Why the developing world?
On this site, we’re not really looking to provide advice on how to do a one-month Euro-rail trip. No! We’re talking mostly about traveling in the developing world. Of course the more developed destinations like the US, Europe, and Australia are not without their charms – for one, they are great proving grounds for harder core travel. But I’ve got to say, I vastly prefer traveling in the developing world because that’s where all the chaotic, unpredictable, and less regulated fun is. That is the where the culture is visible, accessible, vibrant, authentic, and markedly different from what most travelers – who overwhelmingly come from developed countries -- are accustomed to. In much of the developing world, in particular wherever there is favorable weather, people seem to spend much of their lives outdoors. And we get to see it all.
What’s counted as the developing world?
When thinking about traveling, I find it useful to think of the world in regions because you can arrive at one country, and then travel around in others within the same region. Guidebooks such as Lonely Planet and Rough Guide do the same thing; for example you’ve got the book that started it all, Lonely Planet’s classic “Southeast Asia on a Shoestring” by Tony and Maureen Wheeler. So let’s say that, when we’re talking about the developing world, we’re talking about…
- Northeast Asia (minus Japan)
- Southeast Asia
- The Indian Subcontinent
- Central Asia
- South America
- Central America and Mexico
- Eastern Europe
- The Middle East
- North Africa
- West Africa
- Central Africa
- East Africa
- Southern Africa
No comments:
Post a Comment