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  1. #1
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    Simon43's Avatar
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    What country gives you your fondest memories from long ago?

    I'm British, lived in south-east Asia for 20 years. But my fondest memories are of taking long holidays in Greece during the 1960's. My father was a university lecturer, which meant a long summer holiday for him, with the only requirement to mark his students' exam papers.

    Every July, as a family (me, my 2 older brothers and my parents), would pack our suitcases, take the train from Leicester to London St. Pancras station, then by taxi to Victoria station and onto the boat train for Dover and Calais. A train to Paris Gare de Nord and then across to the Gare de Sud station for the sleeper train that would take us all the way through Switzerland in the night, emerging in early morning by the Italian lakes. Then followed a long day of train travel as we meandered down the eastern seaboard of Italy, arriving in Brindisi in late evening. We would then board the MV Apia for the overnight journey across the Adriatic to dock at the island of Corfu in the morning. Finally, a 2 hour journey by fishing boat to the small village of Kassiopi, where we would put up at the house of a local village couple, (we always stayed with them).

    Then followed a month or 6 weeks of lazing the nearby beach, swimming in the crystal clear waters, or (for me), exploring the nearby castle ruins and catching all manner of butterflies and bugs.

    In the evening, we would all eat at the restaurant owned by the village major, listening and dancing to Greek folk music.

    To this day, my heart stirs when I hear traditional Greek songs, because it reminds me of these happy times in Greece when I was young.

    I'm sure that the Greece that I knew has changed a lot. Now I live in Laos. If I were ever forced or desired to return to live in Europe, a Greek island with traditional music would be top of my list!

    How about you?

    (This is a very old photo of Kassiopi, but I remember the 3 buildings in this picture as if it were yesterday).

    What country gives you your fondest memories from long ago?-kassiopi-jpg
    Groping women when you're old is fine - everyone thinks you're senile

  2. #2
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    Belize - back in 1979 before television and when lobster was cheaper than chicken on the islands - spent a month there on a Pearson Ariel. Haven't had any desire to return - been there, done that

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Simon43 View Post
    Every July, as a family (me, my 2 older brothers and my parents), would pack our suitcases, take the train from Leicester to London St. Pancras station, then by taxi to Victoria station and onto the boat train for Dover and Calais. A train to Paris Gare de Nord and then across to the Gare de Sud station for the sleeper train that would take us all the way through Switzerland in the night, emerging in early morning by the Italian lakes. Then followed a long day of train travel as we meandered down the eastern seaboard of Italy, arriving in Brindisi in late evening. We would then board the MV Apia for the overnight journey across the Adriatic to dock at the island of Corfu in the morning. Finally, a 2 hour journey by fishing boat to the small village of Kassiopi, where we would put up at the house of a local village couple, (we always stayed with them).
    jesus, feels like a trip only Syrian refugees would dare to take these days

  4. #4
    I'm in Jail

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    Hong Kong, Australia, Phils and Thailand late 80's to late 90's

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat
    Simon43's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonfly View Post
    jesus, feels like a trip only Syrian refugees would dare to take these days
    I don't think planes had been invented..... at least my parents seemed to think not!

  6. #6
    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
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    ...fondest memories are from Iran. Things started off slowly, but once I realized I was earning enough cash to buy the carpets I lusted after, paradise revealed itself. With friends of similar interest, I'd spend entire Thursdays and Friday mornings before prayer with the carpet dealers in the bazaar looking at new stocks of baled carpets that had arrived from the villages around Esfahan. One summer, my first bf and I drove in my Jyane (old Deux Chevaux Citroen) along the southern route of the Alborz Mountains from Esfahan to Mash'ad and environs. On the way we stopped at the turqoise mines of Nishapur where I picked up several choice pieces. From Mash'ad we motored west along the northern route of the Alborz Mountains to the Caspian shore, sturgeon kebabs and beautiful green forests in an otherwise desert country. On our way south, we stopped at villages and inquired about local carpet makers...most of whom were women slaving away in dark rooms. We avoided Qom on the drive to the Gulf, stopping to rest in the oil slum of Abadan. We visited the rose gardens of Shiraz and the ruins of Persepolis on the return to Esfahan. An amazing road trip of 3 weeks in a country it took a revolution to shoehorn me out of...to this day, it is the only country (including my own) I have a desire to return to...
    Last edited by tomcat; 16-04-2020 at 02:55 PM.
    Majestically enthroned amid the vulgar herd

  7. #7
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    ohh - long ago

    First up = hunting and fishing in Canada - back woods Quebec, deep into the woods on old logging camp roads

    Second = Italia, three years of bliss stationed at a remote satellite facility - way off the maps - the food, the wine and the woman

  8. #8
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Two standouts, really.

