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

Need a Username · 14-06-2021 04:23PM

Kaybaykwah wrote: »

Is it any wonder then, why the U.S. deemed the pyramid an appropriate symbol to stick smack dab on the dollar bill?

The home of the pyramid scheme. In God We Trust!

Have you got Disney+?

Gravity Falls explains all that

14-06-2021 04:25PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Oh, I know. My first few years in Asia were hell. Get bitten and the bites would swell up huge, more than they did for the rest of my friends. Average evening would be 5-7 bites, and more than once I took to bed early because the effects the bites had on me, sweating off a fever just from the bites themselves.

The garlic is great because you actually sweat the scent of the garlic, or something like that. It was explained to me, but I didn't really understand the explanation, however, I know that it works. The added advantage is that a regular intake of garlic will also help with the skin rashes (Jock itch), and other issues that often arise in Asia or Africa.

Aye, garlic is great. Also Brewers Yeast, works even better, works for 8/9 out of 10 people for some reason, far as I remember. Was first told about it >20 years ago by a friend in the medical business who came across it is some journal or other. Dirt cheap old food supplement for your vitamin B's. Take it before going and when in the tropics, particularly malarial areas, been in bars surrounded by mossies, no bites when others getting eaten alive.

If the wee buggers do get you, Aloe Vera, straight from the plant is one of the best, otherwise for travel, Aloe deodorant stick, purer the better, stops the itching in minutes. Equally good, I hadn't known till recently is the white Tiger Balm, I didn't take the brewers yeast a while back on a trip to asia, got eaten, stopped in a chemist. Girl gave me two options, first one, $20 dollars, "no good", second option $1, the white tiger balm, works best she said.

Esho · 14-06-2021 04:26PM

Car99 wrote: »

The Republic of Cork, very condescending county with a chip on its shoulder about being second best.

I've been exiled there for some time now.
The people are so, so sound. It reminds me of Dublin pre Celtic tiger.

Dublin I'd need to be paid to be in now tbh.

Esho · 14-06-2021 04:27PM

ShatterAlan wrote: »

Plus the most beautiful women in the world.

Yes, stunning.

Need a Username · 14-06-2021 04:27PM

Car99 wrote: »

The Republic of Cork, very condescending county with a chip on its shoulder about being second best.

What scallywag told Cork it was second best at anything?

dasdog · 14-06-2021 06:07PM

323 wrote: »

Aye, garlic is great. Also Brewers Yeast, works even better, works for 8/9 out of 10 people for some reason, far as I remember.

...the white tiger balm

Interesting - I eat a lot of garlic and never really had a problem with mossies when others were being savaged but anything to stop the feckers.

Kathmandu is one city I wouldn't be in a rush to go back to. It looks like it's just been hit by an earthquake and the tourist areas are just swamped with people trying to sell you tiger balm and hash. Actually hashish is so prevalent I met some lads I knew coming back from Oz overland and even though they were broke refused my offer of about half a quarter of black as they had so much already. I was just burning it to watch it burn at one point. The countryside of Nepal is quite lovely though as are the people.

I flat refuse to ever visit Qatar or any nouveau riche ME petro state.

SupaCat95 · 14-06-2021 06:08PM

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

Irish troops served there for over 3 years as part on the UN.

Sex tourism ahoy!! I love that quote from Black adder.

"I joined the Army when it was just travel agency for men with an unusually high sex drive". Capt. Edmund Black Adder.

ShatterAlan · 14-06-2021 06:16PM

Hamachi wrote: »

Shame you’ve ruled out Israel. Only been to Tel Aviv, but I really enjoyed it.

Would NEVER go to that place.

14-06-2021 06:18PM

ShatterAlan wrote: »

Would NEVER go to that place.

User name does NOT check out..

breezy1985 · 14-06-2021 06:21PM

Yurt! wrote: »

Thailand is also one of the best gastronomic countries in the world. Even the street food is prepared well in 99 percent of cases. Anyone worried about the scuts there is denying themselves one of the best cuisines. As above, use your brain and you'll be fine.

