I have visited North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq (and 136 other countries) as a tourist. AMA

What was it like being in North Korea?

It's a pretty bizzare place. It's stuck in a time warp back in the 1980s. No advertising or internet but there are huge Soviet-style monuments of angry/happy workers and statues with propaganda posters everywhere. They love their concrete and marble. As a tourist you are limited in what you see but we did travel through the countryside a bit on the way out on the train.

Does it at all feel like George Orwell's 1984?

Honestly the US/UK feel more like that with all the surveillance, etc. That being said there was a hidden floor in the hotel that has propaganda posters and listening equipment as well (it was closed off when we visited but I've heard of it). The propaganda in NK is really blatant but it made me realize just how much subtle propaganda we are exposed to it in the West as well.

I heard somewhere when my sister went to visit South Korea that there is a "fake city" along the border between the two countries. It looked like a real one, but all of the buildings were empty. Only a few people actually lived there, only to pretend to walk around at scheduled times. Is this true?

haven't heard that but wouldn't be surprised. I didn't visit the DMZ on my trip.

Was the countryside beautiful?

It was actually... very green and no litter. Outside of the cities it's still a very agrarian society and most of the farming work is done by hand or ox plough.

People still live 'normal' lives though we saw people out on the way to work, playing in the parks with their kids, etc. Very little traffic or cars but they have these massively wide streets. So it kinda felt empty in a way. All for show, really.

Which country has the most attractive ladies?

Argentina and Iran

Iran was a very unexpected answer. I bet most of the people that read this will google "Iran women"...

Central Asian/Middle Eastern women in general are the most exotic... there are some real hotties there overall. Also lots of babuska/unibrow types too.

What's your success rate on bedding foreign ladies?

Sadly 0%. But gotten laid in many countries traveling with SO/wife . :)

Good for you sir! Nothing wrong to look, just don't touch

Not that I haven't thought about it :) But that's not been my goal. I did meet a guy in Colombia who wanted to bed a girl from each country. Good luck on that in Saudi Arabia.

Would you go to Iran again right now If your boss gave you the money and a week off work?

Do Iranian woman like tourists or are they too pious?

Of course I would go again. It is such a cheap destination at the moment as their currency has plummeted.

They like tourists just fine, they are curious. Most people in Iran aren't religious at all, they are Muslim in name only.

What do you do for a living and how can you afford all of this travel in terms of time and money?

I'm a Linux software developer, I've been at my job long enough now to get 4 paid weeks off a year and a week at Christmas and use the bulk of it to travel. I do 1 or 2 big trips (2-3 weeks) and a few shorter long weekend trips a year. I just make travel a priority so do not spend much on drinking, video games, etc. I also play the stock market a bit with covered calls, that helps bring in some extra cash.

I also am a Frequent flyer mile collector and so usually my airfare is cheap/free.

Who do you frequent fly with? I also love to travel but have only recently began.

I have lifetime platinum status on American Airlines.. but I've started flying United more lately to build up lifetime status there.

Most awesome toilet/least awesome toilet?

Best are the electronic western toilets in Japan. They'll wash your ass for you and blow dry it. Worst are drop pit toilets pretty much anywhere in Africa.

What country had the best poutine?

Canada!

Which country would you never return to? Please describe your experience there.

Probably various countries in Africa. I probably won't ever be back to Togo for example. Not any particular reason, but then there weren't too many attractions there to make me want to return. Same with places like Turkmenistan or small countries like San Marino or Andorra.

In terms of bad experiences, I dislike Egypt although it is likely I will still go back for diving the Red Sea at some point. We visited in summer 2003 right after the Iraq War started.. there were very few tourists in the country at the time and so we were endlessly hassled by the touts. I got pretty sick there as well even being careful with the food. So it's just left a bad taste in my mouth (er, literally).

Thanks! On a side note, does the rule, Never drink the water, apply everywhere you go?

Pretty much. I always use bottled water, even for brushing my teeth. In Egypt and India though the bottled water can be suspect so make sure the bottle seal is original and not loose.

My good friend went to Egypt and did a Nile cruise and apparently he and his dad just got filthy sick on the boat. I'm pretty sure it was the ice cubes or something they put in the drink. Yeah, I think the water thing applies. Although, I drank out of the fountains in Rome and had no issue. Some of the best tasting water I've ever had.

