Exotic: Thailand, Singapore

Beautiful: Numerous places in Alaska or the South Island of New Zealand, the countryside of Ireland

Interesting: Historic places of Ireland, UK

Fascinating: Antarctica

Nasty: Haiti, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan.

Out Of The Way Place: Antarctica

Interesting: 'here', but can't say much more. Nasty/filthy: Jakarta

This message has been edited. Last edited by: aileron,

Exotic: Indonesia
Beautiful: Yosemite
Interesting: Singapore
Fascinating: Buck Island reef, USVI
Nasty: Hawija, Iraq
Out Of The way: Fort Irwin

Exotic: Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia - not always in that order

Most interesting: Iwo Jima, Tarawa Atoll (Betio Is.), Guadalcanal, and tin can alley.

Worse: Dead heat between Karachi and Eritria. You could smell both 10 miles off shore.

Places I will make plans to revisit: London/Britain and France.

Most beautiful: Backcountry of the Sierra Mountains - 20 miles from the nearest weekend hikers

Exotic: Belem Brazil. Hotter than hell, bugs bigger than many mammals that we have back home, and all-you-can-eat steak restaraunts for $3. We went swimming in the Amazon river, took a bus that was driving over (and through) rivers on bridges that consisted of two logs (one for the tires on each side), played barefoot soccer with local kids, and threw tarrantulas at each other. I could never live there because of the heat, but I'm glad I got to visit.

Beautiful: Toss-up between Glacier National Park and all of Southeastern Utah. Two completely different types of beauty, but equally beautiful...I can't pick between them.

Interesting: Rome, Italy. I love the history and the architechture, and the food ain't bad either.

Fascinating: The D-Day beaches in Normandy. Just awe-inspiring to try to comprehend the sacrifice that took place there, and what it meant to the future of the whole planet.

Nasty: Petrosani, Romania. We met some great people there, but the whole area is dirty, piles of trash everywhere, the cops are corrupt, and packs of mangy dogs roam the streets looking for people to attack. 5 or 6 out of the 8 of us got sick while we were there. It was another of those experiences I'm grateful to have had, but I wouldn't name it as a top vacation destination.

Out Of The Way Place: The etraterestial highway in Nevada. We drove through here on our way back from CA a few years ago, and it was the most desolate place I have ever been. Just north of Area 51, we saw cows, dust devils, and a few F-16s flying overhead. Nothing else. Not even gas stations. I actually really enjoyed the loneliness of it...but I would have felt alot better if my oil pressure light hadn't been flashing at me the whole time threatening to strand me in the middle of the desert hundreds of miles from anywhere (thanfully just turned out to be a faulty wire).

I have seen many beautiful sights over the years however the Northern lights in Norway really stand out.

Exotic would be the Big Island of Hawaii.

Nasty: Somalia

Out of the way: Diego Garcia B.I.O.T.

Lock N Load

Michael
USMC Ret

Beach in St Martin where heavy 747s land/take off 50' over you head.
Truly get blown away.

Exotic- Australia, it’s just so damn different, the plants and animals are all so unique and wild looking. The car and truck scene is also full of beautiful forbidden fruit for us Americans such as the Toyota Hilux, Holden Maloo and Ford Falcon.

Beautiful- Great Ocean Road Australia. I will never forget the day I met a fellow Sigforum member and he was kind enough to give me and my wife a tour of one of the most amazing and beautiful places in existence. Getting to see Bells Beach was something I’ll never forget it was just so incredible. The waves were decent and the surfers put on a great show. I want to go back!!!

Interesting- Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, especially the ruins under the castle which is where you can find remaining bits of wall from Bishop Absalon’s Castle, which dates back to 1167.

Nasty- Baltimore MD

Out of the way- the little abandoned towns my brother and I saw as we drove from New Mexico to Virginia. Most of the really creepy abandoned towns were in Colorado and New Mexico. Sometimes we would drive for about an hour before seeing another car on the road. If we had broken down we would have been screwed.

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:
Interesting: 'here', but can't say much more.

And by the secretive "here", you mean the USS Albuquerque, SSN 706, as is not-so-secretively emblazoned on the sailor's cap?

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:
Interesting: 'here', but can't say much more.

And by the secretive "here", you mean the USS Albuquerque, SSN 706, as is not-so-secretively emblazoned on the sailor's cap?

That's a throw away, if it wasn't I'd have not
posted or simply redacted his cap

Most beautiful and interesting place is Iceland. I love it there. It is rugged and otherworldly, raw.

Nastiest place I've ever been, no offense intended to those who may live there, is Baton Rouge. Tied for Baton Rouge is San Fran.

exotic: none
beautiful: springtime on our small farm
fascinating: watching the native grasses & wildflowers come up on the farm after many years/decades of dormancy.
nasty: new orleans...felt the need to wash every waking moment...katrina was NOT enough!
out of the way place: turkey hunting near osawatomie, ks, found some incredible "lost little valleys" along the marais des cygnes river...toally different than the areas above these valleys.

all of these are within 70 miles of our home. long-distance travel, no need or desire. the wife, not so much.

Also traveled extensely in my young adulthood.

Must say that being a huge Beatles fan back in the day, i expected India would blow my mind. It didn't. I went Ringo's way and simply hate the food.
On the other hand, Katmandu, Nepal, was wonderful.
Went to China late eighties and realised that the Comunism i saw then and there, had everybody fed and clothed while I saw people starving in capitalist India. Being a PolSci student, suddenly things became a lite grey instead of simply b/w.
East Berlin in commie days was a time trip to the past. Unterdenlinden took you to the 40s/50s and it was like a nazi nightmare. Even the uniforms looked like period stuff.
Leaving Berlin by train in the middle of the night, the Grenzen Polizei, looking just like in Top Secret movie, took a black guy off the train in the middle of nowhere because he didn't look like his passport picture. Scary shit, kid you not.

Japan (Tokio/Nara/Kyoto) blew my mind.
Got the golden treatment thanks to people from the Tenrikyo church. Remember back then when people greeted you at airports? Airplane movie is the brutal example...

Russia in the nineties was fun. Took the last PanAm tour. Winter. Vodka was my friend, so were the american tourist with me.

0-0

quote:

Originally posted by RGRacing:
Dixie, Idaho Pop 24

Google It

I don't think I need to Google it ..... I live about 60 miles away from it ! You have good taste ! mike

Petra

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
New Jersey

You win for nastiest!

On 21 countries at this point, most have been for 2 or more weeks and several were 6 months+. It certainly has given some insights into people, most people are good people and just want their family to be safe and well fed.

I have told my sons that they most travel to really appreciate the US, I have loved many of the countries I lived in but nothing beats the US.

Most Beautiful (mother nature) - Tanzania wins but Southern Poland or the ZCarpathians mountains come close

Most Beautiful City - Prague.... hands down

Most fun City - Singapore

Favorite culture - Eastern European (Russian/Ukrainian).....they love a good party and seem to have holidays every other week. They are a very emotional and caring people (read their poetry or listen to their music), I have been made to feel at home by total strangers....once they learn you are an American you will seldom buy your own drink, just be ready for MANY drinks

Nastiest - NNJ With Port au Prince a close 2nd which is tied with Liberia

Maui. ALoha is a real thing. On the way to surf everyday we'd pick up trash the dirtbag tourists would leave to try and keep the place clean.

Nothing like paddling 20-30 minutes out to sit on a surf break and see a breach 50-75 yards away from a Humpback. Wakes your ass up real quick.

Then at night, it's like being on Mars if you stay up light and get a clear sky. I know why there are multiple observatories in state. Most beautiful vision of the galaxy I have ever seen. More beautiful than the waves or hot fit women running around all day.

Being free of the trappings of corporate life at 47 and cruising the Bahamian island chain in our 40' sailboat for 5 wonderful years.

It was our only residence and our castle afloat. Diving Thunderball cave ( James Bond ), lobstering in crystal clear waters, happy hour every day even days of poor weather were still enjoyable.

I have some great memories of those times.....

I am jealous reading these posts, about a hundred times.

2nd place was the Columbia river gorge