I lived near Kawangware which is the second biggest slum. I have been to Kibera lots of times though including taking several football teams there with REMF money, what a place! Poverty stricken of course but warm, kind people and a proper community, I often got the impression that people were far happier there than the majority of other people I have met.
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Countries you would never wish to visit?
- Thread starter KT17
- Start date
I lived near Kawangware which is the second biggest slum. I have been to Kibera lots of times though including taking several football teams there with REMF money, what a place! Poverty stricken of course but warm, kind people and a proper community, I often got the impression that people were far happier there than the majority of other people I have met.
Return of the Rev
Well-known member
Raleigh Chopper
New member
The only one i have been to on that list is The Maldives, which as you probably know is one of the top destinations in the world and very luxurious.
You really would not know you were in an Islamic country if you are bothered about that.
The reason is that you are on a tiny island, Muslims not only can't serve you with drink but they also do not like the bikinis and the general having a good time, so they are not there (they must all be on Male) at least the few i saw were miserable sods who just did nothing. All the staff are mainly shipped in from Sri Lanka and other countries, and because the theme is quiet luxury everything is done in a very understated way, you very rarely saw anybody they just appeared when you needed them.
To be honest after 3 days i got bored.
BensGrandad
New member
Went 1989 had a brilliant time
I thought it was filthy, terrible food and horrible people. I am told it has changed somewhat now and many people like it but it is not for me.
Another person who is CLUELESS. I went to Ethiopia this year, one of the most stunning countries I have been to. You obviously think it is just a country full of skinny, starving kids because you watched children in need in the 80s. Fly infested shithole is incredibly ignorant, when did you go there to come to this conclusion btw?
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So glad you typed this and saved me the bother, Sri Lanka is STUNNING. Reading this thread makes me realise how so many people came to the conclusion to vote for Brexit, Incredible narrow minded xenophobia coupled with ideas on countries based on day trips or things observed on TV.
bn1&bn3 Albion
Well-known member
I went for a stroll down that exact promenade only a few weeks before, it was lovely..
You may as well never leave your house.. You have more chance dying in a road accident than a terrorist attack.
Yes I did say Sri Lanka. And yes I did go only to Colombo on business, twice. It was a seething mass of unwashed people, dirt and disease. Every time I left my hotel for a brief look around the city I quickly scuttled back to the oasis that was the clean western-style hotel. Frankly if that is what the capital of the country is like I have absolutely no desire to see the rest. As for the people, friendly enough I would agree, but I don't want to be around their squalor on holiday.
As for the Maldives, I should have put them on my list of places I would never go to. From all I've heard I would be bored to tears after 24 hours. I'm not particularly into water sports and can only handle lying on a beach or by a pool for a few hours. What else is there to do?
Just as I thought, judging SL based on scuttling in and out of your hotel room in the packed capital. Perhaps if you were brave enough to actually get out and see the country rather than retreating back to the safety of your westernised hotel room you may have seen and learnt something. Honestly, this thread makes me despair of the little englander attitude. Best of a lot of people on here stick to two weeks in Benidorm in the english quarter every year.
Not Andy Naylor
Well-known member
It's a common fallacy that Russia is cold. Its central areas have extremes of temperature both high and low, as all areas far from the sea do. My missus went to Siberia in summer one year and it was about 28C, but of course it gets down to minus 20 in January. The Black Sea coast can be very pleasant too.
Raleigh Chopper
New member
Your choice, your views of course. And you are correct about much of Columbo but there are some nice parts as well.
On a 3 day trip around the island from our hotel further down the coast towards Galle you travel through villages which have a lot of poverty but the overriding view of Sri Lanka is very much what i put in my post above.
The people of Sri Lanka were such lovely people that it sort of upsets me and they would feel very hurt as well that you would not want to visit their Island because you think they are dirty and live in squalor.
How they got back from the tsunami and how very grateful they were, especially to the British for our help was amazing.
I would never accept that Sri Lanka is anything else than one of the top 10 places to visit in the world.
Regarding the Maldives, see also my post, i was bored after 3 days.
Not Andy Naylor
Well-known member
Some of the nicest, most generous people I've ever met have been Iranians, so I'd be very interested to see their country. I've also known a few Turkish people and although I've been to Istanbul - which I can't recommend highly enough, one of the most fascinating cities in the entire world - I'm well aware that it isn't typical of Turkey by any means.
And my view on the USA question: I've visited many times and worked there for a bit and never been shot or robbed. Forgetting about LA and NYC, San Francisco and Chicago are up there in the top 20 cities anywhere, there's far more to Miami than South Beach, and New Orleans is something else again.
Raleigh Chopper
New member
When i lived in Ascot my neighbours were Iranian, most charming people.
But mostly ignored and scowled at by the other white, nouveau riche pillocks that lived in our little cul de sac, which sort of fits in nicely with some of the posts on this thread.
But mostly ignored and scowled at by the other white, nouveau riche pillocks that lived in our little cul de sac, which sort of fits in nicely with some of the posts on this thread.
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,185
You lucky so and so! Have you been to Lalibela?
Ethiopia is second on my list of countries I'd most like to visit, with Colombia now being top of the list after finally going to Iceland last year.
Raleigh Chopper
New member
There is a lot more to Miami than South Beach, but you have to admit South Beach is so coooooooool i had to add extra o's to make my point.
But lets even it up a bit, go to the wrong part of Miami and walk down the street and you could be in a lot of trouble as confirmed by a cab driver who was taking us across the city and told us when we were in the badlands, i asked what he does if he encounters any when driving and he produced a dirty great loaded gun from under his seat.
ThePompousPaladin
New member
- Apr 7, 2013
- 1,025
I stopped over in Uzbekistan once, the airport terminal had bullet holes in the wall. We were herded into a very smelly open cattle truck to take us 200m across the tarmac, they left us out there for about 10 minutes in the freezing cold.
The same flight as i was on was held up the week after by the military and robbed.
I think you made the right call.
I'd add to the list Nicaragua, desperate poverty there.
portslade seagull
Well-known member
North Korea
The UAE although being more specific, Dubai.
Until about 7 or 8 years ago, I was completely indifferent to the place and may well have visited one day, possibly using it as a stopover when heading somewhere further East.
Then my ex-wife tried to move my daughter to live there, which led to a somewhat bitter and ridiculously expensive legal battle. For that reason alone, I can't think fondly of the place. Beyond that, though, in anticipation of having to visit Dubai regularly over many years in order to stay in touch with my daughter, I started researching the place. The backstory, built around what is essentially modern day slave labour, is quite unpleasant. The general opulence and chintzy bling is really not for me either. Right now, I can't see why I would ever visit the place.
I know many people who have and enjoyed themselves tremendously. Each to their own.
Until about 7 or 8 years ago, I was completely indifferent to the place and may well have visited one day, possibly using it as a stopover when heading somewhere further East.
Then my ex-wife tried to move my daughter to live there, which led to a somewhat bitter and ridiculously expensive legal battle. For that reason alone, I can't think fondly of the place. Beyond that, though, in anticipation of having to visit Dubai regularly over many years in order to stay in touch with my daughter, I started researching the place. The backstory, built around what is essentially modern day slave labour, is quite unpleasant. The general opulence and chintzy bling is really not for me either. Right now, I can't see why I would ever visit the place.
I know many people who have and enjoyed themselves tremendously. Each to their own.
Pevenseagull
Anti-greed coalition
- Jul 20, 2003
- 19,664
Ah! Dubai.... never been there, but have received a few postcards from people reading, 'wish you were here, we would love to see how much you'd hate it'.