Which country is on the edge of your comfort zone to visit in the motorhome?

[jongood]

This is the exact reason I don’t go to France or Spain and stick to the German speaking countries, I can get by with a little bit of German

If you have a few years before you retire, why not enquire what your local college can do? Even if you could only get a couple of terms in it would be a start. I did it twice, a term in French and a couple of terms in Spanish, although my Spanish is woeful its better than nothing.

 

[jongood]

And Anti - French, other Nationalities available.

I met my first French anglopiles a few days ago. Very little english but have toured in England, Scotland Ireland. Funnily enough their pronunciation of Canterbury took us about 4 goes to understand

 

[WESTY66]

If you have a few years before you retire, why not enquire what your local college can do? Even if you could only get a couple of terms in it would be a start. I did it twice, a term in French and a couple of terms in Spanish, although my Spanish is woeful its better than nothing.

I’d love to Jon, but the “hard drive” is full, it won’t take anymore data

 

[Baggydave]

As above, I have a few years to retirement and all around I see on the news various countries turning to Rats##t (you could visit Ukraine more than a few years ago) and I’m hoping the list of countries to visit doesn’t get any narrower (the 90 days crap is bad enough).
So looking where I would love to visit when I retire and is on the edge of my comfort zone is Georgia via Türkiye, what’s yours?

Probably the Uk. Always difficult to find parking or somewhere free to overnight, too much traffic & takes forever to get somewhere that’s not particularly good in the first place. Motorhomers it seems are not really wanted here. Sad I know but for me true.

 

[billym]

FCDO advises against all travel​

1. Afghanistan – “The security situation is volatile”
2. Belarus – “You face a significant risk of arrest”
3. Haiti – “Due to the volatile security situation”
4. Iran – “British nationals are at significant risk of arrest”
5. Lebanon – “Due to risks associated with the ongoing conflict between Israel, Lebanese Hizballah and other non-state actors”
6. Libya – “The local security situation is fragile”
7. Russia – “Due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine”
8. South Sudan – “Due to the risk of armed violence and criminality”
9. Syria – “Ongoing conflict and unpredictable security conditions”
10. Yemen – “Unpredictable security conditions”

Further to your list ( from the Independent?) I found this up to date article interesting.

Every country currently on the Foreign Office ‘do not travel’ list

Warnings against travel abroad from the UK have been issued for countries including Lebanon, Iran and Russia

www.independent.co.uk

Up until this time last year Albania and Bosnia Herzegovina were on my edge of comfort zone for motorhoming.
Looking back I have no idea why, as travelling in both countries was an absolute joy.

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[DandJ]

Further to your list ( from the Independent?) I found this up to date article interesting.

Cheers...that's where my list came from.

 

[L' Hobo]

I have spent a lot of time in France, getting them to respect anyone else but them themselves is usually the biggest hurdle . I often get fed up of their superior attitude and treat them as I find them. The tables soon turn.

Very easy to become fluent on French, you only have to know one word "NON"

I speak very basic, sometimes, limited French. The amount of times French people can understand me and pretend not too is bitterly annoying.

Sadly, if you really think that a negative word like non makes you fluent in ANY language..........?

I can only relate to the experiences while travelling and working in many countries all over the world.

When I've been off duty, these experiences have been mostly pleasent BUT that was before these countries have been overrun with unthinking tourist and others so, maybe, things are different now just as they are in this country?

PS. Just out of curiosity, if an Englishman ONLY said no to you, how do you think that relationship would go forward?

 

[EuroTrotters]

Sadly, if you really think that a negative word like non makes you fluent in ANY language..........?

I can only relate to the experiences while travelling and working in many countries all over the world.

When I've been off duty, these experiences have been mostly pleasent BUT that was before these countries have been overrun with unthinking tourist and others so, maybe, things are different now just as they are in this country?

PS. Just out of curiosity, if an Englishman ONLY said no to you, how do you think that relationship would go forward?

I think I may come across the wrong way in that post.

I am a bit of a Francophile, not as much as I used to be, but still very fond of France and its people.

