Win a round-the-world trip and an iPad

Win a round-the-world trip and an iPad

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Win an iPad

Update March 5th: We have a winner!

Congratulations to Moira Ashley for her excellent entry. Watch this space for an update from Moira on her trip.

Hands up who fancies dropping everything and travelling the world for a bit? All of you? We thought as much.

To celebrate the launch of the new Rough Guides website, we’ve teamed up with North South Travel to offer one lucky reader – and an eternally grateful friend – up to £4000 (or the USD equivalent) to spend on flights and hotels around the world. New York, Paris, London, Sydney, Bognor Regis – the world would literally be your oyster.

We’re also throwing in a brand new iPad to keep you connected on your journeys and the chance to write a blog on this very site from your adventures.

All you need to do is sign up to the new site if you haven’t already, and write up to 100 words underneath this article on the topic “the place that changed me”. It could be a country, city or somewhere completely rural. You could have been blown away by scenery, fallen in love with the people, or enchanted by the food – just let us know how the place changed you in some way.

Encourage your friends to sign up and vote for your answer, and we’ll pick our favourite entry. Good luck!

NB: The competition is only open to UK and US residents – see the full terms and conditions here. Competition is now closed. 

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hone_paku_morete/ Hone Paku Morete

    The Place That Changed Me… TOLAGA BAY
    The one place that truly changed me is a place that I traced my family lineage to. After being raised in Melbourne, Australia without knowing much of who I was or where I came from I finally found out all the answers I was seeking… My journey took me to New Zealand and to my families home, TOLAGA BAY. Such a beautiful place that is very rich in History and Culture of the early indiginous and european inhabitants and their different ways of life. The region around the bay is rugged and remote, and for many years the only access to the town was by boat, but in these modern times it is a much easily travelled landscape due to improved road access. Famously known as the place where the English Captain James Cook first anchored his ship and stepped foot upon the land of New Zealand. Since travelling to New Zealand I have found a that the beauty of Tolaga Bay is my inspiration to travel to as many parts of the world as I can and capture the beauty that the whole world has to offer.
    The beauty of Tolaga Bay awaits you with warmth…

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/agnes/ Agnes

    I’ve always wanted to come to Europe for awhile back. Finally, my prayer has been answered. I was expecting Germany, but the offer turned out even better. My new job is in Brussels, Belgium. The excitement I was feeling was unexplainable. Think of me being like the kid that just landed in a Candy Palace and was told this will be your new home. I was so happy because I know I have the chance of traveling all over the Europe such as Rome, Greece, Italy and many more. I’ve been here for almost four months now. I’ve been traveling and interacting with so many different Nation people because of my job but also I realize that Brussels is like a melting pot. I have colleagues from around the world and able to show me so many different way of how they think, live, and social with one another. This just changed the way I see people are different in every aspect and we all can learn from each others. This tour will surely not only provide me the rich history of Brussels and rest of Europe, but also the interaction with different Nation people!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/ghewitt14768/ GemmaH

    The place that changed me? Has to be Australia. I decided in 2002 to pack up my comfortable life and take a year off to travel Australia – on my own. I was anxious about taking this trip solo but it was the best decision I have ever made. Not only did I discover breathtaking scenery, made lifelong friends and built memories that will be with me always, but as cheesy as it sounds – I also discovered myself. I uncovered an inner confidence that I didn’t know existed until I stepped off that plane at Perth airport.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/adorisan/ adorisan

    the place that change me was USA. i lived there for one year and made realize how beautiful is ,the people in that country and how much I like to be like them

    i made so many trips to this awesome country in order to know more about them. This just changed the way I see people are different in every aspect and we all can learn from each others.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/dawndevil25/ dawndevil25

    The place that changed me has to be New York there is
    something about stepping out of Penn Station, the hot air hits you, it is hard
    to describe I felt amazing when I arrived with my mum for her birthday she
    couldn’t believe how much it had changed since she was last there when she was
    young. We walked all over New York for 10 days and even lost a bit weight as we
    walked that much but never got a chance to go in all the art galleries and museums.
    I would love to go back.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/lizziedavey/ lizziedavey

    The Place that Changed Me… the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Site in Bosnia

    I watched as the girls comforted each other, their unashamed
    sobs echoing throughout the sparse interior, their hands reaching out to the
    black and white photograph of a weathered-looking man. What was I doing here? Backing
    away from the display, I turned, finding myself face to face with devastating
    images from the day that made the small site of Srebrenica in Bosnia so
    infamous. An hour before I had never even heard of the place, let alone knew
    what it represented. As I stood there, my heart sank, and I realised how little
    I really knew about the world.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/lucyann828/ lucyann828

    Place that changed me – has to be Brazil – first time i did the full on “travelling” thing and had to learn quickly but where better than there. Amazing beaches, mental carnival, scary Amazon and FUN FUN FUN. Plus an interesting marriage proposal flying round christ the redeemer in Rio!!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sunsetgazer/ A Torrance

    Singapore changed me. Living there for five years as a child in a multicultural environment broadened my outlook on life forever. It gave me an acceptance of race and belief systems that has never left me, and a love of interacting with other cultures. Having friends from all over the world was an amazing gift and the amazing foods, smells and sights of South East Asia have coloured my life with a more technicolour palate than if I had spent all of my formative years in Scotland.

    • angela rhodes

      This one has my vote.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rafael/ rafael

    I was in magnificent places in europe. Paris was abslotulely the lovely city I ever been. But the place that actually changed my life was Istanbul, a greta city with a great heritage. All mosques are esplendid but nothing compares to Hagia Sophia. It´s amazing to wonder how people made that beautiful 1500 years ago, with the technology avaiable. It´s astonishing walk inside and watch the magnificent dome. And the temple was before the conquer of turkish a catholic church! wonderful!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/mojcaml/ Mojca

    The place that changed me was South Korea, or rather the airspace above it. It was not so much the place that was so different from my home country, it was the feelings that I felt when I was leaving it. I’ve always known that I do not belong to my hometown, or even my home country, but somewhere else. But what I discovered was that I do not feel best when I am in a distant place, I feel best when I am GOING somewhere. I love the expectations, the dream scenarios that build up inside me before I come. The happiness of realizing there are people like me somewhere in the world when I leave. I don’t end my journeys disappointed, just hungry for more.
    I do realize I am not from UK or US and have no chance for winning but still, I wanted to let you know how much this means to me. I cannot afford to go places as often as I wish, but still my dream remains. I hope one day I will live it.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/totalwanderlust/ Samantha

    The place that changed me would definitely be Norway,
    which I visited in May 2011. I was able to visit Bergen, Oslo and Tromsø.
    In all my travels, the people of Norway were by far the nicest people I have
    encountered. I was able to try couchsurfing for the first time and the people
    really took care of me by going out of their way to make sure I tried
    traditional dishes, participated in typical activities as well as visited the
    parts of the cities that the locals enjoy. I hope that I will continue to have
    these experiences.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/randi_millman-brown/ Randi Millman-Brown

    I believe the place that changed me the most has to be Iceland (although Rome, Italy is a close second). First, I am a photographer and art historian. I write a blog about color. I learn and explore through seeing. The colors of Iceland are like no other – the blue waters of the Blue Lagoon juxtaposed with the blue sky were mesmerizing. The fact that it is an island in a large expanse of ocean and volcanic at that, created a tension and fascination like no other place.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/merci-skoda/ merci

    The place that changed me is Egypt. I’ve been there with a large group, and although I didn’t know anyone, all of them felt like family to me. We visited all the sacred sites along the Nile and shared wonderful and intense experiences. At the end of the journey, we visited the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid. I don’t know what was or wasn’t there, but it changed me and my life when I most needed it, ending the most difficult period of my life. It felt like I put down a lot of my burdens and started to soar. And yes, still soaring:)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/aleitch/ aleitch

    A tiny village in the south of France called Mirepoix. I went there in 1981 as the English Assistant in their lycee (high school). Coming from a “meat and 2 veg” upbringing in Ireland I arrived in a village with 2500 people of which I was the lone foreigner!
    I was quickly swept up by the slow pace of life where everyone had time to stop for a chat, the spectacular scenery of the Pyrenees and of course the real life changer – the food!
    Foie gras, frogs legs, lambs brains, snails – you name it, I tried it, thus beginning a lifelong relationship with food from any and every culture. 30 odd years on I still look back on this as the time that changed my entire perspective on life from conservative and safe to someone who will have a go at anything (well most things!)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/angiem/ angiem

    In Mostar, Bosnia I was looking at magnets. A lady was selling them next to the bridge. We chatted. We were the same age but had grown up in different worlds, me in peaceful Scotland, her in Bosnia. She was forced to flee her village in the war and watched the bridge being bombed. She said that tourists try to negotiate 4 magnets for 5 € (they cost 1.5€ each) saying “you know we have a crisis now in Europe”. She replies “We had a crisis here too you know and it was nothing to do with money”. A moment which changed my perspective.

  • Cherie

    The place that changed me: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The people, the food, the sights, the smells, the initial culture shock and the warm warm welcome of the Malaysian people. The specific location I knew I was a changed girl was at the peak of Mount Kinabalu after a 2 day trek to the summit. We watched the sun rise over Low’s peak and it took my breath and my words away. I felt like I’d achieved something and immediately forgot all the struggle it was getting my pretty unfit self up to the summit. A beautiful place that respects the nature around it and makes life there ever more beautiful for it.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/taniapaschen/ taniapaschen

    Zimbabwe. Not the wildlife, though the little left unpoached was still spectacular. Not the landscape, though the colours and sweep of scenery was immense. But the people. Farmers
    who had harvested the land and were beaten and chased from the only homes they
    had known. Villagers who wanted nothing but to eat, who were dependent on a government
    who bribed them food for votes. Violence on the edge of everyday life, and yet,
    the optimism, the laughter, the acceptance and the perseverance, warmed me. I
    stayed, and even when I left, in very bad circumstances, I craved returning.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/pro2n/ pro2n

    For me is Portugal and especially Porto – the most beautiful and exciting place I have been to. Just fell in love with it since the very first moments there. The location close to the Atlantic ocean with the beach and surfers, relaxed people, the river that divides the city with its bridges, the old buildings, historical wine cellars makes it a place with great atmosphere. Oh and the night life…every night out seems to be a like Friday night :)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/bjj403/ BJ

    Oaxaca, it showed me very clearly that you need nothing but friendship/community to be truly happy. Coming home to a popular ski town was a shock. The people that are struggling to make it seem happier than the ones that have all the free time and interest dollars one could “ask for”. I’ve come to visit more places like Oaxaca in the recent years only to become a happier person and get away from the daily distractions that many, myself included, are unknowingly tying themselves to. The friends I’ve met on the road are my favorite friends :)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/maltezz/ Malte

    London changed my life. I came over here after I graduated from high school back home in Germany when I was 19 years young.

    Since then I have spent almost 4 years in this vibrant, chaotic, but enchanting city and even though it is a ridiculously expensive place to life as a student, I have no regrets. I met the most interesting people from all around the world and made friends for life. I especially love that London seems to be comprised of many small villages and communities which, in the overall picture, blend in to create this exciting, lively mixture of people that give the city its unique and personal touch. Not to forget its many wonderful parks and green spaces, which seem to constantly revitalize this city from within. I can not find one reason why I should leave after graduation….

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/striderguy/ Andrew W.

    The Lebanon Mountain Trail isn’t a backpacking route you hear much about. Heck, most of it’s hardly even a trail. But through a strange series of events, a group of friends and I somehow spent two weeks hiking the rocky mountainsides and thistle covered ravines from El-Qbaiyat near the Syrian border in the north to Baskinta, almost level with Beirut. I could spend a lot more than 100 words on the rugged beauty of the mountains or the feeling of coming to the top of a ridge and seeing the sun sink over a sea of clouds that looked like you could walk out onto it. In the end though, the thing that changed me was the people. The workers who’d offer us fresh mountain peaches and apricots as we passed, the old Sunni grandmothers who’d wave us in and insist on yet another cup of chai or turkish coffee, and the little kids who ran out after us as we left each village. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t usually have the most positive view of my fellow human beings. But that week did more than any other I can remember to change if for the better.

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/pvboyajian/ Peter

      Good luck dude! I hope you win this, I can’t think of anyone who wants to travel and deserves this more than you!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/phoibos/ phoibos

    Myan mar changed me.It was the first time i saw from the inside,how someone can live under a regime with no freedoms at all,keeping the same time his pride and his traditions alive.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kaseycaye/ KaseyCaye

    Laura, the southern tip of Majuro in the Marshall Islands changed me forever. I was there to spend a year teaching high school and it’s true that the people, culture, and fun variance of lifestyle changed me, but the most altering experience, believe it or not, was snorkeling off the reef outside of the school. I was terrified to jump off the exposed coral and I wasn’t really fond of the idea of submerging myself in what the locals assured me was a shark-infested ocean, but when I did I found literally a whole other world! The ocean, which looking at it from the surface was so ugly and frankly, uninteresting, was harboring an intense secret. I found that it was filled with life, color, activity, and most of all the life-altering realization that every corner of this planet offers new and exiting discoveries, sometimes we just have to be brave enough to face jumping off a coral cliff (and a potential shark attack) to find them.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sanda_staal/ Sanda Staal

    My hands are cold, I’ve tears in my eyes caused by the wind and my hair flies in all directions. All kinds op flavors are passing my nose and i feel the cold against my cheeks. Around me only silence. There i go; as queen of the world. That small moment, at the same time so great, on the back of a horse in galop in the Andes, Ecuador, i realise that this place would change my life. I knew from that moment i would enjoy the small things in life even more, because those moments make life zo valuable.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kaseycaye/ KaseyCaye

    Laura, the southern tip of Majuro in the Marshall Islands changed me forever. I was there to spend a year teaching high school and it’s true that the people, culture, and fun variance of lifestyle changed me, but the most altering experience, believe it or not, was snorkeling off the reef outside of the school. I was terrified to jump off the exposed coral and I wasn’t really fond of the idea of submerging myself in what the locals assured me was a shark-infested ocean, but when I did I found literally a whole other world! The ocean, which looking at it from the surface was so ugly and frankly, uninteresting, was harboring an intense secret. I found that it was filled with life, color, activity, and most of all the life-altering realization that every corner of this planet offers new and exiting discoveries, sometimes we just have to be brave enough to face jumping off a coral cliff (and a potential shark attack) to find them.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hoopscam/ hoopscam

    When I was a lad of 20 I ventured out to Europe and then set off for Nepal and India. I discovered as they say, the forest for the trees when I arrived in India and found out just how good I had it in America. Having taken for granted the luxuries of plumbing and clean water it was a shock to see that other countries had a standard of living far inferior to what I was used to. Having been to other countries as well that lacked the comforts of my country, it made me appreciate the US to a far greater extent.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/tara_corpuz/ Tara Corpuz

    At seventeen I travelled to Japan, and because of it I will never be the same. It wasn’t just the enveloping culture, the wonderfully kind people, or the fascinating traditions… it was the fact that there was another world out there and I could touch it. I could see it, smell it, taste it—experience it. It opened my eyes to the fact that anywhere I wanted to go, anything I
    wanted to do, I could, if only I had the will and the strength to try. It seems like a lifetime ago, but I can still remember every moment on that incredible trip vividly as if it had happened only a moment ago. I carry with Japan in my heart forever now.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/matmorgs/ Matt Morgan

    A tiny Island off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia called Koh Ta Kiev completely transformed the meaning of worthwhile pursuits for me. The tiny paradise, with no electricity and tree huts overlooking a tranquil turquoise island made me realise how little we need in this life to be truly happy, and how much we have to be thankful for. It made me understand that the British rat race is simply a societal construction that financial success equals happiness. The local people I met, and the island itself made that whole Western concept seem ridiculous and helped me to see what I really wanted from life.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kerimonty/ WorldlyGirly

    I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to some of the most amazing places on earth. I have been affected by all of the places that I’ve visited but am very aware that not all destinations are created equal and everyone’s personal experiences in those places are different. For me, there are those places on this planet that cause my heart to flutter and face to beam every time their names are mentioned. I light up when someone asks me about them and a sense of euphoria overwhelms me when I begin to talk about them. Rapa Nui, Iguazu Falls, Torres del Paine, El Camino de Santiago, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Salar de Uyuni are a few of those places that make my heart skip a beat. The one place above all that has this euphoric effect on me is Machu Picchu.

    Now, it could be because I visited Peru on my first adventure abroad, but no other site has had the same effect on me. My first encounter with Machu Picchu was after a gruelling 4 day hike along the mighty Inca Trail enduring torrential rains, tonsillitis, aching bones and altitude sickness. At dawn, on the last day of the hike, I first cast my gaze upon the site and immediately burst into tears. The crying could have been from sheer exhaustion, but I believe it was my gut reaction to the sheer beauty of the place. I was completely awe-struck by Machu Picchu. I had read all about it, studied it in my anthropology class, seen many photos, and nothing prepared me for how I would feel there.

  • Nikki Hilton

    the place that changed me- is London- Moved here a number of years ago from the States- it gave me the time, distance, anonymity, support, and the chance to heal my past, rid my demons, and dip into my artistic gifts… am still here and still going forward- with many thanks. I love the sense of humour, and the intelligence of the people here- and it’s been a pleasure to call it my home. :)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/urrrbanfox/ urrrbanfox

    The place that changed me is home. My humble, former-industrial British town may seem a little unworthy after living and travelling abroad, but often it is only when you go back home that you gain the perspective to truly understand how your travels have changed you. Travel is only interesting in so far as it permits you see how the world beyond your home is different to what you have always known. When you travel, home becomes an exotic place that you are forced to explore and define again and again to everyone you meet on your journey. I have learned more about my home town since leaving there and I now know that its history and charm will continue to fascinate me for the rest of my life, whether I’m living there, or not.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/lauren_agnew/ Lauren Agnew

    I stayed in a little fishing town called Redonda in the northeast coast of Brazil. I volunteered as an English Teacher and was sent to live with local family who had two daughters around my age. I have always found that it doesn’t matter how beautiful a place is, it’s the people that have the biggest impact on your experience and that ultimately change you. Coming from a materialistic society in the UK I rediscovered how enriching the simple things in life could still be and how we sometimes get so busy work/life that we forget just to stop and enjoy life. This change came about through the enigmatic, happy and generous people that I spent time with, through the music, the culture and all the experiences and crazy situations I ended up in.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/gregorydickinson/ Greg Dickinson

    The place that changed me: the Atlas Mountains.

    I’d just summited Mount Toubkal and was in a minibus returning to Marrakech. My face still blushed from its snow-capped summit. Our driver pulled over and started filling the tank with a petrol-like substance closely resembling Fairy Liquid. A cigarette dangled precariously from his mouth. From inside the minibus we thumped on the window, pleading him to get rid of the cigarette. He smiled and shouted ‘Al-Qaeda’, indicating a faux-explosion with his arms. I gained a new respect for life after this encounter in the Atlas Mountains, and thankfully I’ve never since been so close to being blown to smithereens.

