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My Journey to Every Country in the World

My Journey to Every Country in the World

Old Sep 12, 2014, 8:50 pm
  #286  
 
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Originally Posted by DanielW
I've been to Don Sao Island, and paid the 30 baht 'border fee', but not sure if I count that as visiting Laos though(?).
Got a photo though, so maybe it does count?

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Old Sep 13, 2014, 12:57 am
  #287  
 
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Originally Posted by oneworld82
Wish I had all the free time y'all have
Question: do you consider a place like French Guyana or Mayotte simply as France for the count? I think that a count of territories is much more valuable.
Also, what is the minimum criteria for saying: "I have been to country X"?

Thanks!
To answer your question and as you've seen from the last 5 posts, it's all debatable!

There are a number of popular lists - the two I follow are the UN+3 and TCC Lists. There's a lot of discussion and debate throughout this thread about the lists and their opinions but at the end of the day I think it's up to you to make up your own mind.

Here are a couple blog posts on the matter:

http://baldpacker.com/how-many-countries-in-the-world

http://baldpacker.com/travelers-century-club-countries

As far as minimum criteria, that's also debatable. Some "country collectors" believe getting off a plane for 20 minutes is enough. Others have funny rules about taking a dump or using a credit card. For me, I always like to stay long enough to get a "feel" for a place. For example, on an upcoming trip I'll only be spending one day on Cocos (Keeling) Island. Given it's a very small island with only 600 people, I believe that's enough.

For a big country like Australia, Canada, US, Russia, or China I figure a month is about minimum to get a proper taste. Once again, to each their own...
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Old Sep 13, 2014, 6:33 am
  #288  
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Originally Posted by DanielW
Got a photo though, so maybe it does count?
lol count it if you wish, noone is going to check :P

I drove thru Neum, which is Bosnian territory that cuts thru Croatia. Total time spent, maybe 15 minutes - didnt use a card, didnt take a dump, didnt take a picture. Didnt count it until going back to Bosnia proper.



Like mentioned above - there are a lot of "collectors" that count 5 minute cross border visits. Thats their business, in the end noone really cares how many countries you have been to, and whether its 150 or 151 doesnt really make a difference. Its on your conscience. .
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Old Sep 14, 2014, 2:58 am
  #289  
 
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A bit similar to my last trip, I transited through Moscow's SVO, but didn't 'count' Russia until I came back on the train.

Originally Posted by rankourabu
Thats their business, in the end noone really cares how many countries you have been to, and whether its 150 or 151 doesnt really make a difference. Its on your conscience. .
Yes, definitely not counting it on my 'official' list.

Good travel anecdote though.
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Old Sep 23, 2014, 5:39 am
  #290  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
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I too dreams of traveling the world and I hope I have the chance to see every places possible in this planet. I know that it requires a lot of money so I'm trying to find ways on how I can travel cheaply as much. Hopefully I can reach new place soon.
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Old Oct 5, 2014, 1:22 pm
  #291  
 
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Originally Posted by rankourabu
lol count it if you wish, no one is going to check :P

I drove thru Neum, which is Bosnian territory that cuts thru Croatia. Total time spent, maybe 15 minutes - didnt use a card, didnt take a dump, didnt take a picture. Didnt count it until going back to Bosnia proper.



Like mentioned above - there are a lot of "collectors" that count 5 minute cross border visits. Thats their business, in the end noone really cares how many countries you have been to, and whether its 150 or 151 doesnt really make a difference. Its on your conscience. .
I have 4 categories of counting countries.
1. Countries that I really know. That would be knowing the local news, knowing attractions to visit, knowing local restaurants, knowing obscure sights, knowing local laws, being able to name local politicians, visiting many times, etc. For me, this number is very small, perhaps 4.

2. The second category is countries that I've visited more than a token visit. Usually 2 days is needed though a well used one day can count.

3. The third category is all the countries that I've step foot in. This is the most commonly quoted number. Without counting, I don't know the number to #2 or #4.

