How do you define having been to a country?

Lots of people would define having been to a country as staying the night, but then of course almost no-one has been to, say, the Vatican City.  I have been on several day trips to Bruges, Belgium and yet people tell me I have not been there. I define having been to a country as having stood on a county's soil (or being in a vehicle which was on a country's land) or having been in or on a river that belonged to that country. I do not, however, count territorial ocean water or airspace, but I would count a connecting flight.

I think that if you have spent time in that country - even if just a day trip - that it should count on at least some level. In Europe for example there are lots of countries close together - come families can take a day trip and go to a different country and still be back home the same day. I guess it also depends on what you do. If you only go straight from the airport to the hotel then back again - I wouldn't cound that as being in the country because you wouldn't get a chance to acctually 'see' the City/Country/Culture/ECT. that way. Even something as simple as going to a local market in poorer country can be a big eye opener for someone say from USA or England - something new which gives you the 'feel' of being somewhere new.

★☆ ミキ ☆★

I would have thought that most people on this site would try to get out of their vehicle, if only for a few minutes, while they were travelling through a country, because they are interested in travel. It would make me feel that I had a more genuine claim to have visited that country. Otherwise it is hardly any different to flying over a country.

My rule is that you have to actually do something in that country. Just going through immigration and heading back to catch the next flight doesn't count. See a sight. Have a meal. Meet some people. It doesn't have a time duration or a cost necessarily associated with it, but you have to actually do something for it to qualify in my book.

And I do not consider stopping at a gas station to buy fuel a visit if you're driving through a state or country. Sure, you did something, but not because of where you were.

I believe my shortest visit was one of Monaco, Vatican City or my most recent transit of London (6 hours plus or minus, though I went into town, rode the eye and then headed on to the next airport).

The way i see it, you have been to a country when you have interacted with the people and the environment of that country. Whether it be for 1 hour or 1 week, it doesn't really matter how long for. It's all about interacting ! Isn't that why we visit other countries. To sample other peoples way of life and the different environments that they live in.

I would have thought that most people on this site would try to get out of their vehicle, if only for a few minutes, while they were travelling through a country, because they are interested in travel. It would make me feel that I had a more genuine claim to have visited that country.
club penguin cheats

There has been discussion of how long a visit needs to be in order to count as a visit. I would suggest that duration is not the most important factor.

I have worked in India for three years, yet most of that time was spent in my employer’s premises or on the road between my office and accommodation, with little time available for sightseeing. When I did get the opportunity to get away for the weekend, I met travelers who were seeing much more of the country on their fortnight’s vacation than I was able to.

On the other hand, I was privileged to undertake a two-week tour of Sri Lanka, and learned something of the culture and political situation as the Sinhalese and Tamils of various backgrounds saw it for themselves.

I have one country on my list which some may consider as a transit stop only. I have been to Doha airport in Qatar on three occasions, but have never been through passport control and on into the country. On my travels I met an airport manager who had worked at Doha airport. When he asked me if I had been to Qatar, I mentioned my fleeting experiences of walking on the tarmac at the airport, sensing the hot, arid climate, and being aware of the strict Islamic culture, as evidenced by warnings not to bring alcohol into the country.

We discussed what constituted a visit to a country and, as he put it, “Well, you certainly weren’t anywhere else when you walked on the tarmac there.”

On a rather serious note (a matter of life & death in fact), we might consider the 1976 “Raid on Entebbe” in Uganda. Palestinians hijacked an Air France aircraft and ordered it to Entebbe in Uganda. There, the Palestinian hijackers separated the Israeli and other Jewish passengers from the rest. The Israeli Defense Force, fearing the worst for their citizens, mounted a rescue operation, during which all the Palestinian hijackers, three hostages and an estimated 22 to 45 Ugandan soldiers were killed. All but one hostage (who had been taken to hospital and was later killed by the Ugandans) were rescued. The Israelis suffered one fatality: the commander of the operation Col. Jonathan Netanyahu (the brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu). Col Netanyahu arrived on an aircraft which did not have permission to land, he commanded the operation on the ground from a position near the aircraft and was identified by a Ugandan sniper as being in a position of authority and was targeted by that sniper. The entire operation lasted just 53 minutes from the time the Israeli aircraft landed until take-off. If Col Netanyahu’s visit to Uganda did not count as a visit, as he never went further than the tarmac near the aircraft, never passed through immigration and was evacuated within one hour, we may ask how the hell he ended up getting shot dead by a Ugandan soldier!

