actually, India. I've seen it enough times on the Amazing Race that I shudder to think about going. I'm sure if I were male, I'd think nothing of going.
a few years ago, I took a cross-country train trip to Albuquerque. It was amazing. Just sitting and watching the country go by and seeing how the landscape changed was awesome.
I didn't think I'd be alone in my hesitation to visit India. My friend went during a massive trip she took years ago, and said it was her least favorite place. But still. I remain oddly intrigued.
Another good point: I don’t have enough money to travel safely/comfortably in the more unstable corners of the world. So that’s a consideration as well.
I used to think that if be happy to go anywhere, but then I realized two things: 1) I am a white-looking female. That would make me a target/unwelcome in a large percentage of the world. 2) Ever since my first pregnancy I have developed a host of stupid food allergies (gee thanks, kid). If I can't read your label or trust that I can communicate with the waitstaff effectively and that they will take me seriously, I'm going to avoid eating in your country. Not eating really puts a crimp in my vacation plans.
Those factors really shrink the world for me. Or I'll have to become one of those awful tourists who flies to China and declares, too loudly, "Ooh, look a McDonalds!" Considering that I moved to a town specifically because they didn't have a McDonalds within the city limits, that would be an all time low.
The food allergy thing is tough, even in countries that speak English. When we visited Ireland two years ago, the poor Munchkin pretty much lived on bangers and chips because there is dairy and/or eggs in practically everything over there. So that is a very valid consideration as well…especially if you DON’T speak the language.
There are some places I definitely wouldn't travel to: war-torn places, the middle east (see "white American female") , and some parts of Africa are just too unstable. I worry more now that I"m a mom--I need to come home safe and (since I travel with my kids), I need to bring them home safely, too.
It’s very frustrating that our physical beings (aka White American Females) put us at risk if we travel to certain places. But my company takes white American females to places like Morocco, Turkey, and Africa pretty successfully…which is why I feel like, for certain trips, there is safety in taking a professional tour. But yeah. No war-torn countries for me either, thanks.
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a few years ago, I took a cross-country train trip to Albuquerque. It was amazing. Just sitting and watching the country go by and seeing how the landscape changed was awesome.
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I don't know man, even Indiana Jones barely got out of India alive. You may want to live vicariously through travel shows on that one.
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1) I am a white-looking female. That would make me a target/unwelcome in a large percentage of the world.
2) Ever since my first pregnancy I have developed a host of stupid food allergies (gee thanks, kid). If I can't read your label or trust that I can communicate with the waitstaff effectively and that they will take me seriously, I'm going to avoid eating in your country. Not eating really puts a crimp in my vacation plans.
Those factors really shrink the world for me. Or I'll have to become one of those awful tourists who flies to China and declares, too loudly, "Ooh, look a McDonalds!" Considering that I moved to a town specifically because they didn't have a McDonalds within the city limits, that would be an all time low.
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