Tuesday night I met up with old bowler, regular commentor and good mate HB/Bush/Jon for a few pints and a major catch up session. Basically, the last time we saw each other was over 2 years ago, so I felt it was high time to catch up, considering he’s doing an accountancy course a few miles away from me. So, after catching up, reminiscing about old times (largely surrounding one of my mates and his ability to vomit 12 times his body weight), and the old “where are they now?” questions, we turned to general chit chat…
“So you got anything planned for you holiday?”
“Funny you should say that as I’ve never been further than Waterford.”
“YOU’VE NEVER BEEN ABROAD?!?!?”*
“No.”
Ever since my 3 days in Portugal, I’ve been walking around thinking I’m like Judith Chalmers, like I am a travelling god. I’m not, I’m quite pathetic. Even so, I realise just how astonishing it is that somebody who has a few years on me has never been abroad. Like popping my cherry and learning to drive, I thought (thinking in driving’s case) I was leaving it late, but I guess there are people who are leaving it even later than me.
Yes, there are! According to a reliable internet based source**, 91% of Luxbourgians have been abroad, and are the most travelled nation of people (for obvious reasons). 75% of Brits have departed these islands fair, and 52% of Americans have. Surprisingly, the Chinese are the least travelled bunch of people, with 30% departing the nation. (I don’t think there was many North Koreans who took the poll).
Question is, have you? And where has been the best/worst place you’ve visited?
*Waterford is abroad, but not proper abroad, France is proper abroad. Ireland isn’t. I’m closer to Dublin than I am to London. It’s not proper abroad.
**Wii Everybody Votes channel a few weeks ago
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Rhys Wynne, the author of this blog, is a 20 something web designer from Colwyn Bay.
I have been to New York and Paris… and London, so I only need Milan and I’ve covered everywhere written on perfume bottles.
And in response to yesterday’s question I would definitley call my kid Ryan… boy or girl. isn’t it so cute when people have the same name as their dad. You can call them Jr or Ryan ii… so cute.
I have realised that the smaller a country is, the more well-travelled its citizens are.
Singapore is the size of a postage stamp( comparitively) and 99% of us have a passport by the time we are one. Even if it’s just to go into neighbouring Malaysia.
People from the really big lands are so busy seeing their own stuff, they dont need to go anywhere else. Especially China, because everything in the world is made or copied there anyway.
It also helps if you are a slightly affluent society, I guess. Fiji is kinda small, but I don’t see Fijians travelling alot, do you? (I am not 100% sure on that).
Anyway to answer your question, I have travelled to Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, HongKong, Sri Lanka, Dubai (do stopovers count?), US and good ol’ Australia.
Next on the list is Israel. I can’t wait
I think France wins for me, so relaxed and laid back, bit nicer weather but not too hot, and fun to practice the v bad French from school!
I love Singapore, and London and Scotland…
I’ve been really lucky with all the places i’ve visited so far!
Highlights have to be Kruger Park South Africa, Melbourne (neighbours nights rock), the outback in Australia
Cannot wait to visit Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos!!
I’m in the US and have been to London and Wales (Llanbedr, Tallybont, Barmouth to be specific).
I think Nal has a point about people from big countries seeing their own stuff. I love the American West and Northwest. I still need to go up into New England (DC doesn’t count). And I lived in Oklahoma for a while, right smack in the middle!
best: bali, its magical and they have AXN! lol
worst: nowhere, China was ok except for the beds and the rude people!
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