  • http://www.facebook.com/janet.dixon.1806 Janet Dixon

    A trip to Australia changed me, realising that this was the place I wanted to spend the rest of my life. When I returned I went back to college at the age of 41 and retrained in hairdressing so I could apply for my visa. Two years later and fully qualified I started to gather all my visa documents – only to find out hairdressing had been taken off the skilled list !!!!
    Not to worry – new skill achieved, back to the drawing board, a nice holiday inbetween would be perfect though :o )

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/pendiv/ pendiv

    Bodrum in Turkey has changed me. I moved here from London almost 5 years ago now after what started out as a joke with my husband because we couldn’t decide where to buy a house together in England! Our quality of life has improved a huge amount and everything here has so much more colour to it. Friends and family doubted our decision to move since we weren’t even 30 and our visa would not allow us to work, so the move meant we would retire! After seeing my parents live and work, saving for their retirement and then both die before they really had a chance to enjoy any of it, I am only too happy to be enjoying my retirement already in such a beautiful country with such interesting people before I even start my own family who will no doubt benefit greatly from the diversity of culture here too.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jungleted/ Mark Wood

    Sorrento in Italy changed me – firstly the beautiful surroundings made me really appreciate what a wonderful world we live in and seeing the Italians approach to life, love and family made me really appreciate what I have and how much I love my family and friends.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/climber/ Climber

    Syria changed me. I’d been to probably 20 countries around the world before then. I’d seen glaciers, reefs, temples, and skylines. But the Syrian people blew me away with their generosity, their kindness, their curiosity, and their warmth. Seeing that country torn apart is an incredible heartbreak when I think about the truly special souls I encountered and the gifts of friendship and experience they gave me.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/yinster/ Yinster

    Growing up in Scotland I never really knew the place my parents were from. So the first time I finally did go I was blown away. Hong Kong is unlike any other places in the world. It is open 24/7. From the early morning of the older generations doing tai chi in the parks to the nightlife of lai kwong fong. Then it is a shopper’s heaven with countless shops from the big names to the market places where the name of the game is haggle hard. Finally if you love food you love Hong Kong. All kinds of delights from michelin star to vendors on the streets. Hong Kong has something for everyone

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/travelerspence/ travelerspence

    It has to be Nepal, anyone who has been there will
    understand. On my first day of the hike I noticed one of the Sherpa’s climbing
    these steep slopes wearing just flip flops on his feet. Later that night
    another member of the group and I applied a bit of first aid and I fixed my old
    trainers with some superglue and gave these to him. It was like giving him a
    bar of gold. I saw him every night washing his new trainers, undoing the laces
    and making sure they were kept good. Put things into perspective for me.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/enderit/ Rudy Roversi

    The Outer Hebrides, Scotland. These isles are truly magnificent and inspirational. You can loose yourself in dramatic and ever changing landscapes, walking in absolute quite and peace, resting on unspoiled beaches or just watching birds disappearing in to the sunset.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/neilmol2009/ neilmol2009

    Joining the back of the snake like procession to the main temple at Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Taiwan at five o’clock in the morning is a pretty surreal thing. On entering we are guided to benches at the side of the monastery while the monks find their places like a
    row of pushed down dominoes. A few seconds pass and then drums begin to beat
    and chanting starts to stir the body into life in a whole new way. A truly magical experience that everyone should try.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/purpleflyingmonkey/ purpleflyingmonkey

    India. The only place which I have visited and truly fallen in love with. The food, the people and the scenery. The hustle and bustle of Dehli contrasting with the complete peace of the monasteries in Dharamsala ( also I met the dhalai lama!), the abject poverty of the streets juxtaposed with the decadent wealth of the majaraja palaces, the vibrant colours. It’s a living contradiction. Incredible. I hope I can go back one day

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rosiecheese/ rosiecheese

    the place that changed me was south africa where I volunteered in an orphanage and on a game reserve for months. Seeing lions, giraffes and outstanding contact with wild elephants on the reserve was worth every early wake up call! South africa is so beautiful and the simplistic way of life was refreshing – my mind has been forever altered.

  • http://twitter.com/e_greenall ELAINE GREENALL

    I was changed the first time I went abroad to the Gambia at the
    age of 15.

    Coming from a family who’d never left British shores, it
    gave me the desire to see the world and an ability to understand and emerse
    myself in different cultures. To see people who had nothing, but who wanted to
    improve and strive to better themselves really made me thankful for what I
    have. Despite breaking my glasses, being attacked by a monkey and the hotel
    being flooded by a tropical storm within 2 days of arrival, it certainly gave
    me the travel bug!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/iness18/ iness18

    For me the main purpose of last summer’s trip to China was to meet my boyfriend’s family. The People’s Republic intrigued me but I didn’t really long to visit it as a tourist. It seemed such a closed, restricted country.Until last year, I would have never even imagined myself climbing the Great Wall,enjoying the local specialities like fried scorpios,admiring the music played by the elderly on ancient instruments at 6am in a public park or learning to grind the beans for tofu using a traditional method in the local market in Hubei.That trip has completely changed my perception of China. What made the biggest impression were the people: kind, generous, open, full of energy! That trip opened my eyes to the multi-levelled differences between European and Asian cultures but it also made me realize that those differences are nothing when you are surrounded by lovely, warm and kind-hearted people. Now, instead of dreaming about visiting Italy or France, I day-dream about another bite of that scorpio’s leg…

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/blobski1/ Blobski1
  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/matthew_flynn/ Matthew Flynn

    Berlin. There’s a lot of places in the world that make people look internally and reflect on themselves. Berlin is Berlin, and made me want to be part of it. I wanted to show Berlin who I was and join a community that I don’t think you can find anywhere else on the planet. I forgot me, and found it.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jazz/ Jazz

    Having grown up in the UK I finally got to meet my relatives, some I never knew existed. Experiencing the frozen winter and then a sweltering summer. Holding my Grandmothers hand. I remember walking through the city centre, obsessing over the clothes shops. Sitting by the river on a packed festival day- Udon noodles, kimonos, laughter. Swimming at Lake Biwa, backs burnt to red in the midday sun but smiles all round. New Year’s day, hundreds at the shrine to make their wishes. When I left I didn’t say ‘goodbye’ to Kyoto, Japan, I
    said: ‘see you again soon’.

  • http://twitter.com/ButtonHetty Hetty Button

    The place that changed me: Paris

    Paris saw me overcome my fear of heights. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower I was completely terrified of going to the top, but the second that the elevator began climbing up I became so captivated by the view that my fear totally disappeared and I just felt really excited by everything! Not only did it give me new found confidence when it comes to heights, but I left with a new found confidence towards everything – managing my spending and way about in a new place by myself served to show me that I was perhaps more capable than I had imagined I was beforehand.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/angelaw/ Angela

    The place that changed me was the Khmer Rouge prison S-21 in Phnom Pen, and a little boys photograph. Looking through thousands of victims photographs I was struck by one boys face, with the number “152”, his cell number.

    It brought tears to my eyes. I remember his face and number and decided that the next time I was worrying about love, life, money, I would take time to remember “152” and realise how
    incredibly blessed I am to have the life I do and share his number to remind us all of the luxury of freedom we still have.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jessica_newman/ Jessica Newman

    The place that changed me was Toronto a place full of hope dreams and so many different cultures. It opened my eyes and my mind to all that is good in the world and how lovely it is to live in a place which is safe and clean and full of friendly strangers. The city is wonderful with so many things to do and see and Niagara falls only 90 minute drive away which is a beautiful sight to behold especially at night. I love Toronto and visit regularly as it is where my brother now lives with his family. I cant wait for my next canadian adventure!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/michellesonnega/ mson

    India changed me. Though I went there two years ago, it still influences how I see the world around me on a daily basis. It is a country of great beauty and terrible despair. It made me question my beliefs about how we help one another when I visited Mother Theresa’s orphanage, it influenced my spiritual beliefs as I met and worshiped with people of other faiths, it influenced how I teach and regard children in my classroom. Before I went to India I had never met anyone who said they came away as the same person. Now I know that it wasn’t just hyperbole, but now true for myself. I guess travel does that for you!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/debora_brand/ Debora Brand

    There isn’t one particular place that has changed me. I know it is a bit cliche but every city, every beach, every mountain, every sight – they have all changed me somehow and they keep doing so. I was only a little girl when my aunt left my hometown in south of Brazil to move to Sao Paulo and be a flight attendant. I remember when I first realized that what her job actually entailed was to travel around the world. It was at this very same moment that I realized that there was a world out there. Places with different people, that spoke different languages and had entirely different cultures. I became mesmerized. And from that moment on the only thing in my mind was “will I ever be able to do the same?”. “Will I ever be able to travel the world, to speak different languages, to meet all these different people?” When I was 8 years old she took me on my first trip abroad. She took me to Miami and to see Disney World. It was magical (just imagine a 8 year-old Brazilian in the 80’s who has never left the country – or even, barely left her hometown). Up to that point I had never met anyone that had been to Disney and I think I didn’t even know what it was or what to expect of it. But it wasn’t Disney that impressed me, that really changed me. It was Epcot Center. And it is a very simple answer to why it changed me. Which is probably their selling point, really. Epcot was the ‘whole’ world in one place. At one moment I was in Japan and the next in Egypt by the Pyramids. It was overwhelming and it changed me forever. My hunger to see the world was now completely imprinted in me. There was nothing else I wanted to do in life. I wanted to travel, to see those sights in their real locations. I wanted to experience it all; to live different lives; to speak different languages; I wanted to be part of the world and not just of a country or a city. I left Brazil indefinitely when I was 23 – it took me sometime but now at 31 I am proud of all that I have achieved and all the places I have seen and all the ones I know I will still see. I will never forget my Epcot, somewhat, enlightening experience. And the 8 year-old me would be definitely proud to know that I have indeed seen the real Pyramids, you know, the ones in Egypt! ;)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/bburton359/ Brian Burton

    The trip that changed me was Bangladesh. This is a place few tourists visit, yet locals went out of their way to say hello, offer assistance, and even buy me lunch. This was during the time of the Alabama tornado. Bangladeshis expressed heart felt condolences and offered prayers. As a Bama alumni, I was touched. Too often, Americans are led to believe Muslims hate America. This was not the case in this small Muslim country.

  • Guest

    There isn’t one particular place that has changed me. I know it is a bit cliche but every city, every beach, every mountain, every sight – they have all changed me somehow and they keep doing so. I was only a little girl when my aunt left my hometown in south of Brazil to move to Sao Paulo and be a flight attendant. I remember when I first realized that what her job actually entailed was to travel around the world. It was at this very same moment that I realized that there was a world out there. Places with different people, that spoke different languages and had entirely different cultures. I became mesmerized. And from that moment on the only thing in my mind was “will I ever be able to do the same?”. “Will I ever be able to travel the world, to speak different languages, to meet all these different people?” When I was 8 years old she took me on my first trip abroad. She took me to Miami and to see Disney World. It was magical (just imagine a 8 year-old Brazilian in the 80’s who has never left the country – or even, barely left her hometown). Up to that point I had never met anyone that had been to Disney and I think I didn’t even know what it was or what to expect of it. But it wasn’t Disney that impressed me, that really changed me. It was Epcot Center. And it is a very simple answer to why it changed me. Which is probably their selling point, really. Epcot was the ‘whole’ world in one place. At one moment I was in Japan and the next in Egypt by the Pyramids. It was overwhelming and it changed me forever. My hunger to see the world was now completely imprinted in me. There was nothing else I wanted to do in life. I wanted to travel, to see those sights in their real locations. I wanted to experience it all; to live different lives; to speak different languages; I wanted to be part of the world and not just of a country or a city. I left Brazil indefinitely when I was 23 – it took me sometime but now at 31 I am proud of all that I have achieved and all the places I have seen and all the ones I know I will still see. I will never forget my Epcot, somewhat, enlightening experience. And the 8 year-old me would be definitely proud to know that I have indeed seen the real Pyramids, you know, the ones in Egypt!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/miak3485/ Mia

    The place that changed me was Chisekesi, Zambia. About 200 km south of Lusaka, Chisekesi is so rural that what they call “roads” I would call “pathways where someone cleared the trees
    but didn’t bother to clear anything else”. Dirt, humidity, and complete paradise.

    Why? Because of the people. I went to Chisekesi to survey land for a school building project, but what I got was certainly more. Tribal dancing, indigenous food, and the warmest hospitality a group of people have ever bestowed onto me. For a village with so little, they gave me more than I could ever imagine.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/bohalloran/ bridget_cornelia

    London changed me. I found a new independence living on my own in London for 3 months. As a usually anxious person with perhaps some OCD tendencies, I found my love for London really come into being when I conquered THE TUBE. I am in love with the tube! I own a lovely TEA mug with the tube map on it and proudly show everyone what was ‘my stop’. Navigating the great city of London via the tube made the city truly available to me. I understood it & it treated me well. Hopefully, to treat me well again…soon!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hkate90/ HKate

    Jaipur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan, has changed me forever. It is the perfect combination of colour, chaos, culture and taste. We stayed in a beautiful old hotel with an open rooftop and views across the valley and of home life across the rooves, watching the kids unanimously start to fly their kites just before dusk and little girls doing laundry while they waved excitedly at us. It wasn’t just the place, the people we met here were the warmest, kindest and friendliest I have ever come across, the food was the best I have ever tasted and I have taken away lasting friendships, memories I’ll never forget and a passion for travel I have never had before – the desire to meet all walks of life and see if anywhere can top the beautiful, mesmerizing and chaotic city of Jaipur and it’s residents.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kingy35/ Kingy35

    The place that changed me: New Zealand

    In the UK: I lived in a city and commuted for over an hour
    to work each day, sedentary, staring at my computer, dealing with other people’s
    problems, cynical and endlessly disappointed about the deteriorating state of
    the country, as insisted upon each day by the British press.

    In New Zealand: I lived in a village (pop. 750), walked to
    work for five minutes each day, stood outside, helping and guiding people with
    their problems. I breathed in the fresh mountain air and the weight of the
    world dropped from my shoulders and taught me how to enjoy life again.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/lorraine_leong/ Lorraine Leong

    Brazil! A friend and I traveled there together. For me it was to celebrate graduation. For her it was a last single girls’ trip before she got married. With all these huge life changes came a lot of things to think about. But, the amazing culture of Brazil, particularly Rio de Janeiro, really inspired me to live each day as it comes. There’s something about the weather, the beaches, the music, and the people that inspires such joie de vivre. The way of life in Rio taught me to let go and fully appreciate each day and each moment as an opportunity to be happy and alive!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/iweisberg/ Irwin Weisberg

    It was in as unlikely a place as I can imagine that I traveled to, and found, what no tourists ever find in hotels. I found love and I found home, on the other side of the world. I lived alone in the midst of old growth forest high in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. The sound is of the wind and birds. The air at a thousand feet elevation is pure and sweet. The water from my 900 foot well is pristine and delicious. My home is large, sumptuous and beautifully appointed. It’s a place I hated to leave.
    But life’s walls were closing in. I had just been diagnosed with cancer and had a one in three chance of not being around in two years, with no fun in between. And it was precisely then that a buddy of mine had married a girl he had just met in Nanning, China, in the beautiful and mostly rural and agricultural far south just above Vietnam. He mentioned in an email that a friend of his wife had asked if he had any friends and they had given her my name and address. A week later, I recieved a pathetic scrawl of about seven English words with about 14 errors that looked like it was from a retarded, but very brave 6 year old. My heart melted. Over the next 9 months, we corresponded after she found a niece who was becoming an English teacher to be our John Alden. We fell in love. I beat the cancer and was allowed to travel.
    A Chinese city of seven million is as different from my mountain home as any place can be. I didn’t know a word of Chinese. Our first date lasted five weeks. We journeyed north to the incredible karst country of Guilin and Yangshuo, a Chinese version of Woodstock on steroids. And then I had to leave, but returned in five months with a laptop for Jun and an engagement ring. Her family recognized the happiness we brought each other and I soon had a Chinese family. I found real people, real love, and a real home. No canned vacation can ever match that.
    We have married for five years now. We live in Nanning for 6-7 months a year and in Olivebridge, New York the rest of the time, avoiding the extremes of hot and cold in both places. We each give to the other half our time in a strange place. Our love continues to grow and we could not be happier.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/mirkabene/ mirkabene

    The place that changed me…well, there is a new place every year that changes me, but one that changed me the the most is South Africa. The main thing is, that my idea of this country was completely different from the reality. South Africa is something unique for me, I think there’s everything in this country, everything I love…mountains, great cities, poor slums, ocean, amazing sceneries, wildlife, great people, delicious food, really big part of the history of humankind, wealth and poverty, dangerous adventures, lot of sun, fun, smile and lot more. The only thing i was missing there was skiing, but i can live without that. South Africa changed me a lot…my view of how the life goes, how the people are, I think it will stay in my top 5 for really a long time.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/priscila/ Priscila

    When I moved here 10 years ago, I left behind a bleak future with no education or career prospects. Now, when I look around, I am sure that it was London that changed me. It opened its arms and made me feel welcome. It showed me that I can get where ever I want even if I haven’t a clue where that is most of the time.
    It can be so hard living here, but when it’s good it’s oh so good. I’m not sure if there is anywhere else in the world like this. I’m ready to find out!

  • MadCat Gilbert

    I found myself line dancing with several hundred Chinese people in the People’s Square in Chongqing. I couldn’t speak a word of Chinese, and none of them could speak English, and yet they welcomed us in to their dance, taught us the steps, laughed with us when we went wrong. They were so kind and open, and it taught me that people are all basically the same at heart.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/katiemberkley/ Katie

    Walking into the ancient medina in Moroccan Fez changed my
    world. Getting lost for hours in the medieval streets or listening to the call
    to prayer from a hill overlooking the city, it is hard to see how it hasn’t affected
    me. To a foreigner, it seems like chaos. But in just a few days, I learnt it
    could also be one of the most peaceful places in the world. I was deeply changed
    in my outlook on other people, and also in my own life. A part of me will
    always be sitting on that ruin overlooking Fez.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/emily_mason/ Emily Mason

    The place that changed me is the tiny French island of La Reunion- a breathtakingly beautiful volcanic island in the Indian Ocean where I spent nine months teaching English
    and learning French. I grew from a party-loving cheap-booze-drinking student
    into an independent young woman. I stayed on the east coast- the poorer, wetter
    and windier side where the students I taught spoke the local creole and
    teachers invited me to their houses for carri poulet. I experienced my first
    tropical rainstorm and failed miserably at surfing. And somewhere along the way
    I grew up.

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/f-gibsngmail-com/ FionaCGibson

      This is very nice!
      Btw, I was thinking about going to reunion to teach English! Can you recommend a school/organisation? Is it a good place to learn French there, or do most people speak the local creole?

      • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/emily_mason/ Emily Mason

        The majority of Reunionnais will speak to you in French but if you go to the east of the island or up into the mountains then it’s a good idea to have a few Creole phrases to hand. The French accent can take a while to get used to but after a few weeks you get used to it.
        As for teaching it’s luck as to where you get placed- schools and their level of teaching vary considerably throughout the island.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/altaegos1/ andrea crocker

    South Africa. A beautiful country with beautiful people who
    welcome you with open arms. I cannot begin to describe waking up the first
    morning at Addo Elephant Park looking out onto the wilderness and watching the
    sun rise then heading to a watering hole to watch the baby elephants playing.
    Watching dolphins frolic in the surf at Port Elizabeth. From this to the harsh
    realities and sombre history of Robben Island, where we listened to ex
    political prisoners talk emotionally about their incarceration on the island.
    To Cape Town’s multi cultural city with Table Mountain standing proud above.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/samanthadjones/ samanthadjones

    The first place that jumped into my mind was Amsterdam. The buzz, the life, the freedom, the cafe’s, the canals, the, bicycles, the double decker trains, the squares, and of course the district. Love it

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rockinggeology/ Jon

    The Nepalese Himalayas for me were the true representation of Heaven on Earth. They were humbling and my fondest memory is sitting with the Sherpas (the friendliest people you can
    meet) in silence watching the clouds run over Everest and Nuptse. Being in the valley leading to the Khumbu Glacier all sound echoes and the cracking glaciers and subsequent avalanches were just awe inspiring. One hundred words could never do this moment justice, but it was ultimately calming. Any time that I feel stressed or overworked I think of that moment and it relaxes me. It’s the ultimate chill out.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Emmamed Emma J Lowe

    The place that changed me has got to be Jamaica. Its so relaxed, no one rushes around. People just take their time. It learnt me to take my own time when doing something, live passes so quickly as it is, without running around.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/elementalair/ ellymental

    There are certainly a lot places that left indelible impressions on me but I’d have to say the place that altered my overall opinion of the way faith works was Varanasi. Standing amidst the masses MASSES of pilgrims that come there to immerse themselves in the Mother Ganges, which I must admit, does not have the most inviting waters on Earth, to sanctify themselves somehow allowed me to understand the depth of the faith possible in people. I felt just how important that can be.

    During a side trip to the I believe Durga Temple I sat in the midst of a raucous ceremony of song and praise and I was absolutely overcome. The shows of utter devotion, the placing of orange dots on foreheads, hundreds lining up to supplicate themselves before God, and the the singing, the loud, rhythmic, melodic beauty of probably two hundred sitting crosslegged on the ground singing together, not to mention the fact that the crowd seemed to embrace me being in their midst, a foreigner, a stranger, so accepted. It was a powerful reinforcement of the depth of human spirituality. I don’t think I’ve looked at religion the same way since my stay in Varanasi.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/annnnabel/ annnnabel

    A place that changed me i’d definately say
    Ibiza “the white isle” far far away
    I packed up my bag, booked up to go
    to see the truth I had to know
    An isle of exploring, sunsets and fun
    all of my favourites rolled into one
    I got off the plane headed straight for the beach
    put down my bag let the sand on my feet
    The water was glistening, lapping the shore
    i’d found my dream, a place to adore
    But Ibiza so beautiful is just a small part
    off the places to travel and attach to my heart.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/standarde/ Eric James

    Istanbul is at once abrasive and alluring; virtue and vice pull
    and draw on each other endlessly. It caters to the eyes, but live here and you’ll
    find the noise is far more pervasive. It’s in the hustled rush of over 15
    million people colliding with one another, the manifold calls to prayer, and
    the ever-defiant traffic. You learn to acknowledge fleeting solace. When you board
    a ferry across the Bosphorus, those 15 minutes of implausible tranquility belie
    the chaos on either side of you. But those minutes are heaven-sent, and nowhere
    else could they be so appreciated.

  • http://twitter.com/elisaalston Elisa

    Left breathless from the 777 steps up Mount Popa in Burma, and entranced by the view, I was unprepared for the throng of rural women that accosted me. Having never seen a young white woman before, they all wanted their pictures taken with me on my camera, just so they were able to see the picture on the screen. A wonderfully eccentric 70-year old demanded several! As the traditional tourist-native relationship was inversed, I felt truly honored and humbled. The pictures will endure as a physical memory of this not only life changing, but also spirit lifting moment.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/limlach/ limlach

    The place that changed me is not terribly exotic…but it shaped future
    travel experiences enormously. A week in Budapest, I was the
    stereotypical wary tourist, clutching at my bag, convinced we were going
    to get scammed. While I was paranoid,
    my other half was relaxed, happily chatting to locals and paying far
    too much for a pretzel – because it meant nothing to him, everything to
    the impoverished family selling them. It put things in perspective.
    Since, I’ve realised travelling is an adventure,
    that a little goodwill means a lot and that the best experiences are
    the ones you don’t plan.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/carlally/ Carlal

    The place that changed me is London. I travelled here 4 years ago to find work and it has made me hard and cold! Everyone is grumpy and in a hurry all the time! I need to travel somewhere where life is simple, the inexpensive things are valued and the sun shines! Please pick me so I can warm up and change back to the lovely person I am supposed to be :-)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/georginaplatt/ Georgie

    Summer 2000. A relationship failure, self-loathing and phone call from a Spanish friend led me to Madrid. Sharing a bed in a hostel in Puerta del Sol, two weeks of friendship never to forget. Morning churros, café solo, beautiful glazed tiles, mouth-watering tapas, all on our doorstep. Life-changing moment; by day visiting the Reina Sofia alone, feeling at absolute peace, the awe-inspiring Guernica. By night guided by Tio Pepe beacon, finding a quiet bar, talking so much, forgetting to pay, barman chasing then inviting us to a secret room of real flamenco
    guitarists, feeling honoured, still do.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/anna_maria_tuckett/ Anna Maria Tuckett

    Scandimania is currently sweeping the UK, but I discovered Scandinavia nearly 20 years ago, and it most definitely changed me. I lived in Denmark for a year and it was the happiest, most inspirational time in my life. Not only did I get addicted to coffee (Danes drink gallons of it) and ate tons of delicious Danish pastries (or “Viennese bread”, as they are called in Danish), but I also learnt to appreciate that everyday objects can be as exquisite, as they are useful. Danes are fiercely anti-elitist and believe that no one, not even the Royal Family, is “special”, and that taught me to be more open and respectful of other peoples’ views. I was always made to feel welcome: they are hugely hospitable. I miss the Danes’ dislike of flash and artifice – they are plain speaking and that honesty is one of the reasons why their homes are beautifully minimalist. I admire the way they look after the environment and miss being able to cycle everywhere. I have high regard for their sense of shared, secular beliefs and identity, which has made Danes, and Scandinavians in general, more willing to provide for each other. It is no wonder Danish people rank number one in every quality of life and happiness survey. Those 12 months spent living among “the happiest people on Earth” shaped my value system and made me a better person. Plus I learnt to make mean cinnamon buns, which make my English family happy.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/esmefox/ EsmeFox

    Uganda. Lush green hills and deep terracotta soil, smiley faces, and throngs of cows parading the streets.
    Sad eyes and small hands reaching out, strong connections and lifelong friends.
    Rough brick houses built with my own hands, crazy celebrations and deafening ululations.
    Tents in the storm surrounded by hippos, chased by baboons and armies of ants powering through.
    Nightly power cuts and homework by candle light.
    A traditional wedding with a bartering for cows and a hike through an Impenetrable Forest, bringing me face to face with a mountain gorilla.
    This is how Uganda changed me.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/msbass/ bline

    ‘THE PLACE THAT CHANGED ME’ is Chicago, the culture, the food all were amazing plus this was my starting destination for the ultimate road trip ‘Route 66’. I had grew up in the UK watching films and hearing songs about the famous ‘Mother Road’ which ran west from Chicago to LA. I remember standing at the top of the Willis/sears tower out on that glass ledge feeling my heart pounding knowing that my friend and I were going to be hitting that famous road in our hired car ‘Thelma and Louise’ style (without the robbery, murder and eventual suicide) lol.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/tarafaerie/ Tara Whitefield

    I was on a solo road tripping adventure, a vision quest which was helping me heal from a recent loss, and was exhausted. Whenever I felt tired I would veer my Volkswagen off the main road and take a random route to wherever it led me. I ended up on the Zuni Indian Reservation in New Mexico. After walking through the land I was approached by a park ranger, a native woman who seemed to look into my soul. She told me that I was tired, needed to slow down, and take a break. She led me to a $5 a night campsite overlooking the valley of New Mexico. I practically had the place to myself and the landscape with its wildflowers, brilliant orange sunset, and mountains, along with the kindness of that woman forever changed me.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kelsachan/ Kelsachan

    The place that changed me – New Zealand. I just love it there, the scenery is breathtaking. NZ has been my favorite vacation thus far, and I hope to be able to make it back there one day.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/vaniedosa/ lakwatsera

    Right at the top of Mount Pulag, Philippines, before me was an extensive chain of mountain peaks with their bodies hidden by the sea of clouds. Some clouds moved like waterfalls as they ran down through the slopes. How lovely to see the sun slowly exhibited light and came in greeting this picturesque view. No matter how difficult we hiked up and braved the chill and rains for hours, this kind of priceless memory made me realize and would always remind me how beautiful life is and how vast the world is. Just awaiting. For us. To believe.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/eve_armstrong/ Eve Armstrong

    I arrived convinced I would hate it but leaving was like leaving home. Ottawa introduced me to more passions, interests and experiences than anywhere else and all in eight months. At sweaty gigs in tiny bars I found music that spoke to my heart; in the shouting crowds of The Scotiabank Place I found a sport I actually liked and while ice-skating on the frozen Rideau canal I found a way to really enjoy winter. More importantly, after five years I still miss the people who helped me to discover who I really am as we explored Ottawa together.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/emmalpugsley/ Emma Pugsley

    The Place that changed me: New York City
    For me, seeing the Empire State Building come into view as you exit the subway station on your arrival into New York City is a feeling like no other. It’s like I’ve come home. The hustle and bustle, the lights, the food, the people and the endless possibilities is what makes New York a place that you can visit again and again and it will always feel like it’s the first time. This vibrant and ever-changing city set off my craving to see the world and experience all the delights it has to offer.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jcravens/ Jayne Cravens

    In 2001, I moved from the USA to Germany to work in my dream job with the United Nations. Several months into my work, I decided to take a vacation to Ireland, a country I’d always wanted to visit. For my last full day in the country, I drove to Slane, to see the ancient sites of New Grange and Knowth. I had no idea such ancient sites could be found all over Europe – not just at Stonehenge. I was blown away, and knew from that moment that I was going to focus my vacation time for the next few years on finding and visiting such. And I did. Along with the guy I met at the bed and breakfast at the end of that day. Who is now my husband. Slane, Ireland changed me forever!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/laneycakes/ Laneycakes

    LA.
    From the moment I landed, this place full of madness and wonder sucked me in.
    From the majestic skyscrapers of downtown to the neon cheesiness of hollywood it had me hooked. You go from the beach to the city to the desert and everything inbetween within an hour.
    Lets face it – you could walk down hollywood blvd with a ferret on a lead wearing nowt more than a feather boa and no one would bat an eyelid. Thats the kinda city that changes you! LA opened my mind – and stopped me from worrying what people think!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/catriona_smith/ Catriona Smith

    The Scottish Highlands have been a subject of many adventures throughout my 23
    years, but it was one particular visit in May of 2012 which moved me.
    Shattering all previous images of angry skies and murderous-like peaks, the UK heat
    wave of that week also included the mountains. Ben Nevis visible with snow
    capped peaks and the rolling hills clear for miles under a perfectly blue sky;
    a scene I’d never witnessed there before and it influenced my perspective on
    life. A glimpse I’ll probably never see again which went beyond the relentless
    rain, fear and eeriness of the empty mountainous landscape (which is part of its
    charm on a usual day) just once ceased and unveiled the true scale of its
    beauty before dowsing it with cloud again.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jans/ Janano\’s

    I arrived in India really stressed from a hectic time at work and a heavy schedule. We travelled UK to Bombay to Cochin. I’d never experienced such a change of culture. A man sleeping on the road in front of my hotel troubled me but in in the morning he had gone. We took a taxi old 50′s style car another experience ! Oncoming traffic and we hurtled headlong on the wrong side of the road. So many car horns. People walking to work with tiffin boxes. When I relax maybe I will laugh about it. A boat ride across the water hyacinth and we are in the Keralan backwaters. Gone are the car horns. Now we have perfect peace. I have nothing to do and I am not used to this. When you’ve seen one Palm tree you’ve seen them all right? Wrong, they are all different. I have a massage at the Ayurvedic centre with two ladies who perform a multi massage one massages north to south and the other the reverse. I get lost in all this. Then I’m put in the steam bath. The doors close just under my chin, I sit there and watch in silence as the people wander in the paddy fields out to the Keralan fishing nets and the house boats, must try one of those! I no longer have stress and I will never be the same again! I will never forget this place. My picture of the palm tree will be with me.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/ajcove/ TheGrandMadness

    New Orleans… My first backpacking trip was 7 weeks greyhounding across North America with a friend from work. The first 3 weeks hadn’t gone to plan, money, weather, bad luck… until we got to New Orleans. The spirit and energy of Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, the opportunity to sample my first “real” steak heralded the start of the second half of the trip which from then on went almost perfectly.

    This was June 2003… Pre Hurricane Katrina… I’ve not been back since, mostly through fear that N’Orleans could never be the same again. I hope I am wrong!

    • Guest

      asd

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/k-m-hanco8/ 4LoveofTravel

    Having grown up in the United States, I was convinced
    that the place that changed me would have to be outside of America—some place completely
    unknown to me as yet. My preconceived notion was derailed in Plymouth, of all
    places, and during the harsh Michigan winter besides! Though temperatures were
    freezing and the wind cut through me like daggers, I could never dislike the
    enchanting ice land of Plymouth during the Ice Festival. Sculptures created
    from international artists rendered the weather insignificant. I visited multiple
    times a day as new sculptures appeared and were lit from within at night.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/scratchvideo/ Scratch Video

    My brief was to photograph the hospital to raise awareness and funding back home. One day I watched a mother rush out from the ward in hysterics – collapsing hysterically in the dust. Her husband followed her, tears streaming down his cheeks. They had just lost their child to malaria.

    Later that night, I helped my host light a fire in a pit to the rear of the hospital’s grounds. “Why does all this stuff need burning?” I asked. “The hyenas eat the body parts if we don’t,” he replied.

    My life and their lives are incomparable. I left Tanzania deeply humbled.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/chuey603/ Katherine L

    The place that changed me was Helsinki, Finland. I spent 5 months there in 2005 and my life view changed in that time. The people I met, the beautiful scenery I saw, the things I learned all enriched me beyond belief. I will forever be grateful to one Fin especially who took the time to show me new attitude towards life. The friends I met in that time will remain for life!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/freya-rowan/ Freya Rowan

    I walked along the dusty pavement, tired excitement filling my heart, bubbling through my veins.
    Yellow light shone down from the lamps above.
    I held my mother’s hand, enjoying the safety and warmth of her rough, familiar skin.
    The night air smelt of exhaust fumes, spices, food and humidity.
    A warm breeze rustled the trees above me, mixing with the sound of cicadas singing.
    Oh the happiness of being back!

    India changed me – instilled in me a passion for travel, made me appreciate what it means to be happy and to really love a place and it’s people.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/martin_bayliss/ Martin Bayliss

    The Canadian Rockies are breathtaking and well worth viewing by an escorted tour. Starting off in Vancouver or Seattle to take in the cosmopolitan Stanley Park then a short ferry ride to Victoria. Followed by a serene journey up the Inside Passage on the ferry to Prince Rupert. Then take in the superb scenery heading back along the Canadian Highway to Banff and Jasper. Bears, Elks, Orcas and stunning lakes all to take in on a most memorable journey.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/galaxy12/ galaxy12

    Last summer, I visited Thailand as a very green twenty-one year old, more accustomed to package holidays with my parents than trekking through the sprawling green hills of Thailand’s north. Our minibus ascended the hills to reach the village of Pai, and at once, I was irrevocably changed. This gorgeous and truly unique place, with its laidback, hippy vibe made me realise that for all the tribulations that university and work would bring, sometimes it was far more important to lie back, relax and appreciate the natural wonders of the world and the inner serenity that a pot of ginger tea would provide!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/margaretakel/ maggie1234

    The place that changed me was Spain. I was a young girl from a small village in the North of England and my first visit to Spain was my first trip abroad and the the first of many there and all over the world. I also met my husband there and after 46 years married he still shares my love of travel and seeking out new places to visit and cultures to discover. I found Spain to be so friendly and different from what I had experienced in my home village and in those early days I loved the simple life and the warmth of the sun. I threw myself into the Spanish culture, preparing squid for paella and learning the language until I became fluent.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/cpjeffery/ cpjeffery

    I was changed by a simple trip to San Miguel, Ibiza. I thought the world was so commercialised, I hadnt seen the real country, and met the real genuine nice locals. It completely changed my opinion of the world, and encouraged me to explore and discover. The world is an amazing place and I have seen but a glimpse of it!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/len_doyle/ Len Doyle

    At the age of 19, three friends and I hired a cheapy car and headed off into the Northumbrian hinterland of the UK. We landed up on the islands of Lindisfarne. What a place – spiritual vibes, wonderful countryside, wild seas, amazing wildlife and a rich history. Some of those early Celtic monks led extraordinary lives.
    We drove across to the island at low tide and it was a bit hairy heading back as the tide came in.
    I’m a city boy from a tough background – Lindisfarne changed my world view and changed my life, in a day!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/ajwaygook/ ajwaygook

    It could have been any city in Asia; I remember waking up to the muffled sound of traffic grinding by a few stories below, top and tail with my best friend, watching a dusty ceiling fan push hot humid air around our room and feeling, for the first time, a long way from home. That room must have changed me because I’ve been trying to recapture that same feeling ever since. I was in Bangkok by the way.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rachelj/ splash

    Wanaka and The Catlin coast NZ South Island. truelly a woke my adventurist spirit
    Wild swimming in Lake Wanaka was breathtaking.
    The Catlin coast was wild and unspoiled. Went swimmingwith wild dolphins in Porpoise bay.
    I felt alive and free. Free to change my world to a more full filling place to live.
    An inspiration to my soul!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/ajwaygook/ ajwaygook

    It could have been any city in Asia; I remember waking up to the muffled sound of traffic grinding by a few stories below, top and tail with my best friend, watching a dusty ceiling fan push hot humid air around our room and feeling a long way from home for the first time. That room must have changed me because I’ve been trying to recapture that same feeling ever since. I was in Bangkok by the way.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sharon_cleary/ Sharon Cleary

    When I was five, Dad got a new job in Saudi Arabia. So Mum, my brothers and I moved from a tiny town in the north of England to join him in Riyadh. Suddenly, life looked very different. School in the early morning before it got too hot. Eating Lebanese pastries for the first time. Watching funny-looking camels race. Getting caught in a violent sandstorm for hours. It all blew my mind and made me impossibly curious. I’m sure those three years in Riyadh are the reason why I’ve still got an incurable case of wanderlust thirty years later.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/anna_warner/ Anna Warner

    It has to be going to Western Australia to meet my dad for the first time. I
    decided to trace my dad on New years day 2010, he left my mum and me when I was
    only 2 months old, so he was an unknown to me; just a name. I had thought most
    of my life that I wasn’t very interested in tracing him, as I was a little
    scared of what I might find. I found him and my siblings, and within days we
    had booked our trip, it was just amazing and has really changed my life.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/gilsonkathgmail-com/ Kath

    It was 3 days before Christmas and we were hiking in the western highlands of Guatemala. We had just hiked up to a Laguna Chicabal near to Xela. The hike was great and the view of the lake was beautiful, but it was the walk down that was the highlight. Walking down the steep paths between the houses of the small mountain settlement, we could hear Christmas fiestas coming from every direction. Children played in the street and waved hello from their houses with roofs covered in drying corn. It was one of those moments where you could feel the energy & happiness of the people oozing from the surroundings. It filled me with a joy I had never felt before and I remember thinking I could not wish to be anywhere but there. I get goose bumps just thinking of it.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/erineo/ Erineo

    The quiet way of life in Yelapa, Mexico shook me. Only accessible by boat, this seaside town has no roads leading to it. There I allowed myself to be lost in it’s cobbled walkways that rose and fell and turned in on themselves. I walked lonely dirt paths to hidden waterfalls and swam at their mouths with close companions. I witnessed humpback whales spouting water overhead, before silently slipping below, leaving only ripples among the waves. In this unrelenting raw beauty I stood surrounded by people I loved, realizing this is what life is. Everything else is excess.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rkc1591/ rkc1591

    Despite my fears that London would turn out to be touristy and underwhelming, the British capital surpassed my every expectation. During my time there as an exchange student, I did almost everything listed in my travel books, but my most cherished moments were not to be discovered on paper. Walking along the meandering Thames Path, visiting markets, and befriending locals at my university were what enriched my experience. I learned that what makes travel rewarding isn’t seeing as many landmarks as you possibly can, rather, it’s exploring the local culture and the unexpected gems you encounter along the way.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ali.campbell.925 Ali Campbell

    I remember the magic of travelling on a plane to America for the very first time when I was 12. I spent the journey mesmerised by magnificent views of patchwork fields and clouds from a new angle; in the excitement I used up all of my camera film before we even arrived. When we
    arrived, the air smelled different, the traffic roared, & people spoke like they did on tv. This journey opened my eyes and heart to discovering the world, and I’m glad that twenty years on I still have that same excitement each time I travel!