You can drink water in most of Europe with no problems. Places in Africa, India, etc.. though no way, bottled water all the way.

Im interested in how the North Korean public treats foreigners? Were they hospitable? Do they seem afraid of their government?

Most of them were pretty apprehensive.. there's the language barrier so really we didn't get to speak with any of them (but one of the guys in my tour was married to a South Korean, he was able to speak with a few people). On our trip we went to this funfair where there were lots of locals around, one of the rides was a bumper cars. We were riding around and like a Western Imperialist I rammed into a local woman's car... the look of fright on her face was just tragic. They probably don't know enough of a difference to be afraid of their government.

How is a North Korean married to a South Korean?

EDIT: Thought he said guides.

No, he was Canadian, married to South Korean.

How old are you and how long ago did you visit North Korea?

I'm 41. I started traveling hardcore about 26. I was in NK in August 2007.

Any plans to go to Antarctica?

I'd love to... just not sure when as it would blow most of my travel budget for the year. I've flown over it before on the sightseeing flights out of Australia (http://www.antarcticaflights.com.au/) so I've almost been there (we didn't land).

I did a last minute Antarctica trip from Ushuaia, Argentina. Price was $3149 vs full price that is in the 7-8000 range.

Yeah, that is always an option. I want to visit Falklands/South Georgia as well so it is also a question of time as those trips are usually 20+ days.

Where do you usually stay on your travels? Hostels? Couch surf? How about in places like Afghanistan and Iran?

It varies. If I'm traveling with my travel buddies/wife usually we stay in hotels and split costs. If going solo I'll use a combination of hotels/hostels/couchsurfing. I collect hotel points so sometimes I'll get cheap/free nights at Starwood or Holiday Inn hotels. In Afghanistan my travel bud and I stayed at a guesthouse run by the tour agency. In Iran I just stayed at regular hotels.

I would like to know how did you convinced your wife to split the hotel cost with you.

She works too :) She has her own hotel points and we split using them.

did you pick up any languages?

I'm pretty decent with Spanish (studied 5 years) and can read French fairly well. Otherwise I know travel Russian and a few basic words in Arabic, Japanese and Chinese. That can get me pretty much anywhere I've visited.

Tell us about ex-soviet countries, please. How was it?

Some are a bit depressing... Azerbaijan is a bit of an industrial wasteland, lots of rusting oil derricks and pipelines in areas. Others like the Baltics were much more enjoyable.

What are Nepal and Bhutan like?

Bhutan was amazing, we spent 10 days there going to one of the festivals. The festivals are amazing with several days of monk dances. The food there was pretty good too. It's slowly opening up to Western influence. Nepal was just a plane stop so can't say anything about there.

What is the craziest thing you saw in any of those countries? And the funniest?

Craziest is probably seeing just how much/high they pile stuff on trucks in Africa, especially considering the condition of the vehicles in the first place. We saw a cow sitting on the roof of a minibus in Burkina Faso. I wasn't sure at first if it was alive or not (it was).

I've got to think on the funniest.. I remember LOL recently but can't remember where. :)

Any scary incidents on your travels? What's your worst and favourite places you have been?

Pickpocketed twice in Rio and St. Petersburg. Wasn't really scary more a hassle though. There was a point in Mali on our way back from Timbuktu the driver went offroad through the desert so was like oh shit at that point. but it turned out to just be a shortcut.

Favorite place is probably Buenos Aires, or as a country overall, India. Least favorite is Egypt.

Thanks for your response, it makes a change to see someone on Reddit saying that India is their favorite country!

It's definitely a love it or hate it place. For someone who hasn't traveled much or out of their comfort zone it would definitely be overwhelming. You just have to go with the flow.

How many times were you scared for your life in unstable countries?

I was a little apprehensive going into Afghanistan. We went with a tour company though and they provided an armed guard which was pretty badass. Can't say I've been too apprehensive anywhere else.

In your opinion, what countries had the best architecture?

If you could answer by continents, that would be awesome...

Asia has probably some of the best/most exotic architecture.

