Far flung and/or remote globe trotters

[Ghost of LL 15531]

17 hours ago, lemonlime said:

Obviously amazing sites in Cairo.  But the air quality was so bad when we there, it was hard to go outside.  I have all these pictures at the Pyramids where it looks like it's a rainy, foggy, overcast day, just from huge amounts of smog.  After I left for Aswan, had a lingering cough for a few days.  But maybe I'm down on it because I really didn't explore much in Cairo.   And our hotel was far from the Four Seasons.  I was just jet lagged, having trouble breathing, and wanted to get further afield.

Edit to add that I loved the rest of our time in Egypt, but Cairo was difficult.

We didn't have that experience with the smog.  It was polluted, but it wasn't that bad.  We went in April; perhaps it's a seasonal thing?

But this does bring up a good point, and maybe it's a rule of thumb that should be adopted: the shitter the country, the nicer your hotel needs to be.  I don't mind staying at a pretty cheap hotel in Berlin.  But if I'm going to Nigeria, you better believe I'm staying at the Ritz Carlton.

13 hours ago, staboner said:

The most unsafe I have ever felt was Russia in the cities (ST pete and Moscow). Bribes, unmarked cop cars, lots of fucking people openly carrying weapons, it was far and away to most unsafe I have ever felt. Not a problem now cuz ain't no one going there for a generation or two  

*     *     *

For me there are a few must dos left: South Africa, Kamchatka Peninsula, and more parts of South America (Patagonia, Colombia, and parts of Brazil)

 

I've shared on here previously that Russia was the only place I've traveled where I felt unsafe even in my hotel.  Fucking mobsters running prostitutes out of the lobby and meeting with cops in the hotel bar.  And this was in a nice Western hotel.

Never again.

But, I have to ask--Kamchatka?

I do know that Alaska Airlines used to fly to Petropavlovsk from Anchorage years ago.  But that flight is long-since discontinued.  To get there now, I think you'd probably have to go through Moscow.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Never been to Russia, so no on the Kamchatka. But obviously don’t go in winter. I have some colleagues that worked on a project in Sakhalin and they said it was the most brutal cold you could imagine. Needed arctic suits to be outside and even then you had to limit your time.

[52-80 19159]

4 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

We didn't have that experience with the smog.  It was polluted, but it wasn't that bad.  We went in April; perhaps it's a seasonal thing?

I've shared on here previously that Russia was the only place I've traveled where I felt unsafe even in my hotel.  Fucking mobsters running prostitutes out of the lobby and meeting with cops in the hotel bar.  And this was in a nice Western hotel.

Cairo gets a lot of dust, which creates an orange glow/haze when the sun is low, which is photogenic. 

I never felt unsafe in Russia, but my traveling pal did get robbed. That was after going to what was a normal bar/club, which apparently had some guy hosting a birthday party there, mingled on main area with us/everyone, where dancers suddenly got full-frontal nekkid. Which was nice. 

That country just retains a unique and exotic vibe 
 

 

[staboner 4974]

11 hours ago, Orale said:

I'm at 48 countries, most solo, and typing from Australia at the moment. Half or so were Europe, the rest South America and Asia. I could easily retire in BA eventually. The top of my bucket list is parts of Africa, Beirut, Cairo, and India. 

The wildest yet most rewarding place so far was Port-au-Prince after its earthquake in January 2010. I drove from the DR where I lived in a Uhaul type truck with medical supplies three days after the quake. It was eerily calm yet pure chaos at the same time. I also went six months before the quake to volunteer for a week and really enjoyed PAP. Watch Conan O'Brien's remotes from Haiti in 2018 and you'll see it was a really vibrant and fascinating place with wonderful people that has since tragically descended into the abyss.

check ya DMs

[staboner 4974]

5 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

We didn't have that experience with the smog.  It was polluted, but it wasn't that bad.  We went in April; perhaps it's a seasonal thing?

But this does bring up a good point, and maybe it's a rule of thumb that should be adopted: the shitter the country, the nicer your hotel needs to be.  I don't mind staying at a pretty cheap hotel in Berlin.  But if I'm going to Nigeria, you better believe I'm staying at the Ritz Carlton.

I've shared on here previously that Russia was the only place I've traveled where I felt unsafe even in my hotel.  Fucking mobsters running prostitutes out of the lobby and meeting with cops in the hotel bar.  And this was in a nice Western hotel.

Never again.

But, I have to ask--Kamchatka?

I do know that Alaska Airlines used to fly to Petropavlovsk from Anchorage years ago.  But that flight is long-since discontinued.  To get there now, I think you'd probably have to go through Moscow.

Yeah, I think Kamchatka is just the end of the world. Kind of the same feeling with Patagonia, parts of Oz I guess too. Just no fucking people around, lots of nature, not a transit point of any sort. That kind of travel lust to be at the end of it all where no one goes. 

