Travelling

[amy]

How does a person go about traveling? How do you give the place its proper respect if you are only going to be there for a short time? What if you miss your home country? What if a part of you gets left in one place, and one stays at home, so you can never be really together with yourself?

Where have you traveled? Do you have any travel plans in the future? Are you rich?

I want to travel to Mexico or somewhere in Central America in college in a community-service way to work on my spanish, and maybe the same after medical school with Peace Corps or similar, but I'm terrified of leaving the US. I seriously get chills when I think about this.

[Samurai Drifter]

Where have you traveled? Do you have any travel plans in the future? Are you rich?

1) Japan, and a few places in Europe on a church trip a really long time ago.

2) Not particularly, except to live in Japan at some point in the future. Going to China would be cool too.

3) No, but we might as well have been since my mom used to work for an airline and we got to fly everywhere free and get free or highly discounted hotel rooms.

[margot]

well i only traveled one place in my life and that was to japan. I felt lonely immediatley because I missed my family so much. but strangely, when i met my mom at the airport the lonliness left as soon as it set on.

anyway i think what it is is that there are so many things no matter where you are that remind you of your family near or in your home, like the sidewalk cracks and the powerlines, but in japan everything is slightly different and feels like living in a different time really.

Honestly when i was in japan i felt all the time like I was in some weird european 80s pop song or movie. I felt sickly and i shook from all the time from the food for some reason, no matter what I ate. I met a french lady who worked at this restaurant and I was with my two friends and I asked her, "do japanese men think you are pretty??" and everyone was like "don't ask her that, that's too forward"

and then on the tall mountains I had to stay inside because i don't really believe in wearing jackets (at least then) so it was much too cold to go outside, so while everyone else was outside I made stickers with my name in katakana on it. we rode the cablecar up there and surely thought I would die.

we rode the shinkansen and got food in a wooden box, there was orange juice in a can(!) and i sat next to this japanese teacher who really disliked me. if you want to be honest everyone on that trip with me thought i was incredibly retarded/annoying because i was always late to the tour bus and was constantly losing things and sometimes got lost. it was really embarassing. it's because i can't focus on things like that when there are so many new feelings and aura i am experiencing. being in japan was a japanese feeling, an exotic one, and it can't really be burdened down with any sort of grey or boardroom brown colors, or what's the point of doing anything new?

yes and then later in the ryokan i loved it very much. we played house me and my two friends, dressed up in yukata. the most vivid memory was standing in an elevator full of drunk japanese men and suddenly there was this incredible burst of sake when they all breathed in unison and were probably sawing lewd things about me. my feet were incredibly ripped up (they're still scarred 8 months later) because i was wearing these really cheap shoes that cut into my feet and we were walking so much. it was incredibly painful to walk but i am not really anything if not very enduring of things like that.

in hakone i think there were small shops that were so random..like why would a small town not have the basic shops but have gift shops? there was a shop full of just music boxes.

then at some temple i think there were many japanese school kids who took water in these silver cups on a ledge and poured it into a pool and i copied them..whenever i went into a temple ect you have to wash your hands and sometimes mouth? i usually drank the water. i wish we could have more things like that in america, where everyone drinks water from out in the open

i felt fat and ugly in japan because the humidity wrecked my hair. in tokyo we went to a small place to eat okonomiyake but instead i had the vegetable salad. also i don't like shrimp.

i went to harajuku but i didn't understand where to get to any lolita shops or anything really. was sort of underwhelmed by everything to be honest. the kids on the bridge didn't look so special to me. they were just typical vkei like. it seemed so small, the place for youth is so small.

in the ryokan there was a beach and we climbed over walls to get to it late at night. it was depressing though because there was a concrete barrier not too far out into the thing. i heard that was to help protect against tsunami? it made the beach seem scary where it before would have seen scary yet serene and natural. things like that usually are. we landed in the parking lot of a japanese police station when we climbed over the wall.

