Worst country you've ever visited?

[Hadi Rizvi]

I live in USA, have spent over 10 years in Pakistan, and visited UAE, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Argentina and Canada.

I have a soft spot for Pakistan inspite of all its problems.
Least favorite will have to be Saudi Arabia. It doesnt have any of the security problems Pakistan does and it has an amazing infrastructure. But besides Mecca and Medina, I found it lifeless, dull and without any soul.
UAE is similar but to a lesser extent. I wasn't convinced by the tall buildings and the glamour.
Argentina is what I would like Pakistan to be. A country with a lot of problems (to a lesser degree than Pakistan) but a genuine spirit, liveliness and can see myself living there for 1-2 years.
Italy was nice to visit but wouldn't live there.
USA is by far the best place to live but it has some major flaws. The Healthcare system is absolute shambles with no signs of being fixed and the people are just way too nationalistic which blinds them to the actual problems of the country and allow themselves to be allured by bravado talkers like Trump who distracts them from the actual problem and leads them on to what they want to hear. Shame really. Still the best of the lot in my opinion.

Truth and nothing but.

*enters all synonyms for boring*

 

[ExpressPacer]

Far dirtier than other European countries and the food is surprisingly bad. Didn't get to interact with the locals much so can't comment on that. If you are not into art, you are not missing out on much by not going there.

I loved Italy. Rome was beautiful. Venice was picturesque but surprisingly dirty in parts. Even in you're not into art, Italy offers loads for people interested in architecture and history. I liked the food but I've heard you've got to look for the right restaurants.

 

[kaayal]

Heard a couple of negative views on Italy, any reason why? My wife is quite keen on going there while we are still part of Europe and travel is simpler, but something about it puts me off for some reason. It looks beautiful, but as KKWC has said, it's the people that make a country and I'm unsure what the Italians are like in their own country.

Florence is the best for art people and also Rome. Venice is dirty tbh. Then there is the fashion street in Milan. Mrs Cpt will love it.

Tbh Spain is much better than Italy. Loved Barcelona.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Florence is the best for art people and also Rome. Venice is dirty tbh. Then there is the fashion street in Milan. Mrs Cpt will love it.

Tbh Spain is much better than Italy. Loved Barcelona.

Florence is beautiful. My favourite place in Italy. Didn't enjoy my time in Rome and Venice tbh

 

[kaayal]

Florence is beautiful. My favourite place in Italy. Didn't enjoy my time in Rome and Venice tbh

True. Florence is the best in Italy.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Florence is the best for art people and also Rome. Venice is dirty tbh. Then there is the fashion street in Milan. Mrs Cpt will love it.

Tbh Spain is much better than Italy. Loved Barcelona.

I've been to Barcelona, it was great, I think I'd prefer to go to Madrid than Italy to be honest, but the wife has her heart set on Italy. She likes Italian food but I'm like Mamoon, not a fan of pasta. Sounds like Italy can be fine, just got to choose where you go according to your taste. The good thing about Spain and Italy is they have very different regions so you could pick what suits you best.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

Florence is beautiful. My favourite place in Italy. Didn't enjoy my time in Rome and Venice tbh

I absolutely adored Venice, found it so peaceful and beautiful. Florence for such a small place really is fascinating as well. Milan was OK, Duomo was beautiful but aside from that not much soul tbh.

Bologna and Parma were great also, plus Pisa was surprisingly large

 

[DW44]

Only ever been to four - UK, China, Qatar and Pakistan, which is my own country. UK was fine and definitely not a contender for any list with the word 'worst' in its title. Of the other three, China was significantly better than the other two (no Islam and, by extension, Islamic law or in your face Muslims) while Pakistan is easily worse than Qatar (except for a few very specific situations) so, all things considered, the worst country I've ever set foot in is my own i.e. Pakistan.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Well there's a surprise.