Feeling unsafe in Russia is certainly a different feeling. Cops, hookers, mobsters in cahoots and you just kind of do what exactly? Don't make eye contact, don't look like a tourist, always carry your papers, and if you can befriend some locals that you can go out with. I took all this advice from a colleague/mentor that also specifically mentioned feeling very uncomfy in his hotel. And mind you he is extremely well traveled. Timeframe 2005 to 2010.

I spent two weeks in Russia. I have like maybe 10 travel stories I tell to friends. At least 3 from these two weeks. Machine guns, unmarked cops, bribes, physically removed from a bank, I can go on. Any longer than 2 weeks I would be in jail, deported, or made king. Fuck if I know. That place is straight up batshit crazy. But I will say its a different world in Siberia and if you can ever go there (ever again?!) I would recommend it. The people are very nice, very welcoming, and love it when strangers come by. Thirsty AF, but hey I get it. Its a beautiful shithole. 

[Telegraph_it 3357]

This is about as remote as I’ve made it. Patagonia. Thailand. And the middle of the Outback somewhere.

 

 

 

[Reynolds Woodcock 4741]

22 hours ago, mycox said:

Barcelona: Not me, but my friend got his Rolex (dumb idea to wear while traveling) pickpocketed while taking a piss in an alley. He didn't even know it was stolen until he told me he was talking with a couple of guys while taking a piss.

That shit happened to me, except it was my work iPhone. A little after 4am-ish stumbling back to hotel after a night out, and some innocent seeming dudes came dancing up to us. 7 seconds later I realized my phone was gone.

I was only a third year law firm associate at the time, but my firm remote wiped the phone and sent me a new one the next day. Can’t let a single billable hour potentially go to waste…

[Ghost of LL 15531]

44 minutes ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

Can’t let a single billable hour potentially go to waste…

[Orale 1087]

That shit happened to me, except it was my work iPhone. A little after 4am-ish stumbling back to hotel after a night out, and some innocent seeming dudes came dancing up to us. 7 seconds later I realized my phone was gone.
I was only a third year law firm associate at the time, but my firm remote wiped the phone and sent me a new one the next day. Can’t let a single billable hour potentially go to waste…

I was in Zurich years ago and spilled a beer on the firm MacBook. The partner I mostly worked for laughed on the phone and said to get a new one there on them. Derp.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

I’m glad I am not much of a drinker. Y’all a bunch of marks.

[midtown 3345]

I’m glad I am not much of a drinker. Y’all a bunch of marks.

In a lot of places it's camouflage

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

In a lot of places it's camouflage

Maybe in a bar/club or group setting. But I suspect it is not wise to stumble back to a hotel drunk at 3am by yourself or even with one other person. In a strange city or country.

[midtown 3345]

3 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Maybe in a bar/club or group setting. But I suspect it is not wise to stumble back to a hotel drunk at 3am by yourself or even with one other person. In a strange city or country.

Did I tell you about the time in Hue when I couldn't find my hotel for the life of me.  I have a crazy great sense of direction. I never ever get lost even in brand new cities and never forget what hotel room I am in. (Back then GPS and google maps didn't work in Viet Nam) Even in an intoxicated state.  What I didn't know was that in smaller towns in Viet Nam they turn off all the lights to the hotels, buildings and houses to conserve energy after about 10pm.  At least they did.  Its surreal.  The whole block looks abandoned.  I walked up and down the same street and the two streets paralleling my hotel street at least 4 times looking for a lit up hotel. Finally some guy who must have been watching on a motorbike saw me confused AF and told me he would take me to my hotel.  Jumped on the back and he's going exactly where I had been.  He pulls up to what looks like an abandoned building only for me to realize its my hotel.  At least when I got to Hoi An I was prepared to be walking down pitch black streets after about 10pm.   So when I left this brits room at 11pm in Hoi An at least I knew I was in for a 45min walk in the dark. 

Edited March 30, 2023 by midtown

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

My brother sent this really interesting podcast about this American conservationist that has been living in the Peruvian Amazon for many years. Crazy stories, the kind that as a kid I dreamed about.

[tomahawk dunk 339]

I’m currently in South Africa and it’s been  a pretty cool experience for me. Dollar is is strong here, food has been good and it’s a physically beautiful land.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

I’m currently in South Africa and it’s been  a pretty cool experience for me. Dollar is is strong here, food has been good and it’s a physically beautiful land.

Fucking badass. I have a colleague that lived in SA for a bit on an O&G project. He raves about the food.

I don’t think I could get that close to the Namibian desert without making a visit.

[tomahawk dunk 339]

Yeah I really like the food here. It’s seems a bit cleaner and a little bit smaller on the portion size. Another thing is it seems most of the places have milkshakes on the menu and not just the usual variety.

I’m staying with a friend I met hiking the  PCT last year. She and her family usually vacation in Namibia. They rave about it. Unfortunately I won’t make it over there but I’m super grateful for all that I’ve gotten to experience here.