there were kids from pennsylvania from us who were total snobs. they wouldn't eat any japanese food at all. they would only eat mcdonalds.. i didn't even eat one french fry from there. i mostly ate yakisoba ;D i ordered it by myself in this restaurant once. a large group of japanese men sitting across from me were like "blah blah kawaiii ^A^" and looking at me. i felt weird in japan in general like that. most of the japanese men seemed to be interested in me. though most japanese women/girls didn't even try to hide their disgust with my appearance XD

i saw a lolita girl on the first night there. that was something.

i visited a modern art museum and it was hard to believe most/any of the pieces were japanese. they all looked just like the sort of pictures you see in american art galleries. i bought a book of paintings one man made mostly of his daughter because her face was so emotive as were the thick lines but i lost it soooon. i sat outside in a cafe reading it and some random japanese woman said i looked like a pig i think. lolz.

i went inside this huge buddah but it wasn't so special. it was pretty empty feeling. i liked how the other tourists seemed to think it was pretty neat.

i bought a million of those signs in temples that you write your wish on. i mostly wrote "i wish i can come back to japan sometime" and i also donated a lot of money. one time a 5000 yen bill.

i went to a stuffed animal shop in tokyo, they had no turkeys. i asked the lady "shicimencou ga arimasu ka" and she said there was no turkeys but there were ducks and then I was like "hmmm" and then was like ducks aren't turkeys ehh. i bought a hilarious fat owl though. then we went into a music store and it was pretty neat. there were 5 levels. at the top level was a place to buy instruments. there was this really cool looking japanese guy playing guitar. umm the store clerk was eying me nervously probably. then i got lost and had to be really self reliant but i found it. ~_~

shabu shabu was delightful, i won't go into it. she said, "i love how they try to put mirrors on the wall to make this place look bigger but it just isn't working."

at this other place i screwed up my japanese and once again everyone thought i was dumb :Xxxx oh embarasssing.

there was a lot of drama though. i don't think teenage girls and their mothers should travel to another country together and be next to each other constantly. I knew that was going to end in disaster. lolz

then there was a monk who said "buddha is in your heart" ect

[Suga Babe]

Hmm...I haven't really traveled much. I went to England from the middle east when I was 2 -- then lived in the UK for a year and came here to Canada; that was by plane. Then I went to ATL [drove through: Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee] a year and a half ago with part of my robotics team; that was by coach. And that was the first time I'd left Canada [well...even this province!] for the first time in uh...15ish years. Wow. The only other places I've gone are like Barrie and Niagara Falls and Vaughan/Maple/Sauga/Scarbs - but those are just cities in the province that're between a half hr to 2-3 hours away; those were by car and public transportation.

Yeah...definitely have future plans -- wanna travel a lot of places. Definitely going back to the UK soon time -- do want to go to Japan and a bunch of other places. Oh -- I had an obsession with Egypt when I was younger and did an extra-credit assignment in grade 5 about the mummies and pyramids and what not...so definitely going to go there as well.

No -- definitely NOT rich. Will be -- for sure haha. But yeah...no, not rich -- definitely going to travel. Absolutely going to travel a lot of places one day.

To just travel in the province or maybe out of province...I'd probably use VIA Rail or the GO Bus/Train or Greyhound. Have yet to get on a plane again since I came here.

[Satan]

ways to travel

bike (my personal favorite)

bus (get a one month pass, see the country. I know somebody who did this, she really liked it)

plane (out of continent/country/ any really long distance)

I personally have never left North America. I will probably go to Europe either this coming summer or the next one, but unfortunately it will be on an organized trip, so I won't get to do too much exploring. I want to go to China, Japan, India, and Europe.

[Gundampilotspaz]

I've been to the Bahamas, got on a boat.... came back on one....

[Belial]

Been as far North as Algonquin and as far South as the Mexican border.

Oh, and trains rock my socks. I'm going to ride the rails from East Coast to West Coast one of these days, even if I have to hop freight to do it. Hell, I'd prefer riding freight.

[stranger]

I've been all over Europe... Also Sweden and Iceland.