• Uzbekistan for the Silk Road Timurid style. Very gorgeous mosques and medresses with blue/turquoise tile
• China : Style of temples/pagodas/etc

Europe: Italy. All the churches and old Roman ruins

North America: Chicago.

South America: Peru for the ancient Inca temple architecture.

Africa: West Africa for the Sahel style mud mosque architecture

I saw your answer on how you finance your travels...But are you married? Children? I have a fanily and even if I could afford this travel, it seems it would be near impossible.

Yes am married with a 21-month old daughter. She has already been to Turkey and will be going to Japan next month.

What was your favorite country so far and why?

Hard to pick one but India is usually high up there. I love the color and food and history and chaos of the place. I doubt I could live there but I always love to visit. My visa is still good for 3 years so hopefully I'll get one more trip there.

Other favorites are Argentina (mmm, bife de chorizo) and New Zealand.

What about least favorite countries?

I did not like Egypt much at all. The history yes, but not the people or food. Experienced more tourist hassle here than anywhere else. I'm usually very patient but I started snapping at touts by the end of my trip.

Most people dislike Nigeria, but I loved it for many of the same reasons I like India.

So what did you like most about Argentina and New Zealand?

Scenery mostly.. NZ of course is gorgeous all around. I like Aussies too, very outspoken most of the ones I have met. And the girls are cute.

Have you ever felt like you were in any danger?

Any reason you seem to have steered clear of Eastern Europe so far?

On average how long do you stay in each country?

Flying into Afghanistan I felt a little apprehensive.. It was only a month or so after they caught Bin Laden (visited Pakistan as well on that same trip). Also in Mali when we visited Timbuktu, the driver drove off the road and out into the desert and I was like shit we're gonna be kidnapped... but apparently it was just a shortcut.

Not sure why I've missed Eastern Europe so far... I've mainly been focusing on Africa/Asia the past few years. I had a trip booked to Poland last year but ended up going to Nigeria instead.

When I first started traveling I would spend longer periods in each country (month in Australia, 3 weeks in Chile, etc). Now my visits are usually a lot shorter as I will visit 3-5 countries per trip. So some places I'm only there 1-3 nights. I've spent the most time in UK (6 months) India (45 days) and Australia (49 days)

What's your goal in all this? No offense, but it seems like hitting up as many countries as you can isn't a particularly interesting or admirable goal. How can you feel any connection to a place you've only flitted through in a night or 2? Don't you wish you had more time to explore?

It's enough for me to get a taste of a place.. I'll go back and spend more time if I like a place. I've been back to Argentina 6-7 times now and still discover things.

Hi. Im curious about what you think of Bangladesh. Where did you stay/visit? Also what do you think of Sweden?

I liked it.. the chaos of Dhaka reminds me much of India. Riding out on the boat in the river was a pretty neat experience watching the life go by.

Sweden was nice... and felt like a bargain coming from Norway. I loved wandering around Gamla Stan in Stockholm. So many babies there, in one or two blocks I think we counted 15 prams. We also rented a car in Kalmar and drove from one end of Oland island to the other. Amazing how remote and open that place felt.

Which places have the best/worst foods. Any particularly memorable dining experiences?

Best/favorite food has been in South Africa, Syria, India, Myanmar, Italy. Worst food is Egypt. Probably one of the most amazing dining experiences was a 20-course chef's tasting meal at Guy Savoy in Paris..my wife and I flew over for the weekend for her birthday one year. The bill was very memorable as well....

Approximately how much?

A bit over 700EUR including wine. Luckily that was when the Euro was on par to the dollar...

What are your top five destinations? Why? (City / country)

Can you suggest a place that you think everyone should visit someday?

• Buenos Aires, Argentina: Good food, architecture, gorgeous people

• Cape Town, South Africa: Scenery, food, wine

• Istanbul: History, food

• Thailand: Temples, food, scenery, friendly people

• India: food, culture, color

kinda cliche but Taj Mahal was incredible.

I would love to go travelling as much as you at some point, but me and my SO just had a baby. What countries in your opinion are best suited for kids and parents alike?

Turkey really loved kids.. we went there with my 7-month old daughter. She was just swarmed with attention. Japan and Venezuela (South America in general) love kids, especially blondes.