    • Guest

      That’s a really sweet story Ali, my first time travelling to the US was the same, I thought that everything was so big! I hope that you never lose that joy of discovering new places!

    • Sophie Scott

      That’s a really sweet story Ali, I remember my first trip to the US too and thinking that everything was so big and impressive. I hope that you never lose that joy of travelling the world!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rbnsn844/ Rbnsn844

    If I had to name one place that changed me it would have to be Poland and in particular a trip to my late father’s village (Witow) about 50 miles from Krakow on the route 777 road. My first trip was made when he was alive and my second not long after his passing aged just shy of 80. Both occasions were very emotional. The first because the place appeared on no map I could find in the UK. I found a map in a shop in Wroclaw and burst into tears much to the bemusement of the staff!. On my return I brought my father a copy of his birth record inside a journal I wrote for him during the trip. My second trip planned before he died became all the more poignant. I wanted to plant a tree in his memory in the village. That too became an adventure. I sourced a tree and carried it. I then with the help of tourist information who saw my request as quite ordinary! Arranged a cab driver with a spade who also interpreted. The tree was duly planted by the taxi driver and the priest in pride of place beside the little wooden church in which ,my father had been a choir boy. The village did not dissapoint with beautiful arable land and workhorses just like in my father’s day. I would make a recommendation to anyone to visit Poland even those with no connection. I would defy anyone to not wonder at the medievil ciy of Krakow the Zakpane mountains. Or not to be moved by a visit to Auschwitz

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/clsmorris27/ clsmorris27

    S- tunning volcanic landscape, luscious unspoiled rainforest
    and sulphur springs to bathe in

    T- otal relaxation a world away from the pace of everyday
    life

    L- ovely people; a warm welcome is guaranteed

    U- nderwater discoveries to be made – fish, coral and
    turtles in the crystal-clear Caribbean sea

    C- ocktails laced with rum to be sipped whilst the sun
    disappears into the sea

    I- dyllic palm-fringed beaches to while away the long sun
    drenched days

    A- n island paradise where dreams are made and we got
    engaged!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/matt/ Matt

    Amman, in Jordan. I had been traveling around the Middle East for a few weeks and went to Petra and the Dead Sea, and we ended up traveling through Amman for logistical reasons even though it isn’t a big destination for travelers. But while we were there, I had the most amazing time. Sure, there was no must-see attraction, like in Petra or some of the other places we went, but it is an incredible city. Full of warm and friendly people – Jordanians would stop us on the street to say “welcome to Jordan!” even if they didn’t speak any english other than that. Delicious and incredibly cheap food – we stayed across an alleyway from a restaurant that had pictures of the royal family visiting and eating there, but where you could get a great meal for about $1. Fun, energetic neighborhoods, with a lot going on. That was the first time I really experienced firsthand how little of what’s meaningful about traveling is about seeing the things that you’re “supposed” to see.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/gina/ Gina

    I arrived in Accra’s tiny airport alone, at 17 years old. It was my first time ever leaving the country and because of a delayed flight, my scheduled pick-up wasn’t there. I timidly wandered in circles trying to decide what to do next until, luckily, Gilbert showed up to take me to the compound with the other volunteers. I spent two weeks volunteering at Osu Children’s Home in the heart of Accra, learning as much from the children as I attempted to teach them. Ghana was the place that changed me – opening up my life from that moment on to an incessant passion for traveling, for culture and for the discovery of humanity across the globe.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/helenahewett/ helga16

    Hill Tribe Trekking in Thailand. When I went travelling in 2006, I tried in vain to find a tour that didn’t include a trek. It was my idea of hell, walking up hills, no showers, no toilets, sleeping on wooden floors. I was three stone overweight and not at all healthy. However I reluctantly went and it was the most challenging and amazing few days of my life. There were tears, sweat but so much laughter. Meeting local families and children in the middle of remote hill tribes created memories that will last with me forever.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/gininteacups/ Matt

    The generator’s distant whirring comes to a gentle
    halt. Seconds later, as the electric luminescence of the lamps loosely hanging
    from the scattered bamboo beach cottages is extinguished, a new glow instantly
    illuminates the white sand, the calmly pulsating sea and my eyes with them.
    Gazing upwards, the sky becomes an ocean of shimmering stars, the
    depth of which I have never before experienced – constellations I was able to
    recognise in the clearest summer skies at home were now lost, engulfed in a sky
    teeming with tiny specks of light. For me, the night skies of the Philippines
    were awe-inspiring and I know I will have to travel far and wide to encounter
    any that could even remotely compare.

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/skybound/ Skybound

      This truly evokes some amazing memories of my own! Hope you win

  • http://twitter.com/PckYourPassport Beverley Reinemann

    I arrived in New Zealand in June 2012 as one half of a couple; my boyfriend and I had been together for 6 years and spent the previous 2 travelling Australia together. 2 months later, in the midst of finding my feet in Auckland, I found myself alone in a completely new country. He had left me. But I refused to sink. 6 months later I’m still in New Zealand. I am a whole person again. I have somehow uncovered a strong, independent, solo female traveller that was hiding all along. New Zealand has changed me and I’m so proud of myself.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/heather_hill/ Heather Hill

    It was the Harley Medical Centre in London. I went in for rhinoplasty, breast implants and a tummy tuck. They also gave me a slight brow lift and Cheryl Cole cheek bones. I’ve never been the same since. Sort of Cheryl Cole-ish – only blonde. Hope you had a smile. Good luck everyone :-)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/librarytasha/ LibraryTasha

    The Place that Changed Me – Living In Baku: Azerbaijan for 4 months as an English Tutor

    I knew that this was off the beaten track when 9/10 people could barely pronounce the name of this country let alone know where it was (by the Black sea bordering Armenia, Iran and Russia). I’d always had a fascination with Russian history and post-Soviet culture and I was thrust headlong into it whilst living in Baku. I spent the first 6 weeks sharing a room with a girl, in an apartment without central heating (Western concept), no plumbing and a very sketchy cooker. I learned how to shower by candlelight, how to get water by melting snow and how to get a toilet to work. The value of water is something that has stayed with me and flushing toilets are a wonder of modern civilisation. I then managed to move into a nicer place which was full-on Politburo luxury which had running water and working indoor plumbing! But cost a fortune! I was harassed when walking down the street as a woman, more so, as an Indian woman but I learned how to deal with it (head down, no eye contact). But it also for the first time in my life made me thankful for all the priviledges I have as a woman in the West, that I can walk down the road after 8pm and people won’t think I’m a hooker, that it’s ok for me to wear a skirt and it doesn’t mean I’m for sale. It also made me take my position as a voter in a demoncratic country more seriously, as a lot of my students didn’t see the point in voting as they already knew how corrupt their country was, given that most of them were bribing their way through university. I also met expats of the Peace Corps variety – both the rich American type and the ones who genuinely loved what they were doing. I felt more at home in a village than I did in the city. I hobnobbed with embassy secretaries, defence contractor and oil barons. All the students I taught were desperate to come to the West and in that I learned a new appreciation of the place I called home. I took the midnight train to Georgia and shared cheese and bread with Russian travellers and drank tea out of an antiquated tea machine. Will I go back? Unlikely. It sounds very materialistic but having lived in Asia and travelled around North America and Europe there has been no other place where I have felt so culturally out of my depth. Being judged so severely on my skin-colour and gender has drastically changed the way I look at the world.

    • http://www.facebook.com/lee.stokefan Lee Woodward

      says 100 words!!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/paul-horsman/ Paul Horsman

    Having just learnt how to ride a motorbike in Vietnam I (perhaps rather stupidly) rented a
    Honda FTR so I could discover remote areas of Laos. I underestimated the word ‘remote’.

    It wasn’t just daylight that separated the villages. Unfinished roads, challenging dirt
    tracks, waste-deep river crossings, flipped over vehicles, vast mountain surroundings,
    fears of being stranded, wary stares converting into warm smiles and an unfamiliar
    therapeutic sensation of feeling like the only westerner alive; I loved it.

    I already have my next two wheeled adventure planned. All I need now is a licence!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kathrynagrant/ KatieG

    I sling my backpack off and push my sunglasses up onto my
    head to look out at the waterfall.

    He, anonymous and bare-footed, is standing next to me; arm
    outstretched and fingers dallying in the spray.

    We do not speak, this stranger and I.

    Victoria Falls thunders down, filling our ears. An ethereal mist rises in the sky, soaking our clothes.

    There’s a sweet scent of the forest.

    We both smile.

  • Xavier

    The place that changed me is Oaxaca, Mexico. My former girlfriend who I met online lives there, and everytime I hear Oaxaca I think of her. I live in America, and since I am currently unemployed, I can’t afford to travel there, and she grew tired of the distance between us and broke our relationship. If only I can show up in the beautiful and traditional city of Oaxaca, to tell her that I made it and hug her, it would mean my entire life. I don’t care about traveling around the world, I just want to go to Oaxaca.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kyle1234c/ Tread Your Own Path

    The frequent camping trips to Cornwall in my formative years
    changed me. Financially, holidays to exotic, overseas shores were out of the
    question back then. Instead, we would pack a tent, a stove and some basic
    supplies and head off for a week of my summer holidays to the Cornish
    countryside. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Pretending to be Arthur on
    the walls at Tintagel, jumping into crashing waves at Trebarwith Strand and
    indulging in a flaky past at Boscastle created in me the adventurous spirit and
    passion for travel I have today.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/tompob/ Tom Baines

    I have seen so many nice places, so many poor and sad places, the place that changed me was a small village in the south west of France, Maumusson, a beautiful, idyllic, peaceful town with 7 houses and a church. I was visiting a friend and while I sat peacefully outside reading, a family of wild boar came past, not too close, but close enough, the little group was led by an adult followed by 3 small piglets and at the rear another adult. The adults were huge and easily weighed more than a full grown overweight adult. I watched opened mouthed as the family passed, and disappeared into the mass of trees. Perhaps 30 minutes later I heard round after round of gunshot and knew that the local gun club were out. 15 minutes later perhaps, I heard shouting and whistling and clapping, I hurried to the Salle de Fette and to my horror saw the two adult wild boar hung upside down being bled. I was violently ill and said a few choice things in very badly spoken French. This act of inhumane butchery really did change me and my view and opinion on hunting. The sight still remains as vivid as if it was an hour ago.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/tomas_watkins/ tomas watkins

    The smell, the heat and the noise merged to literally knock me off my feet. People scurried around busily, productively everything moving everything colourful “Welcome to India, you want a taxi”. We did. As we drove along the road in the early morning towards the center of Mumbia the sights where so alien, so different. Cows lying down blocking the rows of traffic, a rickshaw hustling for its place along side the trucks on the road, the people filling in the gaps, selling, eating, cooking, defecating, laughing, crying, sleeping, living! This country is the most alive country in the world, spiritually and culturally there is no where that compares. Now my daughter is 7 i feel its time to give her one of the greatest educational experiences a father can give his child.

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/tomcoyote1/ tomcoyote1

      I love India! This is very evocative, i took my 9yo daughter to India last year, spent some time in Goa and Kerala. Having my daughter with me made the experience even better than when i first travelled India as a young man, seeing her eyes wide open and brain ticking over was magic. Take your daughter you won’t regret it!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/allynflaherty/ allyn

    The back seat of my mother’s car,summer 1980. I was 12. She packed herself, four kids, a 16 year old niece and cooler intoa 1979 Lincoln Continental. She started the car, left New York to traverse thecontinent toward California. Two long,hot, fight filled, amazing months. My memories of the small things linger;feeding chipmunks at Mt. Rushmore, hiking Bright Angel Trail (looking for angels), crying in fear of Yellowstone’s Bison, trees became rock, Alcatraz, Vegas, Redwoods. I was changed. She died 10 years ago but in her backseat, I learned how to be her, a traveler.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/mohibala/ Mohibala

    From 18th July 1988 till 11th January 2012 I was thinking this is the only life given to me which is only restricted within the small island called the pearl of Indian ocean, Sri Lanka, one of the top ten tourist place in the world, but not for me but for the western people who developed their life. Because of the three decade civil war in Sri Lanka I didn’t enjoy even my childhood, but my best performance in studies dragged me to a new world that is an ordinary place for more than fifty million people but not for me,which is the Great Britain where I landed in 11th of January 2012. Every thing completely opposite to my past hard life, started to experience the modern technology from automated ticket machine to flight simulations. I used every millisecond to learn and enjoy new thing in London, Enjoyed the cruise in River Thames all around the city of London including the historical places like houses of parliament, st Paul’s cathedral, Buckingham palace,tower bridge,tower of London, the Greenwich maritime museum etc. These all historical places have very close relationship with me as even I’m not a British as the Britain dominated our country for more than two hundred years. When I had a rotation in London eye I cried myself as I didn’t think that I would be in a place like London in my life as I’m from an allocated village in Sri Lanka where resources are limited. Only one thing I can mention here that even the London is a usual place for millions of people that is a paradise for me when I compared it with my place where I lived in the past for 22 years.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kayakphotographer/ kayakphotographer

    My paddle gently rises as I send it out over still, reflective waters. I try for silence as I glide smoothly along the shore, trying not to spook myriad shorebirds and ducks into flight. Sometimes I win, often I fail, but I take consolation in learning the different rhythmic wingbeats of each species.

    An entirely new natural world was opened up to me as I kayaked the waters of Tomales Bay, one filled with marine life, birds, tides, and the occasional bobcat. Ever since I’ve strived to learn more of the natural world, and to kayak it when possible.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/debbie695/ Debbie Westbrook

    As cremations go it was a corker. The huge, ornately decorated figure of a bull we had curiously followed along the dusty, frangipani lined streets, carried high above the bustling procession of family, locals and bemused tourists, and which was now burning fiercely on the sugar white sand, actually contained the body of a local man whose passing was being honoured in true colourful and noisy Balinese style, with drums and gongs and happy chatter. Celebrate, free the soul and truly celebrate the life lived. Of course. How could I have ever thought any other way?

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/archangelgbiel/ chatwinomad

      Truly evocative – it’s what travel writing is all about.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rcoxon1/ Bexx

    Little Ole’ Amherst in Massachusetts, USA, had a not so little effect on my life. I studied there for one year, fell in love for the first time, surfed on the sofas all across the USA and decided that I would be forever a traveler. Although home is where the heart is, I have learnt that there is nothing more liberating and rewarding than exploring the world that was given to us. And there is more good the world than we give it credit for. So thank you Amherst and the people who made my experience utterly fantastic!

  • stephanie kerr

    The place that literally changed my life forever was Melbourne 2012, I was on the start of my travels with my boyfriend, and found out I was pregnant 2 weeks into my travels…which was meant to have lasted a year! lol wouldnt change it for the world as I now have a 14 week old son called Jake…I would love to revisit Australia again and bring Jake back to where he was discovered! :)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/anniespacerose/ Annierose

    From the ordinary to the spectacular, Miami is the place that changed me. My perception of the city before I spent a year living there was that it was a party town: a place of boozing, dancing and frolicking in the sun. I went from my existence as an Edinburgh student, who spent hours in the library followed by trudging home in the drizzle, to a citizen of Miami, the 305, where luxurious activities were simply a way of life. The Miami heat and sea air became natural to me quickly, as did some fairly epic beach hair. I never expected this one to
    be the city to educate me. From completing my homework by the pool, flirting with the dive team, gossiping to wild manatees and spending the weekends causing mischief and mayhem on South Beach, it was the encouragement of loud, confident fun-loving Americans, who changed my perspective. The city and its inhabitants taught me to break out of my timid little Scottish mould, embrace opportunity and revel in the diversity and vibrance of the always colourful and creative city. I returned to Scotland: tanned, inspired and full of stories to tell with a (very) slight American twang.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/anniespacerose/ Annierose

    From the ordinary to the spectacular, Miami is the place that changed me. My perception of the city before I spent a year living there was that it was a party town: a place of boozing, dancing and frolicking in the sun. I went from my existence as an Edinburgh student, who spent hours in the library followed by trudging home in the drizzle, to a citizen of Miami, the 305, where luxurious activities were simply a way of life. The Miami heat and sea air became natural to me quickly, as did some fairly epic beach hair. I never expected this one to
    be the city to educate me. From completing my homework by the pool, flirting with the dive team, gossiping to wild manatees and spending the weekends causing mischief and mayhem on South Beach, it was the encouragement of loud, confident fun-loving Americans, who changed my perspective. The city and its inhabitants taught me to break out of my timid little Scottish mould, embrace opportunity and revel in the diversity and vibrance of the always colourful and creative city. I returned to Scotland: tanned, inspired and full of stories to tell with a (very) slight American twang.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jhollsten/ Jordan

    Stepping to the edge, I felt the powerful gusts of wind holding me back from the precipice. I could vaguely hear shouting behind me, and on either side smiling faces stood ready to assist me over the edge. One last look at the breath-taking scenery, and I dove, bravely, unassisted, head-first off the bridge.
    My first bungee at Bloukrans Bridge embodied the spirit of South Africa to me. Smiling faces, crazy risk-taking, staggering beauty, all seen in a colorful, wonderful blur.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jhollsten/ Jordan

    A place out o time.

