Anonymous
08/07/2024 20:43
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Helen, GA. Or maybe Gatlinburg. Two places I went as a kid and returned as an adult to learn that absolutely everything is exactly as it was 30 years ago. Never again.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 20:38
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I hated Tokyo but loved the less crowded parts of Japan.
I haven't been and want to. I would take your experience into account when planning. So land in Tokyo and try to get somewhere else?
Tokyo is one of my favorite cities in the world. Truly. There's SO much there because it's a big place. Asakusa is totally different scene from Akasaka. It is more on the outskirts of Tokyo but you can stay in the city and still make it up to Asakusa. It's TOTALLY different vibe and we loved it. Shibuya is a totally different vibe than Aoyama - the latter is very high end. What I love about Tokyo is you can find everything - from food, shopping, and let me tell you I think the Japanese have the closest relationship with all animals than any other country, weird and crazy costume play, kitchy stuff, horror/amusement parks, TeamLabs, Tokyo has everything, I kid you not. NYC has nothing on Tokyo. Beijing/Shanghai are kind of like that but the Japanese are a LOT OF FUN. We would simply never see anything like what you see here in the US or in many other countries - they bring a sense of humor to stuff but they are also the nicest people ever. They have a lot of rules (eating without shoes at restaurants, trying clothes out without shoes, etc) culturally but Tokyo is a unique city among cities.
I was there for two weeks in winter and never left Tokyo city limits (staying with sibling who lives there and we had too many kids in total to traipse all over the country). Still did something different and fun every single day.
I studied the language in college and Japanese people are some of the funniest people on earth. I was in tears laughing reading ads for plastic surgery on the subway, signs in the ladies' room asking about constipation, a stern warning against gargling with the onsen water, a poignant display at the zoo about the elderly elephant....I think I got ten times the enjoyment out of the trip over my husband and kids.
My parents really enjoy visiting Amish country in Indiana and that's truly something I never need to do again. I feel like they are very annoyed by our presence, even if we are spending money.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 20:26
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:St Croix, USVI. ugh, never again. Really exposes you to the underbelly and dark side of these Caribbean island “paradises”
+1. I wouldn’t say that I completely hated it, but I wouldn’t go back.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 20:14
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
St Croix, USVI. ugh, never again. Really exposes you to the underbelly and dark side of these Caribbean island “paradises”
Anonymous
08/07/2024 20:08
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Cayman Islands
Had a wonderful vacation there in 2000, and was excited to return with my son in spring 2024. So sad to see what had become of this once wonderful destination. So much beach erosion and many of the activities I remembered doing were no longer available. Glad we were only there for a long 4 day weekend, it was so boring. Don't think i'll go back again.
Had a wonderful vacation there in 2000, and was excited to return with my son in spring 2024. So sad to see what had become of this once wonderful destination. So much beach erosion and many of the activities I remembered doing were no longer available. Glad we were only there for a long 4 day weekend, it was so boring. Don't think i'll go back again.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 20:01
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would not go back to India. Hard in many ways.
Only, if you are traveling like the poorest of the poor.
I only luxury travel to and in India. I fly business class in middle eastern airlines (Emirates or Etihad), stop over at Abu Dhabi or Dubai, go in luxury and comfort and minimize the impact of jet lag, Then, I either stay with my family/friends who have extra room, AC, well established homes and servants - or I stay in expensive 5 star hotels. I hire the best and most expensive touring vehicles available and drivers that are known to the family or have great reviews. And I travel mainly with family or friends. I also shop a lot and get all my bulky stuff couriered to US.
India is not a place to do on shoe-string budget travel. If you do that then you have to be inconvenienced sometimes. However, India is still incredibly cheaper than US or Europe so it boggles my mind that westerners want to travel in the way the poorest of the poor are travelling there. If you spend a fraction of your money that you spend in a Western country and stay in good hotels and take taxis from proper registered taxi service, you will have an experience of comfort and luxury.
Nothing beats the food in India. Not one country I have visited has better food than India (ok, Thailand is amazing food too).
Sorry but no. We traveled richest of the rich. You still see things out the windows of your "best and most expensive touring vehicle". The poverty is appalling and the way Indians treat their most vulnerable is appalling. But I'm glad you go back and do all your shopping and can't relate to your countrymen. Just intent on getting the shopping done and the food shoveled in, huh?
What a weird thing to say. For many of us India is our country of origin. We go back to see family, and yes we travel business class, stay in nice hotels, shop and eat while we’re there.
And like the pp pointed out: the abject poverty and obvious caste system doesn’t bother you at all.
Remember the Seinfeld episode with the wedding in India? Even the bride’s Indian parents refused to go.
It’s my homeland. I go to see my family. If that sounds strange to you then so be it. And Seinfeld was a comedy show in case you didn’t know.
Of COURSE it makes sense for people to go whose family lives there. The point is whether it is an enjoyable place to go just as a normal tourist. I think most people in the latter case say it’s an experience and they might be glad they did it once but it is rarely a spot tourists fall in love with.
DP here. I just posted that India was awful. The poor begging on the streets really made it uncomfortable. I stayed at the best resorts. The staff suffocated me by asking me how they could assist me. I remember the perfume stench at the hotels was nauseating. I love to Indian food occasionally in America. I hated every meal I had in India.
I have an Indian friend who loves to visit her family and says how she used to always get lice when she went. How is that enjoyable?!?!?
Anonymous
08/07/2024 19:58
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
I really hated India. I hated everything about it - the food, the smell, the poverty, the interactions with any locals whether they were workers or just the local population. My friend got sick. It was so hot and humid. It was awful.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 19:38
Subject: Re:Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Montreal. So dull.
Aw, I love Montreal. Great museums, shopping and restaurants. It's feels like going to Europe without the jetlag.
