HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE YA BEEN?

Had a debate with friends the other day in a bar after work about when and how someone can say they've been to a region or state or country on the planet earth if they just drove through it, flew over it or had a lay-over at an airport.

London's Heathrow Aerodrome

My friends said that driving through a state does not allow you to say that you've been there. That a lay-over in a city does not allow you to say you've been to that city.

I however, massively disagree.

You can't possibly tell me that if I, on my way to Paris, had a layover in London, no matter how short, that I have "not been" to London as much as someone who's never left their house. It is completely irrational.

Colorado, USA

If I drove through Colorado from border to border, never getting out to pee or eat, traversing the valleys, forests, mountains and passes, you're going to tell me that I've never BEEN to Colorado as much as someone who never left their house? Nonsense.

Can I say I've "been" to Colorado? Of COURSE I can. I was actually IN Colorado. I had the window down and SAW it with my own eyes.

I would go so far as to say, though it needs a different designation than "been there", that flying over a piece of earth in a jet constitutes a level of experience greater than someone who has never done such a thing.

Photo of Dubai neighborhood by me, who's never been

For example: I returned from India to the United States by flying to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where we had an hour layover and saw the city through the windows of the airport, and once more through the window of the plane. Does this mean I can't say I've "been" to Dubai?

THEN we flew over Iran from bottom to top. Now, while I can't say I've BEEN to Iran, I DID see it with my own eyes, with only a pane of glass between us. That certainly counts in some way more towards "having been", (though I can't say that term exactly) than someone who's never left their house. I'd say the same for Dubai. Landing and taking off revealed an even more amazing experience with that city than looking out the airport windows.

My photo of in-flight map from Dubai to Iran on Emirates airlines

Iran. (photo by me though apparently I've never been there)

I guess the question really should be clearer than have you "been there" or not. But have you "sight seen" there or not. In that case, no I have not sight seen in Iran. But I CAN say I've been there. Or "over it" anyway. Which is still infinitely more "there" than never having left home.

I took a night train from Vienna to Budapest that cut through the city of Bratislava in Slovakia. In the night I was awakened by a Slovak train conductor who asked for my passport, looked at it, looked at me, then stamped it. I went back to bed and woke in Hungary, but does this mean I have to say I've not "been" to Slovakia though my body WAS in the human territory called Slovakia? Have I NOT been to Slovakia as much as the friend I was talking to who's never been?
Insanity.

Did I SIGHT SEE in Slovakia? No. Other than seeing villages and tree silhouettes and stars at night from my window on a couple occasions, I did not walk its cities or meet its people. (other than the conductor) Fair enough. But when I tell people I hit 11 countries on my European backpacking adventure, I do include Slovakia. Get over it. When I go down the list of countries, I DO specify Slovakia was experienced at night on a train.

Know why? CAUSE IT HAPPENED. You know what country I don't include in the 11? Spain. Why? Cause I never crossed the border. Didn't hit Greece either. Thus I don't count it. Simple as that.

So, you can let me know where YOU stand on this issue, as I'm sure its come up in your own life or someone you know. How do you know where you've been?

MJW