I was first sceptical, if I should start a new thread or just omit saying anything. But then again I wanted to vent this aloud and I haven't yet started blogging, so decided to just go ahead. This thread isn't about craving for pity, but just to share some thoughts and to get empowered.

Yesterday I made up my mind. Yes, I certainly did.

1. I love to travel. Period. However I've neglected this trait for my whole adulthood so far. Not sure why. The 90s Sony PlayStation advert "Doube Life" that ends with "But at least I can say I've lived" brings up the essential notion of actually doing what you truly want. One of my favourite commercials ever. It's just a very strong sentiment in there and it sums up that I've in the past simply lived my own kind of life too little. The "20's" of my life were somewhat wasted on an ex relationship that lasted 10 yrs.


2. I want to start a blog about this little travel project of mine. I have a need to share and get responses. IRL I'm a loner nowadays, despite actually I'm a social character. It's slightly weird how I've managed to end up like this. Also I decided to use FT for being able to share my thoughts and experiences.

2. I'm a single male and without any offspring. I survived cancer at the age of 29 (now 31), which means I've already once faced a possible own premature death. Alas, there's no obligations in my life that make me think "heck, that's a dangerous place, don't go there." So yes, my list of countries to visit also includes such as Libya, Somalia and South Sudan.

3. I earlier wrote in the Middle East forum that as long as I'm single, it's just easier to visit certain types of countries as a harmless solo travelling male. Not that I underestimate any female travel companion, but local culture and religion often times makes it less of a holiday to travel as a couple. Also there's security concerns in many hostile places and I don't want to risk the life of someone else, who'd be very important to me.

So what have I decided?

I've decided that I intend to visit all members of the United Nations as well as all autonomous nation states with permanent populations. That means Pitcairn will be my least populated destination. (It'd be a PIA to visit Diego Garcia in the BIOT. Would have to become a contractor of HMG first. ) However I might still have to redefine it. But so far, sure, Wallis & Futuna is on the menu, as well as the aforementioned "aylen." My primary target is to do the UN first and see which places are by then still then left.

Why?

Good question. Maybe because I like to set some goals for myself and achieve something.

I have some BAEC tier point runs coming up this summer, after which I'll be an OW Emerald. It should make my country shopping more comfortable. Furthermore I have my first visit to the US ahead, which should work as a credential later on when applying for a B-2 visa (my guess is that I should be eligible for 120 months as a Finn with a clean record) as I "suprisingly" will lose my ESTA eligibility with Sudan, Iran etc.

So far I have no schedule for this project, except that by the time I turn 40, I'd like this to be done. Depending on work etc., I might have to expand the time frame. Most important for me is to just do it, no matter when I finish.

I'll end my random rumbling by stating that I've decided to start with the more cranky and shady destinations as it's probably more rewarding ending in Monaco with a vodka Martini at the Monte Carlo casino like a certain 007, rather than feasting with orange juice in F on SV out of JED.

So this means I'm looking forward to being more active on FT in the future.

Seems quantity over quality.

How do you plan to finance this hobby?

Climbing the top peaks is a challenge. It seems your challenge is just overcoming bureaucracy

I know a guy who finished this "project" last year. Some of his trip reports were rather interesting while others read like a big turn-off - at least for me. Such as checking off a whole bunch of Pacific and Caribbean island states without ever leaving the plane, let alone the airport. I would have wanted to do at least a couple of dives at all of those. That's what really puts a country on the map for my purposes.

Needless to say, he's a real expert on TWOV travel now. He also "collects" aircraft types and got to ride a lot of "interesting" equipment during his trips.

Well, I'm not the only one out there doing this kind of a project. Also you have to remember that costs are spanned over many years (probably at least 10 yrs), meaning my average annual travel (leisure, that is) costs don't skyrocket. It's anyway about choices and doing what feels right for oneself. I have already some 20 countries done, so I don't start from zero.

Actually I have one golden rule: at least one overnight stay at some form of accodomation means a proper visit and is counted as a country checked off my list. So I'm with Maluku_Flyer on this. Plus it's nuts to travel to somewhere like Vanuatu and then just leave the same day. Crazy waste of time and money.

So yes, I don't count e.g. layovers and transfers. Suprisingly the most tricky one will be the Vatican - there's not a single public guesthouse, hostel, hotel etc. within the borders of the Holy See. Nada. So I guess I'll have to settle with just walking there.

Of course I could go really hardcore and sleep as a homeless hobo in the necropolis to get that magical box ticked off the list.

This will slow you down a lot, of course, and greatly increase the cost. Because for overnight stays you'll need proper visas for a lot of places where visas aren't easy to get on short notice and/or expensive. Most of those places will be in Africa. And you'd definitely need multiple passports, one of them will always be parked in some consulate awaiting a visa.

And in a place like South Sudan I'd probably rather take off again on the next plane out.