In Europe I visited Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and Germany. I also touched England (heh, just at the airport ) Stayed in France (Paris) for the longest which was 2 weeks. I have a friend who goes to school there so it was really east to get a place to stay, as for the other countries, they were mostly just 3-4 day trips (with said friend). As for Sweden, I have another buddy that lives there. He used to live in Chicago and a few years back moved to Sweden, he was my tour-guide through Sweden and Iceland (even though it was his first time in Iceland (Reykjavik) also)

Good times were had by all, and I plan to go back and eventually move to Europe

[Belial]

I should be heading to Italy this up coming Summer, if all goes well. With any luck I'll get lost there and never come back.

[GummyBearOfDoom]

I haven't travelled much. I'd love to go to italy and stay with my family for a while. That'd be cool, i've also wanted to visit some parts of the U.S.

My sister is going to Belize or how ever its spelled. Shes a senior at BU university for studying sea life or w/e the hell its called. Shes had an internship at an aquarium feeding and washing penguins for the past year but now shes going to Belize to swim with Whale sharks and do shit with the stingrays that killed Steve IRwin. Shes not staying in a hotel either, it will be some random shanty that is near by. But I guess that will be cool for her. If she takes pictures i'll post some up here.

[Ceraziefish]

When I was a sophomore I went on a trip to England and Italy (two weeks England, one week Italy) and it was rad as all hell. I really love both countries and I'd like to spend longer in England sometime (honestly I'd like to spend time in Italy too but, to be honest I'm already studying two languages, I don't think I could handle Italian too).

I've also been to Canada more times than I can count, and to California a lot (family in California). Those don't count so much, though, since I live really close to the Canadian border and pretty much everyone I know goes on short trips to Canada now and then.

I'm not really rich but my parents are what you'd call affluent. In our European trip we didn't spend an excessive amount of money but we could've spent a lot less. Basically, besides the airplane ticket I found that staying in Europe was not that expensive, and I loved it.

Also I went to France last summer and stayed at my buddy's house. Basically, I could've gotten by with $100 or so for the entire two weeks, considering that I wasn't paying for a hotel or most of my meals. But I had to be a good guest so I bought gifts for him and his family, paid for drinks at the bar etc. And of course, that was lots of fun. Having friends in other countries is definitely the way to travel.

Places I want to go: Mexico/Central America, Russia, Ukraine, and possibly the Middle East (I'd love to go there but, yeah, wars), especially Turkey, Arabia, and Afghanistan. I'd also like to visit Central Asia, like Kazakhstan. And of course SIBERIA is a definite must. Basically I want to travel a lot.

[darkon]

As one who has a little under 2 weeks left in his time living in England let me say it is incredibly easy to travel and well worth it. Get a job, save up a good amount of money, fly wherever you want and just enjoy the culture. I wouldn't suggest focusing on touristy things, I only do them in England because some days I get really bored.

[GummyBearOfDoom]

When I was a sophomore I went on a trip to England and Italy (two weeks England, one week Italy) and it was rad as all hell. I really love both countries and I'd like to spend longer in England sometime (honestly I'd like to spend time in Italy too but, to be honest I'm already studying two languages, I don't think I could handle Italian too).

I've also been to Canada more times than I can count, and to California a lot (family in California). Those don't count so much, though, since I live really close to the Canadian border and pretty much everyone I know goes on short trips to Canada now and then.

I'm not really rich but my parents are what you'd call affluent. In our European trip we didn't spend an excessive amount of money but we could've spent a lot less. Basically, besides the airplane ticket I found that staying in Europe was not that expensive, and I loved it.

Also I went to France last summer and stayed at my buddy's house. Basically, I could've gotten by with $100 or so for the entire two weeks, considering that I wasn't paying for a hotel or most of my meals. But I had to be a good guest so I bought gifts for him and his family, paid for drinks at the bar etc. And of course, that was lots of fun. Having friends in other countries is definitely the way to travel.

Places I want to go: Mexico/Central America, Russia, Ukraine, and possibly the Middle East (I'd love to go there but, yeah, wars), especially Turkey, Arabia, and Afghanistan. I'd also like to visit Central Asia, like Kazakhstan. And of course SIBERIA is a definite must. Basically I want to travel a lot.

You'd love to visit a 3rd world country?

[darkon]

You'd love to visit a 3rd world country?

