What has Travel Taught You?

[Loyal]

A shecocks fan you say?

"Yes, I'd like a cheeseburger and fries....only, can you substitute a veggie burger and brie for the the hamburger and cheddar? Oh, and please substitute iceburg for romaine lettuce...That's it I think...but do you have sweet potato fries in this place?"
~RamFan503

 

[Angry Ram]

People who live in big metro areas are generally rude. Minneapolis is the exception.

The people I've interacted with in Houston since I've moved here have been nothing but great (well except for one, but I digress).

I've went to the big rodeo event last year and was completely out of my element (brown dude that loves comic books, surrounded by ranchers and cowboys). Ended up having one of the most fun days ever, and interacting with the people was awesome.

 

[FaulkSF]

Some notes many of you touched on I've experienced as well.

1. Australia was incredible. Friendliest people. Ironic as it used to be a land used for criminal deportation. And yes if you're in Sydney, see a show. The acoustics and architecture are amazing at the Opera House.

2. Try and learn a few phrases of the native language. Visited Montreal about 2 years ago and learned some French before we left. Yes they speak English there, but it's not the native language or that of choice. Had the best customer service, conversations, and referrals for places in broken French. Found an awesome place for poutine and great beer.

Found a favorite restaurant in Puerto Vallarta after talking with the locals and walking a quarter mile into the Bosque (jungle). Best paella I've eaten.

3. Don't be afraid to travel to places, well less traveled. My wife and I spent our honeymoon in Belize and wouldn't hesitate to go back. Yes parts of it seem a third world country and when you're in the city be mindful of who and where you are. We felt completely safe as most locals no not to mess with the tourists since it's the country's greatest source of income. Food, people and activities are amazing.

In short, travel and encourage your children to travel. There's a world of great adventure out there.

 

[Farr Be It]

Australia was incredible. Friendliest people. Ironic as it used to be a land used for criminal deportation. And yes if you're in Sydney, see a show. The acoustics and architecture are amazing at the Opera House.

Yeah, well. I bet you didn’t drink a bunch of beers with your buddies and puke on the way back to the ship. Ha! Beat that. Sucker. Not something you could do just anywhere.

 

[RamFan503]

"Yes, I'd like a cheeseburger and fries....only, can you substitute a veggie burger and brie for the the hamburger and cheddar? Oh, and please substitute iceburg for romaine lettuce...That's it I think...but do you have sweet potato fries in this place?"
~RamFan503

Had all of them.

 

[Force16X]

when you travel by vehicle, you relearn the important things in life: food, shelter and gas.

if traveling with someone , you find out that "i'll help with the driving" is a much shorter time than you envisioned .

once done traveling and returning home you realize how much more tired you are once home , than you were several days prior , while at work, wishing you were traveling somewhere to get some R & R .

 

[Loyal]

Had all of them.

I take it that you ran a restaurant in Oregon? Where was it located and what was its name, if your don't mind me asking?

 

[FaulkSF]

I take it that you ran a restaurant in Oregon? Where was it located and what was its name, if your don't mind me asking?

The Gold Tex Mex Bar and Grill

 

[RamFan503]

I take it that you ran a restaurant in Oregon? Where was it located and what was its name, if your don't mind me asking?

Pig Feathers BBQ and Twisted Snout Brewery. It was on the central Oregon coast. The building was literally falling down around us so after ten years and the kids off at college and Air Force we decided to simplify things and get closer to family.

 

[Loyal]

Pig Feathers BBQ and Twisted Snout Brewery. It was on the central Oregon coast. The building was literally falling down around us so after ten years and the kids off at college and Air Force we decided to simplify things and get closer to family.

I used to drive occasionally the Portland-San Francisco route via the Oregon coast (Greyhound) in the 90's. Was it in Newport or Lincoln City ro farther down? I love BBQ and would have noticed it, I think if it had existed along 101.

 

[RamFan503]

I used to drive occasionally the Portland-San Francisco route via the Oregon coast (Greyhound) in the 90's. Was it in Newport or Lincoln City ro farther down? I love BBQ and would have noticed it, I think if it had existed along 101.

Just inland from Newport but still on the marina of the Yaquina. We were in a little town called Toledo right across the street from the marina. It was a pretty cool location and we had a great following from all over the country. We were written up in Fodor's Travel Guide (oldest travel guide in North America) as the best BBQ in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Western Canada).

We used to take my boat into Newport and drop crab pots then motor back up river and dock across the street from our place, go in, have a few beers and some grub, then motor back out and pull crabs. Fun times and yet I don't miss the headaches.

 

[RamFan503]

Back on topic....