 

[Slog]

Only ever been to four - UK, China, Qatar and Pakistan, which is my own country. UK was fine and definitely not a contender for any list with the word 'worst' in its title. Of the other three, China was significantly better than the other two (no Islam and, by extension, Islamic law or in your face Muslims) while Pakistan is easily worse than Qatar (except for a few very specific situations) so, all things considered, the worst country I've ever set foot in is my own i.e. Pakistan.

surprised youre not that well travelled

its a bit of a toughie have to say. obv i would travel to countries which i want to travel to so its unlikely they are terrible

id say certain parts of each country are really poor.

saudi arabia is prolly the worst (asides from mecca, medina)

 

[Slog]

one of my great regrets is not going for a study abroad semester and travelling europe

will never live it down as it would have been practically for free

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Far dirtier than other European countries and the food is surprisingly bad. Didn't get to interact with the locals much so can't comment on that. If you are not into art, you are not missing out on much by not going there.

What????

You could spend a lifetime visiting Italy. I know people in their 90s who have been visiting since the 1950s and still find new wonders.

The breadth and depth of beauty and great experiences available in Italy are unmatched.

Rome is a good starting point. 4 or 5 days is enough for a first trip. Walking around is brilliant. We walked about 70 miles in 4 days.

Taxis are cheap too if you wish.

Seriously everyone needs to visit Italy at least once.

 

[Mamoon]

What????

You could spend a lifetime visiting Italy. I know people in their 90s who have been visiting since the 1950s and still find new wonders.

The breadth and depth of beauty and great experiences available in Italy are unmatched.

Rome is a good starting point. 4 or 5 days is enough for a first trip. Walking around is brilliant. We walked about 70 miles in 4 days.

Taxis are cheap too if you wish.

Seriously everyone needs to visit Italy at least once.

I went to Bologna (had to go there because my brother was studying there), Rome, Florence and Venice last year and followed it up with a few days in Barcelona. In Italy, I had my best experience in Florence followed by Rome. Venice was awful. All in all, my experience was pretty average.

It is much dirtier than the UK. I was quite shocked to see the state of the trains and the metro. It is not even close to the London Underground or the Dubai Metro. In addition, Italian food is great only when the non-Italians make it. On the contrary, Barcelona was amazing. Probably the best place I've been to, and if I didn't have family in the UK, I would probably end up there every summer. Far, far better than the Italian cities.

Nonetheless, it is all down to personal experience and what one looks for in a place.

 

[SandyB]

I can vouch for that. I went for Hajj a few years ago, and the Saudis are by far the rudest people I have come across.

Is it because of the religion thing ? Do they believe they are the superior arabs. ?

I have a lot of family who have worked in the Middle east for years, almost all of the, vouch that the Arab community most hated by all the other arabs are Sauds and Palestinians. They say that Palestinians think of themselves as the smartest and are very stuck up and overbearing, and that of it weren't for the Israel issue, they'd be openly hated by everyone.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

As a Pakistani who grew up in Spain (in Barcelona area):

Absolutely love Spain. Been to France(wannabe Spain ), Germany(quiet), Belgium(boring), Luxembourg(too serious), Netherlands(strange), Sweden(cold) etc. But no place like Spain.

Pakistan was not a pleasant experience for me, but I'll revisit Insha'Allah.

 

[sadida97]

As a Pakistani who grew up in Spain (in Barcelona area):

Absolutely love Spain. Been to France(wannabe Spain ), Germany(quiet), Belgium(boring), Luxembourg(too serious), Netherlands(strange), Sweden(cold) etc. But no place like Spain.

Pakistan was not a pleasant experience for me, but I'll revisit Insha'Allah.

come on man belgium is not boring....

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

come on man belgium is not boring....

Just got this impression. Obviously I am massively generalizing, hehe

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Just got this impression. Obviously I am massively generalizing, hehe

Yeah it's pretty nice

 

[Syed1]

I absolutely hated Saudi Arabia..

 

[kaayal]

Just got this impression. Obviously I am massively generalizing, hehe

Brussels is beautiful especialy in the Grand Place when the flower carpet thing is going on. Their chocalates are the best.

 

[Square Drive]

None.

If I had to pick one, USA.

 

[SandyB]

Wow, lots of people mentioning Belgium, Netherlands, Germany !

But every time I hear those names all I think is BEER BEER BEER !..

Hope to go abroad soon and visit all those places, atleast dear Ireland (Guiness). :Angel_ani:Angel_ani

 

[ahmedzee]

i am gonna get a lot of flak for this, but for me, London, England was one of the most boring cities ive ever visited. I've been there more than 5 times though (got relatives). But it's always boring there, rains all the time and is dark. Just not for me.