Used to work in a Thai restaurant where they defrosted the chickens in open containers on the roof and the kitchen was literally crawling with all sorts.

Would still happily eat there tomorrow though

Esho · 14-06-2021 06:33PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I didn't have any issues. Went through Egypt, Jordan, Iran, and then Israel about 6 years ago, all during the same holiday period. Some raised eyebrows but no real examination of what I'd been doing in any of the countries. I've been back to Israel twice since then, and Iran, once more.

Absolutely, loved both Israel and Iran. Neither are really like how they're described abroad. Spent most of the time around the various universities, and had a blast. People were lovely, and I don't think I met anyone who was rude.

I've met a lot of people (expats living China) since then who have been to both countries, and everyone seems to have their own perspective, positive or negative. They're both countries that people seem to either love or hate. Little space for a middle ground viewpoint.

Despite the bad press , I'd like to visit Israel.
A country full of the most successful , hard-working type of people in the world.

Yurt2 · 14-06-2021 06:59PM

Esho wrote: »

Despite the bad press , I'd like to visit Israel.
A country full of the most successful , hard-working type of people in the world.

Maybe the secular Jewish population. The Orthodox Haredi community has a huge unemployment problem: males spend their days studying in the yeshiva and the women at home barefoot and pregnant. Their population is expected to double in the next 15 years to about 30% of the country, while secular Jews have low birthrates like Europeans.

Never mind reconciling themselves with the Arab population within their borders and Palestinians without in the occupied territories, Israel is going to have a reckoning day with its Orthodox community. The secular and religious communities' values are growing further apart by the year. Israelis I've met speak about them with barely concealed contempt.

14-06-2021 07:01PM

Esho wrote: »

Despite the bad press , I'd like to visit Israel.

Just be non-political, and avoid the BS of those taking some self-perceived high moral stand. That way you can spend time in all of the M.East, and encountering a culture/people is far better, when you leave that stuff out of the equation.

A country full of the most successful , hard-working type of people in the world.

TBH, I'd say that to be Japan. But Israel is impressive.

breezy1985 · 14-06-2021 07:17PM

Esho wrote: »

Despite the bad press , I'd like to visit Israel.
A country full of the most successful , hard-working type of people in the world.

Is this a wind up.

They certainly know how to get houses built under difficult circumstances.

SupaCat95 · 14-06-2021 07:31PM

breezy1985 wrote: »

Used to work in a Thai restaurant where they defrosted the chickens in open containers on the roof and the kitchen was literally crawling with all sorts.

Would still happily eat there tomorrow though

There are two things you should never see made, Comedy and Kebabs!
Thank you folks I am here until the weekend.

14-06-2021 07:38PM

cagefactor wrote: »

Ivory Coast

Any country that gets the tricolour so wrong has serious issues going on.

biddyearley · 14-06-2021 07:43PM

Need a Username wrote: »

But other than that you’d recommend it as a fun place to visit with the family?

Yes if you want to get rid of the wife and kids and start afresh. Isis might blow their bus up or you could offload them to some Nubian who likes white women.

Pinoy adventure · 14-06-2021 08:24PM

Bambi wrote: »

The Philippines is pretty westernised...

HAha good 1
It's more Americanized than westernised.
Hence your called joe quiet a bit

14-06-2021 08:30PM

Genre.. wrote: »

We're conditioned to believing Iran is bad

That's all I've ever heard about Iran from big government

Just on this: it's not great if you're a woman, but a different and more positive experience if you're a man.

For example, I was there working but not welcome to sit in the lobby of my hotel. If I ordered room service I was not to open the door but wait for the server to leave and bring it in myself, I could use the gym during one designated womens hour but I couldn't use the pool at all because the demand for it from men was too high to waste time on ladies. This was all doled out with great charm, but it was still oppressive. I had to get a ladies taxi with a woman driver to work.

