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>Sincerely, I don't know how the US manages to be the second most touristic country in the world. Travelling to the US can be a nightmare - customs, TSA, metal detectors, body scanners, etc. As a tourist, I've never felt as unwelcomed as when travelling there. That is mostly a small BS business that ends in, like, 15 minutes. Then you are in the US and you can start your travel. I've visited the US six times, road-tripping for 40 days each time, and visited (more than once) all states but Vermont (just for lack of time, next time). You can opt for a traditional holiday (i.e pick a place, like NY, Chicago, Miami, L.A, S.F etc) or have excellent road trips, or go explore huge natural parks. In any case, you will find great city life, places untouched by tourism at all (e.g. I remember Langtry, TX, where the nearest shop was like 50 miles away, or Avalon, MS, where only 2-3 blues buffs a year ever venture), and generally helpful and curious folk (with the occasional idiot). Everywhere you go with a small drive you can find 99% of anything you want (just walk into the nearest Walmart for example), and you can find places to sleep ranging from $3000 a day hotels to $30 a day motels, with even the latter being just fine compared to shitholes you can get in other countries. What I want to say is, this TSA/Airport business is an INSIGNIFICANT part of the trip. Act along with the security theater, and it is over in a few minutes. In contrast, there are countries where you even have to bribe some officials to get in (or to avoid trouble). |
Uuhhh... I don't think so. I travelled around Europe in the 7 years I lived in two countries there, and I found it very easy to go from country to country (even to Eastern Europe countries like Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia).
Now, due to my job, I must go the US and man... all the stuff we have to put up. For starters, to get a VISA I have to go to the ASC to give my fingerprints and photo (and I am afraid they'll ask for a surprise anal probe). THEN I have to go to the embassy to convince the officer that I am not going to stay there (who would like to, when they treat you like that?).
In contrast, going to live in Germany was a breeze, no photos, no fingerprints, a very straight and to the point questionnaire (not the huge online form in which I have to specify when was my great-great-great grandmoher in the USA).
Anyway... I have ranted too much. Now I am just hoping that it is worth it and that the visit I must do to the US is so great that I forget all this stuff.