How many people have never travelled outside the United Kingdom?

LE Greys · 22 Aug 2011

WestCoast said:
Sorry about the confusion, I couldn't edit the poll question at the top, so I had to type it in the OP. No problem, I'll just -1 from no and +1 to yes.

Thanks, I should have read it through possibly.

My first flight was five minutes in a glider at Dunstable Downs when I was fourteen, BTW. Finally left the mainland a year or so later (Jersey) and the country a year after that (Paris by Eurostar). Only really took off when I started meeting people from other countries at Uni, and getting invited to stay with them.

RailUK Forums

ACE1888 · 22 Aug 2011

Spain and back twice, thats it...too many foreigners abroad...

sprinterguy · 23 Aug 2011

Nope, I've never been out of the UK: When I live in a collection of countries as geologically, scenically and culturally diverse as the British Isles, I feel that there is no reason to jet off away from that until I have experienced and seen everything that these islands have to offer, and to learn about the past of my own country. Everything I could want is right here: Hot summers, snowy winters, mountains, beaches, forests, fields and some excellent chain pubs serving reasonably priced decent quality food.

However, you only live once and remaining in the UK is a trend that will shortly be ending for me: At some point in the near future I intend to go Inter-railing around Europe, and there's a couple of European music festivals that I fancy checking out. It's a natural progression of my current activities as my disposable income increases, allowing me to broaden my horizons.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

AlterEgo said:
I'm astonished at people who haven't ever left the country - not even for a day trip to France?

When you live in Sunderland, London might as well be a million miles away, let alone the unattainable prospect of popping over to France for a day. Now that I live in the West Midlands, London is only a short hop away relatively speaking, and France a much more attainable goal; However, I feel that I'm already quite far south enough already

DiscoStu · 23 Aug 2011

sprinterguy said:
Nope, I've never been out of the UK: When I live in a collection of countries as geologically, scenically and culturally diverse as the British Isles, I feel that there is no reason to jet off away from that until I have experienced and seen everything that these islands have to offer, and to learn about the past of my own country. Everything I could want is right here: Hot summers, snowy winters, mountains, beaches, forests, fields and some excellent chain pubs serving reasonably priced decent quality food.

I assure you, once you see what other countries in Europe have to offer (especially scenically), you'll wonder why you didn't go abroad sooner

313103 · 23 Aug 2011

Since being married i have travelled far more extensivley. Up until then i had only travelled around Europe watching Arsenal play in Europe.

The countries i have visited are (in no specific order) are Netherlands 5 times, Italy twice, Denmark 4 times, Germany twice, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, France & Belgium (lost count), Gran Canaria, Portugal (twice, just recently spent a week in the Algarve), Crete, Rhodes, Barbados, Jamaica (3 times), USA twice, Canada, Eire, Ghana & Turkey.

The one thing i love when i travel is to do what the locals do, this i find interesting. I really dont like tourist trap destinations (the Algarve and Gran Canaria) are the only exceptions. I like to go to places that have a lot of history within them.

In the future I would like to travel around India, travel to Australia / New Zealand and China. The biggest problem is work, money and time.

Hydro · 23 Aug 2011

I'd love to do India too. A colleague has been out there and he cannot praise it enough.

flymo · 24 Aug 2011

sprinterguy said:
When you live in Sunderland, London might as well be a million miles away, y

Being from Newcastle I think Sunderland is a foreign country.

They talk all funny down there and quite often drive on the wrong side of the road. I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

My first trip abroad was in 1985 on a coach tour of Europe. Marvellous, 7 days and 6 countries. I was just by myself and celebrated my 19th birthday on Lake Lucerne. Never really done Europe again since then, maybe one day I'll hire a car and get touring again.

sprinterguy · 24 Aug 2011

DiscoStu said:
I assure you, once you see what other countries in Europe have to offer (especially scenically), you'll wonder why you didn't go abroad sooner

I imagine you're right; won't be too long before I get to find out

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

flymo said:
Being from Newcastle I think Sunderland is a foreign country. They talk all funny down there and quite often drive on the wrong side of the road. I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

You've got to love local rivalries

martinsh · 24 Aug 2011

AlterEgo said:
I've been to France, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain (and Canary Islands), Morocco, the USA, Canada, Ireland, Cyprus, South Africa, Mozambique, and Malawi.

313103 said:
The countries i have visited are (in no specific order) are Netherlands 5 times, Italy twice, Denmark 4 times, Germany twice, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, France & Belgium (lost count), Gran Canaria, Portugal (twice, just recently spent a week in the Algarve), Crete, Rhodes, Barbados, Jamaica (3 times), USA twice, Canada, Eire, Ghana & Turkey.

