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[quote=Anonymous]I would never say international is better than domestic. "International travel" can easily mean going to the Caribbean where you never leave the resort, or going to London and never checking out the museums. Having said that, as someone who has been to approximately 50 countries and still travels substantially I keep going for the overseas trips because I seek out the different, not just scenery but also culture and food. The US is extremely homogeneous across the nation. There are stunning scenery but the food isn't going to be different (enough) and the culture is more or less the same. That's my experience and personal preference. And there's always that kick of going "overseas." Boarding a plane and landing in a country with a different language and architectural heritage and traditions and food. It's a real thrill for me.

Depending on the type of trip or where you go it can actually be easier to travel overseas than in the US. For example, I love mountains. I love the Alps. Why I love the Alps is because it's easy for me to fly to a main airport, take the train from Munich/Zurich/Milan into the Alps, transfer to a an highly efficient bus system if necessary and there are thousands of trails to pick from for walking (and aided by the ever so convenient ski lifts in the summer months). There are hundreds of Alpine huts that offer you excellent accommodation and wonderful food and drinks for very reasonable prices. I can easily plan a circular walking route that brings me back to the base point at the end. It's so easy to plan a week's walking trip through the Alps. However, in the US? There are spectacular mountains in the West but the infrastructure for exploring the region is much more limited. The distances are much longer, there are far fewer trails, you're more restricted in your options, accommodation seems to be either very expensive lodges or basic motels, the food is not as interesting (unless you pay for it). It can be great for picking a single trail and camping, or going to a single place and doing day walks, but you need to be much more careful in organizing the logistics. I'm not a family, I'm a single traveler (most of the time) so it's much easier to travel as a single traveler abroad than in the US.

As a single traveler, being able to take efficient, frequent and inexpensive trains and buses and domestic flights around Europe or Asia, the huge range of inexpensive accommodation available, thousands of little cafes and restaurants where I can dine alone comfortably (or street food in Asia, which is bliss), my overseas trips just offer me more benefits.

Having said that, exploring more of America is definitely on my list. I really want to tackle more of the great west. I want to see more American cities. I've been to 50 countries but not California! (airport doesn't count).

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