That said, everyone was absolutely lovely to me and I've never seen so many gorgeous people in one place before. They also have the best coffee shops in the world, absolutely amazing coffee/ tea and cakes. So famous that when the Persians emigrated to India that Irani cafes were absolutely renowned, especially in ND. Sadly, there are hardly any left, and numbers of Parsis (AKA Parsee) are dwindling so much that financial incentives are quite substantial for each baby.

Iran is a great place, but be extremely circumspect, especially if a woman.

ETA: The one and only place I would prefer never to be in again is Pakistan. Unfortunately, I will be.

Esho · 14-06-2021 08:32PM

SupaCat95 wrote: »

They always slip some darnel in with the wheat. Africa is an untapped goldmine of wealth. You can also try out massive vaccines and medicines for pre approval testing. Just tie them all up with HIV medications and what not. The shennighans that go on over there are unreal.

Beware of Greeks baring gifts. NGOs and charities are always upto some scam even if it is just of sex tourism.

Heard about the sec tourism, any other sources for the others?

Esho · 14-06-2021 08:33PM

Polar101 wrote: »

Saudi Arabia, but currently also crisis zones like Yemen or Myanmar.

There are plenty of countries I wouldn't really want to visit, but if I got paid to visit I could be persuaded.

Saudi Arabia for def - can't stand the Wahabi types here, and that's a country full of them.

Esho · 14-06-2021 08:36PM

Yurt! wrote: »

Maybe the secular Jewish population. The Orthodox Haredi community has a huge unemployment problem: males spend their days studying in the yeshiva and the women at home barefoot and pregnant. Their population is expected to double in the next 15 years to about 30% of the country, while secular Jews have low birthrates like Europeans.

Never mind reconciling themselves with the Arab population within their borders and Palestinians without in the occupied territories, Israel is going to have a reckoning day with its Orthodox community. The secular and religious communities' values are growing further apart by the year. Israelis I've met speak about them with barely concealed contempt.

Interesting, thanks. So it's in every country that the super religious are trouble makers.

biddyearley · 14-06-2021 09:00PM

Esho wrote: »

Despite the bad press , I'd like to visit Israel.
A country full of the most successful , hard-working type of people in the world.

Really worth a visit. TelAviv like NYCs West Village. Terrific beaches, nice people. Jerusalem beautifully planned if a little quiet. Red Sea area interesting. Safest country to visit, and people when you get chatting to them delighted to have Irish visit. A hidden gem.

DodoDojo · 14-06-2021 09:16PM

India, it just looks so filthy and is so backwards in so many ways. Cant see any appeal in it whatsoever and I do love most Asian cultures and places I've visited.

Any videos I see of people travelling there just turn me off completely(example:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlG2NnyXSto&ab_channel=KarlRockKarlRockVerified)

Also literally every single person I know who went there got Delhi Belly. I cant imagine a worse place to be in the world to get the Sh**ts, where it’s just a filthy hole in the ground with a communal soap and bucket of water to clean up.

SupaCat95 · 14-06-2021 09:20PM

Esho wrote: »

Heard about the sec tourism, any other sources for the others?

yeah loads of stories about soldiers with the natives. The Irish contingent have a had a few children left behind. I am sure there are many more we dont hear about. One girl from the Congo wanted an Irish passport afterwards.

Now there is Oxfam, UN and who heap of other charities NGO that dismissed a few execs. Y'know if one is at it then they are all probably at it at that level.

Medical Trials in Africa? So when you are preparing medication for DFA trials you need a minimum of 1 in 10,000 rejection rate, minimum sample size 30,000. Where are you going to find people that desperate to sign up to do cocktails of drugs with no clue or corporate responsibility? Africa.

You were wondering why Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were falling over themselves to ease up on generic HIV cocktails? They were mixing in testing samples as well. So those are the Alpha trials? The Beta trials is when they are almost sure it is near perfect and they are done in the Western hemisphere.

Esho · 14-06-2021 09:34PM

breezy1985 wrote: »

Is this a wind up.

They certainly know how to get houses built under difficult circumstances.