    Just after college I took a trip to Australia and spent an unforgettable week in Fiji along the way. I stayed in a little hostel on the beach, and with the time difference, I was easily up before dawn every morning, listening to the island silence. Waves on the beach, palm trees creaking, and no cars or people talking or fighting or rushing. It was a place without clocks or time, and every sunrise felt made for me.

    Perhaps I have idealized my memories, but there’s only one way to find out…

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/slaps/ slaps

    Herefordshire.

    I was 10 and barely a footprint on the world, but the memories I have are imprinted in my mind as the origin of adventure

    At sunrise the vantage point from Symonds Yat felt like a stately outlook across the entire world. The River Wye carved its way through the woodland, meandering and creating a basin
    for the rising cloud which drifted into the countryside. The surrounding patchwork fields and woolly forests spanned forever into the blue haze of the rising sun. I felt in awe of the land, gracious to my new experience and keen to explore further.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/logan-ermovick/ logan.ermovick

    Spending over a month in SE Asia was extremely eye opening. My favorite place by far was Cambodia and more specifically Koh Rong Island. I was a gorgeous island off the southern coast of Cambodia and boasted seclusion and beauty that didn’t disappoint. We had planned to stay only 2 days on the Island but ended up staying 4. It was a great time of relaxation in the middle of our trip. Overall Cambodia was was a phenomenal place; the people we met were more than hospitable and there was enough of a western population to really appreciate the fusion of culture. It was also awesome to experience the trip with one of my companions who’s parents were Khmer. He was really moved by the culture and history of the Khmer people and how throughout everything they have been through they are still happy to help travelers in any way they can.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hawkinsrachel/ Rachel Hawkins

    As I floated along the Peruvian Amazon in a little wooden canoe, I was shocked to see the extent of torrential flooding. Families of ten people were living in wooden huts so badly flooded that only the roof was sticking out of the brown river water. People were crouched in the rafters of their roofs, protected by just corrugated iron. Despite that we could hear raucous laughter coming from many of the houses, children were waving at us excitedly, and people were just carrying on with their days as if nothing was different. When we suffered with stomach upsets they gave us these incredible natural remedies and laughed it off with us. They taught me huge respect for nature, to have a sense of humour in a crisis, and appreciate everything I have- especially clean water.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jonathan1964/ Jonathan

    Having recovered from a flesh eating bug and near death, i was a sent to India by Norwich Union in 2005. I’d never been to the sub continent before; the sights, sounds and smells, (yea, it can smell!!) totally enveloped me and i became a eulogist for this beautiful country. Weekends spent visiting Mysore, Agra, Mumbai, Pundacherry, Malamchipuram, Bandipur. My Agra guide became a close friend and invited me to stay with his family on a 2nd visit. A 3-storey townhouse, double gated entry into a court yard, a bull and cow on the ground floor by the living room and kitchen, only in india. 2nd and 3rd floors, bedrooms and the roof? The roof delivered views of the Taj Mahal that he could charge for. Sunsets turning the marble a-flame, sunrises bringing forth the noise of a city beholden and reverent to its ancestors. india holds me to its bosom as a mother its child, showing me new and wonderful images, people, tastes, sounds and experiences.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/antopants/ antopants

    Shifting into fourth gear I started to wonder if the world was coming to an end. The ray of sunshine shadowing my car had gone, suddenly replaced by a large black cloud that loomed almost directly overhead. A shot of lightning streaked across the horizon followed
    by an earth-shattering boom. The heavens broke and rain clattered down on the
    windscreen.Before I had a chance to turn on the wind shield wipers, the cloud burst had ceased. A single ray of sunshine penetrated the cloudy sky, lighting up a small remote village perched upon the mountain top. It stood in true rustic glory as it has for over 100
    years. I had to pinch myself. Yes, I really was in the Pyrenees

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/lauradye/ lauradye

    The place that changed me was Edinburgh… Because it’s the place the my fiancé proposed to me. It just proves that it doesn’t take endless beaches, incredible weather, dreamlike sunsets and all the other cliche nonsense to make an unforgettable moment, it’s about the people you share it with. My entire life changed at the base of Edinburgh castle, in the pouring rain, in the middle of winter – and now we go back every year to celebrate the anniversary.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/trina/ Trina

    A youth exchange trip when I was 17 to Australia opened so many doors for me. As an extremely shy child, it was a surprise to everyone (myself included) when I took the initiative to look into and commit to the 6 week trip. Flying half way around the world by yourself will do wonders for a such a shy child. I came back home noticeably more confident and more willing to step out of my comfort zone. Haven’t looked back since :)

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hopsticks/ Holly

    The perhentian islands in Malaysia is probably the most breathtaking place I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. Crystal clear waters, beautiful diving and giant ‘geckos’ that stomp through the undergrowth at night under your little hut tucked away in the palms. I travelled here alone and spent my 19th birthday with some locals that took me under their wing. I had the most amazing time secluded on the beautiful island only accessible by boat soaking up the sun and had the most magical send off when I left with all the people I had met serenading me as I set off on the boat. I will never forget the time I had here and it’s definetly somewhere I would return purely because of its sheer beauty.

  • Guest

    “It’s better to dive off the platform.”
    I’m at a height so vast my brain blocks the reason hammering away hysterically at my subconscious. The platform is just wide enough for both feet, anchoring two shaking legs.
    I launch myself off, hovering for a second before the decent. I pray for the rope hung like a noose around my ankles, as the New Zealand countryside grows tantalisingly close.

    “You will shortly be arriving at London Victoria. Please take care whilst on the platform.”
    I blink, put my kindle away and move with the robotic herd.
    Everything
    else is just breathing.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/r4020/ R4020

    “It’s better to dive off the platform.”
    I’m at a height so vast my brain blocks the reason hammering away hysterically at my subconscious. The platform is just wide enough for both feet, anchoring two shaking legs.
    I launch myself off, hovering for a second before the decent. I pray for the rope hung like a noose around my ankles, as the New Zealand countryside grows tantalisingly close.

    “You will shortly be arriving at London Victoria. Please take care whilst on the platform.”

    I blink, put my kindle away and move with the robotic herd.
    Everything else is just breathing.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/archangelgbiel/ chatwinomad

    Screaming rootops close enough to touch and a aviation fuelled harbour greet us. An air-conditioned Mercedes taxi whisks us through the tunnel to the island. A crazily crowded conglomerate of British colonialism and Chinese joss, Hong Kong sears its itself into your senses; the smells overpower, the sounds deaden and the sights astound. A wizened woman appears from an alley. She wants to buy my sister. My father arranges a trip on a police launch around the Tai Pan seas and I witness contraband junks and barracuda-torn bodies of immigrant swimmers. I’m 16; it’s my first trip abroad.

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/debbie695/ Debbie Westbrook

      Love this, so evocative. Must have been eye opening and truly life changing for one so young.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hilycat/ Hilycat

    The one place that has touched my soul is the Isle of Skye.A mystical land of mountains,glens and moorland. We traveled to Dunvegan ,home to the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland standing proud on the shores of a loch baring it’s name. We camped for three nights on the shore line, no modern conveniences, simple times and the most humbling pleasures of watching the dramatic,fiery, sunsets and the nature of Skye revealing itself before us. Sea otters feasting on mussels and sea urchins, the occasional cry’s of sea birds breaking the silence,there is a loneliness on Skye that calls to you.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/katrina85/ Katrina85

    The fresh aromas of frankincense and shisha filtered through the burkha I had been encouraged to wear. It was the last day of Ramadan and I had been invited to a celebration with Fatima, my host.

    Muslim prayer echoed throughout the city, while the congregation of young and old simultaneously dropped to the floor.

    On the other side of the creek, a stubborn dust cloud mired the iconic landmark – the Burj Khalifa. The cultural prevalence of Arabic life momentarily overpowered the building’s structural dominance. I left Dubai having been given the opportunity to experience life through the eyes of another.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/madsimon/ Szymon

    September 2004. Left everything behind
    me and went to New Zealand. Didn’t know for how long, what would I do
    over there and just with general knowledge about the country. Never
    had lived more than one week abroad before. For me it was a journey
    to the End of the World. To The Unknown. South Island: amazing, three days walk
    through Kahurangi National Park. Changing surroundings, plants,
    trees, views. Ending up in Karamea when suddenly time slowed down and
    my old world became some distant illusion. That place changed me and
    my view on my own country and people.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jessheanley/ JessHeanley

    Calafindesti, Romania
    While aiding a club for local children I noticed the life in
    Calafindesti, real down-to-earth life. Romanian families were about – children
    chasing chickens, herding cows, in the modest shop with horse and carriages
    trotting past. All bundled with the vibrant colours of a Romanian sunset. And there’s nothing more humbling then witnessing a village happily pump water from their only water supply for your benefit. I fell in love with the close-knit civilization; my typical British
    mind was shocked at how they can so openly love. My most striking memory is my
    goodbye – the unexpected crowd of children smothering, kissing and hugging. I
    have never felt so loved in all my life. I will never be the same.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jchilinski/ Jess C

    While visiting Göreme, Turkey I made friends with a local tour guide. After hiking in Rose Valley, I drove us back into town in my rental car for dinner. Thinking I’d seen a parking spot, I mistakenly turned into a narrow side street. Having no room to reverse, I continued driving. This would’ve been fine if the taxi in front of us hadn’t stopped mid-way up a very steep hill. Now, I live in the US, and before this trip I had maybe three lessons in a standard transmission car, but I figured it would be like riding a bike – stall a couple times, and then you get the hang of it. Of course, I couldn’t get the car into gear, and naturally I’d befriended the only tour guide in town who also couldn’t drive a car. Embarrassed and frustrated, I
    ordered Zekir to ask the taxi driver to move my car up the hill. The driver approached the car, a look of bewilderment on his face. All I could manage to say in my defense was “üzgünüm” (I’m sorry), and “stupid American.” He revved the engine, and deposited my car some 20 meters forward but not quite into a parking spot. I guess it never occurred to him that my ability to reverse was also rather limited, and as I struggled with the car, another man who turned out to be Zekir’s friend approached us. They started speaking Turkish and after a minute or so I gladly relinquished the driver’s seat to this stranger. We drove back into town, and ended up having a fantastic evening joking and making light of the ridiculous circumstances under which we’d met one another. Ahmet, who spoke a limited amount of English, offered to meet me the next day so that he could help me with the driving as I further explored Cappadocia. We spent the whole day hiking remote trails in Çavuşin, and I even got to attend the reception of his cousin’s wedding. This moment in my trip stuck with me so much because prior to leaving the States, many of my friends and family members expressed concern that I was traveling alone in the Middle East, their preconceptions drawn from the biased portrayal of the region in our media. The hospitality and kindness I received from total strangers like Zekir and Ahmet on this trip, helped solidify my faith in the goodness of humanity. It is precisely the reason why I travel.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/heanleyjess/ Jess

    The place that changed me: Calafindesti, Romania
    While aiding a club for local children I noticed the life in
    Calafindesti, real down-to-earth life. Romanian families were about – children
    chasing chickens, herding cows, in the modest shop with horse and carriages
    trotting past. All bundled with the vibrant colours of a Romanian sunset. And there’s nothing more humbling then witnessing a village happily pump water from their only water supply for your benefit. I fell in love with the close-knit civilization; my typical British mind was shocked at how they can so openly love. My most striking memory is my goodbye – the unexpected crowd of children smothering, kissing and hugging. I have never felt so loved in all my life. I will never be the same.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/carla_liamell_morris/ Carla Liamell Morris

    For me it was my Fiance’s birthplace….Bermuda. The pink sands, the exotic waters, the feeling of romance as you cycle around the island. Life is seemingly perfect there…every breath you take is one of pure indulgance.
    Just amazing x

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Linda-Thorn/100001511335091 Linda Thorn

    This is the most exciting place to go on
    holiday because

    Being at Lapland in a log cabin,

    With the fire burning bright,

    To look at the mountains glistening,

    Was a wonderful sight!

    Watching the reindeer outside,

    Through a gleaming window Cold as cold could
    be,

    Looking at the mountains glistening

    And a snowy blanket in front of me.

    Silver trunks of trees glowing at night

    Snow covered landscapes very bright

    I saw carriages pulled by dogs in a line,

    The barking midst the passing of time.

    I saw the streams not flowing covered in ice,

    And saw my children falling over not once but
    twice,

    And noticing my children’s faces all aglow.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/batakliev/ Batakliev

    Now that I am in Langkawi, I spend my time admiring marvellous fruits or watching blackbirds drinking from the pool, their reflections quivering in the turquoise water.
    At midday, I walk from the village to the beach, through rice fields and pastures of green grass. Sheepish cows grazing lasily are giving me “the look” which I choose to read as a look of silent approval. The air is sweet with the distant odor of coconut, cattle faeces and curry-flavoured smoke.
    Life seems to be as easy as urinating in the sea on a sunny day.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rutheckett/ Rutheckett

    A midlife crisis convinced us to burst our short haul bubble.
    Throwing thrift aside, we strapped in two exuberant children for an unimaginable
    eleven hours, heading for the floor of tolerant friends in San Francisco. The
    Golden Gate had me star struck as only my inner teenager knew how. Lake Tahoe’s
    slopes awakened long dormant thrill seeking. Supersized portions deposed dull
    diet fads. The scene was set to recapture lost time, seize the moment and
    experience a world previously unreachable beyond the silver screen. Distance
    and bank balances have shrunk immeasurably, but our horizons and waistlines
    have infinitely broadened.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/scrosskey/ Cub

    Eighteen and naive, I set off on my first independent trip outside of Europe; an epic overland slog from Beijing to Hong Kong. Ill prepared and lacking even a simple guidebook, I was steered by little more than romanticised childhood stories of Marco Polo.

    Brought up on Kung Fu films, the epiphany moment of this pilgrimage was my visit to the Shaolin Temple, an explosion of orange robes and acrobatics.

    As stressful and overwhelming as this journey was, I could nevertheless count more experiences from this month than I could from most years. My passion for exploring had been ignited.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jonathan_newby/ Jonathan Newby

    Nepal and taking in the Himalayas were breath taking and awe inspiring. From the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu, to the peace and serenity of the mountains. The greatest surprise was the chance to go on Safari to see an array of exotic wildlife, which I never imagined would be there.
    The trip gave me a sense of adventure which I never had before. I now have a greater spirit to explore and challenge myself both physically and mentally, in environments very different to my own in England.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kazzlee7/ Kazzlee7

    The Schynige Platte in the Jungfrau region in Switzerland is the place that has, so far, had the biggest effect on me. I’ve always been afraid of heights (and small spaces etc etc!) which is of continual frustration to me. However, there was something about the Schynige Platte that forced me to overcome my fears in order to reach the table top of that leaning, craggy piece of rock at the top. Whilst terrified by it, I was also mesmerised by it, and refused to be left at the bottom while my family got to experience the awe inspiring views of the lakes below from the top most point. A zigzagging path, one mild panic attack, a lovely calming voiced Scotsman and one ladder later, and somehow (I’m still not sure how) I was on the top. I was so taken with the view (the best by far I’d ever seen) that my fear seemed to just slip away. My family watched amazed as I wondered freely around the top of the huge piece of rock, right up to the edges, taking photos with a huge grin on my face. Since then, I believe this is one of the best and most important things travelling can give you; places and experiences that allow you to feel like anything is possible – to feel completely free. They’re rare moments, but I hope that with some more exploration I’ll be lucky enough to find a few more.

  • isabelle

    The Gambia – the people are so happy and beautiful.. and they have nothing. We saw two kids fighting over a bottle of water :(

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/carolynsellick/ Carolynsellick

    Glorious sunshine, cheap plonk, surf, meat. I was finally backpacking through South Africa, the Rainbow Nation, the place of my birth. On the very first day we watched thunder clouds roll in over the mountains, spilling over snowy crests and into the game reserve, scattering several ostriches who were gathered round the pool in front of our battered colonial guest house. In a split second moment of perfection the scene was captured on camera – an inverse shot of a beautiful landscape ravaged by light. A fire in my belly sparked into life; my path and my expectations expanded. I suddenly realised that the world was truly at my feet.

  • http://twitter.com/Musingfantasist MusingFantasist

    Córdoba took me in as a nervous, naïve student and let me go as a confident, independent
    woman. Impassioned by the friendly welcome of its residents, I embraced Córdobes life, spending days wandering through the winding and cobbled streets by the whitewashed buildings and nights dancing flamenco at the fiesta on the banks of the shallow waters of the River Guadalajar. I learnt the language, proud to have adopted a strong Córdobes accent and discovered its history on afternoons sat reading under the orange trees in the courtyard of the
    resplendent Mezquita. A part of my heart belongs to Córdoba.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/lynnflips/ Lynn

    Two tires were flat.

    Leaving my father perched precariously upon a crumbling rock
    wall deep in England’s Lake District, my mother and I doggedly hiked three soggy
    miles uphill to the nearest inn to call for help. Hands scraped, wet to the
    knees with marsh water and sheep dung – for us homebodies, a journey akin to
    scaling mountains. As the shadows crept closer and the temperatures dropped, we
    crested the final hill to find the glowing town of Ambleside spread before us. That day we discovered a small taste of adventure; lucky for us, it’s been following us ever
    since.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lee.stokefan Lee Woodward

    Corfu its a magical isle with everything for everybody, but hong kong is my number 1 memory of all time, the food the people the size the variety the nightlife the shops the karma the deep sense of wellbeing from the moment you first see it from the sky to the last second you dont when you leave. To leave hong kong is and should only be temporary to love hong kong should be for life..