• How did you finance these trips?

Combination of stock market trading, and savings from cutting back on other things. I'll do 2-5 trips a year, about $15k total usually.

Seems strange to me that you have visited the entire American continent except for Cuba, and you are not planning on visiting it in 2013. Why is that?

I'm waiting for my travel buddy's schedules to sync up for a trip. One of them is a professor and has been trying to get a license to go legally. I would then go as a 'student'. ;) I'd like to visit there and Belize in the next year or two.

I was about to ask the same thing, it seems a bit out of place.

I'm guessing it has something to do with Cuba being an expensive place for tourists.

It could also be because it's difficult for Americans to visit legally.

That's the main thing. I can go through Mexico of course but just waiting for the right time.

Here are some of my favorite experiences:

• Ending up in a hospital in Chile with Guillain-Barre syndrome
• Accidentally walking into a family's backyard in Georgia (ex USSR). The whole town came out to investigate us
• Flying over Antarctica on the sightseeing flights.
• Dealing with border guards in the Ivory Coast. One had badass written all over him
• Racing at 80mph+ in Svalbard on a snowmobile
• Wandering into the barrio in Asuncion, Paraguay and spending the day with a family
• Climbing among the ancient temples in Bagan, Myanmar

Any advice for people who would like to travel sometime soon in thefuture?

Don't be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone.

What did you do in Finland?

I've been there twice now.. once spent a few days in the Aland Islands. The 2nd time was a few days in Helsinki on my way from St. Petersburg to Estonia. I knew a girl in Helsinki I'd met on my North Korea trip, we went out to dinner there one night. Mainly I just wandered around Helsinki.. went to some underground rock church and out to Suomenlinma (sp?) fortress.

Are you educated in any way that makes you "qualified" for these types of travels/adventures? The idea of going to NK or Afghanistan, while amazing, scares the shit out of me. How do you know you won't be locked up by some rebel group or government just for being American (I'm assuming you're American for some reason).

I am American but have dual US/UK passports. I've just traveled enough to realize that the likelyhood of anything happening is pretty remote. I'm more likely to get hurt on my way to the airport or in my own bathtub in most cases.

I've been to a country you haven't! (Tunisia :P)

Serious question: as places become more or less safe (for example: after the Arab Spring many formerly easy destinations have become difficult or impossible), do you have a long term plan of places you need to get to ASAP or places you should wait a few years/decades to get to? Which countries are on your ASAP plan, and which countries are you waiting on and why (Cuba?)

Well I am seriously glad I visited Syria when I did (Feb 2011)... that would definitely be off my radar for awhile otherwise.

I'm doing a trip to Yemen/Somaliland/Djibouti in March. There was just a FCO warning for Brits to get out of Somaliland though, so am debating what to do there. I'd rather see them sooner than later, I hate having to reschedule plans :). The only other 'iffy' ones at the moment are the North African countries and Mauritania.

Cuba I hope to do next year with my travel buddies, or whenever our travel schedules sync up.

proof?

I have photos up: http://valeyard89.imgur.com/

Do you mainly stick to the tourist areas of the countries you visit or do you see some of the more hidden away areas? I'm wondering because I have an interest in rough or poor cities around the world (but I'm British and have only ever been to France.)

Mainly tourist areas but we've been to lots of other places. We were wandering around in some town in Georgia (the country) ended up in a family's backyard and the whole clan came out to meet us. Invited us in the house for tea.

I am setting off on a five month journey across Canada, What are some must have items for backpacking.

Don't forget where your towel is. Otherwise plastic bags are useful, stuff in stinky clothes and keep things organized. I photocopy maps out of books or take photos of the maps on my camera so I can zoom in on them.

I personally love a good meal. What country would you rate has the best overall food?

my last trip to Myanmar I don't think I had a bad meal there.. everything was good. Overall though I'd probably say Italy.

How did people live in Iran, is the goverment oppressive and/or authoritarian as it is depicted? How does it compare with others countries like Kuwait, UAE or Saudi Arabia.

The internet and media are regulated (reddit is blocked! unless you use a proxy) which is different from other countries but it probably not something you'd notice easily. Iran is still very modern/Westernized yet without all the Western fast food places and companies that are everywhere in Kuwait, Bahrain, etc. They still have Coca-Cola/Fanta though.

