The World Traveler's Reunion

sshenry · #1 (**permalink**) 05-01-2008, 06:23 PM

Traveling has always fascinated me; going to new cities, new countries, seeing how things are done, how the people are the same...and how they are different. Soaking in sight and sound, texture and taste and scent.

And in all my travels I have always come back to the little things; the way the coffee tasted just a little different, how odd it was to look up into the night sky and not recognize one star pattern when in the Southern Hemisphere, the way the labels on jars and food packaging looked just strange enough to be intriguing...and don't even get me started on the accents

Anway...the reason for this post is to see who would be interested in sharing the countries (or cities if you like) that you've traveled to...and perhaps your one most memorable moment while on the road (so to speak).

To Begin...the countries I have been to include:

49 of the 50 United States (only missing Alaska!)
Canada
Mexico
Venezuela
Argentina
Great Britain
Sweeden
Finland
Norway
Denmark
Germany
The Netherlands
Belgium
Russia (at the time we called it The Soviet Union)
France
Australia
New Zealand
New Guniea
Jamaica
Haiti
Puerto Rico (I know I know, it's not technically a country - but it sure seems like it )

Perhaps my most memorable travel moment was a sleepy Sunday morning in Sweeden. I had been backpacking through Scandanavia and was stranded in Stockholm on a 6 hour layover - no trains until afternoon - and no banks open to cash my travelers check (this was before the days of ATM's - I know I'm dating myself, but there it is) - and to top it all off, it was raining.

So there I was, hungry, tired, footsore, and quickly loosing interest in the world around me for want of something to put in my stomach (I hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before). I spent the last of my change on a cup of coffee - just to have a place to sit down in the train station. So I pulled up a small table, took out my book, and proceeded to make the most of it.

To my complete and utter amazement I was joined a few minutes later by a drop dead gorgous Lebanese man with two trays of breakfast food and a smile that made me go weak at the knees. We talked - just talked- for six hours - about everything - he even walked me to my bus and when I turned to say goodbye, he kissed me, smiled, (there went the knees again) and walked away.

I never saw him again. But I'll never forget him either

sshenry · #2 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 04:11 AM

Please people, you can't tell me no one has ever traveled away from their own hometown! It doesn't have to be another country - what city in your own country have you been to that you enjoyed? Any memorable moemnts?

Maarten · #3 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 05:57 AM

hehe here we go

i was born in holland,
2 weeks later i was on a plane to South Africa (Johannes burg) where i lived for 3 years,
Moved to middle of africa (Kenya) and lived there for 2 years,
Moved to Singapore and lived there for 5,
Moved to New Zealand (Khandala, Wellington)and lived there for 1.5 years,
Moved to Indonesia (Jakarta) where i lived for 3 years,
Finally moved back to Holland where i been living for 6 years now.

I currently live in holland by myself, my parents moved to South africa (Capetown) not too long ago.

Some places I loved to go on holiday are :
Nepal (need to go again!)
Tioman (small island off the coast of singapore, great for diving trips)
Matahari (One of the thousand islands in indonesia, great for diving)
South africa (anywhere where there is private game lodges), also Knysna
Australia
Germany (good for drinking

... and fine women)
France
Belgium (have friends there)
England (a few of my saialing trips ended up there, lotsa fun!)
New Zealand (south island is mucho beautiful)
Austria (for skiing i been there a few times)
Spain/Portugal (nice beaches, weather)
Indonesia (yogjakarta,Bali.... so beautiful. Especially the Borobudhur (SP>??))

Im forgetting so many places i just know it... oh well. i love to travel, i travelled so much thoyugh that im really picky . This summer I'll be going on a 3 week trip to montreal canada to meetr a friend, and going on a 2 week hiking trip through the Kruger Park in SA.

sshenry · #4 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 06:08 AM

yea! another traveler

Zen · #5 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 07:58 AM

Oooh nice, I like this thread...

OK my list so far...
France
Belgium
Germany
Holland
Austria
Czech Republic
Spain
Portugal
Andorra
Gibraltar
Malta
Greece
Cyprus
Tunisia
Egypt

Zen · #6 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:06 AM

I think one of my greatest moments would have been flying over the Pyramids at Giza on the flight from Paphos (Cyprus) to Cairo.

And another would be visiting the ancient ruins at Dougga in Tunisia.

Zen · #7 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:07 AM

If I were to emigrate I think I'd live in Gibraltar, or Cyprus maybe, or Rhodes???

Favourite city would be Lisbon.

I've also been through Luxembourg.

sshenry · #8 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:10 AM

heh - you answered me even as I wrote

Zen · #9 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:17 AM

hehe, what were you going to ask???