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/royds/ Royds

    Dar es Salaam’s dusty streets were filled with women in bright kikoi dresses and
    rambunctious boys in stained tees and ragged flip-flops. They bought
    fly-covered slivers of meat from the open-air butcher, and weird fruits stacked
    geometrically. They were strange, living versions of the costumed dolls I had
    loved in Disney’s “It’s a Small World.” But then I walked into the Sno-Cone shop, and amid shared laughter, vanilla cones, and overwhelming Disney kitsch, found that ice cream and
    happy icons are universal joys and bonds. It is, indeed, a small world.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/cksauers/ Craig

    Bangkok – loud and meditative, aromatic and piquant, disheveled and disciplined – is a city of contradictions. Millions visit every year, many thousands of whom decided to stay a while. Still, few ever truly come to understand it. From the moment I arrived, I sought to engage with the culture. I learned to speak, read and write the language; I saw all of the sights that I was supposed to and many that I wasn’t; I prodded and tasted a significant chunk of the immeasurable Thai cuisine. On bad days, I came home after work frustrated, fed up and overheated. On good days, captivated, in love. The city was a game, a wheel spinning constantly, a name without a definition. And it was my home. Then one day, after 14 months of life in the Kingdom, I left. Pressed under the weight of my luggage in the taxi on the way to the airport, I fought back tears, because I expected never to return.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/lollydub78yahoo-co-uk/ Louisa

    High expectations of sun and caiprinhia for the Rio Carnival were a little dampened by the unrelenting rain, and chill in the summer clothes packed with the same optimism. But watching the people in the parade dance with a beer in one hand and a colourful umbrella in the other
    was an inspiring sight. Latin rhythm surged out through dances and massive smiles in a multicoloured snake through the streets – and no drop of drink spilled. Balancing a brolly as I move to my ipod soundtrack is a little more tricky but does raise the occasional smile

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/lucyhudson/ LucyH

    I have never traveled but the place that changed me was in my own beautiful country New Zealand, 3 years ago I was privileged enough to be awarded a scholarship to Outward Bound in Anakiwa, Picton in the South Island. A trip that started as something I was afraid of and un willing to participate in became the most rewarding experience of my life, I learnt not only about my own strengths and weaknesses but how to use my strengths to help someone who was struggling. 100 words could never sum up the gift that experiencing outward bound was. Its set amongst our native bush and focuses on environmental issues, compassion, leadership, expanding comfort zones, developing values and self belief. I would love to share what I have learnt with as many people as possible and continue learning by traveling and developing a sense of other cultures and countries. I started the trip as a timid and unmotivated teenager and left ambitious, with a real hunger to get out there and help as many people as I could. I have since been back to Anakiwa as a volunteer – its such a gorgeous place and I recommend if your ever in new zealand to visit the area – “Queen charlotte Sound”

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/anthonyince/ Ant Ince

    What happens when everything you own is torn from you? Robbed at gunpoint in Krabi, Thailand, we sat dazed on the hard pavement in the dim glow of the street lights, wondering exactly this. The days that followed, however, showed the true depth of human generosity: the temples that gave us food, the hostel owner who gave us tickets to our next destination, the women offering us a lift in the rain. The trauma had given way to a flicker of light from the kindness of strangers – something to take comfort in, and to share with others along the road.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rankaldy/ Ella

    After weeks of stillness, it was Time for the weather to break. The sky shattered into
    millions of drops. Time dripped off the roofs and streamed down the beach -
    spilling into the sea, bringing food for the fish waiting open-mouthed in the
    shallows. When the sun came back out, I stood barefoot on the bleached wood of
    the jetty. Time was everywhere. It was the cicada’s evening chorus, the red sun
    bleeding into the sea…it was the tides, the shadows, the first star. On Tioman Island I learnt to relax. Time ended up on my side.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rankaldy/ Ella

    After weeks of stillness, it was Time for the weather to break. The sky shattered into
    millions of drops. Time dripped off the roofs and streamed down the beach -
    spilling into the sea, bringing food for the fish waiting open-mouthed in the
    shallows. When the sun came back out, I stood barefoot on the bleached wood of
    the jetty. Time was everywhere. It was the cicada’s evening chorus, the red sun
    bleeding into the sea…it was the tides, the shadows, the first star of the
    night. On Tioman Island I learnt to relax. Time ended up on my side.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/bex10121/ Bex10121

    I don’t know what it was that made me fall head over heels for Bangkok exactly. Perhaps it was the heady scent of sizzling meat and grilled bananas; the skyscraper hotels contrasted by neighbouring shacks, the occasional bark of a passing ‘soi’ dog, or the flashes of colour, whether from neon signs or ancient temples? What I do know is that this intoxicating mix was
    only enhanced by the warmth of the Thai people – busy, yet never too rushed to take the time to smile and nod a greeting to a complete stranger. Who couldn’t love Bangkok after that?

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/natasha/ Natasha Rachael

    The Brooklyn Flea market complete
    with food stalls with cuisine from all over the globe. The creative youth travel
    from their boroughs to basque in the bohemian lifestyle of the East River. Experiencing
    the feel of independent trade, from vintage clothing and jewelry to handmade
    stationary, Brooklyn is the embodiment of DIY, but don’t be fooled by their second
    hand attire as Brooklynites definitely
    pay a price to enjoy this lifestyle. Struggling artists live at the hands of wealthy
    parents! Is it really the mass consumers who refuse to give up their luxuries?

  • Jan Cohen

    Yosemite National Park…first trip there in 1969 and subsequent trips convinced me I needed to live in California in a place where I could get to Yosemite any time I wanted to. I now live in Bay Area and own a home in the park and it’s still the most wonderful peaceful place. I’ve travelled the world, focusing on the most beautiful places, and Yosemite was the one place that created that lifelong pursuit.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/carbogast/ carbogast

    Budapest. An ancient city that held up against the Turks, was bombed to smithereens in WWII, beautifully rebuilt, and then clamped down upon behind the iron curtain, today carries forward the memories of all that was with a modern spirit and a broad welcoming with a central city still inhabited (unlike Prague), a breathtaking city market, a invigorating arts and music scene, and a heart-stilling castle area. Made me fall into an era of research post-trip to learn more about both world wars and to incorporate Hungarian stews and chopped salads into my daily life.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/karl-f-alexander/ karl.f.alexander

    Everyone loves a challenge, and then there’s the kota: a culinary monstrosity comprised of a fried egg, spam, hot dog, sausage, pickled mango sauce and a heap of french fries shoved into a quarter loaf of bread. You can find them all over the townships of South Africa, with each area claiming to have more fried food and processed meats jammed into it than the next. Eat one of these and your life will forever be changed…after a long nap.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/griffinthelovepuffin/ griffinthelovepuffin

    For me, there’s no happier place than Iguazu Falls in Brazil / Argentina / Paraguay. Not only does it have the fun of bordering 3 very different lands, but you can spend days there, just admiring the falls from different perspectives. Should you opt for the more laid-back Brazilian side, you’ll be rewarded with far-reaching views and rainbows casting themselves at every turn. The Argentinian side is definitely not suited for those with an aversion to heights, as being able to lean out over the top of the falls is enough to churn anyone’s stomach! My personal favourite is the view from the Brazilian side. Gives a great workout to the ‘panorama’ setting on your camera, and the millions of butterflies surrounding you give endless photographic opportunities. It’s an incredible natural oasis which needs to be seen to be believed, and it’s always my failsafe ‘Happy Place’ – somewhere to visit in my head last thing at night to help me drift off into a happy dream.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/kathryn/ explorer_gal

    The Caribbean had me at hello. Or more fittingly “hey mahn.” Lush green volcanic peaks, bridal-gown white sand, double rainbows anointing the cerulean sea, and botanical masterpieces erupting in riots of color. This was Pirate’s Paradise–and it charmed the swashbuckling boots off of me!

    As I snorkeled, sea turtles gazed with prehistoric serenity while sting rays floated around like aquatic bed quilts. Beneath us a giant living canvas unfolded with intricate coral sculptures and endless varieties of sea life, all co-existing in perfect harmony. It was hard leaving without an enhanced sense of wonder at the natural world.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jodeco/ jodeco

    I was at a buzkashi (sort of like polo with a dead kid goat as the ball) ground outside the “mother of cities’ Balkh, Afghanistan when a boy of about 10 on a pony approached me saying what sounded like ruussk and pointed to my blond hair. I pretended to be upset and growled No russki—American ! I turned away and ignored his plea for baksheesh until a companion told me the boy wasn’t asking for but giving baksheesh. I turned back and yes he was trying to hand me a coin and acting contrite for having insulted me. This in a country that had an average income of $80.00 per year.
    I smiled and took the coin and immediately gave him a swiss army knife which he tried to refuse but I shook his little hand and thanked him, patted his pony and left. What a world !

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hannah_ford/ Hannah Ford

    Last summer my wife and I had the opportunity to spend two nights in a rural hotel outside of Charleston, South Carolina. An opportunity given as our faithful Mini had been involved in a roadside collision and required a new bumper, windscreen and Union Jack number plate. Shaken, exhausted and apprehensive about the Southern welcome as a young lesbian couple we were almost too afraid to leave our damaged mini to check in. We couldn’t have been more wrong. We may have been a curiosity to them, but they never let their southern charm slip, even for a second. We were treated like family, but not just any old relative, like the favourite, slightly quirky but fun cousins that everyone has. That stay taught me that Southerners aren’t as bigoted as we’re lead to believe, and just like the alligators we watched over breakfast, they’re probably more scared of us than we are of them.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/as587/ AJS

    I found myself and my partner in the breathtakingly beautiful university city of Cambridge, England, so there will always be a part of me that never leaves this life-changing place, regardless of how far from it I might travel. The inspiring spires spurred me on during my studies and the cobblestone streets and mediaeval market place hosted many a fun-fuelled festivity. Last year, after meeting as undergraduates 7 years previously, my partner and I held our civil ceremony in Newnham College – a bastion of women’s education – celebrating amid the stunning scenery of the the glorious gardens. Amazing.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sophieburnett/ Sophie Louise Burnett

    Lost and disheveled in the midst of rural Panama, I sat on the ‘direct’ bus a local had waved me onto. Chickens were deposited on our shoulders, children clambered off my lap to school and lunches got delivered between houses and working men. Any slower, we would have been going backwards. I let go of time. I let go of being late for my first day. I took it in, a total newcomer, as their daily lives unfolded. Somewhere, in that pokey worn-out corner, the rush of ingrained materialism faded from my mind. Being part of a strong community, needing very little, these became values worth chasing.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/purplebutterfly/ LaLica

    Marrakech, Morocco. I booked the holiday on a whim and, having researched it a little further, became more and more certain I actually wasn’t going to enjoy myself. My husband was reluctant from the start and not exactly full of cheer and confidence.
    I decided that learning a little Moroccan Arabic might help smooth things and so I spent a few months before travelling learning as best I could from very limited internet resources.
    When we actually arrived, something changed in both of us. I couldn’t say exactly when or why it happened but we were suddenly filled with an energy and spirit that we’d never felt before. The bustle and hassle only invigorated us; the noise and smells felt comforting; the people were filled with a humour and warmth that only encouraged conversation and laughter.
    My clumsy Arabic led to many instances of being invited in to shops and cafes – not to buy but to receive impromptu Moroccan lessons from lovely locals who were amazed that any European would bother to learn their dialect.
    The children playing in the streets gave me hope for the future. Children actually being children, playing football instead of being glued to games consoles or television.
    The contrast betwwen rich and poor in the city and the surrounding countryside has made me fully appreciate my own life and has also led me into supporting local charities in Morocco, doing what I can to help from the UK. I’ve made wonderful friends and travel to Morocco at least once a year (or as often as I can afford to).
    It changed my view of Islam and the Islamic world and made me realise fully how the Western takeover of world culture is bringing not only benefits but also destroying aspects of life that should be preserved.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/dakota85/ Dakota85

    Wooden floorboards made a mattress, and one bucket became a shower. While chickens routinely invaded cupboards, colonies of ants drowned in our unfiltered drinking water. My squatting toilet aerobics entertained geckos. The kitchen had no walls; the neighbors had
    no privacy; the temple loudspeaker had no volume control. I awoke to Buddhist prayers and aggravated roosters. And frogs – fresh from the rice paddies – found themselves fried as a weekly snack. But in Nai Soi, Thailand, simplicity was the source of clarity. When the monsoon rains finally fell, I realized that the limitations of my Western materialism had already washed
    away.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hye_sung_francis_gehring/ Hye Sung Francis Gehring

    I came to Puerta Diana, Paraguay set on serving a community. I thought I could use some of the Spanish I learned in school with the village kids, but I found out that their dialect was a Chamacoco-Spanish hybrid. Words failed both parties so the soccer ball came out. The teams mixed villagers and volunteers and we found a way to support our teammates, tease the other team, and make friends without language. The pains of Babel ceased among us and friends were made from very different lands. As I left Diana, I wondered, “Who was really served?”

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sburn7/ JaimeB

    There are two bills you do not want to pay: Eddie Murphy’s child support and Tokyo’s electricity charges. I may have lost partial use of my corneas in the electric city but I gained in a crazy love affair. The noodles are plentiful and just when you think you have seen it all, something crazier arrives, usually plastered in pink and fully automated with a bewildering array of buttons and levers. You may have wanted a juice but end up with a Hello Kitty purse. Few Japanese speak English and this is its greatest allure, lost in a well lit city, safe and blissfully confused. What travel is all about

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/louashley1/ louashley1

    The only thing that isn’t grey in this place is the graffiti. Barbed wire, fence poles, obtrusive concrete slabs. How many different shades of bleakness can this pallid dust accommodate? This town is exhausted by its own non-existence, of its demise from the most talked about place in the world. How can expectation and reality be so distinctly opposed? Hundreds of songs, thousands of stories, millions of pictures have equated its name with a haven of love and peace and beauty. The reality? Shattered dreams. Grimness. Despair. This is Bethlehem.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/adrianthornton/ Adrian Thornton

    The place that changed me has to be my first ever journey traveling and it’s still the best because you cant recreate that feeling of experiencing magic and wonder for the very first time in your life, even if it was only to Cornwall. Please, try not to laugh! But its true. At the age of 5, the family ventured down to Padstow and this was my first proper holiday and experience traveling further than a few miles away. The whole experience was glorious and still is remembered that way. Everything from the car journey down to the sea, the oh so fresh air (coming from the Black Country, I thought I was in fresh air heaven), beautiful scenery, lovely cottages, proper fish and chips, a delicious pasty and about a million other things I could go on an on about till the end of time. Most of all though, I was having fun and the time of my life and it doesn’t matter what age you are, where you are in the World or what journey you are on whether it’s your first (as with me) or your last – I hope you are enjoying life and traveling as much as I did back then at the age of 5 with a bucket and spade on the beach building a sand castle overlooking the sea with my Mum and Dad.

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sine/ Gillie

      Superb county to visit anyway; many teenage memories for me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/madeline.connolly2 Madeline Connolly

    LAST YEAR IN FRANCE OUT ON A BOAT TRIP ON THE MEDITERRANEAN IT WAS JUST HEAVEN

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/christopher_burdick/ Christopher Burdick

    First place that comes to mind – Czech Republic. I went into Prague only based on recommendations from others, thought I’d give it a shot. Fell in love with the country. Ended up traveling through the whole country for months, and desperately want to go back. So many amazing, friendly, and beautiful people, amazing scenery, great places to go and have fun, and it doesn’t break the bank. I love CZ.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/katyf1000/ katyf1000

    Everyday I walked past the packed, overflowing noisy bar and wanted to be inside. One day I plucked up the courage, sat down and ordered una caña. ‘Tapa?’ was the shouted response. ‘erm…chorizo?’ was mine. One minute later, with a flaming bowl of oil in front of me and a chorizo on a skewer to bbq, a simple tapa changed my life.

    A move to Spain, Spanish learnt and thousands of tapas (and lovely Ribera) tasted. Now I’m ready for the next adventure – testing the tapas of South America!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/springtoautumn/ JoJo

    Heat rising into the night from the asado fire, to the burgeoning flame in their eyes and
    the scorching sun burning into my veins. People and places and the meaning of
    life; that rich and poetic language; smiles and te quiero; Iguazu, Perito
    Moreno, and always mi Buenos Aires querido. Song, stories and campfires
    flickering in the Cordobés night. Fierce love for family, partners and
    the celeste and white stripes of the football jersey. Struggle down the
    years – melancholy no match for overwhelming pride. Tango, haunting and
    captivating, moving me to tears. A place that changed me? Argentina.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/a-canadian-in-london/ A Canadian in London

    Melaka: a massive queue outside a restaurant. Seeing I’m alone, a local teacher invites me to join her table. A vat of bubbling sauce dominates the stainless-steel table; viscous liquid bubbles slowly, like primeval mud in a volcanic badland. This is satay celup. The smells make my nose twitch happily: peanuts, lemongrass, chillies. Skewers are plunged into sauce – communal dinning at its most enjoyable. My host insists on paying for my dinner, proclaiming me a guest in her city. She smiles, is quietly gracious, like Malaysia itself.

    I’ve fallen in love with the food, the people. I’ll be back.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/legray22/ Linda

    Two city girls at the age of eighteen, having left our school days behind us, and with a long summer ahead before starting university, my friend and I bought rover tickets from British rail, keen to discover the mythical beauties of Scotland’s highlands and islands. So, off we went, full of anticipation and excitment. We were not disappointed; the glorious lochs, hills and glens mesmorised us but the silver sands of Morar won my heart for ever. A sense of calm and wellbeing comes over me now when I visualise that heavenly place, with sunsets that bathe my soul in colour.

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sine/ Gillie

      How I agree!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/ginny/ Ginny

    The place that changed me: Galapagos Islands. A collection of truly enchanted islands, showing the beauty that is nature. It was the first time I’d traveled alone, the experience giving me confidence to explore more. The prehistoric islands where wildlife remains untouched by man’s influence, it felt like I’d taken a step back in time, surrounded by a living laboratory of evolution. A most humbling, powerful experience that made me sit back and think how precious our world is and that we all have our part to play, and is refreshingly far removed from our modern rush to get nowhere.