Where did you go in Iran? and how was it?

I visited Kashan, Abyaneh, Isfahan, Shiraz and Persepolis. Amazing place, wish I'd had longer to visit Tehran and Yazd but it took too long to get my visa and had to cut the trip short.

What are your thoughts on Iran being that I am from there I want to know your perspective

I wish I'd had more time there. Getting the visa was a hassle so ended up with less time than I'd hoped. Still I enjoyed the visit. Loved the architecture there and food was great. I'm in love with saffron ice cream now (had lots of it in Isfahan). I was surprised how modern it was in many ways despite sanctions.

No questions but thanks for doing this AMA, what a fabulous life! Am currently viewing every single one of your photos. Thanks for posting! ...EDIT: Yes, now some questions after viewing the albums - "Traditional Hotel" is that the name of it? What is that meat hanging from the butcher's in Syria? It looks like a camel?

yes that is a camel neck in the Aleppo market. Was sad to hear that the market was burned down in the conflict :(

Where is the best place to get fried rice? I have been all over the states, several european countries, Iraq, Quatar and Norway and found the best fried rice in a little place outside Kaiserslautern, Germany.

I had the best fried rice at some beach shack in Bocas del Toro in Panama of all places. Had all kinds of seafood in it.

What countries would you like to visit again to get a more thorough experience?

Brazil and Russia for starters. I'd like to get out to Siberia and Kamchatka for starters. Brazil I'd visit the Amazon and do Carnaval up in Northeast. I've been to Carnaval in Rio before.

I'm not sure if this is still going, but how did you plan for these trips? Did you use a travel agency or a tour group, or did you do the research yourself and play it by ear once you were in the country? Also, do you stick to the more tourist-oriented activities or do you go off the beaten path and explore on your own?

I do all the planning myself, book my own flights, etc. I only use a travel agency/tour company if totally necessary (North Korea, Turkmenistan, Iran, etc) or if my time is short and I need to be efficient with transportation.

I mainly will visit the highlights of a country but also walk around neighborhoods and explore on my own.

All I can ask top 5 country's that have the best food

Best are India, Italy, Myanmar, South Africa and USA.

What was your thoughts on Australia? Where did you stay over the 45 day period.

Loved it but that was back when the AUD was $0.60.... It would be expensive to visit now unfortunately. :(

I went all over, drove from Cairns to Melbourne via Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra with my college roommate. Went to Alice Springs, Kings Canyon and Uluru in the NT and also drove around Tasmania (I have a distant cousin who lives there). I didn't make it to South or West Australia yet though.

I just looked at your pictures. What's the backstory behind the monkey heads in Togo? Also what's your best souvenir?

That is a fetish/voodoo market. There are hundreds of animal body parts here used in traditional medicine. The smell of the place is... not great.

Someone else had a post about this place a few days ago. http://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/174k5b/lom%C3%A9_fetish_markets_dried_animals_that_people/

Best souvenir.. I don't usually buy many but I brought back a Kora (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kora_%28instrument%29) from West Africa that is pretty cool. Most 'unique' I guess is some of Kim Jong Il books from North Korea. The writing is just... bad.

How have you accumulated the money to do that?! Do you have a business back home and hire someone to run it while you reap the benefits? I'm genuinely curious!

No, just travel on my vacation time. I have taken an unpaid leave of absence several years ago when I did 3 months in South America/Africa.

I've had some luck on the stock market (bought Apple at the right time...) that helps fund most of my travel. I've also cut back on other unnecessary spending (drinking, video games, etc).

Favorite place?

Buenos Aires rates up there.. I've been back 6-7 times now. Just a neat city.

I'm hoping to go to South Korea in the fall, and was wondering if you think there are any must see things? or any general advice, also this would be my 1st time out of the country. OH and one more random question, luggage, hard or soft? or any brand that you recommend?

I still haven't seen much of South Korea... I visited Jeju Island but missed Seoul other than seeing the train between Incheon and Gimpo airport.

How did you finance your travels? I am sure it was pretty expensive and its something i wish i could do. was it for work, done from personal finances, won a lottery?