Also, I just love the Mediterranean, the place, islands, the food, the way of life.

sshenry · #10 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:21 AM

I was going to ask you for a memorable moment

Never been to the Med, but heard that it's lovely. Those of you posting - lets do as Zen did and post your favorite city or place and which place you've been to that you'd like to live in.

Satisfiction · #11 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:23 AM

I've only just started my travels but here's the list so far...

Hawaii
Thailand
Australia
England
Scotland
Ireland
Austria

This year I will also be going to
Spain (Ibiza and Barcelona )
France
India

And who knows where else!

sshenry · #12 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:24 AM

For cities it would be a toss up between London and Sydney.

If I could live anywhere that I've traveled...heh, thats a tough one

sshenry · #13 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Satisfiction

I've only just started my travels but here's the list so far...

Thats a good start

sshenry · #14 (**permalink**) 05-10-2008, 12:17 PM

Any more travelers out there?

LadyElement · #15 (**permalink**) 05-10-2008, 01:56 PM

never been out of the us yet but i have traveled all over the United States,lived in texas,cali and mass through my journeys

leila · #16 (**permalink**) 05-10-2008, 04:12 PM

i really havent been the many places considering how much of my life i have been travelling. i tend to go in circles to all the places i love so much, see them change over years, have different groups of friends that i catch up with. also when i travel i really like to spend a lot of time in the place, so i ususally go for two to three months, a season.

but my list of foreign countries is pretty slim, there isnt much in america i havent seen.
i've been to canada,
british columbia, vancouver many times, and northern british columbia in the mountains. havent yet visited all those little islands and the coastal region up north, thats been the trip i've been sort of glitched out here , but planning to do soonish.
besides that i have just travelled extensively almost continually for many years around the united states. i have lived in the north on both casts, in the south east, in the mountians in the south, in georgia north carolina, and spent a lot of time travelling around the north east new england states. for the last eight years i have spent a lot of time circling between northern california in the mountains and on the coast, and olympia seattle washington. and so very many points in between.
you dont realize how big this country is till you try to drive across it! takes quite a while especially since i like to travel slowly and not rush. thats when its the most fun.

and o yes sshenry i love those random people you just meet and become instant friends with on your travels, they are the best. espicially the gorgeous ones!

raztaz12 · #17 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 11:19 AM

no travels for me
Canada
-British Columbia
-Alberta
-Saskatchewan
United States
-Montana
-Idaho
-Utah
-California

There ya go, that is the extensive travel list... wow I really need to get away... anytakers for warm beaches and cold drinks?

sshenry · #18 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 11:59 AM

Eh, Raz, it's a start! I call St. Thomas, Aruba maybe.

leila · #19 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 12:15 PM

ok and heres a memorable moment, a travelling story.
one of the nicest places i have ever been is somewhere i am thinking about going to soon...it's not very far away from here.
the area to the north west of me is the olympic national forest park, it is beautiful with lots of trails. if you go all the way to the very northern western point of this country that whole corner is owned by a tribe of native americans, the makah. the land is called neah bay, it is the entire corner of the united states and it is a reservation. it is surrounded by the straight juan de fueca and the pacific ocean.
my friends and i travelled there and were getting ready to just camp out somewhere looking for somewhere where we wouldnt be seen. after walking around and talking to a few people, who were all very friendly, we were told that we needed to get a camping permit to be able to camp there. we were a little bothered by this, all being nature lovers campers, and generally never never paying to camp anywhere in this country ....none of us had ever paid to camp anywhere and were very offended by the idea.
we decided since it was the reservation and the money wasnt going to the forest service, that we would do it, pay the money. we went to the office and found out that it was only eight dollars, that including everyone in our car and not only that they gave us an excellent map of the best places where no one would be bothered by us, or even seen. there were lots of places to camp, most of it was open and natural land, with many medicines growing everywhere...and the few spots that were privately owned were very well marked on the map. the best part of the deal was that the camping pass we bought was actually good for a whole year! all for eight dollars, or two dollars a piece. we pitched our tents in a private spot and it was great. we werent hiding, we were very at ease, we stayed for a while. i think we even built a small fire and nobody even walked by us. we had the place all to ourselves. i found a raven feather and did a lot of walking. it was a great very peaceful and extremely cheap spot to relax after we had been driving for so long.

LadyElement · #20 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 01:04 PM

not a traveling story but one of the best experiences i have had is recently,I was hiking up a mountain trail here in Crestone and just walking enjoying the beauty of it all,peaceful and amazing as I walked along the creek. just enjoying nature.