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sine/ Gillie

      Yep, how true.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sarahbairstow/ SarahLoobie

    Worldly Eric potters past the freshly painted shutters off to tend his snails. Later he’d be
    back, whiskey bottle in hand, we’d pass the night laughing by the fire like old
    friends. This charming French neighbourhood captivated my Mum and Dad. Sitting
    across from my parents I notice a fresh look of excitement on such familiar
    faces. Finally their own little piece of the country they fell in love with
    years ago. As the crickets began their nightly song I smiled to myself. Knowing
    they have followed through on their dream changed me. It made me happier.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/vision123/ vision123

    For some travel’s a dream that comes true once a year for the annual holiday but I yearn for a greater travel adventure like a year in Africa,For me travel has been an all-consuming passion, my first love. My whole life’s been geared towards travel.I worked in exotic locations like Laos and the more mundane France then saved up so I could travel extensively in Europe, Africa, South East Asia and Australasia. It’s been grand but I now need pastures new,that burning passion is back again.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/acheetham/ acheetham

    Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
    It’s 4:30AM and my tent mate wakes me violently, whispering “get
    up or we’ll miss it!” We crawl out of our sleeping bags, don every piece of
    clothing we own, and head off half-running, half-scrambling up the dark trail.
    After forty-five minutes, we arrive, sweaty and panting. Adrenaline fills my
    body, I can’t sit still. I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. I lose my
    breath as the first golden ray of sunshine strikes the cold, jagged peaks of
    Las Torres. As tears fill my eyes and freeze on my cheeks, I vow silently to
    never, ever, stop exploring.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sine/ Gillie

    Scotland, Argyllshire, Dunadd, a rocky outcrop in a flat field vista.
    Who knows who’ll visit there in the future but wandering among the ruined stone
    walls, past lives are imagined, histories of kings crowned in the Kingdom of
    Dalriada, snippets of stories passed down by generations; glimpses, fleeting
    figures, in an area home to the very first Scots. Just a mound of grass and
    stones, yet held in memory as twenty years later I had a dream, so vivid I
    immediately recognized the place, and jotting down the sequence of events, a
    cast of characters are woven into a story.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/philiboy/ philiboy

    I am a reformed Capitalist and have learnt the hard way that it’s not what you acquire in life, but gaining the widest range of experiences that makes a life fulfilled . At the age of 45, with no real travel experience , we hired a motorcycle in Bend, Oregon and toured the Southwest USA, travelling a total of 3557 miles in 18 days. The trip totally changed my preconceived ideas, and altered my view on life. The open vastness, the friendliness of the people and the adventures we had looking for bears by day and scorpions by night will live with me forever.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/turboshandy/ turboshandy

    Do you have a place that immediately brings a smile to your face and makes you forget about everything else going on in your life? For me that place is Venice. Since first visiting over 10 years ago I have returned again and again. Despite not considering myself to be a very ‘cultured’ individual, the spectacular buildings, scenery and ambience never fails to
    capture another little piece of my heart.
    For anyone considering a trip I would say do it, perhaps you’ll fall in love with Venice just like I have.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jazam2/ Amber

    My mother was born in India something years ago but emigrated while young. I was raised
    in the Midlands (bostin’ right?) but had never been ‘home’ until recently. Unprepared for the onslaught on my senses, alien sights, sounds, smells disorientated me and that was just Arrivals. We originate from a rural area but the technology gap is narrowing. The internet,
    smartphones and utilities exist alongside huts and temples. The juxtaposition
    of old with new is incongruous but often amusing. The unquestioning acceptance
    from family, friends and strangers stood out. I realised that part of me had
    never left.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/missmim81/ missmim81

    Sri Lanka is the place that changed me and gave me the travel bug. It’s the first place I ever went, which was outside of Europe. I went with my best friend who was born there so spent 3 weeks travelling around the country, visiting family and generally going off the beaten tourist track. I just love everything about it – the beaches are amazing, inland is full of
    mountains and so green and lush! The food is fantastic and the people are so lovely and welcoming even though they have nothing. Amazing country.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/helen-bryant/ Helen_Bryant

    Slumping to the ground in an exhausted, sweaty heap to watch the sunrise over Machu Picchu was unforgettable. Not only was the vista as breathtaking as I’d always imagined, but it was also a profound moment of personal achievement. Born with a severe case of the disability Dyspraxia, seriously impairing my balance, co-ordination and mobility, I have always found physical activity extremely challenging. Completing the Inca Trail was four of the hardest days of my life, stretching far beyond my comfort zone. But completing it changed something within me, making me realise that anything really is possible.

  • http://twitter.com/aussiegecko Teresa Barnard

    A trip to Borneo for my 40th birthday, was a real eye opener, to see such fantastic wildlife and the mesmerising Orangutans was very emotional. The rainforests in which they live are being destroyed in favour of Palm Oil plantations, leaving these magnificent animals without food, so many baby orangutans end up as orphans, it was wonderful to watch them from afar in a local sanctuary. The people there are so friendly and welcoming, it opened my eyes as until then I did not realise that palm oil is in so many products, and that I was contributing to the destruction of these rainforests!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sarahewing/ Sarah Ewing

    Everywhere I have travelled has changed me, every encounter, sensation adds in some little or large way in changing how you see the world, your surroundings, constantly enriching you. The rough guides have always provided me with that little gem of a place to visit, eat, that bit of inside knowledge. They have travelled with me to Belize, The Gambia, Turkey, Mexico, Barcelona and Wales and not once got it wrong. They are my own private guide, its not the place that changed me, it was the guide showing me where to look. Thank you for
    showing me Rough Guides.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/gail1842/ Gail1842

    Mexico pacific coast Puerta Vallarta changed my view of travel. I saw whales swimming in the bay and thought that was a wildlife experience worth remembering. But how lucky was it that out of season, a turtle came to lay its eggs on the beach and we watched it wander back to the sea. I have since been to Akumal to see turtles swim in their own habitat and an in awe of all nature and its beauty.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/steveswitzer/ SteveS

    About 40 and odd years ago my wife to be and I came to Cornwall on our first Holiday together – she must have liked it as she subsequently not only agreed to marry me, but we’ve been coming back ever since. In the end we decided to live here – so yes Kernow is and was definitely a life changer for us.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/moira-ashley/ nomad

    A summer with granddad, aged ten. As we picked runner beans and watered lettuces, granddad, a retired merchant seaman, became my virtual travel guide. One day we would
    explore the spice-laden clamour of a Marrakesh souk, the next, stand on top of Table Mountain. His favourite saying: ‘The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.’ The spark of curiosity he kindled grew as I got older. Even now, whenever I clasp my
    passport with that familiar thrill of anticipation, I am transported back to his allotment, my launch pad to planet earth.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/bansingh/ Ban

    Before going to Mauritania for the Dakar rally, people told me how dangerous/wild/tough it is. I thought this would rarely bare true, but with the Dakar rally, it was all true. You spend a year training and think you’re prepared. Then they give you a map of a live minefield with a line on it and say ‘do not leave this track’. This is just about the toughest place to survive, let alone ride a bike. The challenge pushes you beyond anything you’ve done before. At the end I felt I could achieve anything I wanted to.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/wthatton/ wthatton

    It is impossible to see more than a few meters in any direction. The sticky, claustrophobic jungle presses in on us from all sides as we scramble up the muddy path. A colourful fresh water crab skitters away from my foot, shocked at this unwanted intrusion. Sweating, I curse and grab a branch to heave myself up another short cut through the tangled undergrowth. When we began our ascent we had passed thousands of Buddha statues uniformly laid out
    in a huge grid in a series of fields. Many were cracked, broken and half consumed by jungle, others had been freshly painted. Smiling serenely they had seemed to wish us well as we began our climb but that had been two hours ago. I have run out of water and the sweltering heat is sapping my energy. After half an hour we finally reach the monastery atop the mountain and are able to refill our water bottles whilst chatting with some friendly monks. To my left two young novices stare out at the scene unfurling before us. Tantalising windows in the swirling mists below provide glimpses of forest covered ridges and stupa crowned peaks. Every major crag seems to support a monastery and even the tiniest spikes of rock are topped by golden stupas. Below us, luminous paddy fields are bordered by crystal clear lakes and small clusters of houses. It truly is a breathtaking sight. The people and the landscapes of Myanmar changed me forever, I became more trusting, more generous, more willing to learn.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/ashik/ Ash

    hello

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/alanmills405/ alanmills405

    Cape Town. Bottom of the continent but the top of the mountain dominates the Mother City. South Africa is a land of contrasts and CT is the same. Extravagance and splendour at the Waterfront, poverty and desperation in the townships. But the people! Once you know them, you love them. I have walked through the City Bowl and seen the “hats” buying local artefacts that someone should tell them were made in China and eaten butcher braiis in Guguletu. South Africa changes everyone who visits.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/ashik/ Ash

    Kho Phi Phi, Thailand had been devastated by the Tsunami. I
    was the ‘beach team leader’. Never done anything like this before, leading a
    group. Took my first group and was nervous but ploughed through. Was a strange
    concept but I had found my place, in my element. I felt we were making a
    difference. Made friends and locals noticing my presence. Even gave an
    interview for Swedish TV. Did this for 2 months and is something I’ll never forget.
    Was sad leaving but felt I had served a purpose. This experience led me to be
    the person I’am today.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/daisybean/ daisybean

    Living in London I never thought I would crave more noise but I constantly miss the hustle and bustle of Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and the other wonderful cities of China. I fell completely in love with the colours, sights, tastes, people and sounds – from the beeping rickshaws and chattering women to the exotic birds and even the deafening silence of the inner city temples. I truly found my place in life amongst the rice terraces of Longshen and on the city walls of Xi’an – so much so that a year & an expensive Mandarin course later, myself and my boyfriend are planning to take root in this beautiful country, start a family and raise them amongst a sea of Bamboo and Pandas.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hannahli/ HannahLI

    The place that changed me was St Petersburg, Russia it’s such a beautiful place and a vibrant city but as we were walking along one of the main streets amongst hundreds of other tourists and locals I was struck by the poverty and desperation I saw in a young boy not more than five huddled against one of the buildings sniffing glue. It put life into perspective for me and makes me very thankful for what I have!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/elaine46/ Elaine

    The place that changed me was Cuba. I visited this country at the time when they had 2 hurricanes in the 2 weeks I was there. The people are very poor and were moving their precious things such as ‘TVs’ to places of safety. I actually visited a family on the top floor of a building with a balcony that would have been condemned here. Their pride and joy was a battered Fiat that needed repairing and again would be condemned as unroadworthy. They offered me a drink – the fridge was bare! Their hospitality was amazing. The wages were £6 a month! When I came back home I sent them £100 to help them live and get their car back on the road so that they could earn money. We worry about all sorts of things but this made me think very seriously about what was important in life.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/f-gibsngmail-com/ FionaCGibson

    Kagoshima changed me. It seemed on first sight to break all preconceptions of Japan. The sultry sub-tropical scene; cats stretching on sleeping backstreets, bathed in sunshine. The only thing that kept me from loneliness was the volcano, Sakurajima, or “Cherry blossom island”, clearly visible across the bay, upon which grew the world’s largest radishes. I was alone through the snowy winter and the cherry blossom hanami until summer, when romance found me somewhere between boredom and despair. He was my Pocahontas, with hair to his waist, and communication all through laughter. My most obstinate senses were awakened; with a new sensibility for a culture so abstruse, I took pleasure in its frustrations. He brought bliss with integration until the dream was over and I was pulled from the rabbit hole.

  • http://twitter.com/beautietraveler Corinne Faulkner

    For me it was the hussle and bustle of vibrant India, I met some wonderful people including a family who I stayed with and what an experience I had. I learnt a lot about local foods / conditions and sampled different dishes – I lived in a room with two adults & 4 children where I ate, slept & went to the toilet – UNREAL. They dressed me in a beautiful pink satin saree & paraded me through the streets of Delhi on a horse & cart, came home 6 months later a changed girl.
    co[email protected]

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/chrisbevan/ chrisbev

    By then it was still dark and I have never seen the heavens so full of stars, it was pure magic! Shortly afterwards we saw the sky lighten and it began to glow red. The sun lit up the horizon. Suddenly the crater of Haleakala, Maui was illuminated and for the first time we could see how enormous it was. This amazing experience created a sense of awe in the incredible beauty of the Universe. I resolved that in the future I would study the heavens.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/rod-ashley/ Rod

    Dawn breaks: jewelled hummingbirds shimmer like rainbow fragments; red-legged honeycreepers flaunt their sapphire plumage. On dew-soaked riverbanks, creaking iguanas watch as caimans glide silently by. In virgin rainforest, howler monkeys call. Arenal volcano smoulders above fields of slipper orchids. A farmer prepares to harvest his pineapple crop. This is Costa Rica, the country that opened my eyes to the rich diversity of our planet. Its inspiring conservation programmes helped me appreciate the interdependence of all living things, the power and fragility of the natural environment and our duty of stewardship towards it and all who share its bounty.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sal-burbage/ Sal Burbage

    Paris – because Paris was my first overseas trip. Everything was exotic: frenzied drivers hurtling down the “wrong” side of the road; shops inconveniently closing for long, leisurely lunch breaks; garlic aromas escaping from open-air cafes, and the ever-present murmur of an incomprehensible language. It was all foreign – and foreign meant stimulating and exciting. Every encounter uncovered new mysteries, encouraging further exploration. Then poring over a map and recognising what a tiny distance I had travelled; how vast the world truly was. It could have been anywhere in the world that changed me into a traveller, but it was Paris.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/benedick_george/ Benedick George

    Few holidaymakers expect to sit in an old crumbling house in a favela, nervously awaiting a religious ceremony in which everyone involved becomes possessed. Yet that is exactly what happened to me in Salvador, Bahia. As men pounded drums, women chanted ever more frenetically until they screamed like banshees, their entire postures changed, and their eyes fell back in their sockets. I was sceptical that anyone could become possessed, until it happened right in front of me. When their deities left, the women returned dizzily. The ‘candomble’ ceremony made me reconsider the connection between body and spirit. Staggering.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/3rdlight/ 3rdlight

    Acceptance.
    There can’t be many places where a transvestite pole-dancer sits casually in a foot of mud discussing politics with an old bloke eating a falafel.
    I was that bloke, it was Glastonbury 2009.
    Think of a wall, then knock it down. Imagine a place where for one week only, you can be whoever you choose to be.
    The music was great, the food unbelievably diverse. However, what moved me was the social acceptance and bonds forged across seemingly insurmountable differences. It is possible, it is real. The festival lasts a few days but the memories go on forever.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/dafffid/ Dafffid

    Perth; to pay my respects.
    One hundred years and ten thousand miles from the scene of the crime.
    Eucalyptus stretch to heaven, each with a plaque. Those with two, name brothers.
    A thousand trees do not count the dead, but it is enough.
    A poppy, son of a seed from a century ago, flowers among the fallen leaves.
    Echoes of songs and whispers of death:
    Don’t be afraid; you’re among friends; an unseen battalion surrounds you.
    None needed to leave fishing boat or farm to die in the mud.
    Yet they sailed from Fremantle bound for Gallipoli,
    Leaving only names.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/snare/ snare

    Having grown up as British with an American mother family trips to visit American relatives were a regular occasion. Over the years very little changed in the small mid west city of Cheyenne that was the gathering point for the extended family to meet. Years later and now I was the mother taking her own children to visit the American relatives. In a break with tradition it was decided that Yellowstone National park would be the scene of the family reunion. From the moment you drive past the wooden entrance the landscape rapidly changes to something more in keeping with the land that time forgot. Stunning mountain vistas, azure hot springs and earth shaking geyser eruptions. This was going to be a trip to remember.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/morrighani/ Morrighani

    The place that changed me was Mexico City Airport, April 2009. Swine Flu was rife and many countries were shutting their borders to flights from Mexico. We were supposed to stay in Mexico for three weeks, but instead we were in a race to get back out of the country, as soon as we had arrived in the airport.

    We braved surely staff, face masks and endless sanitising gel. There were times like it looked like we would have to admit defeat and go home. Peru, our next stop, would not let us in. And then, a lifeline. Would we fly to Santiago de Chile? Why not! We knew nothing about it, but it sounded more fun than going home. We met our now life long best friend and had the best adventure. And I was changed forever, I learned to let go, roll with the tide and seize every opportunity life gives you!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/melansona/ Annice Melanson

    Who would believe little Miss
    Fun in the Sun, beach worshiper, would dare venture to the Amazon? Play safe
    was my game before going to Ecuador. My convincing husband had me white water
    rafting down the Napa River, sleeping in bug infested base camps, eating guinea
    pigs, swinging like Tarzan (or Jane) over a mountain gorge and biking down a
    valley of waterfalls in piss pouring rain . As they say, when in Rome… I guess
    my husband really knows me. I loved every minute. When can we go back!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sonyajane/ SonyaJane

    Last year I was diagnosed with a panic disorder, which rendered me unable to leave my flat for an intense fear of anything that might lie outside my front door. In an attempt to reprogram my broken thought processes I eventually overcame my anxiety to spend three months travelling solo in New Zealand. I encountered so many friendly and welcoming people that I gradually began to relax and maintain eye contact during conversation. Meeting new people continues to excite and inspire me, opening the door to new knowledge, experiences, and most importantly, peace.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hopeliebersohn-orangehome-co-uk/ Hope

    I visited Barbados and St Lucia alone, to escape winter and experience the tropics. What I found were confident, gentle nations, completely run by blacks, and racism seemed absent – no embarrassment, resentment or sense of dispossession. After a lifetime in the US and the UK, it was a revelation. Tourists were genuinely welcome, and St Lucians selling nothing came up to thank me for coming to their island. Mosquitoes and the sun were fierce, but the acid-citrus painted houses, the loud music and the big, starry skies captured my heart, uplifting me in a way I never expected.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/punkygumboots/ Fiona

    Trapped in the toilet calling for help. My first day at work. This is how I met my
    co-workers at the refugee aid centre.

    Alone in Nepal, these girls would become my family, taking me shopping, to local festivals, teaching me to cook and sharing their stories. They were born in refuge or smuggled across borders. One had never met her parents. I saw the reality of living on the fringe of society. Under constant threat with no access bank accounts, no driver’s licence, no passport, no rights.

    Travel is a luxury, but so is having somewhere to call home.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sonyajane/ SonyaJane

    After months of incessant anxiety I finally felt at peace among the ancient trees in the beautiful New Zealand rainforest. I was particularly taken by Hamurana Springs, situated north of lake Rotorua. A short walk leads you along a riverbank through giant redwood trees towards a deep, clear spring. The riverbed is an alluring light blue, decorated with large swathes of what looked like dark green pond weed, making for a stunning contrast of colours. The first sight of a giant redwood tree caused me to stop abruptly and gape in awe at its incredible size and captivating beauty. 

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/wwll/ WWLL

    I just love New Zealand. It has the most beautiful scenery, the friendliest people and the most sublime wines,

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/mrusty5/ mrusty5

    Rome, a long dreamed of destination, gave all that I had hoped and more. My first glimpse of the Colosseum made me cry, much to my family’s amazement, as I am not one normally given to tears, but the sheer magnitude, beauty and history overwhelmed me. And other historic, beautiful sites: the Pantheon, the Forum, the Trevi Fountain were wonderful. But more than that, the people, the food, the amazing atmosphere wandering the narrow streets at night, all serve to make that holiday my most enchanting ever. And as an added bonus, a free Genesis concert at Circo Massimo, wow!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/phillip666/ phill666

    The Royal Observatory Greenwich

    An Awakening for me…

    Travelling through life’s norms..

    With what seems now as Like-Minded…. majority opinion.

    ….

    Untill that was..

    I Gazed upwards

    Through the lens of my own human understanding

    …….

    Who are we ?

    Where did we come from ?

    And why are we here ?

    Such obvious questions had never been be asked by me

    But they had also never been posed..

    ……

    Which brings me back to the majority opinion..

    The moment humans refuse to think and develop their own views

    without first asking

    What do i really think ?

    Is the moment we as a species ..cease to progress

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/mary_queen/ Mary Queen

    New Zealand really changed me as I have never been to such a wonderful captivating place it’s the most beautiful country I have ever encountered,stunning scenic views,eye catching buildings,very kind and helpful locals who go out of their way to help,as we travelled in a campervan and got lost on a few occasions,holiday of a lifetime

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/bettmann54/ bettmark

    A thunderous clap erupts from the black, billowing clouds as they creep towards Uluru.

    Enshrined as the Holy Grail by Aboriginal Australians, I stand at its base peering skyward at the mountainous sandstone monolith. Situated in the barren Australian outback, few ever witness rain washing over this cavernous formation.