Personal finances, saving by cutting back on non essentials and some stock market earnings.

Anyways you found to travel cheap? I am wanting to travel but do not want to spend more than in the 700$(flight included) range due to budget restrictions. Most stuff I find though are to places I do not want to go, or are only 3 days at the location. I want to stay in a country for 10-15-20 days, and my max allowed in my budget is 1000$.

I use frequent flyer miles usually to fly places.. many credit card and other offers you can get enough points for a 'free' trip somewhere. You can use couchsurfing or hostels to keep costs down. Also a great way to meet people.

Where are you from yourself and what place in that country (or vicinity) would you recommend? What was the most interesting archeological site you've encountered? What piece of nature (mountain range, national park, ...) did you enjoy especially? What did you enjoy in the Netherlands and Belgium?

I'm from the US (Texas). Definitely in Austin I'd recommend visiting Barton Springs/Zilker park. Further afield is Enchanted Rock. Lots of other cool things do do around Austin, BBQ and music heaven here.

Bagan in Myanmar is probably the most impressive site I have been to. Over 2000 temples spread out over the area. Angkor Wat and Persepolis are amazing as well.

For nature, Svalbard, Kyrgyzstan and Yosemite Park had some of the coolest natural scenery.

Wow, that's a lot of traveling. You're really living it up! I've got a few questions (= How was your stay in the Philippines? What did you do while there? Best beaches in your opinion that you have traveled to?

I liked it there.. just kicked back a few days in Cebu and Bohol (Chocolate Hills). I'd love to go back to Boracay or Palawan at some point.

Best beaches were in Australia (Whitsundays) and Bermuda.

Why have you avoided eastern europe?

No real reason... just none of my trips have been there yet. My travel buddies have been there already so usually we focus on Africa, Asia, etc. I had a trip planned to Poland last year but ended up changing it to go to Nigeria instead.

I see you've visited French Guiana in South America. As an enthusastic francophile, i'd like to know what you thought of this country (and food, lodging etc). I hear it is very Dangerous am i correct?

It was ass expensive mainly especially coming in from Suriname. I don't recall it being dangerous.

edit. Now I do remember there were some warnings about Kourou area to watch out for dope smokers. But that's the only thing I remember.

You should visit Slovenia

Would love to. Was supposed to go last year but had to cancel trip due to family emergency.

How'd you like Estonia?

Kinda fun. Went out clubbing in the Old Town with a Brit I'd met at the hostel. I mainly just saw Tallinn and the road south to Riga.

How was Canada and Poland?

I've been to Canada many times but never to Poland yet. I liked Canada, especially the Rockies, just stunning scenery around Banff/Lake Louise. I'm still wanting to visit the Maritimes/Newfoundland at some point.

Which country seemed to treat tourists the worst? Which the best?

Thailand the best probably and Egypt the worst.

How much have this costed you?

Lets just say I could have bought a house or two...

To be frank, how can you afford all of these trips? I'm curious if you just have a good job, which is a good enough answer for me, or if you have found ways to travel on the cheap? If so, any advice? I'm traveling to South Africa in September!

A combination of both.. I have a good paying job but I also cut costs in places. Most of my trips seem to come in the $2500-$3500 range. I use a combination of frequent flyer mile/hotel promos, couchsurfing and hostels to keep costs down.

Enjoy South Africa! We went there on our honeymoon. My cousin was also just there.

My brother (American) recently visited North Korea in September, some of the stories he had were incredible. What I found most interesting were the lies the North Koreans had to say about the US and the Korean War, one weird thing is that they think that every American is an Imperialist, which I would have to respond by saying I don't even know what an Imperialist is haha, it's insane the kind of brainwashing they have over their citizens, did you encounter similar situations/stories while you were there?

Oh yeah.. you hear a lot about the 'Western Imperialists'. In the bookstores there are books like this: (http://i.imgur.com/tVI8Smv.jpg) Most of the people there are afraid the West will attack them. Well it's very similar to the fears Americans had of Russian attack during the Cold War. Propaganda works on both sides.... in a closed society like theirs though they don't know any better as that is all the have known.

Is there any place better than Murica?

FUCK YEAH