But sometimes, I just get a bit fed up of their attitude, especially when you try.

I have many examples, like when my wife went up to a barman are after greeting him and requesting drinks in perfect French. Then he shrugs his shoulders and claims not to understand.

But when some Irish guy rocks up minutes later and shouts loudly with an accent what he wants and suddenly , the barman understands Irish Patois !.

The taxi drivers we know in Spain are either Spanish , Italian or Ukrainian. They tell funny stories about French people who get into their cabs and refuse to speak English and insist on trying to communicate in French.

I often think we Brits could learn a lot from the French and sometimes , be a little like them.

A British farmer I know misses the French post B**x*t as they don’t have the French Farmers to fight for the British farmers

 

[Brains]

I think I may come across the wrong way in that post.

I am a bit of a Francophile, not as much as I used to be, but still very fond of France and its people.

But sometimes, I just get a bit fed up of their attitude, especially when you try.

I have many examples, like when my wife went up to a barman are after greeting him and requesting drinks in perfect French. Then he shrugs his shoulders and claims not to understand.

But when some Irish guy rocks up minutes later and shouts loudly with an accent what he wants and suddenly , the barman understands Irish Patois !.

The taxi drivers we know in Spain are either Spanish , Italian or Ukrainian. They tell funny stories about French people who get into their cabs and refuse to speak English and insist on trying to communicate in French.

I often think we Brits could learn a lot from the French and sometimes , be a little like them.

A British farmer I know misses the French post B**x*t as they don’t have the French Farmers to fight for the British farmers

I used to travel the world in the Maritime sphere, where like the airlines and banking, the language is English.
You expect everyone in the company, including backroom staff to speak at least basic conversational English, it would normally be a minimum requirement to even get an interview for the job.

The only exception is France. It was the only place I ever needed translators.

 

[nicholsong]

I used to travel the world in the Maritime sphere, where like the airlines and banking, the language is English.
You expect everyone in the company, including backroom staff to speak at least basic conversational English, it would normally be a minimum requirement to even get an interview for the job.

The only exception is France. It was the only place I ever needed translators.

I sometimes find French people who can speak English refusing to do so.

But then there are some Dutch, even young ones, who can understand German because it is so close to Dutch, when asked a question in German will respond in English. They say it is not about the war but just that they do not like the attitude of some Germans.

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[Howard H]

I was thinking of that beautiful city where we stayed outside the Townhall and the Mayor welcomed us you old grumpy guts Howard!



View attachment 1015759

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Yes there was some good places and some not so good places.

 

[B+W vanman]

I used to travel the world in the Maritime sphere, where like the airlines and banking, the language is English.
You expect everyone in the company, including backroom staff to speak at least basic conversational English, it would normally be a minimum requirement to even get an interview for the job.

The only exception is France. It was the only place I ever needed translators.

You mean there are people in France who refuse to use English as their lingua franca?!
Sacré bleu!

 

[ronboyracer]

I think we must all remember the world is a much scarier place than in the early days of motorhoming or probably me getting older, I can remember an old aquintance of mine, Brian Crouch sadly passed away a few years ago, his motto was Who Dares Wins, he was a keen microlite pilot in days gone by, in fact one of his many trips to Benidorm he took his machine out there, joined a club, nr Benidorm and flew his machine, he only lasted one season, the terrain around Benidorm quite mountaines, not like the ploughed fields of England, land anywhere in an emergency, he quickly rialized he didn't have that luxury from the airfield he took off from in Benidorm, and the then lord mayor wouldn't allow anything landing on the beach so he only had that one season , but he still motorhomed to Benidorm. Regards ronboyracer.

 

[nicholsong]

You mean there are people in France who refuse to use English as their lingua franca?!
Sacré bleu!

As Arthur Marshall said, 'The French hate the English...

...and I hate them right back!'

In jest, I think.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Sadly, if you really think that a negative word like non makes you fluent in ANY language..........?

I can only relate to the experiences while travelling and working in many countries all over the world.

When I've been off duty, these experiences have been mostly pleasent BUT that was before these countries have been overrun with unthinking tourist and others so, maybe, things are different now just as they are in this country?

