Loren Pechtel

Well, it looks like I win this one.

Not counting the US:

Japan
Taiwan
Hong Kong
Singapore
Indonesia
Malasyia
Thailand
Burma (now Myramar)
India
Nepal
Pakistan
Afghanistan (before the wars)
Iran (in the era of the Shah)
Israel (stopover only)
Egypt
Turkey
Greece
Yugoslavia (while it was still one nation)
Bulgaria
Romania
Poland
East Germany
West Germany
England
Australia
Zimbabwe
South Africa
Botswana
Zambia
Tanzania
Kenya
Uganda
Sudan
Central African Republic
Cameroon
Nigeria
China

and I seem to be missing a few, this count is too low.

godfry n. glad

1. United Kingdom
2. Eire
3. Netherlands
4. Belgium
5. Canada
6. Israel

...and here's my question:

I've noticed that some list places like Scotland, which is a political subdivision of the United Kingdom. If we go this route, I'd claim England, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall. Is that kosher?

How about Quebec?

I'll bet you won't let me count California, although I consider it to be a foreign country.

Then, while in Israel, I took a bus trip from Zefat, through Tiberias, Gilgal, and Jericho to Jerusalem, passing through what was then "the occupied West Bank", which was formerly Jordan and is now part of the Palestine Authority. Does that count as yet another country?

godfry n. glad

wildernesse

How do those of you who travel extensively afford to do so? Are these trips of a lifetime, or just casual excursions (like me going to North Carolina from Georgia, which could be done easily in a weekend or less).

How long are you staying in these places? I counted Canada as one of my other countries--but I didn't spend much time there (it was on a family vacation and I was little--5/7?--although I remember things like the park we visited and crossing the border).

--tibac

godfry n. glad

Hmmm...

My wife and I spent three weeks in Israel on one trip. We spent a month in northwest Europe. We spent a month in New England, Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes. We go to British Columbia and Alberta a lot because it's just a one to two day drive to the Canadian Rockies.

We afford a lot of it by cutting accomodation expenses and hostelling, although staying with friends (like we did in Jerusalem) is even better.

But... The main reason we can afford to do all this: We're child-free.

godfry n. glad

...and, we're planning a two-week gig in Belize late next winter.

godfry n. glad

You list Myanmar (Burma) and India, but not Bangladesh. I'll bet you passed through it.

godfry

echidna

Hey good question, I've never counted.

Australia (well duh)
Britain (twice total 8 weeks England & Scotland)
Ireland (3 weeks)
France (4 days when I was 16)
Germany (4 days, same trip)
Belgium (2 days, same trip)
China (1 week with my father when I was 16)
Vietnam (1 month travelling & living with gf who was working there)
Laos (3.5 months !!!)
Cambodia (2 weeks)
Thailand (three times but same trip if that makes sense, 6 weeks)
Singapore (maybe 4 times, 2 - 3 weeks)
Malaysia (twice but same trip, 5 weeks)
Brunei (4 days)
New Zealand (twice, 2 weeks)

Was born in Hong Kong pre 1997 & I guess that's still China, & I suppose a transit stop in India doesn't count either so that makes 15.

Bugger, I forgot Austria and Japan, and Loren was allowed Hong Kong so that takes me to 18 (even though I'd already voted).

Hong Kong (18 months in nappies + 1 week another time)
Austria (4 days)
Japan (10 days with work)

echidna

IIRC, Burma's land borders are pretty restricted to foreigners ?

echidna

Was lucky enough to be taken to Europe by my father when I was 16, then took a few trips to various places over the years, then did the big backpacking thing & chucked in my job (actually chucked in the job first) for a year. The trick to backpacking is to learn to live cheaply, which is often helped by sticking to the poorer countries (Britain killed me). With your mightly greenback it's a wonder there aren't more Americans OS.

Autonemesis

It's a great place. Ambergris Caye is not particularly inexpensive compared to other Caribbean destinations, but it's still quite rustic and very pleasant, while the mainland is very cheap and very rustic (and still very pleasant). I want to go back and see more of the inland sites, and take an excursion over the border into Guatemala to see the Mayan ruins at Tikal.

godfry n. glad

Now, yeah.

But it sounds like he might have been there when it was "pre-Myanmar".

gng