The Off Topic Topic

[celedhring]

My first travel abroad was when my grandma took us on a mountain getaway, and we mistakenly ended up on the French side of the Pyrenees while trekking 

[The Larch]

I wish I could access the full source of the Spanish poll too. The data reported by media seems to suggest it's a matter of income indeed. Richest regions have more people travelling abroad than poorer ones. Navarre and Catalonia had the largest share of people going abroad, and they are both a) rich b) border France.

Would be interesting to check those stats but discounting France and Portugal. Over here you don't really need to be rich to travel abroad, I mean, Portugal is barely 1 hour away by car from my hometown. 

Thing is, Portugal does not count as abroad for Galicia.
Well, Northern Portugal actually. 

Yeah, Northern Portugal/Southern Galicia does not really count as travelling abroad for locals. If my parents are to be believed, I was even conceived in Portugal (Peneda-Gerês area) during a camping trip. 

Btw, I've just been to Bragança yesterday. 

[crazy canuck]

Closest stat I found for Spain is a poll 8 years ago asking people whether they had ever holidayed abroad, and only 52% respondents had. So I guess we can't be that hard on yanks.

I wonder if the respondents considered Portugal and France as "abroad"

[mongers]

Closest stat I found for Spain is a poll 8 years ago asking people whether they had ever holidayed abroad, and only 52% respondents had. So I guess we can't be that hard on yanks.

I wonder if the respondents considered Portugal and France as "abroad"

Good point and an optimistic one too.

:waves EU flag:

[celedhring]

More chance than some Catalan respondents considered Spain "abroad" I'm afraid   

[derspiess]

When I lived in the tiny state of Delaware, I met someone who was 20 years old and had never been out of the state.  Still don't understand how that is possible. 

[crazy canuck]

More chance than some Catalan respondents considered Spain "abroad" I'm afraid   

[mongers]

When I lived in the tiny state of Delaware, I met someone who was 20 years old and had never been out of the state.  Still don't understand how that is possible.

My home county, Hampshire is a little smaller than Delaware (1500 - 2000 sq miles), though twice the population and I can well imagine a young person in cities of Portsmouth or Southampton might not have left the county yet.

[derspiess]

When I lived in the tiny state of Delaware, I met someone who was 20 years old and had never been out of the state.  Still don't understand how that is possible.

My home county, Hampshire is a little smaller than Delaware (1500 - 2000 sq miles), though twice the population and I can well imagine a young person in cities of Portsmouth or Southampton might not have left the county yet.

My guess is there is more to do in both of those cities than in Delaware.  In fact, the only thing Delaware might have over them is nicer beaches.  This girl lived 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia her entire life, and never went there.  Her parents never took her there to a museum or to a Phillies game?  And then she wasn't curious enough to go herself when she reached adulthood?  Still blows my mind.

[DGuller]

Some people just don't like to travel.  I don't get why this is presented as a moral failing.  It's a lot easier to not leave your country when you live in US than when you live in Liechtenstein.

[dps]

If 40% of Americans have never left the country, that means that 60% have, and frankly I'm surprised that that many have.  OTOH, I find it hard to believe that 32% don't own luggage.  Who doesn't own luggage?

[Habbaku]

They might not count a duffel bag or some other form of non-"luggage" luggage as luggage. Luggage.

[Duque de Bragança]

Btw, I've just been to Bragança yesterday. 

Not so close though, of course the most difficult part is the small mountain road in Spain. I hope you went through Rio de Onor, otherwise the road on the Portuguese side till Bragança is windy as hell.

[Zanza]

I find it surprising that 54% of Americans have been to ten states or less in the US. Yes, the US is a big country, but domestic travel is fairly affordable and the distances from state to state, especially east of the Mississippi, are within driving distance.

[celedhring]

Mmmm... let me think... CA, NM, NY, PA, NJ, IL, IN, FL, CT, MD - Yup, 10 states for me + DC

I kinda regret not travelling more when I lived in NYC, though. Alas, I was a poor student.