What's on your 'Duck-it' list?

[ALH]

I see a lot of countries above that I’ve absolutely loved and felt very safe in. Even travelling alone.

The DRC and Syria are on my Duck It list of countries.

Sydney has recently become my Duck It City. A beautiful city with fabulous restaurants, but I’m disliking the selfish young things in plague proportions in the CBD. No idea if they are tourists or locals.

Edit: I was robbed in Barcelona a couple of years ago. I cried for a bit, did my police report, then pulled up my big girls pants and continued my trip. I fell in love with the city and would return in a flash. YMMV

 

[ALH]

Pakistan is one of my regrets. My BIL was DA there many years ago and I didn’t take up my sister’s and his invite to visit them.

Some years later, after 911, they went back again and visits were not available. They did however send me details of there bullet proof, bomb proof, gas proof car that the Australian Government provided to them for their safety.

I transited in Karachi years ago. I regretted not being able to leave the airport and have a good look around. I do remember that almost every single passenger was still talking and texting on their mobile phones all through taxiing and well into takeoff, until mobile service was lost.

 

[JohnM]

Anywhere that smarttraveller.gov.au says don't go to, or that it's risky to go to.

B-b-b-but that's just about everywhere .

I signed up for a bunch of countries' alerts but got so sick of the work experience kids writing 'reconsider your need for travel' on the basis of something like: 'there's been a shooting in MEL, so don't go to PER or Australia', I cancelled the lot and don't bother with (not so)smarttraveller any more .

It's risky getting on the roads in Australia.

While I'd love to see places like Central African Republic, Mali and similar because I love Africa for its scenery and wildlife, I won't go there.

 

[straitman]

I transited in Karachi years ago. I regretted not being able to leave the airport and have a good look around. I do remember that almost every single passenger was still talking and texting on their mobile phones all through taxiing and well into takeoff, until mobile service was lost.

Whilst I didn’t visit our 80 yo mother did visit Karachi. My sister used her diplomatic status to get airside and meet the aircraft. She was worried at how an 80 yo Australian lady would react to an airport full of guards with machine guns.

 

[RooFlyer]

India. No desire to go there at all. I hate Indian food and smell, hate crowds, hate mayhem. I would not survive it without a meltdown unless I had my own driver and guide and VIP access to avoid the crowds/queues.

Which was my attitude to India ( except I'm ok with the tucker) until I went there last year in exactly the circumstances you mention. Loved it and going back soon

 

[RooFlyer]

The one I'm puzzling about is the aversion to "South America".

ALL of it? Galapagos? Buenos Aires (bits you couple be in Paris except for there language)? Santiago? Patagonia?

Re Pakistan, I shouldn't have put that on my list; I had a look at going last year

 

[Cossie]

A few more, I won't go back to coughet, although I will go up Khao Lak. Same goes for Pattaya, been once, no need to go there ever again, shudder.

Lot's of places in the south of Spain, mostly places favoured by package holidayers including Ibiza, Majorca and the like. However I do realise that you can get away from the crowds in those places.

Would also include Rome, Florence, Venice and the Almalfi Coast. I don't do crowds very well anymore.

I also have serious doubts about going back to Cambodia, enjoyed Angkor Wat, but not so much Siem Reap, like a lot of places, it seems the elite in Cambodia are doing very nicely, though I'm not sure about the trickle down effect, as for the current political situation, the less said the better.

Syria, I will go back to when that area finally sorts itself out (if ever), includes Lebanon as well.

Seeing Rooflyers post above, Patagonia is on the list to visit, probably won't get there though, I've read too many bad things about the big cities like Rio and BA to ever want to go there, I'm over having to be constantly being on my guard, all this machismo bullcrap does my head in. As for the north, I know Juddles loves it up there, but it isn't for me.

I did meet a very friendly person from Uruguay recently, we have similar motorsport interests and he has just about convinced me to visit him in Montevideo, although I will add that once he gets his Italian passport (through his Italian born grandparents) he is off to live in Europe! Sorry got a bit carried away.

 

[Pushka]

I see a lot of countries above that I’ve absolutely loved and felt very safe in. Even travelling alone.

The DRC and Syria are on my Duck It list of countries.

Sydney has recently become my Duck It City. A beautiful city with fabulous restaurants, but I’m disliking the selfish young things in plague proportions in the CBD. No idea if they are tourists or locals.

Edit: I was robbed in Barcelona a couple of years ago. I cried for a bit, did my police report, then pulled up my big girls pants and continued my trip. I fell in love with the city and would return in a flash. YMMV

Yeah, for me the robbery in Vietnam was the culmination of a few nasty episodes there. The bag was slashed off me (bum bag) by a cyclo passenger yielding a knife and he held my bag in his hands leering at me as he sped off laughing. A few months later an Aussie tourist in Thailand died from a similar robbery as the thieves were inexperienced.

