The countries I least want to see

The countries I least want to see

“So what’s the plan after Africa?” I ask Peter. He shrugs casually. “We’ll look to Africa.” I frown.

As always, I need a game plan. I know we want to travel to Africa in the summer, but what happens after that? Do we settle in London and travel in between? Do we stay on the road? Are we moving to Sri Lanka, which we occasionally and idly dream about?

If I could choose, I would settle in a quiet place like our beloved little French village. The problem is that I want to see so much more.

We have this map in our living room and stare at it often, dreaming and planning about the places we want to see: Derweze in Turkmenistan, the Himalayas in Nepal, the deserts of Iran.

old=““>Atlas & BootsThe map of dreams

This recently led us to an interesting discussion: Which countries do you least want to see?

My following list is not necessarily rational or even justifiable; It's written out of instinct and a touch of ignorance and I'm certainly open to changing my mind. I’d love to know what’s on your list, so please share in the comments below.

Bahrain

old=““>Creative Commons

I've been to Dubai and suspect that Bahrain is similar, but with less conviction: a wealth divide carved out of oil, a charmless capital of concrete and dust, and a complete lack of alternative culture.

I know how incredibly judgmental that sounds, so I'll let the tourist board describe their culture and heritage: "Our country has emerged as the region's leading financial center since the 1980s. Since then, manufacturing, logistics, communications, professional services and real estate have also become important sectors... The country also has an established legal framework and a respected regulatory system."

Kazakhstan

old=““>Dreamtime

The Tourism Board of Kazakhstan had a minor crisis following the release of Borat, the Sacha Baron Cohen film that mercilessly mocked the region. In 2005, the State Department rejected the film and threatened to sue Baron Cohen. However, in 2012, the Foreign Minister acknowledged that the film contributed greatly to increasing tourism in Kazakhstan.

Unfortunately, it didn't do enough to tempt me. Despite some dramatic landscapes and a claim to fame as the world's largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan is being usurped by its far more interesting neighbors.

I can't be alone when I think that. After all, according to crowdsourced data on TripAdvisor, the main attraction in Kazakhstan is an ice rink.

Kuwait

old=““>Dreamtime

For me, Kuwait suffers from the same image problem as Bahrain. Despite some really interesting history, today it feels like an oil-rich country full of expats living in compound houses.

It has some beautiful desert landscapes, but nearby Iran is far more enticing.

Significantly, according to crowdsourced data on TripAdvisor, the number one attraction in Kuwait is a large shopping mall.

Saudi Arabia

old=““>Public domain

I know there are dozens of countries with spotty human rights records, but having grown up in a Muslim family, I find Saudi the worst.

Home to the stunning city of Mecca, the country preaches a religion of peace and yet oppresses many of its own population, particularly women.

Moldova

old=““>Dreamtime

With so much incredible history and architecture in Europe, competition for tourism is fierce. Unfortunately, Moldova is at the bottom of my European wish list, narrowly losing out to Lithuania and Liechtenstein.

Mainly it's because I know absolutely nothing about Moldova except that its capital is Chișinău (and I only know that because I learned it for a pub quiz that I really wanted to win...unfortunately we came second).

There is some interesting architecture within its borders, but that goes for the rest of Europe. To me it seems like a piece of land caught between the more interesting options of Ukraine and Romania.

Maybe after Africa I'll plan a trip to these five countries to see if they change my mind. It would be interesting to see how they stack up against my expectations.

But I probably have to delete what I said about Saudi. I don't want to be arrested.

Mission statement: Dreamstime

      .