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Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Traveling the world for a year showed me real life doesn't always live up to the hype. These are the most disappointing places I've been.

[IMG_20190102_163611]Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider * IN MARCH I LEFT NEW YORK TO TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD AS BUSINESS INSIDER'S INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT. OVER THE COURSE OF MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, I HAVE SO FAR VISITED 18 COUNTRIES. * WHILE I'VE HAD SOME EPIC ADVENTURES, NOT EVERYTHING LIVED UP TO THE HYPE. SOME BUCKET-LIST ATTRACTIONS WERE OVERPRICED, UNINSPIRING, OVERCROWDED, OR JUST PLAIN BORING. * AMONG THE OFFENDING ATTRACTIONS: THE "MOST DANGEROUS HIKE IN THE WORLD" IN CHINA, THE MARINA BAY SANDS MEGA-HOTEL FEATURED IN "CRAZY RICH ASIANS," AND THE GREEK ISLE OF MYKONOS. * I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SHARE WHICH OF MY RECENT ADVENTURES WEREN'T WORTH THE TROUBLE. * IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE THINGS YOU _SHOULD_ DO, I HAVE A LIST OF THOSE TOO. Let's be honest, some things simply don't live up to the hype. There's a temptation when going on a big trip abroad to come back singing the praises of everything you did and saw, whether it's a mediocre, all-inclusive island resort or an adrenaline-pumping off-road trip through the desert. But that muddies the waters. Sometimes, you get to a place, attraction, or activity only to find it overpriced, uninspiring, overcrowded, or just plain boring. If you don't call that out, how do you know some experience you've had really was life-altering? When I left to travel as Business Insider's international correspondent in March, I knew there would be amazing adventures along the way. I also knew there would be more than a few duds. Among them: the "most dangerous hike in the world" in China, the Marina Bay Sands mega-hotel featured in "Crazy Rich Asians," and the Greek isle of Mykonos. With 18 countries and nearly a year checked off on the trip so far, I decided it was time to pinpoint my least favorite adventures. Perhaps it'll help you reevaluate an upcoming trip, adjust your expectations for a bucket-list location, or feel less pressure to go see or do that thing that everyone is telling you that you _must_ do. Here's what they are: IN CHINA, I HEADED TO MOUNT HUA, OR HUASHAN, CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF CHINA'S FIVE SACRED MOUNTAINS AND ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND PILGRIMAGE SITES FOR CHINESE PEOPLE. THE MOUNTAIN ACTUALLY HAS FIVE MAIN PEAKS: A NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, AND CENTER. Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider WHILE BREATHTAKING, IT'S CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS PLACES TO HIKE, DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE INFAMOUS PLANK WALK LOCATED ON THE MOUNTAIN'S HIGHEST PEAK, SOUTH, WHICH HAS A HEIGHT OF 7,070 FEET. Richard Saunders UNFORTUNATELY, I NEVER GOT TO THE PLANK WALK. THE EASIEST WAY TO GET TO THE MOUNTAIN'S PEAKS IS BY CABLE CAR. THE LINE WAS INCREDIBLY LONG. YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THE CABLE CAR IN THIS PICTURE. Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER SEE ALSO: * Photos of famous London landmarks like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace in real life look nothing like you'd expect * Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez included high-speed rail in her Green New Deal. After riding China's superfast bullet train that could go from New York to Chicago in 4.5 hours, it's clear how far behind the US really is * Trump's childhood home on the outskirts of New York City is for sale for $2.9 million — take a look inside the 5-bedroom house SEE ALSO: FROM OFF-ROADING IN CHINA TO 22 HOURS OF SUNLIGHT IN MOSCOW: THE ONE THING YOU HAVE TO DO IN 12 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD


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