I've been to Ontario and BC, which should count as two countries, but it's only 1. We really liked Niagara on the Lake, in Ontario, and went there a few times. It's a nice area to bicycle, and you can make it all the way to the falls without getting on the roads much. I liked Vancouver just fine, but I was a kid when we used to go and would probably appreciate it more now as an adult.
I've been to Mexico several times; most times, just trips across the border with my parents, again, as a kid. I spent a couple of weeks in the Yucitan more recently, on Isla Mujeres. It was nice than I expected; most of the parting is in Cancun, so it's more relaxed on the island. Nice place to visit if you have money and can stay in the best resort you can afford.
I've spent about a month in Bengaluru, India, and environs. Interesting, and the trip to Mysuru was both intensely depressing and amazingly beautiful. I was traveling for business, so was basically treated like a VIP: 24/7 chauffeur, 5-star hotel, everything. The chauffeur even drove me on the trip to Mysuru, which was a weekend personal trip. I was very careful most of the time, and avoided getting sick, which vastly impacted my enjoyment. Although I did once get on the back of one of my team member's motorcycle to go to a little local restaurant, which I didn't think much of, but when I told my boss, he was appalled.
I spent so much time in the UK, I can almost claim citizenship. Same for France. The UK was for two weeks every other month, for three years, on business; and then a couple of vacations; mostly around and about in England. My wife's sister and her husband did two years as expats in Paris, and we visited then for a couple of weeks two or three times every year during that. I've spent a month driving around Provence, and a two week vacation in Normandy and the Loire Valley. I love both countries - London is a great city, and we seriously thought about buying a property near Bath; Paris is a bit too Big City for me, Provence is beautiful, and I'd happily own a cottage in the Loire somewhere.
I lived in Munich for two years, and would buy an apartment there if I could afford it. It's my favorite place in the world. Bavaria is my soul-home. I tried for several years to find work there, somewhere, in vain - Regensburg is where I'm going to retire, if at all possible.
I spent a couple of weeks in Prague. Beautiful city, and I hope to go back one day for another visit. I wouldn't live there, though.
Salzburg, Austria, is my second favorite city, and I've been about a dozen times. Again, I'd buy a place around there if I could afford it. Vienna is a wonderful city, with a lot to do. I find out a little strange, with a lot of Eastern European influence.
I've spent several weeks in northern Italy, mostly around Chiavenna. My third favorite place, although it's a small town. German friends of mine owned a cabin in the Alps and we went there often, summer and in the winter for skiing.
I've driven through Switzerland a few times, and have been to the Swiss Alps twice on ski vacations. It's like the whole county is Disneyland - very sanitized, very clean, very precise. It's absolutely beautiful, but it's far too tidy for me to want to live there. Bern is an exception; it's such an amazing city; I'd live there, too.
I've been to Singapore a couple of times, for a couple of weeks each time. Beautiful, clean, and very safe. Actually, I really enjoy Singapore, but I think it's best if you have a lot of money to spend. I wouldn't enjoy it "on the cheap," I think.
And I've been through the Dubai and Tokyo airports - both of Tokyo's international airports, actually, which required a bus ride around the city, so I actually saw more than the airport. But I can't say I saw much of them.
I'd equally live in Salzburg, Austria or Regensburg, Germany, with no hesitation. Munich would be third. Some town in Normandy, or Bath, England, fourth. Chiavenna or Bern, fifth.
Argentina (Buenos Aires): for a week when I was like 7, so I don't remember it very well, but it was alright. It was the first time I'd ever felt temperatures lower than 10°C outside.
Never been to any country other than those. Traveling by plane is expensive and I don't live near the Argentinian or Uruguayan border (I'm fairly sure they can be traveled between freely since they're also in Mercosul)
Edit: also, I don't speak any Spanish and mutual intelligibility isn't very reliable
People's Republic of China - I was born there, not much of a choice. Was there for approximately the first 10 years of my existence. Most of the time was spent around the Guandong Province. Went to Hong Kong (under PRC control) like once, or so I'm told, very fuzzy memories...
[How was it: Serious Economic and Political issues at the time I left, so... not good 0/10]
Seoul, South Korea (ROK) - Stayed for a few hours, at the airport, waiting for the connecting flight. Never entered into the country. I saw some noodles on the menu at a restaurant at the airport, and it was like 10,000 Korea Won or more, I was a kid that didn't underatand different currencies and exchange rates, shocked me lol. (Probably like $10 to $30 USD) Other than that, don't remember much happening)
[How was it: Don't remember much, the airport looked nice, so... 7/10 I guess, but I didn't technically enter the country]
United States of America - Been here ever since like I was around 10-ish. Here via Immigration Visa, I have since acquired citizenship. Lived at NYC and Philly, traveled around the NY/PA/NJ tri-state area when going back and forth between NYC and Philly. And went to DC once for a school trip.
