What was your 100th country?

[kpc]

Iran, Russia, North Korea.......USA.......

I have been to 3 of the 4....would love to go to Iran one day but not now

 

[drron]

We did get to 10 Russian cities when we could.

 

[SYD]

Iran, Russia, North Korea.......USA.......

A friend went to North Korea on an organised tour, which then made going to the USA for another friend’s wedding problematic…But he made it.

 

[Scarlett]

3 out of the 4 I will most likely never get to as they are on a list that I need to get permission to travel to and if approved I still need to sign waivers to the effect that travel is at my own risk. I will not get into the detail but it is not hard to work out.

That is what retirement is for!
You can also add Cuba and Sudan to the list and go visit those places as well.

But you do have to add a mandatory visit to a US consulate to the travel plan to get a visa as well…

 

[Sprucegoose]

A friend went to North Korea on an organised tour, which then made going to the USA for another friend’s wedding problematic…But he made it.

indeed a mate went to Iran and needed a lawyer to get a USA Visa - $6k and 18 months later.

 

[RooFlyer]

indeed a mate went to Iran and needed a lawyer to get a USA Visa - $6k and 18 months later.

Was the mate in some particular line of work? I went to Iran and subsequently had to get a US B1/B2 Visa. PITA but I got it and at the consulate which you have to go for an interview, they were completely disinterested in the reason I was applying for a Visa rather than getting an ESTA.

 

[kpc]

You can also add Cuba and Sudan to the list and go visit those places as well.

Fortunately I went to Cuba before it became an "axis of evil"again. Havana was great with Chevroiets from the 1950s everywhere.

 

[im.daniel]

Albania later this year for a work trip will be 95 for me …. so getting there slowly!

Having children has fundamentally changed our perspective on travel. There are so so so many more considerations than just packing my backpack, jumping on a budget airline and 10 dollar backpacker stays!

Wouldn’t change it for the world though, and it’s nice to be able to share our love of travel with them! A slower pace of travel and more repeated visits to destinations has been equally, if not more rewarding!

 

[Sprucegoose]

Was the mate in some particular line of work? I went to Iran and subsequently had to get a US B1/B2 Visa. PITA but I got it and at the consulate which you have to go for an interview, they were completely disinterested in the reason I was applying for a Visa rather than getting an ESTA.

Just the usual infrastructure management—popped over for a wedding, not really thinking like a strategic traveler, just an innocent wanderer roaming the globe.

Wouldn’t change it for the world though, and it’s nice to be able to share our love of travel with them! A slower pace of travel and more repeated visits to destinations has been equally, if not more rewarding!

And it all changes again when they fly the nest!

 

[Warks]

Question for people with 100+ countries: was it ever an actual aim or did it happen by chance and a lot of travel? Just wondering if you would plan a trip to take in as many new countries as you could within reason. I assume the rule is you've passed into the country rather than just land at an airport and take off again. I think if you pass through a country on land that still counts even if you don't stay there. Anyway, just interested. I only say this because I was close to 50 on my last trip and may have just added a couple of countries to the route, just... because...

 

[AuSammy]

Question for people with 100+ countries: was it ever an actual aim or did it happen by chance and a lot of travel? Just wondering if you would plan a trip to take in as many new countries as you could within reason. I assume the rule is you've passed into the country rather than just land at an airport and take off again. I think if you pass through a country on land that still counts even if you don't stay there. Anyway, just interested. I only say this because I was close to 50 on my last trip and may have just added a couple of countries to the route, just... because...

Everyone will have different criteria. Transit in an airport certainly shouldn’t count. Generally for me, have to have slept a night there or spend the day there if off a cruise. Usually plan 4days three nights if possible in the itinerary (not cruises obviously).

 

[drron]

We. did try to visit all 50 states of the USA and that meant sleeping in all 50.

For countries it was just the travel we wanted to do.

 

[RooFlyer]

Question for people with 100+ countries: was it ever an actual aim or did it happen by chance and a lot of travel?

A lot of travel up to about #90, (with an enjoyment of visiting a new country/culture), then a deliberate effort. Currently 111 but it gets more difficult to add more! I'll get only 1 new country this year, which will be Algeria. I have a couple of 'easys' to do - Taiwan, Tonga, Cook Islands, Madagascar.

Just wondering if you would plan a trip to take in as many new countries as you could within reason.

I did once - the Caribbean on a cruise.

I assume the rule is you've passed into the country rather than just land at an airport and take off again. I

Per my OP, no 'rule', and I'm reluctant to get into this debate, but generally I count if I have feet on the ground past immigration; there are things like autonomous breakaway republics like Transnistria and Kosovo (both have 'immigration') and some special cases like Greenland that I count . I also count a couple of countries that I entered on foot and not via immigration - Armenia and my first visit to Bosnia Herzegovina.

The ones that got away (I planned to go, but not possible by the time I went to do it) - Yemen, Sudan.