Everyone should Travel when possible...Post your travel adventures too!

[DanTMWTMP]

So I'm stuck here at San Diego's lindbergh Field (SD Int Airport) awaiting my flight out to SF, and connect to Japan. (Great, delayed today...stupid SF fog . I really can't miss the connecting flight...since I have another connecting flight in Narita to Fukuoka... and will be in Taiwan in Nov).

I've been to many places around the US, NA, and Asia. To experience and see what other people do really broadened my mind. I am a lot more accepting and tolerant of other people. I get less stress. because other people's strong opinion doesn't affect me as much as it used to. It's nothing but win-win (well, except for the costs to travel) . oh ya..and you get to tell so many stories to others...It's a great icebreaker, esp to girls.

Moving away from my own circle of comforts of home and personal community made me appreciate others a lot more.

Everyone, when given the chance, is a great person; or has the potential to be a very cool person. I've met soo many cool people in the US and the world.


I used to jeer at outsiders, and actually be somewhat of a bigot.
If I felt that way, how would others feel when I visit their home turf? Well, it turns out, that a vast majority of natives from any region (be it within the US or around the world), people are surprisingly friendly and acceptive.

Being some random asian dude, I thought I'd run into trouble in the south. Nope. Quite the contrary. The South is probably one of the most caring and nicest regions I've ever visited (unlike Philly! grrr!! *shakes fist @ Philly*). People seem so genuinely nice. Screw the redneck mentality. Their opinions may differ from mine, but they still want to have some fun and be successful in their own model of life.

Being an American, I thought I'd be cussed at in Korea... Nop, I had a blast over there. Some habits/customs took some getting used to, but that process was invaluable.


Of course I had my share of meeting people who are total jackasses... but hell.. that just made me realize that a jackass in So. Cal. is really no different from a Jackass in Korea, lol.

and likewise, a cool family man who has dreams and opinions of his own is really no different from a similar person of similar status from my own community.



shiet....

I'm just saying, that travelling is great. Seeing people and the regions with your own unbiased eyes truly truly beats being fed information from the TV on how the TV producer wants us to see that area as.


Everyone should make an effort to go on a roadtrip to someplace insane, or fly somewhere..anywhere around the US or the world...


For one, you'll be surprised how soooo much different the various parts of the US is to the point that we absolutely cannot be generalized at all...but at the same time, you'll find how alike people can be at their core. Customs and opinions vary, but the willingness to have some fun and how/why they hold an opinion is the same as everyone else.




Ok..I've finished my drivel haha.

Cliffs:

GO TRAVEL NOW.
Bottom line..if everyone in AT traveled/roadtrip'd often, we'd have a decrease of flame wars hahahaha.


Discuss.

 

[davestar]

i agree :beer:

 

[CPA]

sleeping in my own bed at night > trotting across the globe and experiencing other cultures.


Sorry, I'm that simple.

 

[davestar]

Originally posted by: CPA
sleeping in my own bed at night > trotting across the globe and experiencing other cultures.


Sorry, I'm that simple.

you're from texas, so that's to be expected...

...oh wait, i was supposed to be tolerant.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

Originally posted by: CPA
sleeping in my own bed at night > trotting across the globe and experiencing other cultures.


Sorry, I'm that simple.

sleep ownz for sure haha.
I mean, I'm not saying to go globetrotting.. Just city-hopping within the state, or getting a roadtrip together gives off the same effect. I think, IMHO, getting out of our own little community circles is an experience by itself.

 

[xanis]

I agree. Traveling and experience culture outside of your own town is awesome. Unfortunately I'm a poor college student so the most exotic place I'll be going this year is Ocean City, NJ.

 

[michaelsslave]

i went on a road trip this summer. through Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, and then back to minnesota. i saw pretty much all the big national things to see in those states. while in yellowstone there was this buffalo that was just standing still on the road and i "pet" it very fast as our car went by, luckily the buffalo didnt do anything. also my red swingline stapler was stolen on the trip.

do you have my stapler?

 

[markgm]

Here's my write-up: http://www.sportbikes.net/foru...ross-country-trip.html

 

[clamum]

I'd love to be able to travel more, or at all really, haha. I've been down to Houston for work twice this summer, for a week each, even though I was working it was a blast. VERY different than from what I'm used to up here.

After I get a new car I should save up some money and take a week or two off and go somewhere (maybe next spring).

 

[manlymatt83]

I agree - I feel like I can't even see the world quick enough

 

[LS20]

diversity is probably one of the best thing in life.

i graduated high school from a homogenous town and then left the state.
at college i lived in a place that played host to lots of exchange students... hung out with north/central/south americans, north/western/eastern europeans, central/eastern asians, middle easterners, etc... lots of fun
after college, im fortunate enough to work for a multi-national company where, for example, im involved in a workgroup of 20 people with 15 nationalities represented. its incredibly enriching.

unfortunately, the high school people are still hanging out with the same cliques.

