Throughout my life, I’ve visited 6 out of 7 continents. Some in my childhood, others due to business travel or vacations.
Thought this would be a fun thread to share some of our funny, crazy, sad, happy, or interesting travel stories.
One interesting story was my dad’s travels as a businessman. We went to some familiar travel spots (Singapore, Paris, Sydney, etc.) and not so familiar. My family visited Iraq in 1989, when I was 3. A year before they invaded Kuwait, and two years before Desert Storm. Don’t remember much, except from pictures my parents have shown me.
I lived in Australia for a while in 1984, specifically Sydney. I also play guitar. I was in a pick-and-grin session with some of my Aussie buddies one night and they suggested that I go down on Circular Quay and go busking. For those not familiar with it, it’s a docking place in Sydney Harbor for the ferries, with lots of shopping sites, etc. Biggest attraction is the Sydney Opera House.
I thought why not? So that next Saturday, I went down the Quay with several of them and got all set up. Tossed a couple of coins in my guitar case as seed money and began to perform. After about an hour, I had a goodly number of coins and some bills in the case.
About that time, a lady showed up. She was probably in her 50s or so and was rather indignant about the fact that I was trespassing on “her” spot on the Quay. I was ready to pack it in, anyway, but we talked her into doing one song together, with her doing her tambourine and dance routine. And of course, we did “Tie Me Kangaroo Down”. Got a great crowd, and even more money in the case. I made a great friend with her when I dumped the entire content of the case into her tip jar as I packed up.
One of the greatest days of the trip! Here’s a photo of the Quay from the harbor bridge. We had set up about halfway along the walkway to the Opera House on the left.
That’s an amazing story! 
Like to OP, I’ve been to all the continents except Antarctica (and I can stand to miss that one).
Highlights? Riding in a Hot Air Balloon over the Masai Maru in Kenya. You take off before down (and let’s just say that standing out on the savannah in the dark and remember that lions usually hunt either at dusk or before dawn sobers a body), then getting airborne to catch the sunrise and the great herds of Zebra and Wildebeast on the open plains below…very impressive, once-in-a-lifetime stuff.
Also been on the Quay, Clothy; just visiting, not busking.
Other things worth seeing that I’ve seen: Panama Canal, British Museum, Istanbul (not Constantinople), the Pyramids, Singapore, Norway’s fjords…heck, most anywhere I’ve been.
The important thing is if you have the opportunity, go. Just go.
Did you pine?
The most exotic place I’ve been was a four-day boat ride down the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges, from Chongqing to Wuhan. This was before they flooded them with the new dam. The scenery was breathtaking, especially considering that it was destined to all be underwater within a few years.