4. The fourth category, one that I never mention as a number, is all the countries that I've step foot in, including disputed political entities and unusual circumstances. One example is West Berlin. Prior to reunification of East Germany, West Berlin was a free city, not part of West Germany. East Jerusalem is also possibly part of the West Bank. Puerto Rico has an Olympic team but I don't count it as a country except possibly as this fourth category.
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Old Oct 5, 2014, 1:29 pm
  #292  
 
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Originally Posted by DanielW

I've been to the Korean DMZ from the south side and 'crossed the border', but do not count that as visiting North Korea.

.
I would count North Korea as category 4, probably. This is because the extent of travel would be so limited that it's just a footnote.

Q. What did you see in North Korea?
A. Half of a table.

If I saw a border village, it might qualify as my own category 3.

See above post.
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Old Oct 5, 2014, 1:34 pm
  #293  
 
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My country count is high compared to the average person on the street but deficient compared to people posting on this thread.

My current goal is (party pooper!) is to visit countries that I've already been to and add a very small number of countries. One big gap in my travel map is West Africa. Sorry, I have no interest in visiting there. Before, maybe The Gambia and Senegal but not anymore. One factor is that medical care is lousy there. Have a head injury and you are in big trouble. On the other hand, have a head injury 100 miles north of Glasgow, Montana and that's bad....no neurosurgeon nearby.
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Old Oct 6, 2014, 12:33 pm
  #294  
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Originally Posted by CL87
One big gap in my travel map is West Africa. .
yup, mine too - and quite frankly, I have no interest in it for now.
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Old Oct 10, 2014, 7:25 pm
  #295  
 
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Now this is how to travel the world, 215 countries over 26 years in the same Mercedes 4WD over 900,000 k's, financing the trip by making/selling maps on the way.

http://www.thelocal.de/20141009/77-y...-otto-mercedes
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Old Oct 11, 2014, 5:05 am
  #296  
 
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Originally Posted by rankourabu
yup, mine too - and quite frankly, I have no interest in it for now.
Gee, I wonder why.

Originally Posted by DanielW
Now this is how to travel the world, 215 countries over 26 years in the same Mercedes 4WD over 900,000 k's, financing the trip by making/selling maps on the way.

http://www.thelocal.de/20141009/77-y...-otto-mercedes
That is just an absolutely fantastic story. I read it with rapt attention. Hope he didn't have any trouble finding quality diesel in the boonies, although I'm sure he had a Jerry can on occasion.
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 3:34 pm
  #297  
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Originally Posted by DanielW
Now this is how to travel the world, 215 countries over 26 years in the same Mercedes 4WD over 900,000 k's, financing the trip by making/selling maps on the way.

http://www.thelocal.de/20141009/77-y...-otto-mercedes
What?? Where is his blog ticking off countries

Great story. Good on him.
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Old Nov 14, 2014, 6:06 am
  #298  
 
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Originally Posted by DanielW
So when does the Islamic Caliphate start being counted as a 'country'?

If 5 years from now they still control a chunk of Syria and perhaps a bit of Iraq, does it become the middle eastern equivalent of Transnistria?
Well they've just started minting their own currency.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...-islamic-dinar
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Old Nov 14, 2014, 1:59 pm
  #299  
 
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Originally Posted by DanielW
Well they've just started minting their own currency.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...-islamic-dinar
Haha, well they're off the UN+3 list for now (UN members + countries at least half of UN members recognize - Vatican, Kosovo, Palestine)

But the UN + 3 + 20 ...well they might be on that list soon. My +20 is places that have independent borders/visa regimes, their own currency, and independent legislative and judiciary authority. So Taiwan, Transdnistria, Hong Kong, Jersey, etc all fall on that list. Looks like IS is pretty close to making that list too...although I'm not sure Sharia, stonings, and amputations count as judiciary authority...
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Old Nov 14, 2014, 10:42 pm
  #300  
 
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Originally Posted by ironmanjt
But the UN + 3 + 20 ...well they might be on that list soon. My +20 is places that have independent borders/visa regimes, their own currency, and independent legislative and judiciary authority.
I guess a key thing will be the actual borders too, which are quite fluid at the moment. Hopefully the US coalition keeps dropping enough bombs on them so we don't get to that stage though.

Originally Posted by ironmanjt
...although I'm not sure Sharia, stonings, and amputations count as judiciary authority...
It works for Saudi.
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