You live like a king on 10 dollars. I don't see why you wouldn't want to visit a 3rd world country.

[GummyBearOfDoom]

You live like a king on 10 dollars. I don't see why you wouldn't want to visit a 3rd world country.

I guess it's the part where theres nothing to do.

Yea that might be a reason, or maybe it's the hating of americans over there? Pick one.

[Belial]

I guess it's the part where theres nothing to do.

Yea that might be a reason, or maybe it's the hating of americans over there? Pick one.

Just say you're a Canuck, that should do the trick.

[GummyBearOfDoom]

Just say you're a Canuck, that should do the trick.

I wish

[darkon]

Or say you hate Bush.

100% success rate.

[Anime Gee]

How does a person go about traveling?

How do you give the place its proper respect if you are only going to be there for a short time?

What if you miss your home country?

What if a part of you gets left in one place, and one stays at home, so you can never be really together with yourself?

Where have you traveled?

Do you have any travel plans in the future?

Are you rich?

Oh, it's quite simple. You just make arrangements, get your passport ready, hop on a plane / boat / bus / train / donkey / whatever, & get to your destination! (^o^ ) <3

Just respect the locals, their customs, don't act like you're superior, always say thanks, don't lowball the souvenir shops, & you'll be good to go.

You won't miss your home country unless you travel for a long time. I actually don't miss the Unitied States whenever I travel.

Well, tough luck. That will happen. You'll go somehere & be like, "Damn...... I wish that I could live here instead," or you'll be like, "Fuck. I rather be home." Hahahaha! ( ^o^) <3

The Anime Gee & Mr. Jones have traveled to many areas of the United States by car, a lot of areas in Mexico by car, & a few areas of Mexico by plane. You know. Those REALLY FAR AREAS!!! ( 'o') !!

Yes. Mr. Jones & I plan to do a tour of Mexico by car next year. We're going to try to stop at EVERY single state in Mexico! Lots of tasty tacos & beer will be consumed! (^o^ )

Well, not rich, but I get paid pretty well, if that's what you're asking. Hahahaha! (^o^ ) <3

[Ceraziefish]

I guess it's the part where theres nothing to do.

Yea that might be a reason, or maybe it's the hating of americans over there? Pick one.

Okay, so you know how everyone in France is supposed to be all elitist and crap about Americans who don't speak French, and really rude and such?

I didn't experience any of that. I consider a lot of that to be overhyped. And anyway there's a big difference between going to, say, Guatemala and going to Iraq. Of course I wouldn't go to Iraq, there's a war on right now.

I'd go to lots of countries in a second if it weren't for all the problems there; but it's like Anime Gee said; you have to be respectful. As long as you're respectful when you travel, I doubt that many people would fuck with you, even in some more fucked-up parts of the world.

I mean, French people "hate Americans" as in they hate what the American government is doing. Whenever anyone asked me about that I enlightened them about the political climate a bit and told them why we elected Bush again, etc, and they were chill about it. I think most people around the world "hate Americans" in the abstract sense, not in the "Hey look an American let's get him."

Of course, there are going to be some wackos.

[thebornotaku]

You live like a king on 10 dollars. I don't see why you wouldn't want to visit a 3rd world country.

I've actually thought like that before.

Think about it:

You save up, say 10k$ in USD. Then, Go get it converted to some shitty country's moneh. Move there, live like a king for the rest of your life.

The problem is, after all, you're in a shitty country.

[Ceraziefish]

I've actually thought like that before.

Think about it:

You save up, say 10k$ in USD. Then, Go get it converted to some shitty country's moneh. Move there, live like a king for the rest of your life.

The problem is, after all, you're in a shitty country.

With that kind of money you could probably finance a private army. That's all I'm sayin'.

[ROCKSTEADY]

if nobody speaks of the 'time' aspect of travel... maybe GPS will ignore this thread....

[thebornotaku]

I travel with a car, the road, and money in the form of either cash or credit/debit card, and ususally on a whim.

[thebornotaku]

With that kind of money you could probably finance a private army. That's all I'm sayin'.

Hmm... Move to shitty country with like 10k USD, Form a private army, take over the country...