On a lighter note, I have seen the coastline of Malta; I do not claim to have visited Malta as I was somewhere else at the time – on the deck of a ship sailing by. I have seen Russia, but I do not claim to have been there as I was somewhere else – on an aircraft, looking out of the window!

I do include Qatar as a country that I have visited because, in the words of my acquaintance, I certainly wasn’t anywhere else when I was walking on the tarmac there!

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, “You have your way, I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, the only way – it does not exist.” That philosophical comment may apply to this issue. It is for each of us to decide whether we have truly had an experience of visiting a country.

Having been to a country it's when I managed to do something productive for that country, in my opinion. for instance I have managed to donate a car when i was in the States. I have been to a nice campaign of donating cars and I was amazed by how many people decide to donate their cars and save the planet from pollution. It encouraged me to start such thing at home in France too.

Basically your country of residence is where you have been normally residing since last 3 years. If you have been in another country for any purpose like education, business or short-term employment this is not going to change your country of residence.
hotels

My rule of thumb is this:

To really claim 'having been' in a country, you have to have passed passport control, and have eaten a meal OR slept there.

So, under that rule:

- Driving through doesn't count unless you stop for a meal (coffee is fine.)
- Airports don't count - they're really international space, and look very little like the country itself.

The idea here is that the whole point of 'visiting' a country is to experience it a little. Seeing it from a car is not experiencing it. Neither is transiting through an airport.

A friend of mine set this ground rule in our 'push pin contest'. We allowed for places you drive through, or airport transit, to be a 'transparent push pin'. PassportStamp uses the checkbox 'In Transit' for this.

Now, granted, this allows you, say, to cross the border to Russia, grab a Pepsi, and claim the entire landmass as having been 'visited'. That just goes to show the inherent limitations of 'counting' countries. What matters is the qualitative experience and the cultural discovery!

In my opinion you can not say you have visited to a country unless you stay there or visited some nice places of the country.
ski resort jobs

You can say you have been to a country only if you visit some of the well known place of that country.
Luxury yacht charter

Didn't need it, but there is a US Customs and Border Patrol office in the cruise terminal in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

I believe that if you've touched the land of a country, you've been there. The definition of 'been' is the past tense of 'be'. And to 'be', all you have to do is exist. So I think that if you 'exist' on the land of a country, you've 'been' there.

To me the prime object of visiting a place is to explore the natural beauties of that place as well as to interact with local people to know their culture and to feel the actual pulse of that place. I love to visit places driving my own car. It allows me to take my own time to feel the place. Last year, I took my car on a trip to Gatwick and at the end of the journey when I was looking for a secure place to park my car, a local boy suggested me to avail Gatwick parking. Their service made me satisfied. Since then I'm connected to that guy. To me, travel means making new friends from different backgrounds and culture.

Gifts are the express highways to the hearts of your close relations. Gifts let your loved relations feel special on the special occasion, courtesy the heartfelt feeling your heart holds, embedded into the gifts. Gifts are the ones that you will never be tiered of buying. Visit www.indiafloristnetwork.com/RAKHI.asp today and surprise your near and dear ones.

Terms with siblings make your smile. Since childhood, they have been the part of the priceless life journey and experience. This festival of togetherness, called Raksha Bandhan, flaunts the cherishment of these funny moments you had with them. When this special celebration comes your way, it’s actually the good excuse to let your close associates know that you care and concern for them from the core of your heart. IndiaFloristNetwork.Com is honored to bear that honorable responsibility on your behalf. Flowers, Foods, Handicrafts; whatever you want to gift, are all here at us. Log yourself onto www.indiafloristnetwork.com/RAKHI.asp for further information.

Its style that makes the difference, even when the act is as mere as showing time. Watches with fabulous finishes and mater class construction is what that www.rightgadgets.in/Items.asp?Category=Watches_India_Online&cid=4 is full of . That’s the surprise RightGadgets.In has in offer for you.