Anybody else here never been abroad?

[yello]

'abroad' isn't all it's cracked up to be.

As an earnest young kiwi on the OE*, I almost felt duty bound to travel. Europe in a VW combi and inter-railing, backpacking in Thailand, etc the whole clichéd bit. Plus working and living in the US and Germany, now living in France. I really can understand how someone can have no motivation to travel. Someone said it upstream, and I believe it to be true from my own experiences, you can learn about people and places wherever you are. It's not travel that broadens the mind but a willingness to be open to experience.

* overseas experience

 

[sazzaa]

Not ever wanting to go abroad is like never visiting the nearest town to you. Don't be surprised if people treat you with pity and think of you as possibly inbred.

For the record, I have rarely been on package holidays, rather we always go to interesting places like Germany and so on (I have only been to Spain the once, Madrid actually and I'd love to see the rest of the country!!).
Oh, and everyone keeps talking of flying. But.... There.... ARE ...... Other....... Ways!!! If it is Europe you want to go to, then there isn't much excuse with ferries, trains, automobiles..... Bikes!!

That said, wanting to go abroad just to sit on a beach for 2 weeks is just as bizarre to me, I need to be actually doing something!!

All of this, is exactly what I was going to post!

 

[SteCenturion]

For me anywhere north of Birmingham is abroad as I can't understand a word the natives say

And you can understand Brummies DooDah ??

 

[DooDah]

And you can understand Brummies DooDah ??

Not really but my wife is from there, so I have to say that I do

 

[CopperBrompton]

What was that about boasting rights ? Seriously though, great pics.
I travelled a lot as a kid, lived in the US, lots of places since etc. Nowadays get about a little bit with work. Not as much as I used to, but thats because im lucky enough to be able to take it or leave it..... and most of the time... I leave it. T'aint all that.

Agree on business travel - I've done lots of that, and usually you don't get to see much of the places you visit. I too do very little these days.

On the plus side, you get to see more than you do staying at home, and you generally get an idea whether it's somewhere you'd like to return to. I viewed business trips as free tasters. :-)

 

[alans]

Well, to be fair, you don't need to fly if that is an issue. I pedalled straight from my front doorstep on the Sussex coast all the way to Istanbul, taking the ferry across the Channel. It was great, and richly satisfying to make an overseas trip without flying, and being completely under my own steam.

I agree.
My wife wants to go to Italy.So do I.She wishes to fly.I have no problem with that.I have suggested she does so & I'll meet her there having cycled from Stoke to any destination in Italy that she chooses.

 

[DooDah]

I agree.
My wife wants to go to Italy.So do I.She wishes to fly.I have no problem with that.I have suggested she does so & I'll meet her there having cycled from Stoke to ant destination in Italy that she chooses.

Yes that is the way, if you don't like flying or ferries then cycle. Six pages and you are the first to suggest it

 

[Brains]

I've not been abroad & given that I refuse to fly again it's not very likely to change.

Paris is 2hrs from London by train, you can go for a day trip from your local station

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Have I upset you in some way perhaps? If not then what's with all the insults? If only I were as suave and sophisticated as you then I might be able to understand what it is I've done that could possibly have upset you so much as to start being rude.

Its just my brother is the most unimaginative and fussy sod going (fussy eater, fussy dresser, fuss fuss fuss moan moan moan pout pout pout!! )(I doubt he's even been on holiday or even been out of Scotland in years) so growing up with that, it tends to colour one's attitude (he's highly intelligent, but can be far TOO logical for his own good at times. To be fair, he isn't as bad as he once was as far as I can tell, but still....).

Yes, I do appreciate the irony of my words about being intolerant...... I apologise for going off on one, but in this day and age, it does, nonetheless befuddle me.

For the record, I have travelled extensively throughout the UK, been to Muckle Flugga and Lizard Point, Ardnamurchan Point to Lowestoft, Wales, Northern Ireland.... Admittedly I may never have been to Blackpool in my life, but sometimes, just sometimes, somewhere completely new can be like a much needed refreshment, a drench of cold water on a hot day, the wonderfully earthy smell and feeling of the air pressure dropping before a storm, particularly accompanied by the electrical smell preceding a thunderstorm.... I just need to go somewhere new to stop the rot!!