MattE2010 said:
I have travelled to France, Italy and Spain, in addition to all corners of the UK, and parts of the Irish Republic.

Hydro said:
France, Portugal, Majorca (first family holiday abroad), Malta, Hungary, Switzerland, New Zealand

HST Power said:
I've been to the Maldives twice, I got back from South Africa a few weeks ago and I went to Greece in 2007.

MrC said:
I've done thousands of miles riding my motorcycle around France and Spain, plus I've been sent to work for short periods in Brussels, Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Isles (twice), Ghana, Kenya, S. Africa and Zimbabwe. I've also had holidays in Rome and Switzerland

Why haven't you been to Latvia ?:-x

33056 · 24 Aug 2011

martinsh said:
Why haven't you been to Latvia ?:-x

I've been there

; only very briefly though am considering going for a bit longer next year (see link in signature for a handful of pics).

Used to go abroad a lot with my parents, then had a bit of a hiatus after leaving home before getting bored with the UK railway-wise in the late 1990s and turning my attention to mainland Europe. TBH, I would go over there a lot more if work didn't get in the way

AlterEgo · 24 Aug 2011

Hydro said:
I'd love to do India too. A colleague has been out there and he cannot praise it enough.

I'd love to go too. I have to persuade the other half first, who is a total snob!

Crossover · 24 Aug 2011

I have been out of the UK but up until about 18 months ago, the only times I had been were for two day trips, two years apart to France - one by Eurostar to Paris and the other to Calais by Ferry.

Since then I went to Stuttgart last year to see a friend out there and it was also my first experience of flying and also went to Hamburg with family last summer (first family holiday outside the UK, excluding the day trips I mentioned)

Since then I have also been to Brussels this year for the day.

So haven't really travelled out of the UK all that much but I'm glad to see I'm not in a minority

Buttsy · 24 Aug 2011

I've been to France on a school trip, through France & Belgium to get to Luxembourg, Spain, Chicago via Toronto, Barbados and Ostend.

TackerUK · 24 Aug 2011

I travel to wales a lot do that count.. Nice to come home ...lol

Hydro · 24 Aug 2011

TackerUK said:
I travel to wales a lot do that count.. Nice to come home ...lol

This thread is about travelling outside the UK, so yes, I think other planets count

TackerUK · 24 Aug 2011

Ok lets give Wales Independence

Deerfold · 24 Aug 2011

SS4 said:
For me it's a matter of climate (summer is too hot in England let alone abroad!), money (too broke) and time (finding enough of it)

As far as climate goes, no-one forces you to go in Summer. I don't. I'm off to Italy September 18th when I expect it to be pleasantly warm in the low 20s for the week.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

sprinterguy said:
However, you only live once and remaining in the UK is a trend that will shortly be ending for me: At some point in the near future I intend to go Inter-railing around Europe, and there's a couple of European music festivals that I fancy checking out. It'

Enjoyed a day of the Heineken Jammin' festival last year ("Venice") (despite the dreadful name). But so hot. The locals seemed used to it but I wilted in 30 degrees in the shade weather when there was no shade. Just as well the water wasn't ludicrously priced...

Ivo · 24 Aug 2011

To answer the question, I've been to France, Germany and Ireland. Not a lot, but still better than nothing. Compare my sister, who - with the exception of a very brief run to Barry Island a few years ago, which lasted about 30 minutes - has never been outside of the southern half of England...

Deerfold · 25 Aug 2011

And as to where I've been:

Italy (lots since first introduced to it in 2001 - Venice several times including getting married there, Rome, Florence, Desenzano del Garda, Milan, Verona, Conegliano- recommend them all except Milan)
France (several times in Paris, twice near Lille, once Toulouse)
Canada (1 cheap trip with accomodation paid for by someone else's company)
Austria (Vienna twice, once by train)
Passed through Germany without calling at any stations
Spain (once, Madrid)
Poland (Warsaw, for a music festival with my sister. Lots of beautiful women)
Czech Republic (Prague, twice so far - have a friend who lives in centre so likely to be returning)
Brussels (once visiting friends in Bruges who have since moved. Good but didn't need more than the weekend)
Wales (many times - North on family holidays when young, South more recently)
Scotland (couple of very good New Years' Eves, good brief visit for the Edinburgh Festival, 1 distastrous Coach trip and a holiday that started off with friends and then met up with Parents nearby).

