[quote]
Now the story about getting the doc. to clear out the hole in my elbow without a anaesthetic because of time restraints that’s a good one . **
Umm, be sure to tell that one before I’ve had anything to drink, okay? Remember that puking problem I told you about?
Wow. Between you and ColdClogs, we should be hearing some very interesting travel stories at DubDope. 
Almost all the states
Sumatra
Austrailia
Japan (everyone is small)
China (everyone is smaller)
Borneo
Aruba (great steaks)
Baja (often)
Mexico
Mazatlan
South Africa
Brazil (Carnival-WOOT!)
Canary Islands
Tazmania (The devils look nothing like the cartoon dammit)
Channel Islands
Belize
Virgin Islands (I am gonna retire there)
couple others but I am too tired
I have been to Mexico (just over the border) several times. (I’m from L.A. so this is no big deal.)
Canada - to Beautiful British Columbia - which is very beautiful!
The States: Most all of the United States. Have gone on several cross-country trips. Once as a teenager with the family in the family car, once by Amtrak, once by Greyhound. (I don’t recommend Greyhound.) I’ve also gone on several trips half-way across the country, by car. And done the N-S trips up and down the coasts. I really have enjoyed that.
I especially enjoyed “relatively recent” (as in sometime in the '90s) trips to Atlanta, New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Orlando, San Francisco, NYC, San Diego, Waikiki, and on and on.
Favorite places are Yosemite (of course!) Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon…and most any other National Park. And I also love driving up the California Coast. In fact, I’ll be doing that in a few weeks.
Ye gods, I’m jealous. I’ve never been out of Australia.
I’m jealous of you being in Australia .
PS. I see your swimmers just broke a world record for Men 100m relay and got a gold in the pool
England, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Gibraltar, Italy, Andorra (Well CF started it). Outside Europe, Thailand, Australia (Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns etc), US (mostly Chicago and a few of the surrounding states). Where am I now? Manchester. If it weren’t for the football, this place would suck.
Imminent trips Paris before Xmas, Chicago (I just can’t keep away, a wonderful city) for new year, Brazil for Carnivale in February.
Must… resist… the… urge… 
I, personally, have been all over central Alberta. Envy me.
Thirty-some US states, including 26 in one month (January 1999), plus these nations:
Canada - Montreal
The U.K. - London (2x) and Aylesbury, Bucks
Czech Republic - Prague
New Zealand - Auckland
Australia - Melbourne
France - Paris
and, in November:
Sweden - Stockholm
Finland - Helsinki
I looked in my journal - it was Kusadassi. We were only there one day - long enough to go to Ephesus and buy a Turkish carpet for my living room. This was part of an eastern Mediterranean cruise I took. You’re right about Ephesus - it was probably the highlight of the trip for me, but it is really hard to pick - we saw the Palace of Knossos on Crete the same trip, along with three days in Israel, where we took side trips to Masada and the Dead Sea. The trip was fantastic, and the cruise was a great way to see lots of different things in a short period of time, and get a taste of things so you can decide where you want to go back to for a longer visit. The disadvantage of the cruise is that you really don’t get a chance to absorb much of the local culture (and cuisine), which for me is one of the main reasons to travel.
The other strange thing with the cruise - I think I was the youngest adult there (there were a couple of kids), and I was 33 at the time. I think the median age was about 70.
It was fantastic. And, this is going to sound a little strange, but part of the reason I liked it was that there were very few American tourists. There are so many “Ugly American” tourists I’m embarassed by it.
My father is a classic example. My first overseas trip was Italy - my sister and I went with our parents. My mother is a wonderful traveller. My dad, well…
His comment when wandering the streets of Rome - “There’s a statue of some Pope or Saint or somebody.”
In Florence, we wanted to make a second visit to Uffizi to see Michelangelo’s David. My dad preferred to stay at the hotel and have a drink… We went to Uffizi w/out him.
His comment when we were in Pompei, looking at some clay pots and other everyday items that had been excavated - “Boy, those are some pretty old pots, I’ll tell you.”
His assessment of Rome “It’s big, old, crowded, and smelly.”
And, worst of all, he complained about the food. In Italy! Every meal we had was good; most were excellent. But “I sure could go for a ham and cheese sandwich.”
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrggggggggghhhhhhhh!!!
I love my dad, but he is no longer invited to join us in any foreign country.
Get comfy, this’ll take a while. For reasons that will shortly become obvious, I’ll confine myself to places outside of the US.
Ages 12 and 13: Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Traveled with my parents, stayed mainly in resort areas. It was fun, but a bit sheltered; I’d like to go back now and see both countries properly.
Age 16: France, Austria, Hungary, Germany, and Switzerland. Yep, the infamous whirlwind European family vacation. My favorite bits were Salzburg (where we stayed with my mom’s host family from her junior year abroad) and Budapest (it had the sort of funky, gritty feel that rebellious teenagers gravitate toward). Least favorite bits: being forced to climb the spiral staircase at Notre Dame while hallucinating from jet lag; Switzerland in general (it has the sort of upscale, squeaky-clean feel that rebellious teenagers HATE).
Age 17: The Bahamas, with a student group. LOVED it, in spite of the fact we spent most of the time studying biology. Had a marvelous time swimming with the barracuda and sting rays.
Age 19: Spain. The semester abroad. Lived in Valencia, traveled to (among other places) Barcelona, Granada, Sevilla, and Madrid. Survived homesickness, extreme culture shock, and a mugging. Quite possibly the most unforgettable, life-changing experience I’ve ever had, or ever will have; I have never felt entirely American since.
Age 21: London and the Lake District, with my 81-year-old grandmother and a family friend. Enjoyed it, but didn’t fall in love with England the way I did with Spain. That came later…
Age 24: London again, Oxford, Stratford, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin, Galway, Cork, Waterford, Roscoff, Rennes, St. Malo, Mont-St-Michel, Paris, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Oviedo, La Coruna, Santiago, Santander, Plymouth, York again, Manchester. Eight weeks with a very big backpack, most of it alone. Needless to say it was yet another unforgettable life-changing experience; I wish I had world enough and time to post all the stories here. Suffice to say that what was meant to be a last adventure before settling into adult life has turned into an addiction…
Future plans: Back to England for New Year’s, and probably many more times after that (long-distance relationship, and besides I’ve learned to love the place). Possibly Australia and N.Z. next summer if I can scrape together the plane fare. Italy, Greece, and Turkey are also very high on my list, although I’d like to learn at least a bit of the languages first.
It was great meeting you Fretful on the Dublin leg of your trip and keep travelling . You’ll be a long time dead 