Brian Strickland August 16, 2013

Elevation Comparison :

CountryLocation of Highest Point Highest Elevation (m) Location of Lowest Point Lowest Elevation (m) Total Distance (m) ChinaMount Everest8850Turpan Pendi IndiaKanchenjunga8598Indian Ocean08598 KenyaMount Kenya5199Indian Ocean05199 Pakistan K2 (aka Mt. Godwin- Austen)8611Indian Ocean08611 RussiaGora El'brus5633Caspian Sea SwitzerlandDufourspitze4634Lake Maggiore TanzaniaKilmanjaro5895Indian Ocean05895 USMount McKinley6194Death Valley

Three interesting facts about each country:

 China is mostly mountains, hilly terrain.  China is the worlds 4 th largest country (after Russia, Canada and US).  1 out of every 5 people are Chinese.

 India is where the Chutes and Ladders game was created.  There are 17 major languages spoken in India.  Chess was invented in India.

 Kenya is home of 39 million people.  Kenya has only 2 seasons: Rainy and Dry  Kenya has the largest airport in east Asia.

 Pakistan has 2 international sea ports.  Sports of choice in Pakistan are Cricket and Futbal.  Pakistan’s national anthem tune ranks first in the top three tunes in the world.

 Russia is home of the largest lake in Europe.  Russia has 12 seas.  Russia has 8 different time zones.

 Switzerland is considered the ‘Playground of Europe’.  Each Swiss eats an average of 23lbs of chocolate yearly, compared to the 11.7lbs consumed by each American.  Whenever you are in Switzerland, you are never farther than ten miles from a lake.

 Average life expectancy is 53 years old in Tanzania.  There are 30 different ethnic groups in Tanzania.  30% of the Tanzania population is Christian.

 US is home of the tallest roller coaster in the world.  US has the worlds largest economy.  The US was the leading force behind the development of the internet.

Where should you go?

Recalling the information we shared in the past about how you enjoy spending time in and around the water and that your favorite food is chocolate, I would recommend that you visit Switzerland. Because Switzerland has an ideal climate, no extreme heat or cold and no humidity any time of the year would work for your visit. In that you love to be in and around water, you will love this place. No matter where you are, you are never more than ten miles from a lake. They are proud of their chocolate! The average Swiss eats 23 pounds of chocolate per year compared to the 11.7 pounds consumed by Americans. They are also known for their cheese so great food should not be a problem to find. Also, considering that you will be traveling alone, I feel that Switzerland would be a great choice because it is a very safe place to visit. Switzerland has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. As far as the language barrier, there are four official languages (German, French, Italian and Romanch). English is an unofficial fifth language. Please let me know if you would like for me to do more research on particular parts of Switzerland.