Number of countries visited?

[YancyW]

I didn't want to derail the coffee thread posted by @Kevin Peacocke, but seeing the number of countries visited made me think it might make a good post on its own.

When I was in my teens, I made it a goal to always have visited more countries than was years old. I am 43 and have been to 41 countries, if not for COVID, I would have been able to keep the streak alive. Clearly, I am going to get to a point where this isn't feasible, just mark that up to bright-eyed youth when setting the goal, but I hope to get it back going very soon.

So let's hear it, how many countries have you been to?

 

[cpr0312]

Best I can count of the top of my head 18. I will be adding 2 new ones in 2021!

 

[Tra3]

35 countries. And all 50 states. I’m missing 2-3 provinces in Canada only.
The difficulty of this is the depth of each “visit” can widely range. I lived in Spain for two years and extensively traveled in Spain while there.

I too had the goal of being in more countries than my age. I’m behind now, 2020 didn’t help me catch up!

I never anticipate to catch my father. He is over 160!

 

[YancyW]

35 countries. And all 50 states. I’m missing 2-3 provinces in Canada only.
The difficulty of this is the depth of each “visit” can widely range. I lived in Spain for two years and extensively traveled in Spain while there.

I too had the goal of being in more countries than my age. I’m behind now, 2020 didn’t help me catch up!

I never anticipate to catch my father. He is over 160!

160 is truly remarkable. I know someone in the 100+ range, it took very serious effort and financial commitment to reach that level.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Best I can count of the top of my head 18. I will be adding 2 new ones in 2021!

Glad you are counting the Eastern Cape as a new country. Damn center of the universe if you ask me.

 

[Ragman]

My list is pretty short. I live in Canada and have been to all the provinces except Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and the 3 Territories. Other countries:
United States (North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California and Texas)
France
Germany
Switzerland
Namibia
South Africa
I can forget about the age/country thing...I'm 51 now and don't have time to catch up!!!

 

[steve white]

21

 

[jeanes]

16

 

[wipartimer]

4. 5 if you count the center of the universe separately.

 

[wesheltonj]

76 according to the "Travelers' Century Club."

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I just did a recount, it is 66 after Madagascar. Thinking back on it all it was quite a drain and all done on a Zimbabwe passport, in fact many of them because almost every country required a visa. 11 passports since 2002! You get to know the staff at the various embassies pretty well, i nearly always got invited in to a reception area for coffee.
Would I do it again? Well I physically couldn't, but no, not unless I was going on a hunt or a holiday.

 

[YancyW]

I just did a recount, it is 66 after Madagascar. Thinking back on it all it was quite a drain and all done on a Zimbabwe passport, in fact many of them because almost every country required a visa. 11 passports since 2002! You get to know the staff at the various embassies pretty well, i nearly always got invited in to a reception area for coffee.
Would I do it again? Well I physically couldn't, but no, not unless I was going on a hunt or a holiday.View attachment 380638

Was that mostly work-related travel?

 

[YancyW]

76 according to the "Travelers' Century Club."

Do you have the road to 100 mapped out yet?

 

[Ragman]

My list is pretty short. I live in Canada and have been to all the provinces except Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and the 3 Territories. Other countries:
United States (North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California and Texas)
France
Germany
Switzerland
Namibia
South Africa
I can forget about the age/country thing...I'm 51 now and don't have time to catch up!!!

I forgot Mexico and Jamaica...I think I'm gonna be the least travelled on here!

 

[mark-hunter]

63 countries, 5 continents.

 

[YancyW]

I forgot Mexico and Jamaica...I think I'm gonna be the least travelled on here!

There is a little selection bias asking the question on this forum, the people hanging out on here are going to be far more traveled than your average person.

 

[Alistair]

27 I think, 25 if you don't count Scotland and Wales.

It's a lot easier to rack up big totals if you live in Europe I guess, at least in terms of ease of access and cheap trips. It also helps if you can travel a fair bit for work.

 

[wesheltonj]

Do you have the road to 100 mapped out yet?

Not yet. I was hoping to get a few more over the Christmas break, but that's not happening. Maybe this summer I can pick up some more, but that's not looking good either. I can't even get to Zambia for @spike.t great offer. (Well I can, but it will take three days and several plane changes.)

 

[Tra3]

160 is truly remarkable. I know someone in the 100+ range, it took very serious effort and financial commitment to reach that level.

It is remarkable. I don’t know anyone even close. One of the complications is after maybe 60-80 you have to start going to places you might not really want to “vacation”. It starts getting in to adventure travel. He has remarked that is is easier with grey hair, because grey haired men tend to fit in better (or not be noticed).

@wesheltonj thanks for the reference to the travelers century club. My count just went to 45!

I will say that a hunting trip really gets a personal knowledge of the country not found with just a city stopover.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Go Wesheltonj, that is one slog that will be worth it.