For the record, just to forestall the arguments we had over country-dom and nationhood in a thread about which countries people have been to, I'm talking fully-recognized, fully-autonomous, U.N. member states here. True countries of the world. None of that Antartica/Bermuda crap.

Now then, what nation that you haven't been to would you most like to visit and why?

I'll cheat and go with two--

Australia because it seems to combine my two travel loves. I love walking through cities and discovering all manner of human-created wonder, and I like seeing natural "holy-shit-look-at-that-beautiful-vista" type wonder. Australia seems to have both in abundance.

Singapore sometimes gets accused of not having enough culture or soul, but as someone who's never been to Pacific Asia (Israel is the only part of the continent I've set foot on) it seems like a great way to start. And then I could take trips from there to Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta and see more culture if I find Singapore too antiseptic.

What about you guys? What nations would you like to plant your flag in?

England and South Korea. England because I am a footy fan and would like to attend a few matches in person, and South Korea just because I like kim chi.

Russia. Culture, language, architecture... it all fascinates me.

Otherwise, I'd go to Argentina or Spain for the footy, like Rags.

Russia's on my list too. Especially with my wife being fluent in the language and curious about her mother country.

Brazil. No matter if it's Rio, São Paulo, Belém.... I know the language very well, I know lots and lots of people from there - and some great movies adn tv shows.... I would know where to go to avoid being mugged or worse.

"Se eu tivesse o dinheiro, viajava p'ra lá já" - if I had the money I'd travel there right away!

1 - Peru - Machu Picchu. 2 - Canada. Would love to go many places there for many reasons: fish, golf, ski, hunt, kayak, train rides, Quebec City, Montreal, etc.

I still haven't been to Europe yet, so eventually I'd like to get over there and tour around. Spain, France, and the U.K. would top my list.

As someone who's lived in the Northeast most of my life I can't help but find Canada a bit mundane, but I definitely want to go back to Montreal. Peru though -- totally.



I didnt know you spoke Portuguese. That's cool!

If I could ever find the time and money, i'd like to travel to Thailand and The Netherlands(or more specifically, Amsterdam)

As many countries that I've been to (nearly 60), there is still a long list. Hard to narrow it down to just one (or two, James, you cheater!). I've been to most of the countries already listed in this thread (all but Australia, Peru and South Korea), and they're all good choices, for different reasons. I guess if you had to pin me down it would be either New Zealand or China. NZ is absolutely stunning and has much to offer from the natural standpoint. Not so much culture, but nature trumps culture in my book. Combining the two is the best of course (e.g. Petra in Jordan) but if I had to choose I would go for Nature nearly every time.

China has always been a dream of mine. As a HS graduation present to myself, I was to take a bike tour along the Great Wall. I saved my lawn mowing money for two years for that trip. I was signed up, but they needed 15 people for it to go, and only 12 signed up and it was cancelled. Huge disappointment, and I have never managed to get there. Hong Kong, but not China proper. The culture has always fascinated me and there are some incredible things to see there. It may end up being disappointing, but I would still love to go.

So many others could go on the list-- Venezuela (Orinocco, Canaima, Angel Falls, tepuis (Lost World anyone)), South Africa, Australia, Peru, Vietnam, Nepal, Iceland, Galapagos, Easter Island (OK, destinations, not countries).

As a side note, anyone who wants to check Germany off their list is welcome to visit. We have an extra room and Munich, As well as being a wonderful city in its own right, makes a perfect base to explore other parts of Europe. Within a 5-hour (or less) radius you can be in Berlin, Prague, Venice, Vienna Strasbourg, the Dolomites, etc. Salzburg in less than an hour away, the Alps are right next door, and Rome, Lorence, Paris Amsterdam et al. are all an overnight (or less) train ride away. Take a sleeper in the evening, go sleep, wake up and you're in Paris! And it's just a two hour flight to London. Wheee! Munich and the surrounding Bavarian countryside have loads to offer as well.

Anyway, the offer it there....

Thanks Munichman! I do need to go back to Germany since the only things I've seen of it were Berlin a few years after the reuniting of the country and Frankfurt, which I hear is more of a business town than the true heart of cultural Germany. However, living in the U.S. makes international travel expensive enough that one has to prioritize, and since I haven't been to Italy and my wife hasn't been to France, those will be our next two summer's trips respectively.



That sucks dude. Two years of saving for WHAT??? I hate those three people for you

Let me know if you want some tips. We have some great hotels in Italy, depending on where you want to go. France as well...

Yeah Canada isn't exactly exotic for most folks in the U.S. But I'm from Mississippi - even the Northeast U.S. is pretty foreign to me. I grew up reading my Dad's outdoor magazines (Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, etc.) and Canada was imprinted on my brain very early on. But, although I've probably been to all but a handful of the states in the U.S., for some reason I still have never made it to Canada. Been throughout Europe but have never set foot on Asia, South America, Africa, or Austrailia.

-Japan
-England
-Greece
-Germany

My wife and I did Singapore and Australia for our Honeymoon in 2008, Albeit only 1 day and night in Singapore en route to Australia.

Singapore is spotless. Kinda takes your breath away a bit. I suppose that's what you get when littering carries a sentence of 1 week forced labour.

Australia is superb. Sydney is the only city I've really enjoyed staying in. It's very modern urban as you would expect but with a kind of relaxed feel to it. Unlike London and (apprently) New York which are chaos.

Canada - Always wanted to travel through Canada. Possibly by car, or perhaps on the trans-canadian railway. Vancouver looks lovely. I like the thought of the sheer openess of it all. I have a feeling this country is seriously on the way up!

Japan - A civilisation I respect greatly. This would probably be my number one choice actually. I also like the idea of being taller than all the people around me

It's overrated, trust me. Speaking as a nearly seven-footer, the novelty would wear off. The only advantages are being able to reach things on the upper shelves and being able to locate a toilet easily in crowded spaces.

For my country I would that I haven't been to, I guess I would go with Australia and/or New Zealand. I have been to half a dozen European countries and Mexico, but not to South America or Asia. Need to get out more.

It's great at concerts. We went to see Depeche Mode in Rome and U2 in Turin for just that reason. No problem seeing the stage!

I'm 6', which is average here in Germany. That means there are plenty of heads getting in the way. My wife is 5'8" and she had no problem seeing the stage in Italy.

Bloody Hell!!!

Have you considered WWE?

I quite fancy Germany too. Not too far for me.

My Dad spent part of his childhood in Cologne as my Granddad was a civil servant there after the War and throughout much of the 50s.