Three Sentences On Every Country I’ve Been To | Part 1

I don’t think countries are a great metric for measuring your travels by or making decisions about where you want to visit. A person who has seen many regions of 5 countries may be much better traveled than someone is has set foot in the capital city of 60 countries. That said it is still a fun number to keep track of, so here we go with part one.

1. Iceland – This was the first stop on a 6-month trip and my first time in a non-English speaking country. Experiencing the long summer days is something I won’t forget. The geography of Iceland is alien and after 4 days I knew I needed to come back and explore more.
2. England – We only saw London and a bit of the countryside, but I loved the city. From experiencing Wimbledon to gorging on fish and chips, drinking cider and exploring Hyde park, I kept thinking that I could live in this city. Summer is a great time to be in London.
3. Scotland – My father is from Scotland, so going there was fun for me. Seeing some of the places my extended family had lived, exploring castles, and learning about William Wallace was an enjoyable dive into the past. Gorging on toffee probably wasn’t a good move though.
4. Northern Ireland – We really sucked at travel when we went to Belfast. Not having anything planned we missed out on the Giants Causeway and the more interesting history of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Belfast is absolutely worth exploring.
5. Ireland – Beer, beer, beer, beer, beer. From touring the Guinness brewery to pub hopping I got my fill of dark beer in Ireland. The cliffs of Moher are just one of the many incredibly scenic places to visit.
6. Spain – We arrived without the ability to speak Spanish and left thinking we really need to learn how to speak Spanish. I fell in love with the laid back attitude, the food, the climate, and the scenery of Spain. Running of the Bulls in Pamplona was the first thing we booked on our trip, and an experience I’ll never forget.
7. Morroco – We only spent a day here, but what a crazy day it was. The old town in Tangier was one of the most overwhelming experiences we’ve had traveling. Moving around many of the narrow streets was similar to making your way through a gauntlet of people trying to sell you trinkets.
8. Portugal – Lagos, a beautiful town at the Southern end of Portugal has a special place in our hearts. But the country as a whole is very affordable and has some of the best food and hostels in the World. A must visit on any backpacking trip to Europe.
9. France – We only saw Bourdeaux and Paris. France was a little expensive, but the history and sights are incredible. Pastries are also on point and I had a weird experience trying to get a haircut.
10. Belgium – Doesn’t really count as we were only in the train station in Brussels. We did by some chocolates though! Unfortunately, we had no time for waffles.
11. Netherlands – Two crazy days in Amsterdam was our experience in the Netherlands. The bikes canals and atmosphere, make this a city I would love to live in. Cannabis shouldn’t be illegal anywhere.
12. Germany – My distinct memories from Germany are gigantic beers, gigantic pretzels, and people bumping into me all over the place. This was one of the first places were I experienced a different culture in regards to personal space as people will run into you and say nothing. I am a fiend for Lagenbretzel, and that is why I will always return.
13. Austria – Two trips have taken me to Salzberg and Vienna. Salzberg is one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever seen. Vienna’s palace’s, imperial buildings, and downtown also make you walk around with your mouth gaped open.
14. Switzerland – Bern and Interlaken were our two stops here. After months of Summer heat in southern Europe, breathing in the cool mountain air and swimming in a fresh water river was a friendly taste of home. The area around Interlaken has some of the best hikes I’ve ever seen.
15. Italy – From an AC Milan game to exploring the colosseum, all our major moments in Italy were punctuated by stops to eat pizza and gelato. Mmmm, I get hungry just thinking about it. Traveling Italy in August was also fun, just to see how so many businesses were closed for the entire month.
16. Greece – Incredible food, unbelievable scenery, and mind-boggling history. Athens is pretty sketchy, but the food makes up for it. The islands will leave you longing to return.
17. Thailand – First developing country we visited and most intense culture shock. We went from feeling scared to leave our hotel on day one, to feeling completely at home at the end of six weeks.

The next twenty will be coming in the next few days in part two, stay tuned!