Is there any country you would not go to even if you were paid to go there?

Arturo Delgado wrote: »

Egypt. Once was enough. The history is fantastic but you can't enjoy it for the begging and hawking. Cairo was a culture shock.

I found that copying what your average Egyptian wears, collared shirt and long trousers, not the T shirt, shorts and prominent camera combo beloved of tourists, I managed to evade the vast majority of the hawkers without them copping me.

Tzardine wrote: »

I have lived and worked in a lot of the Middle East, but predominantly Kuwait and Iraq. The stereotype of Gulf countries is unfortunately false. They are full of culture, welcoming people, and truly beautiful landscapes. Obviously however there are issues which cannot be overlooked, chiefly the (mis)treatment of women and the LGBT community, but I do recommend people to visit and experience them. You just have to be mindful of the cultural differences and abide by them so long as you are there.

The one country I will never go back to is Italy. Outside of the countryside which is undoubtedly beautiful, the cities are sh1tholes, full of people trying to scam you at every opportunity.

Have you ever been in Dublin?

Larbre34 wrote: »

India, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines etc.

All those places in south Asia that are hot, packed, stinking and full of food poisoning. I don't mind hot humid countries that are westernised; Australia, Singapore, Japan, the Emirates, Indian Ocean tourist archipelagoes etc. But other than that, why would you...

I been to all the above places bar the Philippines & India which I intend to get to. loved every one of them, so much to see and do. Probably the least expensive counties to travel to. If you haven't been, I would advise to visit, you won't regret it.

Knocking off the obvious one's first....Israel, Most of the middle east, Africa.

Australia though is one place I would have such little interest in. Too hot, cities look bland, tourist spots look over-packed.

Southeast Asia, because I have no interest in being eaten alive by insects and trying to pretend I am enjoying myself in humid muggy conditions.

India. Loud, dirty, and massive hygiene problems that you just have to accept (like diarrhea) if you're going to go there.

So yeah, a lot of places I guess.

whomadewho wrote: »

I been to all the above places bar the Philippines & India which I intend to get to. loved every one of them, so much to see and do. Probably the least expensive counties to travel to. If you haven't been, I would advise to visit, you won't regret it.

Oh but I've already been to a few. How cheap a place is isn't a big attraction to me. I'm happy to pay a reasonable amount for quality.

I was stabbed by a guy in Netherlands but I would still go back in a heartbeat.

I was only in Manila. Absolute kip with nothing to see and the traffic was the worst I have ever seen! Nearby pagsanjan waterfall was nice though! That being said, I enjoyed my time in the Philippines. The people there are great! I have heard though that it’s a country where you have a higher risk of being kidnapped than most other countries.

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

I had Christmas dinner in Mamba Point hotel. Twas awful :pac:

Well, I often had a drink or 10 there, but never tried the food...however some where along the Liberian line, I picked up a food bug that nearly killed me.....and would have, if I had stayed on there much longer. Its not called the "Whitemans Graveyard" for nothing... I would not have been the first one to be medivacked out of it either. Talk about souvenir's......:cool:

Yurt! wrote: »

Japan?

Clean; safe; sophisticated culture with polite people; nature; Tokyo is among the world's great cities and the country generally is one of the great culinary destinations of the world.

That's a serious head scratcher. Been there several times and always come away wanting more. Anyone I know who has been there reports the same.

Agree on Japan, it's a fantastic place, fascinating. I would never live there, but visiting, no problem. Pity it's off limits now for a while.

Hamachi wrote: »

Not disputing your post, but how can you decide that people are nice, kind, and educated if you’re only in the country briefly and don’t speak the local language proficiently?

I lived like a local for a decade in another country. If it taught me anything, it’s that the gamut of humanity exists everywhere. Really nice people vs. awful arseholes, super smart vs. thick as pig ****, outward- vs. inward-looking. There’s light and shadow everywhere.

Of course there are complete arseholes everywhere too, but in general we are fed a constant negative and biased view of so many places. Its hard not to be influenced by that constant bombardment.

The amount of places I have been to, even areas within countries, that everyone warns us not to go to because we will be robbed, killed, maimed, raped or whatever, I've been to loads and almost always I've been met with warmth, kindness, openness, hospitality and people who were genuinely interested in who I was, what I was doing and what I thought of their country. People who could ill afford it wanting to demonstrate the very best of their country with pride and passion.

If you've done any kind of travelling, you will meet thousands of other travellers and its what we find everywhere.

I've had more potentially risky incidents in Derry, Dublin and Glasgow than anywhere else to be honest.

Deleted User wrote: »

The United States always needs a boogey man, Iran is just the latest.

True, hope it works out better for Iran than did for the US's previous boogey man, Libya was really nice before the US/NATO destroyed everything.
On pay when got to each of the Persian gulf countries in the past. Don't intend to set foot in any of the others again, but do hope to visit Iran as a tourist in the future.

Case in point. Why would any person from this Country, ever want or need to go to Liberia?!