 

[gbb]

We went to Salou last September, couldnt fault the place, I thought benidorm was more of a dive tbh

TBF, we went about 10 years ago. They seemed to be making an effort with the front but several side streets we used to walk down smelled of urine all the time. It was ok, its probably better now.

 

[gbb]

It's about as weird (for me) as someone not liking cycling. Weird in as much as I can't get my head around why someone wouldn't want to travel. It's not wrong, everyone can pick how they learn and experience life. Maybe on the flip side, I'm the weird one who can't take a fact a face value and has to go see it for themselves. For example, I've seen pictures of whale sharks, watched videos, but I really want (need) to get in the water and see one up close.

I LOVE nature, animals, anything. To snorkel In Egypt among hundreds, probably thousands of THE most colorful and beautiful fish, among every colour of coral, in water so clear you could see 50 ft down, huge parrot type fish, rays, scorpion fish, so many fish you cant take it all in...Sharm El Sheikh is ok, just ok, but venture into the water, youre into another universe..I will remember that forever. Travel is sometimes 'ok' , sometimes exciting, sometimes gives you something you'll never forget.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Yes, the diving in the Red Sea is amazing. The Lion Fish attracted by our lights during a night dive and coming right up to us was a memory that will stay with me a long time.

 

[SteCenturion]

Yes that is the way, if you don't like flying or ferries then cycle. Six pages and you are the first to suggest it

Too be fair DooDah - another poster has done this earlier (forget where too) somewhere far flung (but I get your drift).

Addressed to all.

@Cyclopathic is in a unique position (among posts here) whereby his family all are affected by air, boat & tunnel travel (have I got that right Cyclopathic) ?

I personally feel (kind of) that some people are destined to be travellers & others home birds.

Nothing wrong in either.

Sometimes it seems, an original post or thread (remind yourselves what it was) can be lost as members add their own views/comments.

This is a natural by product of us wanting to talk to each other & share our views/opinions/experiences.

I have been guilty 'on several occasions' here of 'pushing' my own views/preferences (CUBE anyone) ?

Sometimes also I can misinterpret a post or comment (easily done in print) & I am sure others do too.

This (Cycle Chat) I have found is by & large a 'very friendly' forum, have a look at one or two other forums & see some of the nastiness that prevails.

My last thought for the day is this.

I prefer to call home 'Great Britain' rather than the United Kingdom or U.K, for me the clue is in the name as Britain is (despite our problems) truly a Great place & for me should be celebrated.

Oh &

Vive la' difference'.

Edit.

@shouldbeinbed has the tunnel, boat, plane predicament.

Sorry.

 

[stephec]

Too be fair DooDah - another poster has done this earlier (forget where too) somewhere far flung (but I get your drift).

Addressed to all.

@Cyclopathic is in a unique position (among posts here) whereby his family all are affected by air, boat & tunnel travel (have I got that right Cyclopathic) ?

I personally feel (kind of) that some people are destined to be travellers & others home birds.

Nothing wrong in either.

Sometimes it seems, an original post or thread (remind yourselves what it was) can be lost as members add their own views/comments.

This is a natural by product of us wanting to talk to each other & share our views/opinions/experiences.

I have been guilty 'on several occasions' here of 'pushing' my own views/preferences (CUBE anyone) ?

Sometimes also I can misinterpret a post or comment (easily done in print) & I am sure others do too.

This (Cycle Chat) I have found is by & large a 'very friendly' forum, have a look at one or two other forums & see some of the nastiness that prevails.

My last thought for the day is this.

I prefer to call home 'Great Britain' rather than the United Kingdom or U.K, for me the clue is in the name as Britain is (despite our problems) truly a Great place & for me should be celebrated.

Oh &

Vive la' difference'.

Oi, we'll have less of that foreign nonsense if you don't mind.

 

[the_mikey]

The worst thing about travelling overseas is coming back home and being subjected to our poor public transport, wishing there was a railway station at the airport instead of being ripped off by the taxi driver.

I struggle to enjoy travelling overseas since I am always ill with bad headaches for three days after flying, both going there and coming back again, worse if it's somewhere hot and sunny..