So here are the countries, and reasons:
- The Netherlands--As I said in the comments on the original post, there are really only two places I want to see here: the Anne Frank museum, and the ten Boom family house. I'd like to see the dikes too, because I just don't get how they keep the sea out.
- Australia--The usual: Sydney, Canberra, etc. It would be fun to sort of follow Bill Bryson's tour, minus all the bad parts. I'd like to stipulate that I'd prefer to go in January or February, please. And it would be fun if we could look up the people from Brisbane whom we met in Athens (Greece).
- New Zealand--Well, I mean, if I'm flying all the way to Australia, I'm damn sure going to see both of the islands of New Zealand! About the only part of anything to do with the whole Lord of the Rings thing that I'm interested in is the scenery. Awesome. And lots of fresh, tasty mutton.
- Peru--Two words: Macchu Picchu. And I could stay with my coworker's family, which is always so much more interesting; it's easier to see the culture "at work" around you when you're at the grocery store or watching TV after dinner.
- Egypt--So much to see here: the Pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, the Nile. Oh, boy, reading all the Elizabeth Peters books while seeing the things she's writing about first-hand! I might actually GET it. And the Cairo museum. And...just, yeah. History. Awesome.
- Zimbabwe--I think I meant Botswana here, actually. I would just like to see the plains. And think about Mme Ramotswe.
- South Africa--Best way to do this would be to kidnap Robert and make him my personal tour guide. But I'd want to take a long tour of Robben Island, and hit some local clubs to listen to music. Beaches. Mountains. Sigh...
- Turkey--Ankara. Istanbul. Ruins. History. Scenery. Museums. Good food. And I could look up one of my library school friends and see how she's doing.
- Israel--Biblical history ahoy! I could spend months in Israel examining all the places in stories I've known since before I can remember. The biggest difficulty would be figuring out where to start. I'd prefer not to follow the standard Christian tour, but I fear that would be the only way to get anything accomplished.
- Kenya--Safari. 'nuf said.
- Russia--I'd like visit Uncle Vladimir one more time, see inside St. Basil's, take pictures of all the Sputnik memorials, take a leisurely, week-long tour of the Hermitage, visit Tsarskoe Selo, visit St. Peter & Paul Fortress again, go to Ekaterinburg...and I haven't even gotten to Kiev, or Odessa, or seen a dacha!
- Switzerland--I didn't see much of Zurich, and I'd like to see some of the Alps while awake and not feeling nauseous and homesick.
- Scotland--I love Scotland. I could spend weeks in Inverness and points north of it.
- Mexico--Lots of history, lots of beautiful scenery (and not just the boys!), beaches, mountains, pyramids....sigh
- Mongolia--We never stopped. I'd like to get off the train for a couple of days at least. The best thing would be to sleep in a yurt, see some Mongolian horses, and also inspect one of the two-hump, hairy camels. Oh, and the FOOD!
- Greece--Just about anywhere (with indoor plumbing) and a ruin, or a not-too-touristy island.
- Italy--Rome and Florence again. I'd like to see Milan, Pisa, Venice...and Molly.
- Canada--I haven't seen anything except southeastern Ontario and southern Quebec. There's a lot of country out there! And maybe I could bunk with some friends there....
- Uzbekistan--I want to go back to Samarkand. Simply the most beautiful old city I've ever seen.
- England--I never tire of London. And there is a lot of the country I haven't seen yet: Liverpool, the Lake District, Cornwall, Kent, Dover....
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