[How was it: Used to be like 6/10, now it's 2/10]
Does it even count if you never went through customs? Also, depending on the flight paths, I might have also flew over Japan/Russia/Canada's Airspaces... if that also counts 🤷♂️
(What does a flightpath from Seoul to JFK look like, anyways?)
I wanna to go to Canada, I've always heard it was a nice and friendly place, even friendlier than the US. But don't wanna face customs issues when returning since... ahem fascist administration, so I guess it'll have to wait 4 years... or more... 👀
American here! I’ve been lucky to travel a bunch for work so some of the countries I’ve been to 10+ times for 1-2 weeks. Others are just for holiday.
Canada - only a few day trip to Toronto
Mexico - one week but flying there tomorrow for a second week
France - 10+ work trips
Italy - 10+ work trips
UK - weekend in London with the EuroStar from Paris
Germany - a couple work trips
China - one week
Australia - two weeks
Jamaica - two weeks
Dominican Republic - one week
Somewhere between 17-19, but only on the Northern hemisphere.
One thing I've learned is that humans are very much alike everywhere, both good and bad, but mostly in a good way. I will never understand racism or patriotism. Borders are artificial.
I've worked in: UK, Ireland, Spain (Marid and Barcelona), France (Paris), Italy (Milan and Rome), Germany (all over), Belgium (Brussels), Denmark (Copenhagen), US (New York and New Jersey), Canada (Toronto and Montreal)
On top of those I've visited: Japan (many times), US (many times), Sweden, Holland, Iceland, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, BVI, Antigua, St Martin, Barbuda
I've sailed in BVi, Antigua, Barbuda, Italy, Greece, and obviously the UK.
If I could, I would live in Japan, by far my favourite place
Australia
Hong Kong
Taiwan
China
England
Wales
France
Spain
Catalonia
Germany
United States
New Zealand
Thailand
Singapore
Kenya
Papua New Guinea
Indonesia
Somewhere between 2 minutes and 2 seconds: Netherlands, Germany, Belgium all at once
6 years: Germany
6 months: France
6 weeks... this is getting tricky, Luxembourg is probably closest but not close enough to claim this tier
6 days: Poland
6 hours: Sweden
6 minutes: I give up
I didn't realise it was a life goal of mine to spend 6 minutes in a country until this post, but now I'm not sure I can unsee this list. Maybe the Vatican is a good candidate for that? Italy can go in the 2 days slot, bumping UK up to 6 weeks another time. Germany will exceed the 6 years slot soon though, maybe I'll need to visit all sixers to get bingo on a row of sevens instead. And where are we going for 7 seconds? Another tripoint, does that count?
Germany: (grandparents live next door on the border. I have great memories of tasty sausages and cool public playgrounds from my youth)
Germany: (again) as an exchange student in middle school. I still have a seering memory that I didn't even know what my home region name was in German (Lorraine = Löthringen)
Luxemburg: dad was a smoker, cigarettes were cheap there, end of story?
UK: went three time, in middle school, high school and with family. Best time was in high school when I boarded at this Elvis double's. We always listened to great music and he made pancakes EVERY morning ❤️
Denmark: exchange student in high school. It's a beatiful country with great history. Too bad that my pen pal/exchange student and I were both timid :[
Catalogna, Spain: with friends. Lasting memory is that I took some pleasure swimming again there. Wasn't my thing since PE teacher said to my face I could'nt swim… 😬
I think that one was supposed to be Catalonia (or Catalunya or Cataluña), the gn as ni is an Italian thing, it's not like that in Spanish nor in Catalan.
When I was in South Korea, I visited the DMZ both times and stepped over the 38th parallel into North Korea both times. Does that count as having been to North Korea?
I refuse to answer, since "what is the first country you traveled to" is a recovery question used by at least one online service I've used, and I don't want to risk letting someone else have a better chance at guessing the answer I used.
Tip: if you trust yourself to keep track of stuff, you can just use another password for these fields. I know this is pretty common knowelege in the privacy space, but a lot of people never think of it.
This is true. However, if a service uses a "recovery question" at all, and doesn't allow me to use a physical security key, it means they don't really care about security. Moreover, it probably means that they will want me to answer a "recovery question" while talking on the phone or visiting somewhere in person, and I would probably prefer to not appear to be different to other people in a situation like that.
