How many countries have you been to?

[DionneB]

I have been to 4
England
Scotland
Wales
France

I haven’t counted for a while
UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
Republic of Ireland
France
Belgium
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Norway
Italy (including San Merino)
Vatican City
Netherlands
Spain (mainland, Tenerife and Menorca)
Malta and Gozo
Greece (mainland, Crete, Corfu and possibly some other islands)
Iceland
Egypt
US (stayed in 3 states visited a couple of others)
Turks and Caicos
Canada but only briefly at Niagra falls
New Zealand
Malaysia
Brunei
Thailand
Vietnam
Myanmar
Indonesia (several islands)
Philippines (several islands)
China
Hong Kong
Sri Lanka
Maldives
Madagascar

I suspect there are a couple I’ve forgotten - travel has now been curtailed by small DCs but I hope we’ll get back to it. We lived in Malaysia so that helped with Asia although we didn’t make it to some countries I’d have liked to.
There are huge gaps, I haven’t visited South America at all or Africa aside from Madagascar, Russia or Eastern Europe, haven’t been to India, Nepal or Japan - all on my list.

Okaythen i lived in England, Scotland and Wales as a child. As an adult: Italy, ROI and Spain.

At the moment we are very tempted to upsticks for the French Pyrenees......

Okaythen2
Can afford to travel as live overseas. Have lived in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and now China. We drove to lots of places in Europe and Asia is short haul for us.
My dh works in finance for an Austrian company. I can't work in China as do not have a work visa, but used to have my own business teaching English at companies like Siemens.
Is it easy to set up in another country? Easy, no but can be done with a bit of patience and determination!

21 - Not including stop-overs.

6 continents
78 countries

How do you all afford to travel so much? Also when people say they have lived in numerous countries, was it easy to keep setting up in another country? What kind of work did you do? I’m just intrigued really

Most of mine was work travel so paid for by the company I worked for at the time. I haven't travelled in years now and wouldn't be able to afford it on my own.
I've lived abroad 3 times, the first two I spoke the language, had travelled a lot in the area, so I settled in quick to the flow of life, made friends easily. The third time I was in China, I didn't know mandarin and my attempts to speak it were awful! I didn't make friends, didn't really know what I was doing really in terms of what to do socially and found it awful in terms of settling in as I didn't really know anyone. So I basicallt spent my days binge watching movies after work!
I worked as a researcher mostly in East and Southern Africa, which is why China was a bit of a curve ball!

England
Scotland ...and it's Islands
Ireland
Wales
Jersey
France
Belgium
Netherlands
Germany
Spain
Portugal
Hungary
Czech Republic
Italy
Malta
Gozo
Cyprus
Kos
Corfu
Crete
Zakynthos
Lanzarote
Morrocco
Croatia
Jamaica
Dominicon
Mauritius
Montenegro
Mallorca
Ibiza
USA

Okaythen I guess we’re lucky enough to be able to use some money towards travel. We’re not loaded but we don’t drink or smoke or spend lots of money on other things. I prioritise travel and experiences over things.

We don’t live too far from an airport and book cheap flights well in advance and do airbnb closer to the date so that splits the expenses. Self catering helps to save on food when we’re abroad.
We ve driven to Europe and that works out cheaper sometimes.

We’ve also got friends who have moved abroad and so we’ve spent time in other countries without having to pay for accommodation.

Over 40 in 4 continents.
Lived in two different countries.
Travelled abroad extensively before having DD and lots more once she was 3+.
Been to several countries many times.
Still have a massive bucket list of countries we want to visit.

How do you all afford to travel so much? Also when people say they have lived in numerous countries, was it easy to keep setting up in another country? What kind of work did you do? I’m just intrigued really

We lived in New Zealand when I was tiny. I went to the US with work. I lived in Germany as a student and also for work. That made it easy to travel to all the places around Germany eg the bordering countries. I also went to Finland twice as a student.

We had one expensive holiday (Singapore and Australia) but otherwise most of our trips have been in Europe and not very expensive. When I was in my 20s I thought everyone else was a lot more well travelled than I was as I had been to quite a few places in Europe but not outside. Other than the Australia holiday I have never been outside Europe for a holiday. Too expensive - and I hate long haul flights, DH even more so. Give me a 30 minute hop over to Jersey any day!

How do you all afford to travel so much?

Presumably by having high-paid jobs?

Bear in mind this thread is naturally going to attract people who have travelled a lot. People who have only been to a few countries are less likely to want to tell people that.

I don't think having travelled to 30+ countries is the norm. The average is probably much lower.

48

18 new countries last year. One was repeated twice in the year, and 2 additional countries I’d visited in previous years

So far, the plan for this year is 7 new countries.

DH does contract work. So some of those countries was 6 months only and back to the original one or back to the UK. When you have no children or when they're little it's easy. It's never easy to set up on a new country. Some of those countries have high crime and poverty, which can be hard to adjust to. Other times, there was a language barrier. For countries we went with children, the first time was difficult but now it is slightly easier.

How do you all afford to travel so much?

We don't drink nor smoke, we don't go to the pub nor restaurants except for special occasions, we don't waste money on the latest gadgets, we don't buy expensive designer clothes, don't have a wardrobe full of shoes nor handbags, don't have expensive hobbies, don't go to the theatre, don't buy eachother expensive presents and don't have new cars/car leases. Besides the house-related costs and groceries, we don't really spend much. We'd far rather have foreign holiday experiences. Different people have different spending priorities.

I don't think having travelled to 30+ countries is the norm. The average is probably much lower.

Depends on age. My 20+ countries are spread over 30 years between the ages of 24-54. I don't think that's excessive. But a 25 year old having done 20 countries would be pretty extreme!

4 - Wales, England, France and Brittany... I so need to travel more!

Depends on age

I don't think it does. The norm being the average. I do not believe that the average number of countries visited, even for people in their 50s, is above 30.

Europe:
Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Montenegro, Greece, Austria

Asia
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Singapore, China

Africa:
Seyshelles, South Africa

Australia

I’ve been to:
England
Scotland
Wales
Ireland
Canada
America
Thailand
Greece
Spain
Belgium
Holland
Germany
Poland
Denmark
Portugal
Tenerife
Gran Canaria
Ibiza
Majorca
Menorca

It doesn't always depend on age. My 18 year old ds has visited over 30 countries and lived in 4. As a third culture kid he thinks that's normal.

England
Scotland
Wales
Ireland
France
Germany
Poland
Spain
Belgium
Netherlands
Italy
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Romania
Hungary
USA
Mexico
Finland
Australia
Singapore
Malaysia
Thailand
India
Vatican City
Mauritius

25 I think. I have to travel a bit for work but it tends to be the same 5 or 6 countries. Not done much personal travel the last few years but looking at Iceland in summer.

Oh and Portugal.

But a 25 year old having done 20 countries would be pretty extreme

Not necessarily. My 13 and 11 yr olds have been to 12 countries. Not sure they remember them all but another 8 by the time they’re 25 wouldn’t be extreme.

23

I’ve been to
England
Scotland
Wales
France
Germany
Spain
Holland
Lichtenstein
Luxemburg
Switzerland
Monaco
Turkey
Cyprus
Turkish Republic of northern Cyprus (if we count that)
Israel
Palestine
Maldives
USA
Greece
Italy
Czech Republic
I think that’s it, maybe a couple of others in Europe I’ve forgotten.
I don’t feel well traveled at all!