I didn't like Montreal much. It's not the worst place, but it's not great either. People are not very nice (I am a native French speaker so that's not why), there is good food, some nice sights, but not amazing. I feel like it would be a fine city where to live, but it's not charming. Quebec City is gorgeous.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 19:34
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Dubai - most soulless place on earth. Beaches are terrible too
Anonymous
08/07/2024 19:33
Subject: Re:Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Montreal. So dull.
You are kidding, right?
Op here. I’m curious about this too PP. I have heard it was boring from posts here on DCUM but tell me more. What did you not like? Is it boring as in there is nothing to see and do? I’ve heard the food is great! I’ve also heard it’s not great/interesting for kids. Was that why?
There are great things to do for kids: museums (Art and science), river cruises, the former Olympic complex (with the biodome and planetarium), insectarium, botanical gardens, underground city, Old Port. Montreal bagels. Mont Royal Park. It's a wonderful city.
I found most of New England boring (the Cape, ME, VT, NH) but I loved Montreal. It really has a charming vibe that I think most of New England lacks. And the food there is much better!
Anonymous
08/07/2024 19:30
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
West Texas.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 19:28
Subject: Re:Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Montreal. So dull.
You are kidding, right?
Op here. I’m curious about this too PP. I have heard it was boring from posts here on DCUM but tell me more. What did you not like? Is it boring as in there is nothing to see and do? I’ve heard the food is great! I’ve also heard it’s not great/interesting for kids. Was that why?
There are great things to do for kids: museums (Art and science), river cruises, the former Olympic complex (with the biodome and planetarium), insectarium, botanical gardens, underground city, Old Port. Montreal bagels. Mont Royal Park. It's a wonderful city.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 19:25
Subject: Re:Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Montreal. So dull.
Aw, I love Montreal. Great museums, shopping and restaurants. It's feels like going to Europe without the jetlag.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 19:18
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would not go back to India. Hard in many ways.
Only, if you are traveling like the poorest of the poor.
I only luxury travel to and in India. I fly business class in middle eastern airlines (Emirates or Etihad), stop over at Abu Dhabi or Dubai, go in luxury and comfort and minimize the impact of jet lag, Then, I either stay with my family/friends who have extra room, AC, well established homes and servants - or I stay in expensive 5 star hotels. I hire the best and most expensive touring vehicles available and drivers that are known to the family or have great reviews. And I travel mainly with family or friends. I also shop a lot and get all my bulky stuff couriered to US.
India is not a place to do on shoe-string budget travel. If you do that then you have to be inconvenienced sometimes. However, India is still incredibly cheaper than US or Europe so it boggles my mind that westerners want to travel in the way the poorest of the poor are travelling there. If you spend a fraction of your money that you spend in a Western country and stay in good hotels and take taxis from proper registered taxi service, you will have an experience of comfort and luxury.
Nothing beats the food in India. Not one country I have visited has better food than India (ok, Thailand is amazing food too).
Sorry but no. We traveled richest of the rich. You still see things out the windows of your "best and most expensive touring vehicle". The poverty is appalling and the way Indians treat their most vulnerable is appalling. But I'm glad you go back and do all your shopping and can't relate to your countrymen. Just intent on getting the shopping done and the food shoveled in, huh?
What a weird thing to say. For many of us India is our country of origin. We go back to see family, and yes we travel business class, stay in nice hotels, shop and eat while we’re there.
And like the pp pointed out: the abject poverty and obvious caste system doesn’t bother you at all.
Remember the Seinfeld episode with the wedding in India? Even the bride’s Indian parents refused to go.
It’s my homeland. I go to see my family. If that sounds strange to you then so be it. And Seinfeld was a comedy show in case you didn’t know.
Of COURSE it makes sense for people to go whose family lives there. The point is whether it is an enjoyable place to go just as a normal tourist. I think most people in the latter case say it’s an experience and they might be glad they did it once but it is rarely a spot tourists fall in love with.
Anonymous
08/07/2024 18:54
Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would not go back to India. Hard in many ways.
Only, if you are traveling like the poorest of the poor.
I only luxury travel to and in India. I fly business class in middle eastern airlines (Emirates or Etihad), stop over at Abu Dhabi or Dubai, go in luxury and comfort and minimize the impact of jet lag, Then, I either stay with my family/friends who have extra room, AC, well established homes and servants - or I stay in expensive 5 star hotels. I hire the best and most expensive touring vehicles available and drivers that are known to the family or have great reviews. And I travel mainly with family or friends. I also shop a lot and get all my bulky stuff couriered to US.
India is not a place to do on shoe-string budget travel. If you do that then you have to be inconvenienced sometimes. However, India is still incredibly cheaper than US or Europe so it boggles my mind that westerners want to travel in the way the poorest of the poor are travelling there. If you spend a fraction of your money that you spend in a Western country and stay in good hotels and take taxis from proper registered taxi service, you will have an experience of comfort and luxury.
Nothing beats the food in India. Not one country I have visited has better food than India (ok, Thailand is amazing food too).
Sorry but no. We traveled richest of the rich. You still see things out the windows of your "best and most expensive touring vehicle". The poverty is appalling and the way Indians treat their most vulnerable is appalling. But I'm glad you go back and do all your shopping and can't relate to your countrymen. Just intent on getting the shopping done and the food shoveled in, huh?
What a weird thing to say. For many of us India is our country of origin. We go back to see family, and yes we travel business class, stay in nice hotels, shop and eat while we’re there.
And like the pp pointed out: the abject poverty and obvious caste system doesn’t bother you at all.
Remember the Seinfeld episode with the wedding in India? Even the bride’s Indian parents refused to go.
It’s my homeland. I go to see my family. If that sounds strange to you then so be it. And Seinfeld was a comedy show in case you didn’t know.