Went to Canada. No earthly idea why. Drove through London on our way to the Niagara Falls, then looped back around, saw hydroplane races in Syracuse, and stayed in the weirdest motel ever somewhere in Penn or Ohio because it was really cheap. This was the most WTF vacation I've ever been on. No idea what my parents had in mind. I literally only remember being on the car.
Went to Thailand for about ten days. Stopped in Laos for an afternoon and got a t-shirt and snake whisky. Almost set foot in Cambodia, but the border was closed so we got our passports stamped and that was all. Saw a bunch of monks on cell phone's and smoking cigarettes. Saw so many freaking temples. Went to the bridge on the river Kwai. Ate some good food. Saw the red light district. Thought it would be sexy, but it was just depressing. Loved the people and the experience and want to go back some day. Also saw Tokyo through airport window.
Went to Mexico to get drunk and eat good food for a week at a resort. Got drunk and ate well for a week. Went to a xenote and swam.
Went to the Bahamas to get drunk on boat for a week. Twice. Got drunk for a week both times. Also snorkeled at some point and visited pigs on an island.
Headed to the Dominican Republic to get drunk in Punta Cana for a week in about ten days. Might do a topless cruise depending on how my wife feels. Jury is still out, but I have a feeling I'll successfully get drunk for about a week.
I've been back and forth to Australia, because I have family there. Melbourne and a dusty little coastal town in South Australia called Whyalla. I've also attended a Worldcon there, and I think, accidentally insulted Charles Stross.
I've also been on a month-long trip to Europe which covered the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Germany and the Netherlands. I fell in love with each and every one of those countries as I toured through them, although it was a little bit disappointing to be trapped in Essen while my wife attended Der Spiel because of a public transport strike.
We had plans for a trip to the US next year, which may not happen now. Perhaps we'll head back to Europe.
Norway
Sweden
Denmark
Finland
Germany
Poland
France
Czech Republic
Slovakia
UK
Ireland
Spain
Portugal
Croatia
Austria
Belgium
Netherlands
US
Brazil
Malaysia
Nigeria
Cameroon
Equatorial Guinea
Singapore
Saudi Arabia
Bahrain
Hungary
The shortest stay was in Bahrain, for three days. I'd add duration and impression to the list, but that'd take me forever. So instead I'll just say that my favorites are Singapore, Malaysia, Czech Republic, and Croatia. Honorable mention: Bahrain
Belgium for 10 days as part of a school exchange trip in high school. Was a lot of fun. We saw a lot of touristy stuff, but also the first time I was able to legally buy alcohol or go to a bar. That was over 20 years ago and I still have a pair of bowling shoes I stole from a bowling alley on that trip.
Belize. I've been twice. The first was for 2 weeks when my uncle was marrying a woman from Belize. We spent a week near where her family is from so we could meet that side of the family, then a week on the island where the wedding was. The second time was for a week for a vacation. My friend's dad owns a house in Belize, so we had a free place to stay. Second trip was MUCH less touristy than the first one, which was nice. We mostly hung out in local bars.
Guatemala. During my first trip to Belize we took a day trip to visit Tikal. I really wouldn't say I "visited" the country as Tikal was the only place we stopped, but my passport got stamped, so I'll include it.
Mexico. Spent a week on vacation. We stayed in Playa del Carmen and did some very touristy things.
Costa Rica. Again, for a week. Again, pretty touristy. I liked Costa Rica a lot.
China. Went for the first week of my honeymoon. I have friends who live in Beijing. We spent the first half of the week there, mostly going to restaurants, bars, parks, and other places my friends hang out at. We also went to the Great Wall. For the second half of the week we went to Xian to see the Terracotta Soldiers.
Malaysia. Spent the second week of our honeymoon here. First few days were on a resort island to do the SUPER honeymoon resort thing. Second half was in Kulala Lumpur where we mostly just wandered around checking out the city.
Japan. Spent an hour layover there on our flight home from Malaysia. Again, I wouldn't really count it, but they stamped my passport.
Cuba. Spent a week in Cuba on vacation. By far, the most enjoyable country I've ever visited and most fun vacation I've ever had. Before getting to the country, the only prep we did was book a room for our first night. Everything else we just figured out along the way and stayed where people suggested might be fun. Also the only country I've felt a strong desire to visit again. (Not that the others were bad, but I tend to want to go somewhere I've never been when I vacation).