Bucket List; places to see

[Moses Yoder]

The thread about upstate New York reminded me of the time when I was driving to PA and saw a sign that said "New York City 90 miles". I thought I should drive there just so I had been there. Still have never been there. This led to thinking about the places I actually want to see, and my wife agrees. Mainly Australia and Alaska. Unless something happens I will see them both before I die. Neither one of us will ever go to Vegas or Hollywood. Funny how the places you wish to see and those you have no desire to see reveal your character.

[Chuck Wintle]

The thread about upstate New York reminded me of the time when I was driving to PA and saw a sign that said "New York City 90 miles". I thought I should drive there just so I had been there. Still have never been there. This led to thinking about the places I actually want to see, and my wife agrees. Mainly Australia and Alaska. Unless something happens I will see them both before I die. Neither one of us will ever go to Vegas or Hollywood. Funny how the places you wish to see and those you have no desire to see reveal your character.

I can say that Alaska is well worth a visit. Don't miss Denali Park, U of A at Fairbanks and Anchorage to name just a few places.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

As a man who fills a passport book every two years, I have been many places. I have hiked across Spain, France, Italy, and Peru, and travelled to countless countries. It is hard to pick a favorite, and one person may like beaches, one mountains, so one person's favorite may not be another's. I would only say get out there and see the world. It is a beautiful place with beautiful people, no matter where you choose to go. You may find Latin America very affordable these days. The plane ticket may cost you, but you can eat cheap, and stay cheap.

[Wade Lippman]

I can say that Alaska is well worth a visit. Don't miss Denali Park, U of A at Fairbanks and Anchorage to name just a few places.

I've been everywhere I want to go, and Alaska has to be the best.

I've been to Alaska twice. First trip was our honeymoon and the second trip was our 20th anniversary with our kids. On the second trip we skipped Anchorage and Fairbanks because you never have enough time and they don't come close to Katmai, Glacier Bay, or Wrangell–St. Elias. Admittedly the trip highlight was a plane that landed on a glacier on Mount McKinley, but that is so out of the way and so weather dependent that it is hard to recommend; we got lucky and it was perfect.

[Mike Henderson]

The two places that had the greatest impact on me were Paris and Jerusalem. Both are very special places, but in very different ways.

Mike

[Prashun Patel]

+1. Having grown up in the US, it's tempting to think that Europe comprises the majority of the world's meaningful history.

Personally, Japan is on my bucket list. I'm intrgued by their approach to everything.

[Joe Tilson]

My wife and I have found staying close to home suits us very well. We have a variety that is unique to this area of the country. We have mountains, plains(piedmont), low land (wet lands), but most of all we have very nice people in this area. The area consist of upstate SC. NE GA, W NC, and even up into E TN. We have lots of places to ferret out and get into. I have been to Japan and love it, two of the best years of my life. We mostly do day trips these days.

[Pat Barry]

I have no interest in going to Japan et al but Scandanavian countries for sure. I'd love to see the fjords of Norway. In the US the Grand Canyon (I've only seen it from the air) and Alaska - coastal areas primarily and Denali. Yosemite, Yellowstone and the surrounding country are both very worthwhile. Of course I could sit / walk for hours on the ocean beaches of either coast - one favorite is Daytona Beach - you can walk for miles

[Myk Rian]

My wife and I have found staying close to home suits us very well.

Same here. We haven't seen all we want to of our own country, why spend our money in a country where they hate us?

[Wade Lippman]

Personally, Japan is on my bucket list. I'm intrgued by their approach to everything.

I find their approach to their role in WWII intriguing.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

If only one place...I would choose New Zealand. Tour both islands by bus, trains and ferry....fly into one island, ferry from one island to the other ..fly out of the other. We were there this spring for the 2nd time and that is how we toured it this time. They have a regularly scheduled bus system that works well. We spent 2 weeks touring NZ this time by bus, train and ferry.

Australia is another place we toured this spring. Australia is too big to tour exclusively by bus IMO unless you want to spend months doing it. In 2 weeks we saw most of the east coast of Oz including Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru/Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, Sydney, Hobart Tasmania, Melbourne.

We shot over 5,000 digital photos.

[Mike Henderson]

I find their approach to their role in WWII intriguing.

If you go to Tokyo try to visit the Yasukuni Shrine which is a WWII shrine. It is controversial because some of the senior Japanese military leaders, who were executed as war criminals, are interred there. But it's very interesting, especially if you're a World War II buff.

The other temple to visit is Sengakuji Temple where the 47 Ronin are buried. The story of the 47 Ronin - a true story - is (or was) a very important story to the Japanese. The 47 Ronin exhibited the spirit of bushido.

Mike

[And, just an added comment. Japan is very different from the rest of Asia.]

[Shawn Pixley]

I've visited many places around the world. Japan is one of my favorites. LOML and I just landed from a two week visit there. I fact we brought back more tools from there than anything else.

Where would I still like to visit? Stornaway, the Isle of Lewis and Pixley, Hereford England, and Stonehenge to see my heritage. I'd like to see more of Scandinavia. Of specific places:

Machu Pichu
Valley of the Kings and Alexandria, Egypt
Athens and Thermopolae, Greece
St. Petersburg, Russia
Lascaux, France
Olduvai Gorge
Ayers Rock
Florence Italy

I bet I could up with some more...

[Shawn Pixley]

The owner of the APA hotel chain, is a historical revisionist. He writes under the name of Seiji Fuji (Toshio Motoya). I find his views pretty ofensive. Luckily, the vast majority of Japanese are very friendly and overall, the people are wonderful. I could live there easily.

[Scott Shepherd]

Same here. We haven't seen all we want to of our own country, why spend our money in a country where they hate us?

Ive been to about 13 countries so far. I have yet to meet anyone that hated us. What I have found in all of the countries I have visited is that everyone wants the same thing, good jobs, kids growing up safe, good health, etc.

I have also found that most people in other countries don't realize that what our government says and does isn't even remotely close to what we, as citizens believe.

I've been graciously welcomed into people's homes and they have enjoyed asking questions about the United States just as much as I've enjoyed learning about their countries. the vast majority of them believe if they come to the States, they will get shot. In reality, they have a higher chance of getting struck by lightning.