Places I wont go back to - Turkey and Bali.

Turkey because of all the sleazy men trying to touch you, and Bali because of the bombing - our son lost two friends in that.

The weird/sad thing about Turkey is that the only time you see women it is the Syrian refugees begging on the roads. The local women just aren't seen on the streets in the city.

 

[ALH]

Yeah, for me the robbery in Vietnam was the culmination of a few nasty episodes there. The bag was slashed off me (bum bag) by a cyclo passenger yielding a knife and he held my bag in his hands leering at me as he sped off laughing. A few months later an Aussie tourist in Thailand died from a similar robbery as the thieves were inexperienced.

Oh I get it. My robbery wasn’t violent or dangerous. It was 100% my stupidity for being too complacent. Had it been more confrontational I probably would have had a meltdown.

 

[Happy Dude]

Syria, I will go back to when that area finally sorts itself out (if ever), includes Lebanon as well.

Ditto Yemen. I doubt that there'll be much to go back to though.

 

[bertflyer]

For me it's China, not because of the people, food or climate but because travelling domestically in mainland China is such PITA. PAX and staff are rude and pushy in my experience and make it a fairly unpleasant experience.
I should add that my travel to china is always 3-4 cities in 3-4 days (work travel). Once you've arrived though the Chinese are fabulous hosts and I always truly enjoy my time with my colleagues over there.

 

[Happy Dude]

Which was my attitude to India ( except I'm ok with the tucker) until I went there last year in exactly the circumstances you mention. Loved it and going back soon

This is the best thing about travelling - having your preconceptions and prejudices blown away.

I used to say the same about Bali as others here but boy was I wrong. One of the best SEA destinations and so much more than Kuta. Now, the two sentences I hear that make my eyes roll are:
1. We found this great little place off the tourist trail....
2. No interest in Bali - too many bogans....

 

[Pushka]

Oh I get it. My robbery wasn’t violent or dangerous. It was 100% my stupidity for being too complacent. Had it been more confrontational I probably would have had a meltdown.

Nah. You would have chased the cyclo down the road.

 

[romney]

Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia
Yemen
Pakistan, Bangladesh
North Korea

The others I am up for, subject to they stop shooting in some.

That’s probably about my list too, but who knows what the future holds. They might all be perfectly good destinations in twenty years!

Never say never!

(I am with the Bali people too. Went there 20-odd years ago and don’t ever plan to go back!)

 

[straitman]

This is the best thing about travelling - having your preconceptions and prejudices blown away.

I used to say the same about Bali as others here but boy was I wrong. One of the best SEA destinations and so much more than Kuta. Now, the two sentences I hear that make my eyes roll are:
1. We found this great little place off the tourist trail....
2. No interest in Bali - too many bogans....

OK I'll reword it for you.

2. No interest in Bali - So many other, better places to go to.

 

[jase05]

This is the best thing about travelling - having your preconceptions and prejudices blown away.

I used to say the same about Bali as others here but boy was I wrong. One of the best SEA destinations and so much more than Kuta. Now, the two sentences I hear that make my eyes roll are:
1. We found this great little place off the tourist trail....
2. No interest in Bali - too many bogans....

Yep, Bali is great if you get the hell out of Kuta although the hordes are slowly filtering their way across the island and in 20 years time it probably will be ruined. Lombok now is more like the first time I went to Bali 30 years ago but that is becoming more built up every time we return also

 

[GlobalT]

I

Pakistan is one of my regrets. My BIL was DA there many years ago and I didn’t take up my sister’s and his invite to visit them.

Some years later, after 911, they went back again and visits were not available. They did however send me details of their bullet proof, bomb proof, gas proof car that the Australian Government provided to them for their safety.

I have spent a lot of time in Pakistan lately and absolutely love it, amazing people and great places to see. I felt safer walking the streets of Lahore than I do walking around Perth at night. Same with Kabul, not as bad as portrayed in the media and would be happy to return. In terms of No Go places, I won’t lose any sleep if I never return to Bangladesh or the USA.

 

[ALH]

Nah. You would have chased the cyclo down the road.

Yeah. Probably. Once my adrenalin kicks in... watch out!

Yep, Bali is great if you get the hell out of Kuta although the hordes are slowly filtering their way across the island and in 20 years time it probably will be ruined. Lombok now is more like the first time I went to Bali 30 years ago but that is becoming more built up every time we return also

Just had a week on Lombok and loved it

 

[Happy Dude]

OK I'll reword it for you.

2. No interest in Bali - So many other, better places to go to.

How do you know those places are better? You only spent part of one day there, some years ago.

 

[JohnK]

How do you know those places are better? You only spent part of one day there, some years ago.

I've never been to Bali but I know many people who have been to Bali and I sometimes come across the flights with Aussies to Bali.

Bali is not for everyone. There are better places to visit.