    The clouds breach; relinquishing Earth’s natural hydration. Reflective white water forms hypnotic patterns down the porous red rock as it plunges towards me. The soundscape of rain, thunder, and waterfalls chime in to cast a breathtaking spell of nature’s true beauty and power.

    I have witnessed. I have changed.

  • http://twitter.com/Mamacino26 MilliesMummy

    This is going to be completely different to the other entries.
    My place that changed me, changed me mentally and physically.
    In March 2010, I travelled to Prague for surgery.
    I had done a lot of research, and found the care standards higher than the UK.
    I flew over twice. The first time I got tonsillitis, so couldn’t proceed so flew home the next day. The second time I went over, I took precautions, there was no way I was getting ill again.
    Anyway, everything went fantastic, and I came home looking better, and feeling better! :)

  • carole smith

    Camping in a tiny hamlet in South West wales with a group of disadvantaged inner city children sounds like hard work and not for the faint hearted but it gave me my first taste of a holiday away from the tourist traps. I grew up in Blackpool; fish and chips, the big dipper, kiss me quick, bar crawls and crowds. That was a holiday. When we rolled up into Bosherston in the clapped out minibus the children stopped fighting in the back seats of the coach and were momentarily stunned into silence and so was I. We had arrived at the most beautiful place we had ever seen – Miles of sandy beach, crashing waves onto the rocky cliffs, a reed fringed stream winding down for miles between pristine sand dunes and fresh water lily ponds in which a family of otters swam. And at night, only the sound of the wind, waves and night animals as we sat around a camp fire and spotted the sweep of the Milky Way in the sky. The kids still scrapped with each other, we had a few shoplifting incidents in the local village but we found the coast path that holiday and walked for miles, finding secret coves, tiny untouched beaches and a real pleasure in the natural world. This was the key to me for years of pleasure exploring the long distance paths of Pembrokeshire, onto Cornwall, the Coast to Coast, the Northumberland Way, the Lycian Way, the via Ferrata in Italy and planning for a Yellowstone trek. I’ve still got a soft spot for Blackpool, but Bosherston, experienced with an unlikely and initially unwilling band of teenagers, will always remain my special and magical place.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/ali_muskett/ Ali Muskett

    Japan is the place that changed me. Having never left Europe before, or ever been on holiday on my own before, I found myself on a two week trip travelling around Japan by myself. I didn’t speak the language, but I tried. I got lost, but I found my way. It was incredible. When I left, I cried, and so two years later I moved there, and lived happily for three years in central Japan.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/jpluxbg/ Julz

    Kinshasa, June 2012. The improbably patched-up and impressively heavily loaded vehicles and taxis-buses, the constant hustle and noise in the streets, the loud and colorful dress sense of its inhabitants, their ability to balance cumbersome loads on their heads, the succession of tiny pastel colored shops, the delicious spicy fish and plantain dishes at the guesthouse… I was struck most by the friendliness of everyone I engaged with, the eagerness of the university students to learn science during my workshops, and overall the energy and dynamism emanating from Kinshasa. This city touched me so much that I am going back!

  • Guest

    Mt Pilatus in Switzerland. It is the most beautiful
    place I’ve ever been to. I took a toboggan ride down the mountain, and had roughly
    10 minutes alone while a cable pulled me back up. On the way up, all I had to
    do was sit with my arms on my legs and admire the scenery. During that time I
    have never felt so free and so calm, as I was surrounded by forest to my right,
    the mountain behind me, grass on my left, and the town of Lucerne in front
    (including Lake Lucerne). I blogged about that day, the best day of my
    life – http://aradhnak.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/trip-to-europe-day-6-mt-pilatus-switzerland/

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/193andcounting/ 193andcounting

    China, very low season 91, my first solo trip and first outside ‘the West’.

    Accustomed to travelling like a ghost, consuming landscapes and passing almost unnoticed by locals, China was my huge, wonderful wake-up call! Being tall, white and brightly dressed in a country that wasn’t, and usually the only Westerner around, I was gawped at constantly. Neither ghost nor scenery, I was someone locals were eager to interact with. I realised people are central to travel and it is a 2 way process.

    I travel for change, but this changed the way I travel.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/saraht90/ Sarah Tuck

    The pocket-sized plane rumbles through the Californian sky. Propellers are whirring as I gently inhale the faint smell of diesel. I’m admiring LA from the heavens, a dream I had invested in since I was a small child. The detail of the endless scenery glitters into my imagination, captivating my sense of adventure. Seen by others as superficial and crushing, the city is misunderstood. I see freedom for dreams and a vast land of hope. The passion for individuality, that offers encouragement and growth for the soul. LA embraced me and captured my weakened heart when I needed it most.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/k-westy/ Katie

    My stomach churns with every winding turn of these effortlessly beautiful,
    majestic mountains. Heart hammering, I feel sick, for when I reach my
    destination I will have to go against every human instinct I possess. The Nevis
    Bungee… 134 metres of hurtling horror. Reluctantly I shuffle inch by
    terrifying inch towards the ledge. Then, adrenaline courses through me
    and I leap, headfirst! The ground rushes up to meet me, then suddenly I’m
    up again, heart in my mouth and exhilaration in my veins. In New Zealand,
    a thirst for life and adventure captures me, and I am hungry for more…

    • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/debbie695/ Debbie Westbrook

      Love this. Makes it feel so real.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Helen-Cox/570381251 Helen Cox

    Ang Thong Marine National Park laps up against the golden beaches of Koh Tao. It is a place of unspeakable beauty and spectacular wildlife. It is also where I took my first breath underwater. Learning to Scuba dive was transforming, As a child I dreamed of being an astronaut and here I was weightless, able to somersault under the ocean and explore places that few people are privileged to see. It brought the kind of tranquillity I’ve never felt before and the majesty of the fish and the gentle swaying of a sea horse will stay with me forever.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/cookster101/ JP Cooke

    The High Inca Trail. Beyond the confines of the tourist trail and even more inspiring than Macchu Picchu was the beautiful backdrop of some very high and dangerous mountains unclimbed by any humans. At 6000 metres high and jagged as they were I was not entirely surprised. To emphasise its awesome power and foreboding a series of small avalanches rumbled in the distance as a result of an electrical storm and significant deposit of snow. Having never walked at altitude before you needed also to respect the limits of the body and those of the birds of prey that circled above the awe inspiring skyline.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lyndswalsh Lyndsay Walsh

    When I first went to Austria as a 12 year old girl, thunder scared me. But on my first night, after hours of thunder bouncing between the mountains, the sound excited and intrigued me.

    It was my first venture into Europe, and I have never forgotten about Austria and how much it changed my perceptions. That dark could be as beautiful as light, that thunderous booms could sound as much like music to my ears as the bird-song which followed, and that it was possible that a 12 year old girl could learn to appreciate something which once was terrifying.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/moira-ashley/ nomad

    I try to picture the long-ago, rapacious lick of molten snow on rock when the glacier was born. Now its withered tongue sends up a mute cry of despair from the valley’s wide throat. Moraine
    boulders, discoloured tombstone teeth, mark the path of its painful shrinkage. Canada’s Rocky Mountain region is epic in scale and beauty: exploring its pristine vastness ignited my abiding love of wilderness. Yet along with the memory of Lake Louise’s cobalt waters or Spirit Island’s timeless serenity, I am haunted by the weeping ice of Athabasca, the chilling reality of climate change.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/moira-ashley/ nomad

    Glamorous Costa Smeralda on the north-east coast of Sardinia: white botoxed beaches stretch flawlessly beside pellucid sea and soft-focus sky; air-brushed clouds float high above
    svelte yachts and designer tans. I feel more comfortable in Alghero in the north west where slack-waisted ramparts girdle the peeling, frayed town with its proud Catalan past. Here, beauty is carved deep on sun-etched stones; beyond its worn walls, laughter-lines on wrinkled sea. I fell in love with this island, the setting for my daughter’s magical wedding and a holiday that brought four generations of family together.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/grwood/ Gary Wood

    Having never really travelled, apart from my daily commute to work, I had an opportunity to visit a friend in Edinburgh.

    Upon arrival I immediately felt at home, I had never been so aware that a city could have a history, a story, a soul.

    As I walked the streets of Old Town, I felt like I had traveled back in time, I couldn’t fathom how it had been built, a city upon another and a castle on a volcano.

    Having now made Edinburgh my home, I’m dying to start using my passport and see the rest of the world.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/shakeroo/ Shakeroo

    Johannesburg, not your obvious choice of destination, but a place that changed me. I left my job and headed for South Africa for the second time in my life. A wonderful mix of people with a love for life. I was 13 on my first trip to a different South Africa under apartheid with
    my mother in the 1980s to attend my cousin’s wedding. Returning in 2000, to a very different country, able to travel freely and meet the full diversity of South African society at its best. – great start to the new millennium which I shall never forget.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sallyp/ sallyp

    Five weeks, countless beaches, boats and bugs, too many nights out, a load
    of laughs and a lifetime of memories has brought me to this conclusion: Thailand is incredible. Fresh out of school on my gap year, I backpacked independently around Thailand on my travels and found it to be unlike any place I had experienced before; awe-inspiring sights, delicious food, welcoming locals and a great sense of freedom and fun. It changed me in all the best ways possible and taught me that brilliant things can happen when you dare to say yes.

  • Sophie

    Quito, Ecuador: snugly resting in a circle of ancient
    volcanoes, it is a hub of Latino and Quechan culture. It influenced me to
    become a teacher. A group of us worked with a charity to deliver lessons
    to children who couldn’t afford school. These kids, covered in dirt and
    dust, had smiles, hugs and enthusiasm for learning. We built
    relationships through the barriers of language and differing cultures; it was
    difficult but rewarding. Ecuador is rich in other ways: we explored
    sprawling markets, ancient spas, towering basilicas and welcoming people.
    To visit is to experience a different perspective on life.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/elliechudleigh/ Elliec

    Rugged shores and coastal walks,
    Cream teas and fishing ports,
    Pasty snack or mussels gourmet,
    I found my heaven at Constantine Bay.
    Narrow roads and wind turbines
    Camel Trails and Pirate Mines,
    Surfing, shopping or looking for treasure,
    Cornwall is a haven, whatever your pleasure,
    It’s laid back pace leaves much to admire,
    I know it’s the place where I shall retire.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/keith_ruffles/ Keith Ruffles

    I knew that our stormy affair was doomed and yet, like so many lovers before, I’d let myself be enticed by her charms and beguiled by her beauty. I tried to resist but it was too late; our lover’s tryst had cast a spell that captured my heart for ever.

    ‘La Serenissima’, they call her, a lady of poise and grace who bewitches all who set eyes upon her. And yet she’s no mere mortal, for Venice is a city whose splendour truly transcends the ages. Our fling, brief as it was, would be the start of an eternal love.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/frederickplatt/ FrederickPlatt

    Alone in the serenity of Mai Chau, I found myself amidst misty mountains by day and by the rice paddies under a sky candescent with lightning at night. I dedicated much of my time there to thinking. Having arrived in a state of confusion, I left with an epiphany, that not only did I love my best friend; I also wanted to spend my life with her. Shortly after my return to the UK, I flew to St Petersburg, I confessed my feelings to her and one year later we were married. I am indebted to Mai Chau.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/hisnhertravel/ hisnhertravel

    I stood apart from the other passengers, waiting with our
    broken-down bus. I felt stiff and filthy after sleeping upright for 10 of 13
    hours from Sharm El-Sheikh, and filthier still reaching for the last rolling
    paper in my purse. Rummaging further, I found my tobacco and began rolling.

    Egypt hadn’t been the ideal place to quit: as our wait grew,
    others followed my suit. A 13-year-old boy set up an entire hookah. “Shisha,”
    he called, offering me a smoke. I deprecatingly accepted, sharing my worst
    habit with a child. One last one, I decided. And quit for good.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/anniemac/ Anniemac

    the Heaphy trail in New Zealand is a combination of continually changing fascinating terrain.
    this trek combines the flora and wildlife of both north and south islands. weka families are resident at the lodges giving interest to visitors. this trail has the greatest number of lichens and mosses along its length with evidence of Kiwi feasting along the dense banks of moss either side of the path. fellow walkers were friendly as the trail gives the sense of relaxation although in a national park and wilderness. A place to appreciate the beauty of walking in the wilderness.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/eleanorj1986/ Eleanor Jordan

    Beddgelert, Snowdonia, will forever hold a special place in my heart. It’s a cold crisp January afternoon. The pretty village sits quiet and peaceful beneath the protective presence of Moel Hebog, the sky clear and blue. But we’re both unusually quiet, distracted. We walk along the river, oblivious of the winter beauty surrounding us, the rippling water, the frost tipped grass, the majestic Snowdonian scenery. Butterflies fill my stomach. He reaches for my hand and turns. I can see my nerves reflected in his eyes. And determination. He kneels and asks the easiest question of my life. My answer? “Yes!”

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/amyclur/ AmyClur

    The place that changed me was Fez, Morocco; the second stop of my first backpacking adventure when I was 18. After wandering round the seemingly endless maze of the medina for hours, a kind carpet shop owner invited us in for some mint tea. He took us up onto the roof of the shop from where there were the most amazing views over the rooftops and across Fez. The most incredible part was that we were there just in time for the call to prayer. Listening to this magical sound echo out across the city was something that is hard to describe. We’d had an arduous journey to reach Fez but this moment made everything worth it, and made me realise my first adventure would certainly not be my last. My love and need for travel has been what has driven me ever since.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/monkeymonkeyrarara/ dan

    Highway 1 in California is the best road trip around. If youre doing it you need to stop at Big Sur. awsome.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/artymuse/ Kim C

    I stood on the back of a lion, pretending to be lord over all I saw. One thousand steps straight up, I felt strong yet serene. This tattooed royal palace and monastery called Sigiriya, or Lion’s Rock, indeed like all of Sri Lanka, commanded awe. The gentle, caring citizens of the country, each with the same lovely smile, embody its beauty, tranquility and richness of culture. I can’t squelch the urge to return, to experience more, to make a significant contribution to that world. It’s as if every moment I’m away something important is happening without me.

  • http://twitter.com/ElizaMWilder Eliza

    New Zealand is where I became a ‘traveller’ and stopped taking ‘holidays’. In possession of a round-the-world ticket until then everything was safe and scheduled. Arriving there, feeling the relaxed pace, freedom and vibe of the country, I knew I had to abandon plans and savour the ride. I set off on my adventure, travelled from North to South, saw the wondrous variety of our Natural World, and felt more alive than I had felt in my adult life. Most importantly, I tasted the freedom only a solo traveller experiences knowing that nobody in the world knows your location!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/dillon/ Dillon

    Growing up as a kid I was always enamoured with the first present I remember receiving. Not an expensive bike. Not a pricey computer. But a humble globe. I was told it was the greatest gift given to mankind. I instantly became fascinated with it and prided myself in learning all the names of the countries and their capital cities.

    However, there was one place in particular I’d see regularly on the news. For the most part, people were squabbling over it and I couldn’t understand why. News commentators would send reports from a hilltop and in the background one could see the revered city. But the sight of it perplexed me. It didn’t have any tall shiny skyscrapers. It didn’t have a beautiful river flowing through it. It didn’t have an amazing golden bridge nor an opera house. There wasn’t an ornate marbled palace nor a structure that was a wonder of the world. In fact, from the news coverage it looked like a dusty place with olive trees dotted around some old buildings, a few shiny roofs and a wall. The only thing the opposing sides agreed on, it was special.

    What was an intriguing mystery for me was finally explored when I came of age. Quite how I got there I’m not sure as it was never planned. Yet when the opportunity arose, I jumped to it. A cab ride, a plane journey and another cab later and I stood on the same adjacent hilltop viewing with my on eyes what I’d seen for all those years through a TV. In an instant, its importance came to life and I got a feel of its history. Exploring the old city on foot through its narrow passages, I got to pray at the wall of a temple, in a church and a mosque. It was a life changing moment in which I appreciate it was a place intended to bond humanity not divide it.

    From that moment began my life’s ambition to see as many places on that globe that sits on my desk to this day, highlighting our common ground and shared existence.

  • katiependleton

    When I was little, I journeyed to London with excitement and trepidation about what this new city would hold for me. Little did I know then that this amazing city would hold first love, new foods to try, a culture to laugh and cry at, sun-kissed mornings along the Thames, hilarious nights with lifelong friends… an endless (and often embarrassing) list! London is my city of changes, and the place that has helped me grow up. I hope that it will continue to help me grow for the rest of my life.

  • http://www.facebook.com/johanna.bradley.96 Johanna Bradley

    Algarve.
    Commercial. Overcrowded. Expensive.
    Strictly for golfers and beach loungers.
    Correct?

    Well, no- not really.

    My first experience of the Algarve, at Vilamoura, was
    exactly that. But I was looking east. I never thought it would be possible to find
    somewhere I wanted to return again and again.
    A different holiday each trip.
    Following riverbeds, admiring amazing architecture, shell collecting on
    a deserted beach, inhaling scented pine, watching the changing light.

    Simple food and a welcoming smile. Tavira, the islands of the Ria Formosa and the Eastern Algarve have gotten into my soul.
    The wanderer returns.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sophieafaull/ sophieafaull

    For me, it is a beach in Cornwall called Polzeath, not just because of its rugged and wild cliffs but as it has borne witness to different stages in my life. First escaping into the sea as a teenager with my surf board; the force of the waves knocking out my inner turmoil and reminding me of the wonder of nature. Then a date ending with a midnight walk on the moonlit beach and cart wheels in the sand eventually leading to a proposal a number of years later on that same beach!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/sereng/ PurpleSmartie

    Marvelling at the beauty of Nancy’s Parc de la Pépinière,the verdant spaces are enclosed by exquisite trees and flora which hide a quirky secret – that of an eccentric little zoo.
    The splendour of the city is embodied not only in its natural beauty, but also in its breathtaking architecture especially the fabulous Plas Stanislas and the Old Town. Pulsating in its celebration of its rich cultural heritage and appreciation of the arts and music, Nancy’s
    vibrant festivals are inviting and enticing as both tourists and friendly locals participate. It’s electric. It’s thrilling. And it has captured my heart forever.

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/michael-uhlenhake/ urbanwoodsman

    Half my world away, across the Andaman
    Sea, a ribbon-laden longtail glides
    past karst protrusions, my destination in view.
    With precarious first-step onto unmoving pier, I’ve arrived to my
    temporary island home, Ko-Yao-Yai.

    Beyond the palm spotted bramble, the fisherman’s beach holds
    treasures of netting shreds, torn sarong & discarded rice bag: all make-due
    materials for tonight’s farewell fashion show. Crab-teasing on the sand, a slew
    of boys run through boat tethers playing tag-you’re-it.

    Talent was ranked by the inn-keeper’s wife & her Muslim
    lady-friends. The warrior king & the
    glimmering drag-princess synchronize an appropriate adieu – “Time to Say
    Goodbye.”

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/bettmann54/ bettmark

    I’d love to see Moira Ashley’s winning post!

  • http://www.roughguides.com/community/members/scratchvideo/ Scratch Video

    Congratulations Moira… shame we can’t read the winning comment…