What are some countries still worth visiting?

[Haertig]

Having just put in my passport renewal online today, I'm starting to think about places I still might want to visit in this world. I've never been an international traveler. Outside of the USA, I've only been to Canada and Mexico. And two other non-mainland parts of the US - Hawaii, and the US Virgin Islands. I'm retired now, and the wife may be soon, so we're ripe for travel. I've thought about where to go before - maybe even asked here in previous posts - but the world changes so fast there may be updates.

Any ideas on places to put on my "want to go" list, or places to avoid? Places that I still consider possibilities:

Below are some of my current thinking, just off the top of my head

• North America: Canada, but I've been there several times and would probably want to explore other destinations first
• Central America: No desire to go there, but maybe could be nudged to go to Belize or Costa Rica
• South America: No burning desires there either, but maybe Chile or Argentina. I have wanted to go see Machu Picchu in the past, but I think Peru is dropping in desirability and safety these days.
• Africa: Only the eastern and southern areas, and the islands, sound even remotely appealing, and I have no great desire for any of them- Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Seychelles
• Asia: Japan. And if I could get in decent shape to handle the heat - Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines. Bhutan and Nepal might be interesting too.
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Fiji
• Europe: Quite a few countries still intrigue me - Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Iceland. Second tier for me would be places like Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Germany, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein. Some of the "standard places" that many people visit don't draw me very much - I would call them third tier - but I would still maybe go there - Italy, Greece, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal.

 

[Neb]

I took vacation after a business trip to Jerusalem in 2010. It was peaceful year and I enjoyed wondering the streets of the Old City.

I did get funny looks from the Palestinians.

It is the only place my wife and I would travel to see again.

Hint: fly 1st class. 13 hours is a long flight.

Ben

 

[sonya123]

we have been to lots of places, and I liked some more than others. It all depends on what you like to do and what interests you have
My favorite trips outside the US ever: India , wanted to go there since I was a kid and finally went a few years before we moved here
and Scotland, another places I always wanted to visit. Went there long time ago .
My favorite area of Germany is Bavaria , been there many times
Austria is nice too. Overrated: Venice

 

[DrHenley]

My daughter recently had a great trip to Iceland.
A lot more to do than you would imagine.
And it was incredibly inexpensive to fly there.

 

[Supervisor42]

Having just put in my passport renewal online today, I'm starting to think about places I still might want to visit in this world. I've never been an international traveler. Outside of the USA, I've only been to Canada and Mexico. And two other non-mainland parts of the US - Hawaii, and the US Virgin Islands. I'm retired now, and the wife may be soon, so we're ripe for travel. I've thought about where to go before - maybe even asked here in previous posts - but the world changes so fast there may be updates.

Any ideas on places to put on my "want to go" list, or places to avoid? Places that I still consider possibilities:

Below are some of my current thinking, just off the top of my head

• North America: Canada, but I've been there several times and would probably want to explore other destinations first
• Central America: No desire to go there, but maybe could be nudged to go to Belize or Costa Rica
• South America: No burning desires there either, but maybe Chile or Argentina. I have wanted to go see Machu Picchu in the past, but I think Peru is dropping in desirability and safety these days.
• Africa: Only the eastern and southern areas, and the islands, sound even remotely appealing, and I have no great desire for any of them- Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Seychelles
• Asia: Japan. And if I could get in decent shape to handle the heat - Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines. Bhutan and Nepal might be interesting too.
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Fiji
• Europe: Quite a few countries still intrigue me - Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Iceland. Second tier for me would be places like Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Germany, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein. Some of the "standard places" that many people visit don't draw me very much - I would call them third tier - but I would still maybe go there - Italy, Greece, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal.

You left out Jamaica Mon!?
I love that country!
Visit down there and you instantly become 'wealthy', and they treat you like royalty.
Better weather than even the Bahamas too!
And they speak English that you can understand.

 

[elkhound]

yall are something else...i get excited going to town ever so often....!

 

[elkhound]

p.s. if gas prices get under $2 a gallon and i can get me a little 4x4 economy rig gets 30mpg...well i am going to burn up me some usfs logging roads and more....

i end my nightly prayers with please $1.50 gas !

 

[Haertig]

You left out Jamaica Mon!?
I love that country!
Visit down there and you instantly become 'wealthy', and they treat you like royalty.
Better weather than even the Bahamas too!
And they speak English that you can understand.

My daughter went for a "study abroad" in Jamaica her college sophomore year (she did Australia her junior or senior year). The students lived on their boat while in Jamacia. She said the first day they got there, all the people surrounded her and were begging her to get their horses/donkeys to mate (I forget which it was). She was a Wildlife and Conservation Biology major. She told them, "I'm just a sophomore, we haven't learned about donkey breeding problems yet." She said the people were very friendly. And very poor. Their boat was moored far away from the tourist areas.

 

[Supervisor42]

My daughter went for a "study abroad" in Jamaica her college sophomore year (she did Australia her junior or senior year). The students lived on their boat while in Jamacia. She said the first day they got there, all the people surrounded her and were begging her to get their horses/donkeys to mate (I forget which it was). She was a Wildlife and Conservation Biology major. She told them, "I'm just a sophomore, we haven't learned about donkey breeding problems yet." She said the people were very friendly. And very poor. Their boat was moored far away from the tourist areas.

Plenty of others know about my 'Secret Heaven':

Wiki: Half the Jamaican economy relies on services, with half of its income coming from services such as tourism. An estimated 4.3 million foreign tourists visit Jamaica every year.

 

[sonya123]

i end my nightly prayers with please $1.50 gas !

you are dreaming....

 

[elkhound]

you are dreaming....

SOOOOOOOOOOO....what wrong with dreaming and being a silly heart...i tried being an adult...that sucked big time for awhile...now...i am back to being happy go lucky dog....in last portion of my life now going forward...i am going to have fun if it kills me.

dream big...it makes a larger target and easier to hit and you get to say you hit a bigger proportion of your dream !!...lol