists. My view of the American southwest was a tour of the Greyhound stations from Texarkana to Los Angeles.

The northwestern US and southwestern Canada I've travelled extensively. From Santa Cruz in the south, to Fort St. George in the north and west to points just barely across the continental divide of the Rockies. There are a lot of places I love in that area. The Canadian Rockies are awesome. As is Glacier National Park in Montana, and, for that matter, all of western Montana and northern Idaho. It's where the Selkirk Range meets the Bitterroot Range. Heavily timbered snow-capped alpine regions. For me, it has a "homey" feel to it.

What I'd like to do:

The cities of central Europe: Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow and a few smaller cities in-between. Train from city to city, and then walking and bussing. This is currently in process.

Basque Country to Langue d'Oc. Motoring, with canal boats thrown in.

Brittany and Paris. Carnac is on my list. I'll find other things to see and do while there.

Greece and the Turkish coast. Athens and Ephesus and island-hopping in-between.

The American southwest. Specifically, the canyonlands of Utah and the archeological sites of the Fourcorners area. Yeah...I'd finally get the Grand Canyon in.

Belize. Snorkeling.

New Orleans. Just to see what all the whooping is about.

Australia and New Zealand.

Snorkel Tahiti.

Scandinavia, if I ever get enough money.

[Gurdur]

..It seems my wish list is longer than anything actualized.
You and me both, godfry, you and me both.

[Morroskye]

WOW Gurdur! I am genuinely impressed! As a geography buff, and the world's most prolific armchair traveler I must bow in awe at your travels. Other than US travel and a night in Tijuana (long story) I haven't been around much. BTW HELLO! I'm the new guy.

[Morroskye]

Oops! Same goes for Godfry&Glad!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Morroskye]

I don't know if I should post here but I love exotic travel locales. If I could only visit one other country in all my life I would choose China. I'd also love to see Kamchatka, Malawi and Laos. Maybe someday!!

[godfry n. glad]

Hey, welcome aboard, Morroskye.

My list doesn't include my latest adventure. If you're an armchair traveller, check it out in the Gallery ("Site Navigation" link on the bar above, thence to "Gallery", thence to "Travel", thence to "Tightwads on Tour"). I'd love to hear your comments and questions.

godfry (and case-sensitive about it, too)

[Morroskye]

Thank You for the directions!!! I'll check it out.

[Morroskye]

INCREDIBLE travels GNG! Leaving work in 15 minutes for the weekend so I'll have to wait to Tuesday to finish looking through this amazing array of destinations. I'm curdling with envy!!! My sister went to Denmark on business recently and was allowed to take another person. She chose her Husband! Over me! An outrage! Your Caucusus and central Asian stops interest me the most. Incredible photos.

[godfry n. glad]

INCREDIBLE travels GNG! Leaving work in 15 minutes for the weekend so I'll have to wait to Tuesday to finish looking through this amazing array of destinations. I'm curdling with envy!!! My sister went to Denmark on business recently and was allowed to take another person. She chose her Husband! Over me! An outrage! Your Caucusus and central Asian stops interest me the most. Incredible photos.

No Caucusus, just Trans-Oxus central Asia....Kyrgyzstan, Kazahkstan and Uzbekistan.

[Gurdur]

WOW Gurdur! I am genuinely impressed! As a geography buff, and the world's most prolific armchair traveler I must bow in awe at your travels. Other than US travel and a night in Tijuana (long story) I haven't been around much. BTW HELLO! I'm the new guy.
Nice to meet you, Morroskye. Welcome to the boards !
No need to be impressed; many of my travels were accidental more than anything else.

[godfry n. glad]

WOW Gurdur! I am genuinely impressed! As a geography buff, and the world's most prolific armchair traveler I must bow in awe at your travels. Other than US travel and a night in Tijuana (long story) I haven't been around much. BTW HELLO! I'm the new guy.
Nice to meet you, Morroskye. Welcome to the boards !
No need to be impressed; many of my travels were accidental more than anything else.

"Accidental"?

Like there you were one morning, absentmindedly waiting in the bus queue in Fremantle to go to work in Perth, and by the time you looked up from the newspaper after you got on, there you were in Dar es Salaam?

[Stormlight]

A destination that I enjoyed immensely is Easter Turkey. Sumela, Firtina valley, Erzurum, Antakya, Nemrut Dag, the Ishak Pasa palace etc. are absolutely fabulous. And if possible stay a few days in Istanbul.

What's more, you have relatively few tourists (apart from Istanbul) and the Turkish hospitality is completely outstanding! :smitten:

[Gurdur]

"Accidental"?
Like there you were one morning, absentmindedly waiting in the bus queue in Fremantle to go to work in Perth, and by the time you looked up from the newspaper after you got on, there you were in Dar es Salaam?
Kind of.

A friend once said to me, "Hey! I want to go to Masuria (northeastern Poland ! I could use your company !"
So I replied, "OK, why not ?"

