As I just turned 60 years old, I am afraid that my body will not hold out much longer and those 14 hour airline flights will be impossible.<BR><BR>So before it is to late I want to visit the most exotic place on earth. A place where people do not wear western clothes, know about western people places and things. Where the sights and sounds are so strange, that I will lie in bed all night thinking about my unique new environment.<BR><BR>Though I do not want to go to a place that is totally unsafe, where I would get sick immediately from the food, and there is so much poverty that I will be hassled every minute I am outside.

&lt;&lt;A place where people do not wear western clothes, know about western people places and things.&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Inherently, there will be no flights that go there.<BR><BR>and why would you post this on a forum about Europe? It's entirely inhabited by &quot;western people&quot;.<BR><BR>

Check out the thread on the upcoming Cleveland get-together.

There are many non western places in Europe, including Bulgara and some of the old Soviet Republics. Very exotic.

Bhutan<BR><BR>Namibia <BR><BR>Petra, Jordan <BR><BR>New Guinea

Try Siberia, areas where many original nations like the nomadic Tundra Nenets still live. Safe, certainly different, and friendly people who don´t hassle anybody but share from the little they have. A friend made a photography trip there two years ago, and even photos are amazing. She was 50 at the time, and her husband was 57.<BR><BR>Another good one would be Sahara, a night in a blue mens (bedouin) camp. I did that 20 years ago with a Moroccan friend whose parents still lived the bedouin way, and I will remember that night all my life. <BR><BR>Then there is always Papua New Guinea. <BR><BR>

I would second Bhutan. Fantastic place. The people do not wear western dress and hold on to their Buddhist traditions with great affection. They do, however, speak English - their education system is English-based - so you can really communicate with them. Go, if you get the chance.<BR>Check out Bhutan's national newspaper: www.kuenselonline.com and the website of the UK Bhutan Society: www.bhutansociety.org

OK, Dave, this topic actually interest me very much. And I think John´s and Sandra´s suggestion Bhutan sounds great, because you can get there quite effortlessly, and you don´t have to know any locals. (Another good suggestion might be Tibet). Bhutan gives out only limited amount of visas, and if I remember right the country let the first tourists in as late as 1980´s. <BR><BR>I read recently a very interesting book by a Canadian girl Jamie Zeppa, who worked as a teacher in Bhutan, fell in love with a Bhutanian, and now lives there permanently. The books name is Beyond the Sky and the Earth. I think at least women might like the book. Perhaps too much &quot;love&quot; for men´s liking...

Dave, my advice to you is to get yourself into better shape. Unless you have a chronic illness (in which case I apologize for this post), there is no excuse for feeling so elderly at 60. Instead of looking for an exotic place maybe you should be looking at the way you eat and exercise. I am turning 56 this week, hit the gym 3-4 times a week, and expect to be traveling to exotic places for at least another 25 years. You need a better mental attitude -- 60 is young these days!

Dave, dave, look into my eyes and repeat - There Is No Hope! There Is No Hope! Are you smiling yet, Dave-Y? Yes, first, you need a younger name - why the Y. Then a new do will do - get rid of that gray. Dave-Y, you're living on borrow time, so lets do get on with it. So, you are (gasp) 60 - your kids will be putting you out on the ice any minute. So, you better decide - where are you going. Don't worry about the 14 hours - you need to be concerned what the airline indsutry has in store for you during those 14 hours.<BR><BR>Davey-Y, I gotta run, so that'll have to be it for now. But stay tuned, and we'll see what we can conjure up for you. Oh, a question: are you going alone, or will you be needing an old lady too?

Can there really be any place which is NOT over-run seriously with poverty where you wouldn't find Coca-Cola, Microsoft and the internet? Unless a place is terribly destitute, and maybe even if it is, western business has arrived with products and services to sell.<BR>

Yep, none of that western stuff in Bhutan.<BR><BR>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/golfonline/news/2002/09/12/lipsey1/<BR><BR>Sports Illustrated Golf Plus writer-reporter Rick Lipsey is on a three-month sabbatical to teach golf in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. Accompanied by his wife and 9-month-old daughter, Lipsey is writing an exclusive weekly column about his experience for GOLFONLINE. Check back each week for the latest edition. <BR>

Try Vietnam (there is poverty but they are so friendly).

Do you really think that this former French colony is disconnected from western people and things?<BR>

Go to the Asian board and read about China and Thailand.

The most exotic places are the red light district in Bangkok, the many escorts in London, and the red light district in Amsterdam. Hamburg is a bit seedy.<BR><BR>I wouldn't recommend seeing a prostitute because it's seedy and not a good thing to do. However, that's the question you asked.

How about the Amazon? Just return from the Amazon in remote northern Peru. Worth checking out.

Sorry, but they were western dress in Bhutan. They also have a huge number of satelite dishes. My sister was there two years ago and watched SOUTHPARK at a cafe. The queen of Bhutan is American.

Sorry, just HAD to reply to this one. The ' Queen' of Bhutan is categorically NOT American! There are in fact 4 Queens (all sisters) and they are very much Bhutanese.<BR>Could you be thinking about the former Queen Noor of Jordan, who is American??<BR>In Bhutan traditional dress is still worn by everyone during office hours (though not so much in the evenings at and home). This had done wonders to preserve Bhutan’s unique (and very beautiful) textile tradition.<BR>Yes there is internet and, now, television, but Bhutan’s traditions and Buddhist heritage is very much intact.<BR>I really don't know where these extraordinary 'facts' about Bhutan come from. (Another favourite is that there is some kind of limit to the number of visas issued each year – not true) If you want some real information, check out the website of the UK Bhutan Society: www.bhutansociety.org, and/or contact me at [email protected] (remove the anti-spam 'X' first!).

I'm sure I should know, but I don't - where exactly IS Bhutan??<BR>And have any of you guys actually been there? Is it easy to visit?