When it all becomes too much worldwide

[Chazar]

I dont really want to travel  much anymore ,not that I travelled  vastly over the years, most of the disappointment with places these  days  are the hordes of other visitors, even locally in Thailand I find it  too  much.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-43700833

[worgeordie]

I am just very happy that I did all my travelling while i was quite young and

a long time ago,walking around and camping next to the Pyramids,not many

people around at all,ditto The Pyramids of Mexico and Central America, PNG

reputed to be quite dangerous now,a lot of places I would not like to return

to,Just talking to my Ex wife,she has just been to some old city in Turkey and

its over run with Chinese tourists.

regards worgeordie

[JamJar]

That's why you seek out your own 'secret' places...and then don't tell anyone about them.

[sunnyboy2018]

When I was twenty, 46 years ago I travelled over land to india. It was not much fun then but the few bright spots such as Goa are just tourist dumps now. Even Pakistan had its good points but is unbearable now. Many of us stayed in Afghanistan but its ruined now. Tehran was party central with girls, booze, dope, opium, hash, caviar, french champagne,  russian vodka...but thats gone to the dogs too  and Thailand is going that way now because it has become a tourist destination. I can relate the decline of Thailand to the rate of bars showing footie on telly and the advent of rap and handsup music. The massed hordes of Chinese tourist is off putting but I remember Koh Pang Am 29 years ago was horribly crowded with backpackers and faux hippies. I too am glad I got a lot of travelling done when i was younger and that i got 60 days paid holiday a year in Thailand for ten years before I retired here 4 years ago. My work also took me to Saudi,  Libya  Burma,  Singapore, Kuwait, and Tunisia. I lived in and out of Spain and Portugal for years and had a great tine. Holland and France are quick to get to but Now im looking to the balkanss for European fun and west africa for warmer climes. The new bureaucratic hell that Thailand has become and the masses of asian grockle tourists from China, Pakistan and india have robbed Thailand if its charm. That being said Issan is not a tourist ghetto....yet.

[Denim]

As it a kid in my local library some 50 years ago , I came across a huge book with some amazing black and white pictures of Angkor Wat. I was spellbound and determined to go there when I was older. Never made it and now that it has been thoroughly raped I wouldn't go even if it was free.

 

[sammieuk1]

I'm the only farang in my village and the only place left I can afford to visit????

[Golden Triangle]

37 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

When I was twenty, 46 years ago I travelled over land to india. It was not much fun then but the few bright spots such as Goa are just tourist dumps now. Even Pakistan had its good points but is unbearable now. Many of us stayed in Afghanistan but its ruined now. Tehran was party central with girls, booze, dope, opium, hash, caviar, french champagne,  russian vodka...but thats gone to the dogs too  and Thailand is going that way now because it has become a tourist destination. I can relate the decline of Thailand to the rate of bars showing footie on telly and the advent of rap and handsup music. The massed hordes of Chinese tourist is off putting but I remember Koh Pang Am 29 years ago was horribly crowded with backpackers and faux hippies. I too am glad I got a lot of travelling done when i was younger and that i got 60 days paid holiday a year in Thailand for ten years before I retired here 4 years ago. My work also took me to Saudi,  Libya  Burma,  Singapore, Kuwait, and Tunisia. I lived in and out of Spain and Portugal for years and had a great tine. Holland and France are quick to get to but Now im looking to the balkanss for European fun and west africa for warmer climes. The new bureaucratic hell that Thailand has become and the masses of asian grockle tourists from China, Pakistan and india have robbed Thailand if its charm. That being said Issan is not a tourist ghetto....yet.

I have to agree with you, unfortunately the ' Connected World ' has ruined each and every special place on the planet.

 

I was still serving in HM Army patrolling the wild streets of Belfast back in 73 but as soon as I left the army in about 82 I wanted to travel, I had a PSV license ( that's coaches & buses to you lot unfamiliar with the term) and managed to get myself a job taking happy holiday makers to places like Rovinj in the former Yugoslavia (as it was then) and a place called Bibione' just outside Venice.

 

Prior to that I had already covered the most of mainland Europe while in the army, so places like Greece & it's Islands, Turkey, Austria and a whole lot of other places were ripe for discovery, even Spain, if you got away from the likes of Benidorm etc were a treasure up in the mountains, I have always loved to travel and have tried to do as much as I could with the ex wife.

 

Then Thailand hit my radar, 15 or more years ago it was fun and mostly unfettered by regulations, now it's a pain in the butt at times, and I do think about moving on, unfortunately that would mean a massive upheavel in my life as I have a longtime G/F who I know would be devastated if I just up sticks and left, so that's not gonna happen anytime soon.

 

I'm not trapped but I am, I hope you can understand that, I can't leave my G/F of nearly 10 years just because of carp from the junta, I will stick it out and hopefully will come up trumps in the end.

[gaviny]

Worgeordie , PNG is not really that dangerous , I lived there all my life up until 5 years ago and never had a problem.

I am just very happy that I did all my travelling while i was quite young and
a long time ago,walking around and camping next to the Pyramids,not many
people around at all,ditto The Pyramids of Mexico and Central America, PNG
reputed to be quite dangerous now,a lot of places I would not like to return
to,Just talking to my Ex wife,she has just been to some old city in Turkey and
its over run with Chinese tourists.
regards worgeordie

[55Jay]

Ah yes, the exuberence of youth, discovering the world, and then 50 years later, lamenting that it's all gone to hell in handbasket.  Which is what my Grandmother told me a few times when I was 7 or 8 years old along with "It's all gone topsy turvey!". 

