i'd travel back about 20 years, slap my younger self in the face and say "whatever seems like a good idea at the time, isn't".
Holy Fucken shitballs. I went into a time travel machine and went back in time and you looked so different then. Kind of like a donkey... or an ass.
If it was just to observe: I'd really like to go take a look at Gobekli Tepi 11,500 years ago. It's an absolutely insane archeological site that makes no sense technologically based on all of our previous assumptions- at a time when everyone was a primitive hunter-gatherers they were building intricately carved monoliths and inventing modern agricutlure seemingly out of nowhere. Graham Hancock has some really interesting (and well-argued) theories that there was a handover of knowledge from refugees from a much older civilisation destroyed by the effects of a comet strike, and that's why these hunter-gatherers suddenly became so smart. It'd be cool to have a look and see if he's right. But I'd only want to observe, I have one of those "sacrifice him to the Gods to ensure a plentiful harvest" faces. If I was going back in time as myself It'd probably be jsut to some great big historical party. anything from a roman bacchanalia, The Greek Eleusian Mysteries to Woodstock. To be honest, I think the best would probably just Manchester in the 90's, Height of rave culture. I definitely think I could have an interesting time
It would be interesting to go back to Palestine in about 30 CE just to find out definitively the truth about the origins of Christianity. Also to have a look at Rome during that same period, although I doubt I'd look very good in a Toga. India during the early Vedic period would be another destination - I could then perhaps solve the mystery around Soma. Maybe they'd even incorporate me into their pantheon. I doubt they'd have seen a red haired time traveller before.
If the time machine provided sustenance, protection and all that I'd go to the Cretaceous period first to see what the world was like while Dinosaurs ruled, then fast forward to about ~2 million years ago to see hominins such as Homo Habilis, Then probably check out Ancient Greece.
well i'd like to ride the nevada county narrow gauge, the sacramento northern interurban and the key system articulated bridge units. those are all within the last hundred years, and only the last overlaps my lifetime. the first two ended less then ten years before i was born. i'd like to visit a culture where people eat regular before humanity made the mistake of romantacizing aggressiveness. there are various points in time in the development of crete i'd like to see first hand. i'd like to visit and learn the language of the people who wrote in linear b. finally there are many indiginous cultures i would have liked to live in at least a couple of hundred years before the european invasion of the western hemisphere. rome has nothing to offer me, and the early kelts, well maybe some interest there. the greeks, well agricola interests me, and maybe the plenys. most of human history is filled with bad decisions and lucky breaks that together gave us the world we have now. i'd like to see a lot of those mistakes not be made, or made differently. i doubt i'd be any more successful at preventing this then i am today, but equally i doubt i could resist the temptation to do something about them, and probably get myself killed doing so. for this reason its probably just as well that i can't. i have no delusions about people being 'simpler' or life 'easier' at any time past, just variations of cultural priorities, perspectives, and available technologies.
I have from years go by pondered upon Time travel - and the Butterfly effect consequences that coulda, woulda shoulda happen if interception and interaction was employed i.e.:- Pay attention to your daughter Priam Divine rule does not supersede the power of the people - and you may just lose your head Charlie Arrogance will see your downfall against a Native population George Listen to your Generals Adolf Don't drive around Dallas in an open topped car Jack Timelines and alternate realities can really blow ones mind Travelling in Time can only be an observational matter - and the only safe way to indulge - and of that one could do with a Tardis where the choice/s can be infinite
