I think one of the things that people don't get is the idea that my "foreign place" is your "home" ... your "foreign place" is my "home".

In other words, I live in a particular part of Australia. To me, this is "home" and I'm comfortable here. I'm comfortable going out for long bicycle rides, with buying food at the grocery stores around here, etc., etc. Meanwhile, you live in a particular part of the US. That's "home" for you and you're comfortable there.

If I were to pack up and fly across to your part of the US, that would be a trip to a foreign country for me ... a potentially scary foreign country. But if I were to tell you that your part of the US was a potentially scary foreign place, you'd probably laugh because it's your home ... you feel safe and comfortable there.

Same with people coming here to this part of Australia from a foreign country like the US ... they might feel that Australia is a potentially scary foreign country, and I'd laugh because it's my home and I feel safe and comfortable here.

Most places I have travelled or want to travel are someone else's home where they feel safe and comfortable, where they ride their bicycles, get groceries, go camping on the weekends, take in the attractions etc. etc. ... just like I want to do when I'm there.

And the thing is, with forums like this, many places I travel are places where people on this forum live and cycle. If people on this forum feel comfortable living and riding their bicycles around their homes, why shouldn't I feel comfortable riding my bicycle when I visit their areas?