Places you would, or wouldn't go back to?

[Cossie]

A question raised by Docjames in my Africa road trip thread has made me think about travelling back to places that you have visited. I'm curious to see if there are reasons why you would or wouldn't go back somewhere.

I realise that circumstances change, security is now a big issue in a lot of the places I have been to and would like to revisit.

Syria is at the top of the list, but by the time it is ok to go back there, it will have changed considerably from my previous visits there.

Places I'm not to keen on returning to include all the places i've been to in China, except for Yunnan, no desire to go back to Indonesia, or at least the parts I have been to.

Anyone like to contribute?

 

[Pushka]

I know that people love Vietnam, but after 2 nasty threatening incidents in Nha Trang and HCM I wont be returning.
I dont have any desire to return to China other than to visit Shanghai when it isnt having a rain storm, but that is it for China.

 

[Buzzard]

Places I'm returning to this year include Berlin, Madrid, San Fran, LA.

I can't think of anywhere I wouldn't go back to because of a bad experience It's just that I may not go back because there are other places to go. A place that I didn't find overly stimulating is Lantau Island so maybe put it as no go destination.

 

[clazman]

Really enjoyed Washington DC and cant wait to go back in the future.

 

[Major]

I certainly won't be going back to Bali or coughet. They have changed so much in recent years

 

[RooFlyer]

I would love to go back to Russia again and again, even the places I've already been to. Also Burma, India, Italy, Brazil and Turkey: all very diverse experiences available, like visiting a different country, rather than re-visiting the same one.

Not keen on going back to China; can't exactly say why; I just didn't like it the 2 times I've been.

Wouldn't go back to Morocco, due to a business deal that went bad there and I'm worried about being picked up at the airport!

 

[OATEK]

Such reasons are generally subjective, and YMMV always applies. But I have never been happy going to Dubai (even in transit) since we were stood up against a wall by men with machine guns because they thought someone (none of my party of 5 aged from 6 to 65) tried to take a photo of a local in flowing robes. A very frightening event, especially as it occurred in an Airport terminal.

Of course there are places where I have been that I was happy to visit once, but would not seek out again, but Dubai stands out as a place I seek to avoid.

I keep going back to Paris, Berlin and Vienna whenever I can drum up the excuse, and also will keep going back to Greece if possible.

 

[Cossie]

Such reasons are generally subjective, and YMMV always applies. But I have never been happy going to Dubai (even in transit) since we were stood up against a wall by men with machine guns because they thought someone (none of my party of 5 aged from 6 to 65) tried to take a photo of a local in flowing robes. A very frightening event, especially as it occurred in an Airport terminal.

Of course there are places where I have been that I was happy to visit once, but would not seek out again, but Dubai stands out as a place I seek to avoid.

I keep going back to Paris, Berlin and Vienna whenever I can drum up the excuse, and also will keep going back to Greece if possible.

I'm in agreement about Dubai, I will begrudgingly transit through there, but not interested in staying there again.

 

[LZ66]

Hi Pushka, Can you elaborate a little on what the two nasty incidents were? Just wondering as my daughter is travelling to Vietnam in two weeks. Thankyou.

 

[carls888]

I wouldn't go back to Kuala Lumpur or LasVegas. Neither floated my boat and there are so many places places on my list that I would like to visit.
Places we always go back to are: Bangkok (cannot get enough still and after 13 visits are going back this year again.), NYC, Carmel on the Californian coast is one of my favourite places to be, as are most places in Italy. So many places really, but these are the top ones so far.

 

[Boca68]

So many places I'd love to see again. Turkey is one of the more recent ones. If I was single, I'd go back and take the small risk as I thought it was amazing. But the +1 would never speak to me again if I did now.

Spain, Colombia, Brazil and Cuba would return in a heartbeat.

The only place I would not return to is Venezuela. Mostly due to the likelihood of being arrested on arrival. Was technically deported last time (2007) for making a rude comment about Senor El Presidente Chavez at the airport on departure. Thought noone heard it apart form the colombian guy I was talking to. Five minutes later was being escorted to the plane by 2 armed guards. Not that I really mind as Caracas was a dump!

 

[Dr Ralph]

Places I wont go back to: Dapto.

 

[Pushka]

Hi Pushka, Can you elaborate a little on what the two nasty incidents were? Just wondering as my daughter is travelling to Vietnam in two weeks. Thankyou.

Sure. I've mentioned them on AFF before.
First we are a couple then just 50. Husband and wife. Both travelled the world so do not consider ourselves newbies.