 

[ahmedzee]

Canada. I visited Toronto, Niagara and Mississauga.

You must be joking. Toronto is one of the best cities in the world, and one of the cleanest. I love Toronto, maybe more than NYC or LA.

 

[SandyB]

i am gonna get a lot of flak for this, but for me, London, England was one of the most boring cities ive ever visited. I've been there more than 5 times though (got relatives). But it's always boring there, rains all the time and is dark. Just not for me.

Too many desis perhaps ?

 

[TM Riddle]

Wow, lots of people mentioning Belgium, Netherlands, Germany !

But every time I hear those names all I think is BEER BEER BEER !..

Hope to go abroad soon and visit all those places, atleast dear Ireland (Guiness). :Angel_ani:Angel_ani

I would live my entire life in Amsterdam if not for my girlfriend and family.

 

[ahmedzee]

Too many desis perhaps ?

No, its not that. Desis are also there in my favourite city of Toronto and NYC. It is just, it rains a lot, you barely are able to get out, its too dark and boring. Yes i like the Museum, but that's about it there. Barely anything to do, and the attractions are not really attractions.

 

[Specialisttailender]

i am gonna get a lot of flak for this, but for me, London, England was one of the most boring cities ive ever visited. I've been there more than 5 times though (got relatives). But it's always boring there, rains all the time and is dark. Just not for me.

Says the one from Albera.

 

[Specialisttailender]

Too many desis perhaps ?

I hate people that say "too many desis". These people are often paindos but wanna be western folks. They view their people (desi as a whole) as some inferior peasants. I understand if you are a young desi couple or a young desi girl as you might get judged by aunties for wearing club outfits and shorts during summer but the rest have no excuse to be stupid. These are the people who probably hid their identities as Latinos or Spanish back in the 70s and 80s. Trust me it happened.

 

[ahmedzee]

Says the one from Albera.

Never liked Alberta. Here for work as it pays better than anywhere else in Canada. Toronto is my original hometown. But that doesn't mean I dn't enjoy it here. Just 45 mins away we have banff. Lots to do there, way more than London, England.

 

[SandyB]

I would live my entire life in Amsterdam if not for my girlfriend and family.

Hmm. Nice fragrances there I suppose.

I'd stay here too if I ever had creatures like a GF ..

No, its not that. Desis are also there in my favourite city of Toronto and NYC. It is just, it rains a lot, you barely are able to get out, its too dark and boring. Yes i like the Museum, but that's about it there. Barely anything to do, and the attractions are not really attractions.

English weather is very close to south western india (western Ghats), where I'm from. I'd love to live there.

I hate people that say "too many desis". These people are often paindos but wanna be western folks. They view their people (desi as a whole) as some inferior peasants. I understand if you are a young desi couple or a young desi girl as you might get judged by aunties for wearing club outfits and shorts during summer but the rest have no excuse to be stupid. These are the people who probably hid their identities as Latinos or Spanish back in the 70s and 80s. Trust me it happened.

I'm actually a desi man, spend all my life in Kerala , except half a year in Kuwait . So I still qualify as paindoo )

 

[ahmedzee]

Hmm. Nice fragrances there I suppose.

I'd stay here too if I ever had creatures like a GF ..



English weather is very close to south western india (western Ghats), where I'm from. I'd love to live there.



I'm actually a desi man, spend all my life in Kerala , except half a year in Kuwait . So I still qualify as paindoo )

I don't think it is cold in SW india

 

[TM Riddle]

I don't think it is cold in SW india

Kerala highlands due to proximity to western ghats enjoy a nice pleasing weather all year around with plentiful rain due to monsoon.
Although technically you are right.Weather of SW India is tropical in nature while that of Britain is cold temperate.And I don't think Kerala , because of its closeness to equator , has 4 distinct seasons a year which are characteristic of British climate.

 

[SandyB]

Kerala highlands due to proximity to western ghats enjoy a nice pleasing weather all year around with plentiful rain due to monsoon.
Although technically you are right.Weather of SW India is tropical in nature while that of Britain is cold temperate.And I don't think Kerala , because of its closeness to equator , has 4 distinct seasons a year which are characteristic of British climate.

I was only referring to his comment saying it rains all the time.

 

[TM Riddle]

I was only referring to his comment saying it rains all the time.

haha ok