Really ought to get to Ireland given my ancestry.

I think Canada and Poland are the only ones I've not caught any trains in or to.

Hydro · 25 Aug 2011

For those of you who haven't, and are planning to, I heartily recommend being organised with your packing. I haven't been, and I'm about to hang myself preparing for my trip.

TackerUK · 25 Aug 2011

My day who lives in London thinks the world ends west of watford his never left London

trentside · 27 Aug 2011

I was lucky as a kid as my parents were in a position to afford some wonderful trips to France, Greece and the USA. Over the years I've also visited Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Malta and Italy (but only on an airport stopover).

As much as I enjoy going overseas, I do love travelling round Britain - there's something more comforting about knowing I'm still in the same country as home. This proved itself earlier in the year when I became ill on a flight up to Edinburgh (I was due to go onto Stockholm from there) - feeling awful, I made my way to Waverley and jumped on the next train south to Newark - then home!

Drsatan · 27 Aug 2011

I've been to Switzerland once (and would love to go again but can't afford it), France a few times, to Germany twice, to Majorca once, to Belgium once, and to Holland once.In the future, funds permitting, I'd like to travel to Israel, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, the USA, and South Africa.

I've also just come back from Poland where I spent three days interrailing with a mate. For anyone who wants to go abroad I'd definitely recommend Poland, mainly because the cost of living in Poland is much lower than in Britain. A decent meal and a half a litre of lager comes to about 30-40 zlotys (£6-8) in most places, while a 24 hour bus, tram and metro ticket for Warsaw is only 12 zlotys (£2.55). Possibly the biggest bargain I've found in Poland was in a Lidl near Katowice, where four cans of Polish lager were 1.65 zlotys (35p).

However, if you want to go bashing in Warsaw, hurry up: the receptionist at the youth hostel I stayed at said that by 2014 metro, bus and tram tickets will match London prices...

asylumxl · 27 Aug 2011

I've been to:

Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Turkey

I'm hoping to go more places in the future.

Minilad · 27 Aug 2011

I have visited France, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, Turkey, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic And the United States.
Favourite would have to be the States

ainsworth74 · 27 Aug 2011

I have visited France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Norway. Norway was probably my favourite truly beautiful country and friendly people on the whole. I would love to visit USA, India, Japan and Australia (in that order).

33056 · 28 Aug 2011

Well, if we are doing lists then mine is:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland (North & South), Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland.

Some I have been to dozens of times (like the German speaking countries, Belgium, Ireland and Portugal), others have had fewer visits (Spain and Netherlands for example) and I have only really scratched the surface of several more but, have travelled by rail in all of them and had haulage by / from at least one item of motive power belonging to each apart from Lichtenstein which doesn't have any trains of it's own :lol:

Trog · 29 Aug 2011

Furthest North Inch Garvie
Furthest East Felixstowe
Furthest South La Gomera
Furthest West La Gomera

Have been abroad three times..

Once to France an industrial slum covered in dog muck, caught the next ferry back.
Once to Tenerife no decent beer.
Once to Grand Canary got food poisoning.

andrew bell · 29 Aug 2011

Furthest North - Aberdeen
Furthest South - Plymouth
Furthest East - Ypres, Belgium
Furthest West - Plymouth

As you can tell I dont venture out very far, in fact the Ypres trip was a school visit and I had to get a special passport as it was the first (and only) time I have been out of mainland UK

WestCoast · 29 Aug 2011

If we are doing lists now: I've been to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland, Spain and islands, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Turkey, Greece and islands, Luxembourg, Croatia, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia (very briefly). I would urge people not to write off Europe, it is probably the most diverse continent. I have never hated any country really, although my brief visit to Algeria wasn't good at all. The UK has a lot to offer, although I would get bored if I never left the country. It is nice to see things from a different perspective. I caught the travel bug very young, since I go to Germany every year to visit family and I lived for a short time in the Netherlands.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Trog said:
.

Once to France an industrial slum covered in dog muck, caught the next ferry back.
Once to Tenerife no decent beer.
Once to Grand Canary got food poisoning.

Would you judge Great Britain by the town of Dover?
I rather like the Canaries too, often bad mouthed by people who don't look around the islands. They are really quite diverse and spectacular in parts, away from the mass tourism! I always have an open mind, and I am often pleasantly surprised!

How many people have never travelled outside the United Kingdom?

Have you ever traveled outside the UK?

Yes

No

Established Member

RailUK Forums

Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Forum Staff

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member