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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask where you’d love to visit but are too scared to visit.

237 replies

Gawwwd · 04/08/2025 21:04

Mine is Haiti. Such a fascinating place and such an interesting (and predictably oppressed) history. I would so love to go there, but even if things improved there I’d likely still be far too chicken shit, truth be told.

OP posts:
Waggytail · 04/08/2025 21:25

Russia is miles out in front.

Followed then by Sri Lanka, India and Egypt.

OneTrackMindToday · 04/08/2025 21:24

drspouse · 04/08/2025 21:07

Russia- I'd love to do the train from St Petersburg to Moscow. Or even the trans Siberian.
Maybe some day!

I did St P to Yekaterinburg a few years back, it was pretty awful to be honest! Too hot, no fresh air, disgusting facilities, hard to sleep, and views not much to write home about. Views might improve further east, although I don't imagine the train will.

Thispupsgottofly · 04/08/2025 21:23

@PeachTrifle
Iran (20 years ago, it was relatively safe for foreign tourists)

Really 20 years ago? This surprises me

queenofchocolatepuddings · 04/08/2025 21:22

katedan · 04/08/2025 21:16

I did this in 1993, it was amazing but don't think I will be going back soon

Show quote history

Me neither the food was crap !

SuburbanLegend · 04/08/2025 21:21

Mine's a bit daft, but Japan. I know tons of people go there and it's very safe but I am irrationally scared of being in an earthquake and I would be constantly afraid. I went to California a few years ago and I didn't fully relax until I was on the plane home.

DuesToTheDirt · 04/08/2025 21:21

KTheGrey · 04/08/2025 21:06

Uzbekistan’s Silk Road. I know several people who have returned unscathed but it is on the ‘don’t go you’ll get kidnapped’ list at the British Consul.

Really? I went (on a tour admittedly but with lots of free time wandering by ourselves) and we didn't feel unsafe at all. It was welcoming, friendly, and a great holiday.

queenofchocolatepuddings · 04/08/2025 21:18

I'd love to visit Israel but that would be rather foolish at the moment.

tooloololoo · 04/08/2025 21:18

Colombia, Honduras and Venezuela

irregularegular · 04/08/2025 21:17

soupyspoon · 04/08/2025 21:08

All of the places I would love to visit are a bit risky

Would love to visit Russia, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Cuba. Always been fascinated with these countries even from a young child before I knew too much about them.

Luckily Ive already been to Egypt but I would have liked to go to Alexandria but thats unlikely now.

Alexandria still Green on the UK travel advisory map.

AtlasPine · 04/08/2025 21:16

I’d love to travel solo to Kashmir but don’t have the courage.

katedan · 04/08/2025 21:16

drspouse · 04/08/2025 21:07

Russia- I'd love to do the train from St Petersburg to Moscow. Or even the trans Siberian.
Maybe some day!

I did this in 1993, it was amazing but don't think I will be going back soon

queenofchocolatepuddings · 04/08/2025 21:16

drspouse · 04/08/2025 21:07

Russia- I'd love to do the train from St Petersburg to Moscow. Or even the trans Siberian.
Maybe some day!

There isn't a lot to see on that first railway, just miles and miles of snow-covered terrain with fir trees and lakes. Mind you I went in March. It's a twelve hour journey if you get the "stopping train" and 5 hours otherwise.
They advise you to go to the loo before you set off and try not to go again until you get to Moscow. There are a lot of people on that train, if you get my drift......

I haven't been on the Trans-Siberian railway but I imagine it would be rather boring.

irregularegular · 04/08/2025 21:14

I'm not sure why people wouldn't visit Mexico. There are parts that are unsafe, but not enough of the country to stop you visiting.

The highest on my list of places that I would like to visit but seem to be largely out of bounds at the moment are probably Ethiopia and Burma. I'd also like to see more of Russia perhaps, but I have been to St Petersburg.

LeavesOnTrees · 04/08/2025 21:14

I would love to travel through Mozambique from Tanzania to South Africa.

saraclara · 04/08/2025 21:14

I was lucky enough to go to Iran a few years ago, but gutted that I left it too late for the Lebanon, Syria and Afghanistan.

Original poster
Gawwwd · 04/08/2025 21:13

Yep, my DH is dying to visit Russia and I was up for it a decade ago but now…not so much.
North Korea - yep fascinating but Jesus, apparently the food is desperate. (Yes I know, the country is beset by famine, tone deaf)

OP posts:
PeachTrifle · 04/08/2025 21:13

@KTheGrey we travelled through Uzbekistan last year - honestly it felt like the safest country I have travelled in! No idea why it is on the list, tourism infrastructure is being heavily invested in and the people were absolutely charming. After our experience we are planning Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan next year.
I have been to many of the countries listed in the thread, Iran (20 years ago, it was relatively safe for foreign tourists), Russia (did the Trans Siberian to China), Cuba.
I would love to go to North Korea

XWKD · 04/08/2025 21:13

I've always wanted to visit Iraq. I tried to get a visa in 2001 but I couldn't. Then it became too dangerous. I'd also love to visit Afghanistan and Iran, but Iraq and its history in the development of modern civilisation has always fascinated me.

SpanThatWorld · 04/08/2025 21:12

drspouse · 04/08/2025 21:07

Russia- I'd love to do the train from St Petersburg to Moscow. Or even the trans Siberian.
Maybe some day!

I did a few train journeys: Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod and onto Ivanovo and the Golden Ring.

Surprisingly dull. Lots of trees.

Chinam · 04/08/2025 21:12

Afghanistan, I don’t know what triggered my interest in the country but it’s somewhere I’d love to go to.

maxandru · 04/08/2025 21:11

soupyspoon · 04/08/2025 21:08

All of the places I would love to visit are a bit risky

Would love to visit Russia, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Cuba. Always been fascinated with these countries even from a young child before I knew too much about them.

Luckily Ive already been to Egypt but I would have liked to go to Alexandria but thats unlikely now.

Cuba?!
Cubas totally fine. I went whilst Fidel Castro was still in power. Best holiday ever. Totally fascinating!

ForgottenPasswordNewAccount · 04/08/2025 21:09

I have been to Haiti but tbh it fairly barron.

I would love to go to Iraq /jordon/

SpanThatWorld · 04/08/2025 21:09

This reply has been deleted

Post withdrawn at author's request

My friend is an archaeologist and goes out most years. Despite the Isis cult's ignorant destruction of so much, there is apparently still plenty to see. She loves it.

Mine is Russia. I went in the 1990s and barely scratched the surface.

soupyspoon · 04/08/2025 21:09

drspouse · 04/08/2025 21:07

Russia- I'd love to do the train from St Petersburg to Moscow. Or even the trans Siberian.
Maybe some day!

Yes the trans siberian is my big dream. I dont think it will ever happen.

saraclara · 04/08/2025 21:09

KTheGrey · 04/08/2025 21:06

Uzbekistan’s Silk Road. I know several people who have returned unscathed but it is on the ‘don’t go you’ll get kidnapped’ list at the British Consul.

What?!

I've visited Uzbekistan twice. It's a wonderful country and there are no significant warnings about going there. On fact it's become very popular with tour groups, which people are starting to complain about.

ETA that I just looked, and the advice about terrorism relates to a tiny border corner of the country. You would have absolutely no need to go anywhere near that address as a tourist.

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