    The first was Angkor Wat about 18 years ago.

    At that time if you got there early you could have the place almost to yourself, and at any time there would be a lull when the Japanese tourbus moved on.

    The second - again, Italy. Tuscany, Peruggia and Rome are a treat even for the most jaded travellers.
    'That's the nature of progress, isn' t it. It always goes on longer than it's needed'. - JCC

  9. #9
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    nice memories in my annual summer in Saint Tropez when I was young, on a Riva boat on isolated nearby coast, loads of nice yatch around with hot women sunbathing naked every where

    the whole lifestyle in Saint Tropez was still acceptable back then, strolling the narrow streets, bohemian style, looking for fun with locals and tourists.

    Wouldn't want to go back to see the expensive shit show it has become now,

  10. #10
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    BoganInParasite's Avatar
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    Colorado in the mid-90s. Was on my own (with wife and two kids back in Aus) living in hotels while turning around an airports technology business that had oversold the capabilities of our product and underpriced it. Worked most days including weekends, took a commercial flight nearly every second day for two years. But still found some time to do some epic drives up into the Rockies and on one occasion to Los Angles via SLC and SFO. Was a handsome man back then and encountered several women who just loved the novelty and accent of an Aussie....'just talk to me...say anything...'. Looking back on it could likely have turned several into conquests however that thought never occurred to me at the time. Young and naive in some things in life back then.

  11. #11
    กงเกวียนกำเกวียน HuangLao's Avatar
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    1977 - 1983.
    French Polynesia.
    [resident off-n-on]

    In particular, a couple years in The Marquesas and another couple primarily on Raiatea and Tahiti.

    My first four girls were born there, subsequently moved to be raised in New Zealand.

  12. #12
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    I have many fond memories of Thailand, back in the early 90s, spent a month on Samui and islands (Chawang beech, 60 baht per night for a hut and motorbiking across the rickety old bridge to the Reggie Club. After that a week on bottle beach to relax with a few school friends I was still in touch with...). I also spent some time in Phuket (6 months in Kata doing a dive master certificate at Marina Dive Resort; Kata was pretty small then, very friendly with a small community) and Krabi (about a week with 9 Danes, good folks) then across to Phi Phi were we hired fishing boats out to do 'remote'(ish) island visiting and deep sea fishing then back to the beach to cook the fish we'd caught and drink loads of beer - Phi Phi was really nice in those days.


    (Here's a spanish mackeral caught on a boat off Phi Phi - fed all 9 of us handsomely...)

    Also, went down to Malaysia, had a great time in Penang then across to the East Coast to Perhetian Islands and Tiaman island to do more diving; lots of turtles and nice time with my Danish g/f and a couple of other Danish friends.

    Happy days, around 30 years back when Thailand was really lovely.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails What country gives you your fondest memories from long ago?-pict0007-jpg  
    Cycling should be banned!!!

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
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    ...your avatar doesn't do you justice...

  14. #14
    กงเกวียนกำเกวียน HuangLao's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post
    I have many fond memories of Thailand, back in the early 90s, spent a month on Samui and islands (Chawang beech, 60 baht per night for a hut and motorbiking across the rickety old bridge to the Reggie Club. After that a week on bottle beach to relax with a few school friends I was still in touch with...). I also spent some time in Phuket (6 months in Kata doing a dive master certificate at Marina Dive Resort; Kata was pretty small then, very friendly with a small community) and Krabi (about a week with 9 Danes, good folks) then across to Phi Phi were we hired fishing boats out to do 'remote'(ish) island visiting and deep sea fishing then back to the beach to cook the fish we'd caught and drink loads of beer - Phi Phi was really nice in those days.


    (Here's a spanish mackeral caught on a boat off Phi Phi - fed all 9 of us handsomely...)

    Also, went down to Malaysia, had a great time in Penang then across to the East Coast to Perhetian Islands and Tiaman island to do more diving; lots of turtles and nice time with my Danish g/f and a couple of other Danish friends.

    Happy days, around 30 years back when Thailand was really lovely.

    Ah, yes.
    40-50 years ago.
    The real good old days.

    A few here can relate.
    Just don't say much.