 

But I struck out at 18 years old and thought I'd discovered a secret gem in Thailand circa 1987, but I could have imagined an older fella supping a beer, shaking his head and telling me I was too late, "It's gone to hell, you shoulda been here 10 years ago". 

[Chazar]

11 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

Ah yes, the exuberence of youth, discovering the world, and then 50 years later, lamenting that it's all gone to hell in handbasket.  Which is what my Grandmother told me a few times when I was 7 or 8 years old along with "It's all gone topsy turvey!". 

 

But I struck out at 18 years old and thought I'd discovered a secret gem in Thailand circa 1987, but I could have imagined an older fella supping a beer, shaking his head and telling me I was too late, "It's gone to hell, you shoulda been here 10 years ago". 

I'm 27

Would  have been good to be born rich in the early 1950's when international travel was taking off.

Too  many  people, shrunken world, too  much "security"

[Chazar]

13 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

"It's gone to hell, you shoulda been here 10 years ago". 

Wouldnt say its gone to  hell but I dont want to trip over everyone else, spend hours  queuing at places and often found it disappointing. 

[55Jay]

32 minutes ago, Chazar said:

I'm 27

Would  have been good to be born rich in the early 1950's when international travel was taking off.

Too  many  people, shrunken world, too  much "security"

General comment, not directed at you specifically.  27!  Wow, that's great.  Enjoy!

[Andrew Dwyer]

As it a kid in my local library some 50 years ago , I came across a huge book with some amazing black and white pictures of Angkor Wat. I was spellbound and determined to go there when I was older. Never made it and now that it has been thoroughly raped I wouldn't go even if it was free.
 

Wow, those photos make it look like definitely a place to avoid.

I spent a lot of my working life travelling, averaging 200 days a year on the road for 25 years. Consider myself very fortunate to have seen what I’ve seen !!

Nowadays Mae Hong Son or Petchabun is all I need, even a local beauty spot or temple I find relaxing.

[worgeordie]

3 hours ago, gaviny said:

Worgeordie , PNG is not really that dangerous , I lived there all my life up until 5 years ago and never had a problem.

Violent crime
The law and order situation in Papua New Guinea continues to pose serious risks to travellers. Violent crime, including armed robbery, carjacking and sexual assault, is common throughout the country, especially in urban areas such as Port Moresby, Lae and Mt Hagen. The settlement areas in urban centres, including those in Port Moresby and Lae are particularly dangerous.

Expatriates and foreigners have been the target of robbery and carjacking in the past. Robberies have been known to take place inside business premises in Port Moresby and other urban centres. Most of the time crime is opportunistic but organised criminal groups also operate in Papua New Guinea.

 

Yes,Just sounds like big cities in the UK !

regards worgeordie

[gaviny]

I could pull up the Smart travel alert for Thailand also, that would put people of coming for sure ,yet we we live here , at least PNG has no No Go Zone alert unlike Thailand.

[Puchaiyank]

I still have an adventurous spirit...many places on my list of things to see in Thailand...TM30 has definitely caused me to pause and rethink my stay in this kingdom...

 

The world is still open for business and not as oppressive as Thailand has become...

[Golden Triangle]

1 hour ago, Puchaiyank said:

I still have an adventurous spirit...many places on my list of things to see in Thailand...TM30 has definitely caused me to pause and rethink my stay in this kingdom...

 

The world is still open for business and not as oppressive as Thailand has become...

Me Too, fortunately me & Mrs managed to travel the length & breadth of Thailand before all us expats were criminalised by the ruling elite and effectively discouraged from exploring other parts of this once friendly country, I have spent a fortune staying in small to medium sized family run resorts and hotels, I'm done now, I'll go and sit on the patio and watch the weeds grow, a lot less hassle ???? 

[Sandy Freckle]

I still have the travel wander-lust although these days my budget affords me 360 degrees of choices whereas back in my younger days I was a cheap charlie back packer. 
Back then my travel needs were usually directed towards coastlines with surf-able waves, warm water, cold beer and spicy food. Myself and mates would fly into to BKK to secure cheap flights to almost any surf-able coast around the world..., but, not so these days. And thats ok, because age brings wisdom(and hip replacements), and I no longer surf big waves. But, like many of you all out there, I have so many great memories(and photos) of 'places' no longer 'available' in the same way..., and of course I am very thankful for all the memories. Indonesia was the 'go to place' for surf exploration..., with a surfboard(or 2) from mid 70's onwards. However, we all know how that place has now turned out. I still love to selectively travel northwards during our southern winter. Wander-lust has been replaced with wonder-lust and I can now more selectively choose small boutique family run hotels or guest houses(avoiding tourist ghettos like the plague). Special places still exist out there..., and better finances also ease my path. And..., I've even managed to find some semblance of ridable/surfable waves down in Phuket during August and Sept..., even though the Bay of Bengal is probably one of the worlds most polluted bays. 
What's my point ? No real point...., beyond just make the most of whatever you're served up on any given day.
   
  

[Bournville]

The OP is spot on and the article is a grim out look.

I was also lucky to travel most if my life... Since the early 70's... About 40 countries in all.

Most spots I would never want to visit now... Even if I could afford them!

Traveling around eastern Asia will suffice.

It's not just the filth and the prices and the over commercialization... It's the idiot traveller's I bump into... So many idiots. So many dirty traveller's. So many un-sociable c**ts. For about 100 usd I can travel to "exotic" corners of SE Asia... and if I want.. Return after just a few days outside of Thailand.

I've had a love-hate relationship with Thailand for about 6 years. But then again... Same same for this planet in the past decade! 55

Be happy

[NCC1701A]

because of all the fear and paranoia on this forum I never leave my house now.

 

that solves a lot of problems.