Where to go?

The US Dollar is strong this year, so I'm planning some foreign travel. I started off with Canada and now I'm looking at other countries, too. Any suggestions for a destination that is safe, has some great scenery, and offers good value for money? I find natural scenery preferable to urban touring.

Please note that I will need a visa to visit most countries because I'm a Chinese citizen. Because I'll have many chances to visit Asia in the future, I'd like to go in a different direction this time.

Thanks.

I've got some ideas... :giggle:

If it was me, I'd go to the UK and take the West Highland Line up to Mallaig, take a ferry to the Isle of Skye, then see if there was a bus (try this link) acrosss the Island to Kyle (to catch a different train back to Edinburgh). Or take some of the cool little Scottish post-buses to tiny coastal towns and soak up the scenery and local culture. It's been a long, long time since I did that, so maybe Edwin (caravan man) can tell us how it works now.

Or I'd go spend the summer solstice above the Arctic Circle. Start at Stockholm, and take the Arctic Circle loop trip up to Kiruna and Narvik, and back to Oslo. The trip involves a bus bridge from Narvik to Fauske, where you catch the Nordland Railway southwards to Oslo. There are some cool ferries on the bus bridge, because they could not put a track through there due to the terrain and deep fjords.

Keep us posted what you decide to do. Any way you do it, it's sure to be fun!

Thinking about visas and all maybe the thing to is look at traveling through the Schengen area in Europe. You would only need to get one visa that way and could visit whatever countries are in the Schengen Zone.

Swadian Hardcore said:

The US Dollar is strong this year, so I'm planning some foreign travel. I started off with Canada and now I'm looking at other countries, too. Any suggestions for a destination that is safe, has some great scenery, and offers good value for money? I find natural scenery preferable to urban touring. Please note that I will need a visa to visit most countries because I'm a Chinese citizen. Because I'll have many chances to visit Asia in the future, I'd like to go in a different direction this time. Thanks.

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Not much to go on but I'll suggest Germany. I consider it to be safe, the natural scenery is stunning, and the experience is good value for money. My preference is Bavaria in general and Berchtesgaden in particular. You can dig into the history if you want or just enjoy the natural beauty. If you want to add some trains to the mix you can start in London and pass under the English Channel on Eurostar connecting in Paris to TGV and then put your trip on ICE as you make your way to Southern Germany.

I agree, Germany is a great destination, but I've already been to Germany.

I was thinking perhaps Russia or maybe Bulgaria or Romania? Russia is an especially great deal this year. I just hope it's safe. People say the safety issues there are bloated. Getting a visa is tough, though I heard it may be easier for a Chinese citizen.

Have you considered Central and South America! Affordable and many, many fascinating places and people!

If this was 20 years ago I'd say Mexico, but the damn cartels and the corrupt government ruined it!!!

Yes, sir, I'm considering destinations around the globe. Obviously not going to visit Syria, Iraq, or Sudan, though! Russia is just that place that's really cheap right now and I can visit a large country for only one visa. Certainly, in terms of value, it would be the best, but I'm open to any other ideas. The list is just huge right now. I don't have much to go on myself.

If you have not been there try either Norway or Switzerland.

If you did Bulgaria and Romania would it be both or one or the other? If it's both you'd need a visa for each. I've been to Bulgaria a couple of times and there are some things to see but I don't know if outside of a trip to a Black Sea resort if there's enough to do for a couple of weeks.

Have you visited any other countries in Western Europe? If not as I mentioned before look into getting a "Schengen Visa" which pretty much gets you into any Western European country but Bulgaria and Romania aren't in Schengen yet though they should at some point in the future.

Have you considered places in Africa as well? I hear Cape Town is a wonderful place. I'd love to go there.

Actually you know what...scrap that. If you're a Chinese passport holder do what many Americans would love to do but can't...go to Cuba! You can go there visa free just get a flight out of Canada or Central America.

I don't know how expensive it is currently, but I would love to take the Trans-Siberian all the way...from Moscow to either Vladivostok or the new route to China...would be an incredible "bucket list" journey, no?

Here's one link I found, probably pricey, but there are other cheaper options out there....http://www.transsiberian-travel.com/trans-siberian-journeys/westbound.html?gclid=CLGjtLOw_8QCFajm7AodzG4AdA

Hi,

Just a few notes about the "post bus" situation... Sadly, the service is much reduced, only a handfull of routes still remain, but they do still operate... info on postbuses and an excellent site for "undiscovered Scotland", with public transport options is:

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usscotfax/travel/postbuses.html

Click on public transport options to see what is possible. Just for fun I looked up the mallaig to lochalsh connection and it is doable at a cost of just a few dollars, Ferry to Skye, bus to Lochalsh, easy! They also built a bridge from Lochalsh across to Skye since you were last here, Lolits !

Cheers!

Ed

ps The UK is not part of that european visa scheme... beware!