No wind up, all the Jews I know have a 7th gear or something, and are amazing people.
That said, none of them are Israelis.

jmreire · 14-06-2021 10:04PM

Candie wrote: »

Just on this: it's not great if you're a woman, but a different and more positive experience if you're a man.

For example, I was there working but not welcome to sit in the lobby of my hotel. If I ordered room service I was not to open the door but wait for the server to leave and bring it in myself, I could use the gym during one designated womens hour but I couldn't use the pool at all because the demand for it from men was too high to waste time on ladies. This was all doled out with great charm, but it was still oppressive. I had to get a ladies taxi with a woman driver to work.

That said, everyone was absolutely lovely to me and I've never seen so many gorgeous people in one place before. They also have the best coffee shops in the world, absolutely amazing coffee/ tea and cakes. So famous that when the Persians emigrated to India that Irani cafes were absolutely renowned, especially in ND. Sadly, there are hardly any left, and numbers of Parsis (AKA Parsee) are dwindling so much that financial incentives are quite substantial for each baby.

Iran is a great place, but be extremely circumspect, especially if a woman.

ETA: The one and only place I would prefer never to be in again is Pakistan. Unfortunately, I will be.

100% agreement with you on Iran......great Country, great people, bad government.For Pakistan, ( in my view ) a lot depends on where you are based. Karachi, I found to be seriously overcrowded, Islamabad a bit less so. I found Peshawar to be OK ( was sometimes security issues when I was there. } Another place that I liked while there was Muzzafarabad. Fantastic scenery, if you were Ok with driving on some seriously dangerous roads. Would not mind going back again if I had too, say in preference to Darfur, but I would much prefer to go somewhere that I had not been before.

john123470 · 14-06-2021 11:07PM

DodoDojo wrote: »

India, it just looks so filthy and is so backwards in so many ways. Cant see any appeal in it whatsoever and I do love most Asian cultures and places I've visited.

Any videos I see of people travelling there just turn me off completely(example:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlG2NnyXSto&ab_channel=KarlRockKarlRockVerified)

Also literally every single person I know who went there got Delhi Belly. I cant imagine a worse place to be in the world to get the Sh**ts, where it’s just a filthy hole in the ground with a communal soap and bucket of water to clean up.

The above could be a verbatim / post mortem / report for a bad pint down the local

.. but .. Factor in the acid trip of colour, drink your senses dry - sights and sounds that is India ..

.. does that beat yet another rainy day down some gomboreen hole in Eireland ?

Theres your Acid test

14-06-2021 11:14PM

DodoDojo wrote: »

India, it just looks so filthy and is so backwards in so many ways. Cant see any appeal in it whatsoever and I do love most Asian cultures and places I've visited.

Also literally every single person I know who went there got Delhi Belly. I cant imagine a worse place to be in the world to get the Sh**ts, where it’s just a filthy hole in the ground with a communal soap and bucket of water to clean up.

Ditto. It takes a lot to gross me out, and India is top of the list there. I'd thought poorer areas of China or Africa were bad (which they were), but India shocked me, and worse yet, they embrace that kind of living. Ugh. Dead bodies in the streets, and when the water rises in the towns/cities, the dodgy sewers open up to bring everything out into the open.

Also, while other countries/cultures have the same, India still shocks me for the differences between the rich, and the poor. It's brutal, and yet, you rarely hear anyone talking about it.

Yup. I have zero desire every to visit India again. I did one extended trip, and while there were some interesting sights, and some lovely people, it didn't balance out with the loonies, the poverty, the disgusting lack of hygiene, etc. Ugh. Never again.

14-06-2021 11:17PM

john123470 wrote: »

The above could be a verbatim / post mortem / report for a bad pint down the local

.. but .. Factor in the acid trip of colour, drink your senses dry - sights and sounds that is India ..

.. does that beat yet another rainy day down some gomboreen hole in Eireland ?

Theres your Acid test

From direct experience, I'd take Ireland easily over being back in India. Doesn't matter if it's in Dublin, Athlone, Thurles, or even Longford... Ireland is light years better than India.

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

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