In Nha Trang market we were walking around and realized we kept seeing the same person behind us. We turned abound and he disappeared. Then saw him talking to another guy without him knowing and that guy started tailing us. This is a market of odd turns and areas. In the end we realized there were four men taking it in turns to tail us. We almost ran out of the market because of these odd dark corners. Ran to a taxi. Taxi driver looked in the rear vision mirror and told us to quickly shut the door and he wound up the windows. Just as he pulled up the four guys got to the taxi and banged on it and jeered and gesticulated. Very unpleasant.

A few days later we were near the HCM waterfront. It was really hot and for the first time that trip I was wearing a bum bag because the internal wallet husband was wearing was giving him a rash. It was around 6pm. We got to the median island and were waiting to cross the road. A cyclo driver with passenger on back veered into the path of my husband who was on my right 'protecting' me from incoming traffic. He stepped back to avoid being hit and 'exposed' me. Cyclo passenger slashed (we presume) the bag off me as it was gone in a flash. I realized immediately and looked up to see them drive off with the passenger holding the bag and jeering. Lost my phone, credit card, glasses and cash and hotel key.

We were staying at a Club room in the hotel nearby so that manager accompanied us to the police station which holds guys in handcuffs where you report crimes as victims. Awful hole. Took about 3 hours to get statement and translation done.

I can't even say to keep your wits about you because we did. But they are very clever.

If your daughter is going in a group she should be fine. We saw lots of other people with backpacks etc who were fine. We did hear of another traveler whose camera was taken from her backpack in HaNoi. We just got unlucky.

 

[drron]

I wouldn't go back to Kuala Lumpur or LasVegas. Neither floated my boat and there are so many places places on my list that I would like to visit.
Places we always go back to are: Bangkok (cannot get enough still and after 13 visits are going back this year again.), NYC, Carmel on the Californian coast is one of my favourite places to be, as are most places in Italy. So many places really, but these are the top ones so far.

You've got a way to catch up.We also love Bangkok and to celebrate our 50th visit stayed a month this time.
NYC we also loved but have stayed there for 7-8 months all up so don't need to return.
Bali,Dubai are also places we have had enough of.
Vietnam-a good friend of ours had a major incident there.Had heard of bag snatchers so had it basically tied on her wrist.Similiar to Pushka a pair on a motorbike,bag snatched and she was dragged down the road breaking her arm.

Plus any place mrsdrron doesn't want to go to or back to.She has a long list.

 

[Justinf]

I won't go jogging in the Tenderloin area in San Francisco again.

 

[straitman]

I'm happy to go to almost anywhere again though some place are so far down the list it will probably never happen.

 

[Pushka]

Vietnam-a good friend of ours had a major incident there.Had heard of bag snatchers so had it basically tied on her wrist.Similiar to Pushka a pair on a motorbike,bag snatched and she was dragged down the road breaking her arm.

That was the one thing we were relieved about drron - that I hadn't been dragged down the road. Given it was hot I was only in light clothing and the scraping would have been horrendous. They really sped off.

 

[Archphoto]

Would love to get back to Prague again - I thoroughly enjoyed my time there despite being involved in an auto accident.

If I *never* see North Korea (Mt. Kumgang) again soon, I won't be in tears at all. I've travelled to many places around the world, but that place is the most soul-sucking, unfriendly places I've ever visited. I still don't understand why the South Koreans flocked there for a holiday; I spent ten days there on a photo-shoot, the scenery on the golf course was its only redeeming feature.

Have to agree with Bali & coughet. Bali, I hated from the outset - thankfully we were again on a photo-shoot and trips into the "city" were few and far between, but I got so sick and tired of touts and having stuff thrust at me to buy, I was at the stage that I wanted to throttle the next one who came along.

coughet, sadly, has changed considerably since my first visit in 2006 - like many other places we've undertaken photo-shoots at, the influx of Russian tourists has not improved the ambience at all. Entitled, rude and arrogant attitudes made myself and my team feel very sorry for the staff at the various hotels, who had to endure some pretty awful performances from many of the Russian guests.

 

[Pushka]

The Russian tourists were very evident this week in coughet and on our cruise. Probably not an enhancement to the usual social graces.

 

[OZDUCK]

I wouldn't bother going back to Belgrade or Zagreb - though they might have improved since Tito died. (Showing my age) To be honest Hong Kong didn't take my fancy - but to be fair we only spent 24 hours there in-between long flights, so tiredness may have affected my opinion.