 

[NuclearNed]

I've been virtually everywhere in the U.S. and some parts of Canada.

 

[nwfsnake]

Hey, join the Marines!

1. Free travel to far away and exotic places.
2. Meet culturally diverse people from all walks of life.
3. Kill them.
4.
5. Profit!

 

[b0mbrman]

I'd travel more if someone else could sponsor it...

 

[kranky]

Once was in Kenya, sitting around an evening fire with some askaris (guards). They insisted I share some of their chai and one gave me his cup to use. They were boundless in their desire to know more about the US.

"Do you have the elephant in America?"
No, not in the wild. The elephants we have are in zoos.
"Do you have the zebra in America?"
No.
"Do you have the wildebeest?"
No, actually.
"What kind of animals do you have?"
Well, the most common wild animal that is large is the deer. [I explain what a deer is]
"Ah, people hunt the deer then?"
Not very many hunt them but some people do.
"Are there many deer?"
Yes, in some areas they are quite plentiful.
"But few people hunt them?"
That's right.
"So you have the large deer but few people hunt them. Why do Americans come to Kenya to hunt our animals when they could hunt the deer that is in America?" (asked sincerely)
[kranky has no good answer for that]

A little later...

"Mr. kranky, do you know of the woman Rosa Parks?"
Yes, I know of her. She took a stand against discrimination by refusing to sit in the back of a bus.
"Is she well respected?"
Yes, I would say so.
"Do you know of the man Dr. King?"
Yes, he's very well known. Nearly everyone knows of Dr. King.
"Would you explain to us what it means when Dr. King said 'I have a dream'?"
[kranky feels a very heavy responsibility to properly represent King's concept. It was like having to be the ambassador for all of the US - a very odd feeling.]

A couple days later, we come home from a journey into "town" and find one of the workers out in the field wearing my brother-in-law's shirt he took from the clothesline.

"Roger, may I see you please?"
Yes, Mr. Bob.
"I believe that is my shirt you are wearing."
Yes, Mr. Bob. It was on the clothesline.
"You should not take things without permission, Roger."
Yes, Mr. Bob. But I did not have a shirt, and you were already wearing one. I did not think you would need this one at the same time.
[my brother-in-law: :laugh:]

 

[foghorn67]

avoid Pomona. Those no good pompous Pomonians.

 

[Jugernot]

I had been to 14 different countries before I was 12 years old.... I was an Army brat. We lived in Germany for 2 years and visited around 10 of those alone.

I'm 26 and traveled out.

EDIT: Here is my list that I can remember...

Germany
Switzerland
Holland
Belgium
Lictenstein (spelled completely wrong no doubt)
Austria
France
Russia
Mexico
Japan
Korea (South obviously)
Canada
Checkoslovakia (spelling?)
United States

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: CPA
sleeping in my own bed at night > trotting across the globe and experiencing other cultures.


Sorry, I'm that simple.

I'm so simple that I don't even need the same bed to sleep in every night, just about anything will do.

Anyway, I like the excitement of discovery that traveling gives. I especially like spontaneous travel.

 

[rpc64]

I agree completely with the OP. I LOVE to travel. There is nothing as interesting or exciting as getting to see another part of the world and meeting the people there.

Outside of the states, I've been to:

Asia:
Hong Kong

Europe:
London
Paris
Munich
Berlin
Switzerland (Interlaken and Bern)
Prague
Amsterdam

I find that the most memorable moments happen when I'm just hanging out/wandering in a city, as opposed to while seeing the sights, tourist attractions, etc. (although those are fun too). I'll share a story from Switzerland:

I'm not sure what the drinking age is exactly in Switzerland, but me and a couple of travel companions were hanging out in a pub having a beer, and a group of what I would guess are 16 year old guys come in and order up a round of beers. This is a weird enough sight for me, being from the states, but after a minute the bartender brings them out this HUGE beer in a glass shaped like a giant boot. I mean this thing was gigantic. Had to be like a 2 liter glass. Me and my friends are sitting there staring at it in amazement, when one of the youngsters knocks it over and spills the entire thing on the floor. We of course can't help but burst out laughing. I jokingly said "geez, he should have brought them some straws with that!" Sure enough, about 5 minutes later, out comes the bartender with another HUGE boot shaped beer and a big fistfull of extra-long straws

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
I mean, I'm not saying to go globetrotting.. Just city-hopping within the state, or getting a roadtrip together gives off the same effect.

Err, not quite. Although it's better than nothing.