I also learned while traveling that the US is much like any other country. If you look for the one off mom and pop restaurant and bars, you can have a kick ass time. Before we opened our BBQ restaurant, I traveled for 9 days around Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Every day, I would stop at 2 or 3 BBQ and/or local bars and try out their wares. I met some great people. The most memorable was an old black man IIRR in Northern Georgia. He had a green caboose, a smoker, and a picnic table on a lot next to a gas station. He had the best pulled pork I have ever eaten by then and still.

Anyway, I sat there and talked with the guy for over 4 hours. He was closing up shop when I showed up so I helped him put some stuff away and then we just sat there at his picnic table with some tea. He had been there for 40 years and still loved his job. He gets up early, is home - unless some Westerner shows up - by 4:30 or 5 - earlier when he sells out, and he is open 4 days a week.

When we were about done BSing, I asked him for his pulled pork recipe and with a wink, he said, "as long as you don't go telling any Californians." Some of the best 4 hours I've ever spent in my life.

 

[Loyal]

Back on topic....

I also learned while traveling that the US is much like any other country. If you look for the one off mom and pop restaurant and bars, you can have a kick ass time. Before we opened our BBQ restaurant, I traveled for 9 days around Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Every day, I would stop at 2 or 3 BBQ and/or local bars and try out their wares. I met some great people. The most memorable was an old black man IIRR in Northern Georgia. He had a green caboose, a smoker, and a picnic table on a lot next to a gas station. He had the best pulled pork I have ever eaten by then and still.

Anyway, I sat there and talked with the guy for over 4 hours. He was closing up shop when I showed up so I helped him put some stuff away and then we just sat there at his picnic table with some tea. He had been there for 40 years and still loved his job. He gets up early, is home - unless some Westerner shows up - by 4:30 or 5 - earlier when he sells out, and he is open 4 days a week.

When we were about done BSing, I asked him for his pulled pork recipe and with a wink, he said, "as long as you don't go telling any Californians." Some of the best 4 hours I've ever spent in my life.

Great story.

 

[FaulkSF]

When we were about done BSing, I asked him for his pulled pork recipe and with a wink, he said, "as long as you don't go telling any Californians." Some of the best 4 hours I've ever spent in my life.

Always about us California folk. Such horrible people we are! How do we ever convince other folk some of us r ok?

 

[Farr Be It]

Always about us California folk. Such horrible people we are! How do we ever convince other folk some of us r ok?

Most of us are concentrated here in the Sacramento area @FaulkSF

...oh and a bunch of our boys down the farm belt and our Ram brothers in LA. :cheers:

 

[RamFan503]

Always about us California folk. Such horrible people we are! How do we ever convince other folk some of us r ok?

Yeah - I laughed and told him I was born and raised there but I get it. He was only joking anyway.

 

[Selassie I]

Traveling within the continental United States is the closest thing to a time machine that we have right now... but it truly is just like traveling in a time machine (both forward and back).

Traveling outside the continental US is like traveling in a time machine WITH an addition of random flavors (cultures and laws). "We ain't in Kansas anymore Toto!" So proceed with caution!!!

 

[fearsomefour]

Traveling within the continental United States is the closest thing to a time machine that we have right now... but it truly is just like traveling in a time machine (both forward and back).

Traveling outside the continental US is like traveling in a time machine WITH an addition of random flavors (cultures and laws). "We ain't in Kansas anymore Toto!" So proceed with caution!!!

Or as Steve Morse and Jeff Porcaro can say, "We aren't in Kansas or Toto anymore."

 

[VegasRam]

Growing up in SoCal, spent a lot of my teen years in Mexico - that was fun.
Graduated from college in '73 on a Tuesday and was on a plane Friday bound for Amsterdam.
Lived there (in Delft), for two years.
Lived 6 months in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia in '80, (actually saw a beheading in Dammam), and spent '84-'88 working in Frankfurt, during which time I also spent an aggregate 6 months all over Turkey, from Istanbul to Diyabakir, and Sinop on the Black Sea to Adana on the Mediterranean.
Took a 2-week trip to China 5 years ago, very interesting as well, but not enough time to really get to the people. Land of extreme contrasts.

Anyway, my takeaways are 1) traveling is one of the best and most educational things one can do,
2) people are pretty much all the same, and 3) it's incredibly enlightening to see your country through other's eyes.

#3 could be a double edged sword - but it isn't. The US obviously has faults/issues, but you will come away with a different/new appreciation for this country that you may not have had before.

Highly recommend it!

 

[LesBaker]

Traveling outside the continental US is like traveling in a time machine WITH an addition of random flavors (cultures and laws). "We ain't in Kansas anymore Toto!" So proceed with caution!!!

And always get a BOB you can TRUST right..........