  15. #15
    Thailand Expat Storekeeper's Avatar
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    Japan ... very fond memories of the period 1979-1987. Arrived as a 17 year old kid looking to party and get laid. And Japan didn’t disappoint. Throw in a trip to the Philippines every 3-4 months and looking back on it now it seems like all I did was party and fukc. Didn’t see much of the country but to this day I think JN poontang is the best.

  16. #16
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    Australia............Need I say more.

  17. #17
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    I guess inter-railing around Eastern Europe in the early 2000s (hey, I'm just a young pup heading towards middle age!). There was no instagram and FB was in it's infancy, certainly no fucking tiktok. Highlights would be Budapest and Lake Balaton, I still like to try and get back to those places every year or so. Sarajevo- Mostar by rail is allegedly one of the most scenic trips one can do, I'll attest to that, it was stunning. Bosnia is on my list of places to work in someday, found the pace of life to be pretty agreeable and the summers are great.

    As a kid? France, we would usually go to Lot-et-Garrone province and rent a farmhouse out always with a pool. Good memories, made me pick up a pretty decent level of French as I was always keen to play with the local kids rather than be dragged around local art galleries and wineries.

  18. #18
    Thailand Expat jabir's Avatar
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    Happy St George's, virus wouldna stood a chance.

    PS: don't believe that stuff about killing a dragon, it's in lockdown with me!

  19. #19
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    Wally Dorian Raffles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    Japan ... very fond memories of the period 1979-1987. Arrived as a 17 year old kid looking to party and get laid. And Japan didn’t disappoint. Throw in a trip to the Philippines every 3-4 months and looking back on it now it seems like all I did was party and fukc. Didn’t see much of the country but to this day I think JN poontang is the best.
    + 1.

    First arrived here in 1992. Was treated like a movies star wherever I went. Women begging for a bit of Wally. Glory days..

  20. #20
    Making people dance. :-)
    Edmond's Avatar
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    California in the 1960's.

  21. #21
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    I'd say Thailand in the 1960s. Not that I had anything to compare it to as I was born in Bangkok but the memories are still there and happy . . . jumping into the klong from our backyard in Sukhumvit soi 1xsomething, driving to the beaches not that far away etc... (possibly because our next postings were not as pleasant (ME and Africa))

    What country gives you your fondest memories from long ago?-bkk-png

    Our last Christmas in BKK, with my mum, bro and nanny

  22. #22
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    looking back on it now it seems like all I did was party and fukc
    Ahh... but, at the ripe old age of 17 - what else is there to life. But, fond, fond memories of my seafaring life.

    As they say, all ports of call look the same - after all, the interior of a barroom doesn't really matter as long as there are booze and broads. And really, what else is there to life. American sailors, coming off or during port of call on a deployment, are, in a word Thirsty, no alcohol on our ships - so first priority is to wet the whistle followed by a local taxi to nearest house of ill repute.

    Now, for uninitiated, a port of call is only a few days and you have the watch/duty (can't leave the ship) for a couple of in port days. So, priorities straight - 'tis booze and broads, not much time remains for a nice see the sights tourist tour.

    Did love my sea time - the ocean is a most majestic and unforgiving beast. The sea does remind you of just how insignificant you really are.

  23. #23
    Thailand Expat

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post


    You look like a somewhat stunted Alan Partridge there.

  24. #24
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Cua Viet river Vietnam 1968. Many fond memories and a couple not so fond.

    What country gives you your fondest memories from long ago?-pbr110-gif

  25. #25
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    ^Wow, a long time ago.
    I love hearing stories from people older than me about travels. It was my two grandmothers who got me interested in travelling with all of their pics over the years. I remember flipping through photo albums with both of them like it was yesterday (both passed now).

    Simon - I am super jealous you got to spend time in Greece. I'd love to visit Greece someday (Italy too).

    ---

    I only started travelling in my early thirties, so it isn't that long ago really (15 years).

    England was my first time abroad and in an airplane. I lived and worked there for a year and got to meet relatives I didn't even know I had. Meeting them and their family was a real treat. Nicest Brits around.

    Next favorite place was South Korea where I experienced a new culture and thrived for four years working alongside foreigners and Koreans alike. I met my best Korean friend who I still talk to today who ended up marrying an American that worked with us.

    Thailand is my favorite vacation place, went in 2006 the first time and have been back about six times. I did my CELTA in BKK, but over the years have enjoyed the beaches, food, people and Muay Thai training.

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