Another friend once said to me, "Hey! Let's go to Majorca !"
So I replied, "OK, why not ?"

And it gets even more accidental after that with other places and trips, but enough details already.

Also, I once did end up in a highly Restricted Zone naval base purely by accident, the result of looking semi-official and jumping on the wrong ferry. No joke.

[godfry n. glad]

Lessee...that's just a teaser, right?

Sounds like a great existence. But it does point up a rather glaring difference between us. I was raised in the same city where I now live. I attended all levels of schooling in this city. My travels are away from this city. The longest extended period I spent away from this city is the summer I spent in Fairbanks, Alaska. Not quite three months.

The city has grown up around me. It now irritates me with too many mindless and heedless people. Yes, there are wonderful things here, but there are now too many people in one place for my taste. So my wife and I, when we travelled (as Tightwads on Tour - friends and hostels mostly), we had started assessing places on the standard of "Could we retire here?" It made for a pleasant game. We even subscribed to the local newspaper of one town for a while, on the prospect of buying rental property there, in which eventually to retire.

[Gurdur]

Lessee...that's just a teaser, right? .
Yes, but I could tell the truth and I doubt most would believe me --- with the really accidental trips.

Various revealing stuff deleted, on second thoughts.

[Crumb]

Pah, I don't believe a word of that! :rolleyes:

[Gurdur]

I don't blame you. Nevertheless....

[wildernesse]

Lessee...that's just a teaser, right?

Sounds like a great existence. But it does point up a rather glaring difference between us. I was raised in the same city where I now live. I attended all levels of schooling in this city. My travels are away from this city. The longest extended period I spent away from this city is the summer I spent in Fairbanks, Alaska. Not quite three months.



Hey, I just spent a week in Fairbanks! We (Rufus and I) had a great time, and are already planning our return.

I would love to travel like the two of you, but I end up being timid. One day!

[AspenMama]

..It seems my wish list is longer than anything actualized.
You and me both, godfry, you and me both.
Me three.

[viscousmemories]

Much easier to say where I've been than where I'd like to go.

In country, I've seen probably half or more of the states. Including these drives:

Ft. Leonardwood, MO --> Ft. Lee, Virginia
Ann Arbor, Michigan <--> New York, New York
Ann Arbor, Michigan --> Santa Cruz, California
Los Angeles, California --> Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dana Point, California <--> Portland, Oregon
Dana Point, California --> Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas <--> Ann Arbor, Michigan

Lived twice in Germany, and have been to Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Garmisch, Hamburg, and Dresden (at least). Had a few layovers at Heathrow and once took a brief (couple hours) driving tour of London during one of them.

While in Germany, made weekend trips to:

Paris, France
Sint Niklaas, Belgium
Amsterdam
Copenhagen, Denmark (had to visit the anarchist commune Christiania)
Goteburg, Sweden (to see the home of the MUD I used to play)

I've visited Canada a few times (only as far as Mississaugua) and Tijuana once.

[Barefoot Bree]

Lessee..... I've been in every US state but one - North Dakota. Gotta get there one of these days..... Lived in a dozen or more of 'em, too. Spent 18 months in Alaska - two winters and one summer. Ya didn't miss nothin', godfrey, except mebbe the northern lights.

I've lived in Europe three times, in Toledo, Spain; the Azores, Portugal; and southwest Germany. Did a bunch of travelling all three times, so I've been in most western European countries except Italy. My bad - I drove through the tunnel from Switzerland once, turned around and drove back. I also took the ferry across the Strait to Morocco for a day - and I've got the rug to prove it!

All this traveling courtesy of the US Air Force, btw.

I'd go back to Europe - anywhere on the continent - at the drop of a hat. I most definitely want to visit Italy, and Scotland. I wouldn't say no to a trip to Austrailia and New Zealand, either, with maybe a day or two along the way in places such as Japan and Hong Kong. I'd love to see the Serengetti and Cape Town. And Victoria Falls. And Istanbul. And... and... and....

I'm not choosy - I want the world.....

[Shake]

Me three.
Me four!

-Shake, whose non-US travels are limited to: the Bahamas (honeymoon), and Canada (primarily Toronto and Montreal)

[Julian]

Lessee, I have been to:

Denmark (D'uh, born and raised there)
Sweden
Norway
Germany
England
Holland
Belgium
France
Switzerland
Austria
Spain
Italy
USA (Live here now)
Canada
Japan
Mexico
Ecuador

I have probably forgotten some places. Some were just short visits, in other cases I got to live there for extended periods of time. Not sure that there are any places left that I want to go, but we'll see... My GF wants me to take her to Scotland and Ireland so I will probably do that this fall when I have to go to Denmark anyways with the usual pitstops in Amsterdam and Paris. ;)

So, Gurdur, or anyone, is it really worth it to go around the globe to see Australia for someone like me, having seen so many places already? It seems tempting but I get tired of flying...

Julian

[Dingfod]

To all you well-travelled FFers: :buzzkill: