Slinging.org Forum
https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl
General >> Other Topics >> How many countries have you been to ?
https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1635974955

Message started by Curious Aardvark on Nov 3rd, 2021 at 5:29pm

Title: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 3rd, 2021 at 5:29pm
I was adding up the countries I'd been to, and just wondered how much travelling you guys had done.

I would think some of you ex servicemen might have me beat by a decent margin.

A short stopover in an airport doesn't count, you need to have spent at least 48 hours in a country to add it to the list.

So I think I'm up to 15:

England
Scotland
Wales
Germany
The Netherlands
Belgium
Austria
Italy
Spain/Balearic Islands
China
America
Canada
Denmark
Luxembourg
Isle of man - it has its own language and parliament, so definitely a country.

My parents have me well beat.
They've been to a lot more tropical countries than me. I've never been into hot and humid.
The only places I've been to that they haven't are china and Ibiza.

So as well as where I've listed, Together they've both been to: the Maldives, Singapore, Mauritius, Thailand, Australia, Morocco,
New Zealand, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Dubai,  and Iceland.

My dad also went to aden, Perrin island (yeah, me neither) ascension island, Libya and the Falklands when he was in the army.

Not sure about my sister.
But she's been to Jamaica and most of the same bits of europe I've been to, quite probably france, lives in Canada and has been to various us states.
And she once got drunk on a 2 day stopover in Newfoundland with the Montreal canadiens ice hockey team :-)

Never really thought about it before, but as a family we really get about :-)

So where have you been ?

We can also throw in a separate category of American states and Canadian provinces.
For which I will accept 'driven through'.

So states wise I've got:
California, Wyoming, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, Illinois, and a day trip to buffalo in New York state. That was kind of an interesting one.

Canada-wise, just Ontario.

While they've just been to Florida in the states, my parents have visited most of the Canadian provinces.

I think, that given most states and provinces are larger than many countries, they've got to count :-)

So where in the world have you been ?

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Rat Man on Nov 3rd, 2021 at 6:04pm
Quite an impressive list, c_a.  I've been to both North and South Korea, Japan, Canada, and all over the good old U.S.A. including Alaska.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by joe_meadmaker on Nov 3rd, 2021 at 7:32pm
Other than the US, I've been to two.  Did a study abroad in Spain.  We were in Valladolid for 6 weeks.  During that trip a group of us went up to Ireland for a 4 day weekend.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by TOMBELAINE on Nov 4th, 2021 at 3:06am
A few European countries. Normal, I'm French.
In Russia, the Russians are open and welcoming people.
In Israel, the Dome of the Rock on the esplanade of Mosques is superb.
In North Ireland during and after the civil war, I learned a lot about myself and people.
Light and landscapes in Norway are the most beautiful I've ever seen.

Rat Man wrote on Nov 3rd, 2021 at 6:04pm:
I've been to both North and South Korea

I know a man who has worked in North Korea 30 or 40 years ago. What he says is unreal.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 4th, 2021 at 8:45am
Russia and North Korea, pretty impressive !


Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by TOMBELAINE on Nov 4th, 2021 at 9:20am
Curious Aardwark, China is also pretty impressive.
:)

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Morphy on Nov 4th, 2021 at 10:01am
Can we call states countries? The difference between Manhattan and rural Wisconsin must be as big as many English speaking countries. No? Fine.

Panama
Venezuela
The Caribbean Islands

;)

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Kick on Nov 4th, 2021 at 11:24am
England (obviously)
Wales
Scotland
Ireland (as a kid, can barely remember it and definitely want to go back)
Finland (obviously)
Sweden
Estonia
France
Spain (and Balearic Islands and Tenerife)
Germany

I need to bump my numbers up. There are a lot of places I really want to visit. One I might be adding is Norway next year with a friend. Quick and easy to get to Oslo from Helsinki. Iceland is another one. Russia would be really interesting and Mongolia and Tibet going further afield. Like C_A, hot and humid are not for me (I mean I moved to Finland so...), but I may have promised Channing that I would visit Louisiana at some point. If not Louisiana, then somewhere in the US. I really should get over to Texas and meet my cohost :D

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by perpetualstudent on Nov 5th, 2021 at 10:49am
Only been in the US. Lived in Nebraska, NYC, Atlanta GA, and Wisconsin. Visited Colorado and Arizona (Grand Canyon is amazing), Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, North and South Carolina.

So I've bounced around the country pretty well but haven't gone across international borders yet. Want to visit Switzerland and Japan someday but not for the foreseeable future.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by IronGoober on Nov 6th, 2021 at 1:40pm
USA
Canada
UK
Vietnam

Many others that I'd love to add to the list.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 14th, 2021 at 3:21pm
You sort of can argue that American states are extremely country like.
Most are the size of many countries - I think they're all probably larger than england
They have their own laws and traditions and even languages.

California has more Spanish speakers than English these days, you've got Cajun french in Louisiana, and pockets of different languages all over.

Hell you even have active borders between some states.

I'll never forget being stopped going from Nevada to California and being asked if we had any fruit.
Because, clearly that's the only way insects can cross state lines - in cars.
I even smuggled 3 apples across the border :whistle:

If you consider the city states of ancient Greece are often considered to be seperate countries, then the American states should definitely have the same status.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by IronGoober on Nov 14th, 2021 at 11:52pm

Curious Aardvark wrote on Nov 14th, 2021 at 3:21pm:
I'll never forget being stopped going from Nevada to California and being asked if we had any fruit.
Because, clearly that's the only way insects can cross state lines - in cars.
I even smuggled 3 apples across the border

You horrible man, you! 

Every time I visit my folks and then come back home I have to go through this silly check. I can understand stopping trucks/lorries because of the volume they can carry, but personal vehicles seems silly. As you point out, insects are quite mobile on their own.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by perpetualstudent on Nov 15th, 2021 at 9:45am
I once heard the difference between Europeans and Americans being: Americans think 300 years is a long time, Europeans think 300 miles is a long distance.


Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 15th, 2021 at 3:23pm
100 :-)

Americans think 100 years is a long time and brits think 100 miles is a long way.

300 miles is a ludicrously long way in the uk lol
It's almost as far as you can possibly drive. 
so while most people would have driven 100 miles at some point. very few would have driven 300 in the uk.
I've friven a lot further in other coutries, but not sure I've ever gone over 300 miles in the uk.

Ah, right - john o groats to lands end is 874 miles - and that's the longest journey you can make by road in the uk.

So we're a lot bigger than I thought :-)

I've got  a mate who's house has bits that date back over 1000 years.
Personally i think of anything after the norman conquest as being 'modern' history.

So even if you've never left the continental united states, visiting different states definitely counts as proper travel :-)

Hell that's the reason so few americans own passports - when you've got such a huge and varied place to explore - why bother going somewhere nobody speaks your lamnguage (and for the record that includes england lol It's not the same language :whistle: )

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by perpetualstudent on Nov 16th, 2021 at 8:22am
I travel about 800 to see family most Christmases.  ;D

Still. Switzerland, Japan, and the UK are on my bucket list. I'd like to walk under Sherwood forest and have a pint at the Eagle and Child.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 16th, 2021 at 10:10am
well don't leave it too long as you'll be walking around the 'sherwood forest' housing estate :-)

these days it's more like sherwood woodlands.

We went a long time back and did see the tree that someone had supposedly hidden in.
Don't remember a pub, but it was probably at least 35 years ago and we probably had a picnic :-)

A quick google search comes up with 16million results for eagle and child pub.
the first ten or so - all i looked at - are all different pubs in different parts of the uk.

So you might want to narrow it down a little.
It's apparently a very popular pub name :-)

Also nottingham forest is actually not that near nottingham city.
I've got a vague feeling that it's part of cannock chase these days - but that might be something else I'm thinking about.

(spme internet searching later)
sherwood forest !
that's the penguin :-)
And the Major oak is where someone hid


https://www.visitsherwood.co.uk/things-to-do/the-major-oak/

The biggest oak in britain - Hmm, nope.
28 metre canopy spread - I've seen lots of oaks with larger canopies than that.

these days it looks like it's fenced off. pretty sure i went inside it as a teenager.
Bit like stone henge, that's only been fenced in recent years.

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by perpetualstudent on Nov 17th, 2021 at 8:59am
Indeed. Hopefully before that day. Specifically the Eagle and Child in Oxford where JRR Tolkien and C.S.Lewis used to go.

My wife studied abroad in Bath so I'm sure I'll wind up there too. Any other UK locations I should add?

Title: Re: How many countries have you been to ?
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 17th, 2021 at 11:23am
My house :-)
Being at the geographical centre of England, we're a good jumping off point for most places.
Lots of cheap accomodation in the area.
Hell pick the right week and you can stay here.
It's what Steve did :-)

Oxfords about an hour and a half from here, met willeke there one afternoon, many years ago.

Stone henge is pretty cool, Warwick castle has a huge working trebuchet.
And is one of the best preserved castles in the country.

The battle of bosworth site Is also worth a visit.

Fauld crater is worth a look.
Largest non-nuclear explosion ever or in Europe, one of the two.
And you get to play slingers roulette with the unexploded ordnance they reckon us still down there :whistle:

I guess it depends what you're into really.
Tintagel is interesting, as much for the village as the castle.

I guess a day or two in the smoke for the museum's and tower of London.
I hate the place. Lol
The museum's are cool, but London itself is just a giant dirty housing estate.
And the inhabitants are fairly unpleasant as well.

Spend as little time there as possible :-)

Edinburgh is a good place to visit.
And if you went when the fringe was on, lots of cheap shows as well.

Basically make a list first then an itinerary.

A lot of it is a couple of hours or less from me.
I think Sherwood forest is about an hour.

Caernavon castle, on the Welsh coast is pretty impressive.

Just depends what you're into really.




Slinging.org Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.5.2!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2024. All Rights Reserved.