PS. Just out of curiosity, if an Englishman ONLY said no to you, how do you think that relationship would go forward?

I think you missed my Sarcasm too !

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[Markman]

I think I may come across the wrong way in that post.

I am a bit of a Francophile, not as much as I used to be, but still very fond of France and its people.

But sometimes, I just get a bit fed up of their attitude, especially when you try.

Don't forget that the majority of French people would probably agree with this comment, and the earlier negative comments, if you replaced "French" with "Parisiens".

Keep an eye on the car number plates and avoid those coming from the Departments of Isle de France, 75, 92 or even 78!
[How do I know . . . I had a car with a 78 number plate for 4 years!]

 

[EuroTrotters]

Don't forget that the majority of French people would probably agree with this comment, and the earlier negative comments, if you replaced "French" with "Parisiens".

Keep an eye on the car number plates and avoid those coming from the Departments of Isle de France, 75, 92 or even 78!
[How do I know . . . I had a car with a 78 number plate for 4 years!]

and 94 and 93

 

[Brains]

I sometimes find French people who can speak English refusing to do so.

But then there are some Dutch, even young ones, who can understand German because it is so close to Dutch, when asked a question in German will respond in English. They say it is not about the war but just that they do not like the attitude of some Germans.

We loved the language issue in the Sud Tirol (South Tyrol) the area in the very north of Italy bordering on Austria that was Austrian until 1920.

The Sud Tiroleans have become more Tirolean than even the Tiroleans in Austria, and proudly wear their lederhosen, and dirndls when out and about.

We found in the restaurants and other tourist areas the language is strictly in German.
All conversation is in German, and if you can't speak German then they all speak excellent English.
I saw they could even get by in French.
Despite being in Italy under no circumstances would any of the staff speak Italian.

It obviously annoyed some Italians, but others treated it as part of the experience of visiting the region, where an Italian having to converse with another Italian, in Italy where the only common language was English.

 

[L' Hobo]

We loved the language issue in the Sud Tirol (South Tyrol) the area in the very north of Italy bordering on Austria that was Austrian until 1920.

The Sud Tiroleans have become more Tirolean than even the Tiroleans in Austria, and proudly wear their lederhosen, and dirndls when out and about.

We found in the restaurants and other tourist areas the language is strictly in German.
All conversation is in German, and if you can't speak German then they all speak excellent English.
I saw they could even get by in French.
Despite being in Italy under no circumstances would any of the staff speak Italian.

It obviously annoyed some Italians, but others treated it as part of the experience of visiting the region, where an Italian having to converse with another Italian, in Italy where the only common language was English.

What no more Gruss Gott!

 

[Puddleduck]

Israel and Egypt would be on my avoid at all costs list.

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[jongood]

What no more Gruss Gott!

I find wishing germans a safe trip amusing - gut fahrt

 

[jongood]

Israel and Egypt would be on my avoid at all costs list.

Egypt is a fascinating country.

 

[KASPAR]

Egypt is a fascinating country.

Israel and Egypt would be on my avoid at all costs list.

Israel / Palestine is fascinating. Once it settles down, well worth going. The last of the war mongers will die soon, we all do.

I'd love to return with my family one day and show them another part of my life pre them. We have travelled extensively to lots of our former homes and workplaces across the world to show our daughter (we are late life parents), it's the one of two last returns to do.

 

[Brains]

Israel and Egypt would be on my avoid at all costs list.

I went to Israel in a long business trip back in the late 90's during one of the few peace periods.
Whilst I found many of the Israelis not be be particularly nice or welcoming the Palestinians were very nice and welcoming.

I met a (Palestinian) professor of Archology, who took me all around Jerusalem and explained all the stuff we were looking at.
He also took me me into the Dome of the Rock, which is one place very few Christians have been permitted into (I've spent enough time in Muslim countries to know the basics of what to do)

I'd go back there, but only once Israel get a reasonable government and they drop Apartheid.

Egypt I'd go to, but I'd want to do that as a tourist tour, perhaps on a river boat.