Those Post-buses sound like an excellent solution to public transportation in areas that don't otherwise have enough demand to support rural bus services, without heavy subsidies.

I would like to see an 'experimental' trial of similar here in the US and Canada....

When I first read your post, I thought they were something like the old Highway Post Offices used in the mid-century here, but those did not carry any passengers...they were a highway-going version of a Railway Post Office....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_Post_Office and

http://postalmuseumblog.si.edu/highway-post-office/

It doesn't necessarily have to be operated by the USPS or a contractor for it...it could be run by UPS or FeDex, or anyone with a more or less regular delivery route...

Actually American Passport holders can generally go to Cuba as long as they do so from a third country. I know several people who have done so with not much problem.

Thanks for the suggestions. I went on Google Street View to check out some of the places and also looked at TripAdvisor and other travel sites, especially for the places that don't have Street View yet. These allowed me to eliminate some countries.

My current options would be:

• Russia
• Romania
• Bulgaria
• Australia

Under consideration:

• Bolivia
• Portugal
• UK

jis said:

Actually American Passport holders can generally go to Cuba as long as they do so from a third country. I know several people who have done so with not much problem.

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Mexicans and Canadians have enjoyed this privilege since the ridiculous US Boycott began!
I've flown from Mexico City and Montreal to Havana, wonderful place with wonderful people! Everyone should go!!!

If the damn politicians would stop their hypocritical posturing and support Obamas common sense plan for normal relations with Cuba wed all benefit greatly!

The Cold War is over, we won!!!

Dang, look at this: https://blog.traveljunction.com/worlds-unfriendliest-countries/.

According to that article, Bolivia, Russia, Bulgaria, and Romania are all poor destinations due to unfriendly people. China is also considered unfriendly. I'm not surprised. Many Chinese people are indeed very racist in private. They especially hate anyone with dark skin, and often call Africans "****s". I'm not racist, but people in China often get angry when I ask them to stop referring to Africans as "****s". So perhaps the article is right.

That link doesn't bother to explain the methodology or their conclusions and it seems rather biased against countries that may not fit into a certain political mold. I wouldn't put much stock in a list like this. I was warned repeatedly that the French hated tourists, especially Americans, but when I visited France myself I found them surprisingly friendly and understanding. The least friendly people I've ever encountered as a tourist where right here in the USA. I think the key to enjoying a polite and friendly trip abroad is to go in with reasonable expectations and a calm attitude. If you don't allow yourself to play the role of the loud and obnoxious tourist then there's no reason for anyone to treat you poorly and little chance you'll have to worry about it.

I think one can "over think" these things... At the end of the day, just think what you want from your holiday, and try to find a suitable place.

Once you think it all through, you might find having a holiday in a different part of the USA suits you best!

In the UK we speak English, so that might be helpful to you if you don't speak any other languages?

Ed

Ed, I am thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Inverness over the U.S. Thanksgiving break. I will probably be using a 4 day Britrail Pass. Any expert advice?

Hi Jis,

I think I have far more experience of Amtrak, than of UK longer haul trains!

Probably UK trains involve less ID and security fuss. It might be worth checking what eating options there are aboard the train.

I imagine it will be an interesting ride, particularly in the morning once in Scotland. What else are you doing while here?

If you prefer to PM me, that is fine. I will cast around for any other information that I can find, meantime.

Ed

The way I see it is that I have plenty of chances to travel within the US, but not many to travel abroad. Besides, I came to the US when I was very small, and I've been all over the country. Of course there's still many places to see, but I just want to take advantage of the strong dollar and travel abroad this year.

I'm not going to trust those articles about "friendly" and "unfriendly" countries, though. All I can say is that Chinese people are less friendly to me than Americans.

So, if I get a UK visa, can I go to Ireland with the same visa?

Southern Ireland (Eire) is a seperate country and government to the United Kingdom, so any visa for the UK will not be valid in Eire.

I have no knowledge of Eire visa requirements for Chinese tourists, having said that, you may find that the Eire visa is easy to get.

Northern Ireland is part of the UK, so you would be able to visit that part .

I would not worry too much about countries being friendly or not, most ordinary folk are pleasant enough!

If I were you, and you can get a visa without too much cost or hassle, Russia would be my destination... but you and I are quite different, methinks!

Why not consider going somewhere interesting as part of an organised tour group, you would have help from guides and tour leaders, and while you don't have the same freedom to do as you please, it might help you to see parts of the world that could be tricky on your own... They often organise all the visa's etc for everyone too.

Ed

Technically you have to be "invited" to visit Russia, which can make for some rather confusing and irrational paradoxes in today's world. For instance, if you first buy a hotel room then the hotel itself can invite you to visit the country. Sounds completely bass ackwards to me but in a practical sense it's not that different from how many other countries operate and I guess it somehow makes sense to them. The more you travel abroad the more you begin to see just how silly and outdated various bureaucratic functions have become over time.