Interesting read on why most Americans don't travel abroad. Not surprisingly -- similar to how some folks who have never hiked have an inordinate fear of the wilds out there -- many Americans "harbor an unmatched fear of the world". And again, methinks just like with people who have never hiked, those who don't travel are really missing out as well...

Edited by ben2world on 02/18/2011 12:09:00 MST.

I just got one in the last couple of years, but have yet to use it. The process for getting one now is so lengthy, I wanted to have it in case I caught a deal on going to say, New Zealand.

Mine is expired. Does that mean I don't have one? Haven't used it since '98.

"Only 30% of Americans Hold a Passport"

And you can't get it unless you pry them from our cold, dead fingers. Or warm dead fingers if they get there soon enough....

I've got some cool stamps in mine. Croatia. Bosnia. East Germany. I've got a great story about getting the East Germany stamp. Well, I think it's great anyway.

Saudi Arabia is my most exotic visa/stamp. Went there on business...

"Saudi Arabia is my most exotic visa/stamp. Went there on business..."

I went to Saudi Arabia once, by way of Iraq and Kuwait, on 'business.' They didn't stamp our passports though...... ;-)

I would LOVE to visit SA -- but tourist visas are only given to tour groups, and infidels are not allowed anywhere near Mecca or Medina!! Oh well...

I have one and work very hard to avoid out of country business trips. There are more great places to hike in the US than can be accomplished in a lifetime... so why go somewhere else?

I was going to go to Tanzania this year, but my wife nixed that idea :(

but I am sort of glad, because the dead time it takes to fly will be put to more constructive use.

It is my understanding that the new passports have biometric chips in them with personal information stored... no thanks Big Brother. I am going to let mine expire.

I lived/worked in Saudi Arabia for over 5 years, and let me tell you, it isn't all that exotic. Well, camping in the Empty Quarter was special, but the rest of the country is pretty bleak. It would make a superb landfill.

As for visas, we had to have an EXIT visa just to get out of the country. They like to keep track of where their worker bees are. But those exit/re-entry visas were lifelines to sanity. And they allowed me to fill up 3 different passports and visit over 100 countries while I lived there.

It is my understanding that the new passports have biometric chips in them with personal information stored... no thanks Big Brother. I am going to let mine expire.

Yes, but more importantly, as a result of this, they now weigh almost twice as much as the old ones.


I highly recommend visiting Turkey. The country is beautiful and culturally rich, with many hospitable and kind souls. Single entry Tourist visas are $20 ($65 if you are Canadian) at Istanbul Airport port of entry and good for up to 90 days. The Lycian Way and St. Paul's (legitimately named) Trail are of note.

'Cause 70% of us can't afford to go anywhere.

Travelling does tend to promote understanding and tolerance.

Do I need a passport to visit California? I've heard that's like another country.......

"Travelling does tend to promote understanding and tolerance."

Very true. And just like wilderness hiking -- traveling also banishes the "fear of the unknown".

Understanding and tolerance are over rated. I'll stick to snap judgments. j/k

Douglas, you won't want to use the return ticket after you get here.

The cost is just way too high. $110 for the passport. $25 for "processing fee" and then $10 for a picture. Seems odd we have to pay this much for a document that lets you travel outside of the country.

"Douglas, you won't want to use the return ticket after you get here."

I have no doubt that's true! But, of course, you all may want me to use that ticket by the time the weekend's over! ;-)

I'd guess foreign travel is out of budget for the poor, working poor, and most of the middle class.

Why have a passport when there is no chance of using it ?

30% of Americans are able to entertain thoughts of foreign travel, thus they have a passport.

Cameron:

Not to understate the plight of the poor among us... but reading the article, 30% is clearly very low for an affluent nation such as ours.