h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A title most kindly bestowed upon(?) me by Lady Asteroid Lil for, as she expressed it:

'But over the years I cannot think of anyone, besides our tireless Madame President, who has travelled so far and often to meet with other Hootooers and salonistas.'



Well, it's become a number of London meets, and a Hyp-meet, and some mini-meets, I guess...

Reminder to self: must pick a coat of arms.

But meet-travelling isn't the only travelling I've done - so I thought I'd check just how many countries I've visited - actually visited and not just passing through or switching between flights. I decided to ignore Sweden and Finland, since I live in one and have most of my relatives in the other, so that comes sort of naturally.

Austria (repeatedly, one of my favourite parts of the world)
Belgium (I have a childhood friend living there)
Bulgaria (once)
Czechoslovakia (once, while it was still one country)
Denmark (both visited and travelled through many, many times when Inter-Railing)
Egypt (for 1½ month in a row, catching a lot of the things worth to see)
England (only part of the UK I've visited so far, must do something about that some time - oh, do the Channel Islands count?)
France (I had only planned to travel right through, but a moron at Gare du Nord in Paris sent me off to the wrong railway station, making me miss the last train for the day. Finding Paris a bit too crowded for comfort, I spent a night in Rennes.)
Germany (Oktoberfest , the Mainau Island, switching trains innumerable times at Hamburg Hbf)
Greece (twice, so far)
Holland (attending a one-week-long folk dance festival)
Hungary (ooh, the salamis )
Italy (several times; Venice, Verona, Rome)
Jordan (including Petra and the Dead Sea)
Jugoslavia (before it split up)
Lichtenstein (which was so small that they didn't even have a youth hostel, so I spent a night on the Austrian side of the border in a former plague hospital)
Luxembourg (really nice old city)
Norway (17 May!)
Poland (Warszaw)
Romania (travelling through, I could see things in the countryside hadn't improved one bit after the fall of Ceaucescu - still extremely poor)
Spain (OK, one of these years, I *really* have to go to the festival in Jerez - olé!)
Switzerland (near the Italian border - alps, lakes, snow - see Austria)
Syria (best sûk I've ever visited was the one in... in... Jerash, I think - very smelly, crowded, non-touristy, genuine-feeling)
Turkey (Istanbul has its sights, but I prefer the countryside where the young men are less 'pushy')

The United States isn't on your list. You must visit me.

That is a most impressive list! I'm jealous. I remember some friends ads I making up lists of how many of the 50 states/US Territories we'd visited. But none of us ever travelled internationally enough to have a list of other countries visited.

I've been to, um, Nogales, Mexico!

Irv, I've been to many places in Mexico but never to Nogales.

I had to count - I've been in 17 countries. I must move myself faster to catch you up.

I had to count, but I discovered I have still only visited 30 of the 50 states. Must do better.

Hati, at 17 you are still way ahead of me.

Yeah well, your 30 states are quite like countries as well. Altogther I've never been that far away after all.

Nogales is nothing to write home about. I'm not sure how many states I've been to.

Hati, distance-wise you are correct. This is a large country, especially by European standards. The vast majority of Americans never travel outside the US. I live close to the geographical center of the country and it still takes 2 long days of driving to get to either coast.

Visiting other countries sounds more romantic, though.

Most of the border towns leave a lot to be desired.

Oh dear, now you all got my feet itching. I want to GO!

My guest room is currently unoccupied.

Yes, there's definately less of a difference between any two adjacent states in the U.S. and most distinct countries. Currency, most road signs, and for the most part the language all remains the same. There are some minor differences, but I'm pretty sure that it's easier for an Arizonan to navigate Colorado than for a German to navigate France.

US is huge and far away.

Hypatia, I'm afraid you'd have to move a bit closer to find me sitting on your doormat. Mind you, I am perfectly able to do those things. You have seen me doing it.

I'm trying to find a way to do that, Hati.

Exactly, Irv. Although there is still a bit of a culture shock when sophisticated folks from the east coast find themselves in the Ozarks.

*makes notes*

17 European countries counting Monaco, I have been to - and have passed through the Netherlands, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg.

As you say Hyp, it is interesting with the different cultures - languages, buildings, foods, drinks, music, dancing and (still some places) currency. (Driving on the *wrong* side of the road - not the Swedes anymore . Shaking your head to mean 'yes' - Bulgaria).

I think you'll find yourself at home in the Ozarks, Hati - well except for the mountains.

I thought the Ozarks were just about all mountains.