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Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I can't name a single country since there are too many that have filled me with astonishing human-to-human experiences;
it all depends on what level you get in touch with people.

When I hitchhiked across the world, france, German, Switzerland, Sweden and South Africa reserved their most hospitable impressions for me - I was driven around, housed and feted in each of these countries. Hitchhiking was safe then (and probably still is now).

But Africans have made deep impressions on me too, albeit in a different way. In BOTSWANA, I was the personal guest of a village tribal leader; he was the only person in the place who owned a house with a concrete floor where he let me spend the night.

In ZAMBIA too I was treated royally even though that countruy was at that time under a very xenophobic anti-western leadership.

I have only a brief memory of SRI LANKA; unfortunately, my longest-lasting memory of it is that of the ongoing war between the Singhalese and the Tamils, which caused not a little trouble and bloodshed.

In CANADA, I and my French girlfriend and her daughter were received by a Mennonite family - certainly a rare token of hospitality. They picked us up at Winnipeg Railway Station, drove us the 100 km or so to their Plattendeutsch community, housed us there, introduced us to their printing shop, then drove us back. Ignorant as I was, I even asked for a picture; they allowed us to shoot one, but true to their religious principles declined to be part of the assembly in the photograph.

Lastly, I want to mention a Russian friend in SAMARKAND, now UZBEKISTAN, who ran at that time his MUSEUM FOR PEACE; he also is an Esperanto speaker. I met him in Xi'an, then visited him and spent a whole week full of memorable events: two weddings among Muslims, a Jewish interment, and lots of social get-togethers with the local intelligentsiya.

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123

Legolarse · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 36 Location: UK

Afghanistan

Legolarse · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 36 Location: UK

Didn't realise this post was so old. Heh heh.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Northern Thailand.
Wonderful people.
Taken in by the milkman.
Couldn't speak a word.
Made us hard-boiled eggs.
Gave us blankets.

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

Libya.Wonderful,tolerant people.A veritable Pandora's Box of culture and high living standards.Bulgarian nurses especially welcome!

Dolma · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:40 pm Post subject:

Jai Nepal!!!!
The most beautiful country I have ever been in by far. I felt quite welcome there, hopefully not just because I seemed to be the only 'philing' in Kathmandu at the time. If you are seriously interested in meditation and spirituality and don't come off like a bhang-smoking Freak Street hippie Wink

you will never get bored there and people will be very friendly. I went into a sari shop on Freak St. Laughing

and when the woman proprietor found out I love parrots she invited me to her apt. for tea and showed me her two beautiful talking pet parrots. I was only there for a month but hope to return next year for a short time if the Maoist situation remains stable - I have spoken to several people who were there recently and they said they felt safe. A recent NY Times article said that when Maoists encounter 'philings' on trekking routes the worst that will happen is that they will demand a small 'fine' and even give you a receipt with pics of Mao and Lenin on it. Even the 'legitimate' Nepali functionaries don't give you a receipt when they demand baksheesh, so maybe this is a step forward? Wink

Apparently this is a popular souvenir among trekkers nowadays... Laughing

mick_luna · Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 115 Location: toronto

without a doubt, the Solomon Islands. I don�t know what it is like now (they had a small tribal skirmish there in the late 90�s) but from 96-98 it was my intro to paradise. Shy,lovely people, for the most part, and a very welcome change from the Canadian urban and suburban dystopia i was familiar with.

The problem is finding a friendly place like that where you can actually make money and survive, that is a bit trickier.

mick
www.portfolios.com/exotica
www.exotica.freeservers.com

Aramas · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:07 am Post subject:

XXX · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:18 pm Post subject:

Poland. I went back to teach again this summer and plan to do so in the future. Good people, excellent beer, great food and the country side is something to see.