Most people treat travel like a grocery list. You check off a landmark, snap a photo of a cathedral that looks like every other cathedral you’ve seen that week, and then tell everyone at dinner about the "authentic" pasta you had in a place that clearly has a tourist menu in four languages. Honestly, the way we talk about the countries I've been to usually misses the point entirely. We focus on the "where" and completely ignore the "how."
Travel is messy. It's expensive. Sometimes it’s even boring.
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I’ve spent the last decade drifting through different borders—from the high-tech, quiet streets of Tokyo to the humid, chaotic wet markets of Bangkok—and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that social media has lied to you about what these places actually feel like. You see the sunset over Oia in Santorini, but nobody mentions the smell of donkey manure or the fact that you’re elbow-to-elbow with a thousand other people holding selfie sticks.
The Myth of the Perfect Itinerary
We’ve all done it. You spend weeks researching the best spots, mapping out every train connection, and booking "hidden gems" that you found on a blog titled something like 10 Places You Must See Before You Die.
The problem? Everyone else read that same blog.
When I look back at the countries I've been to, the moments that actually stuck weren't the ones I planned. In Japan, it wasn't the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto—which, let's be real, is just a gold building you look at from behind a fence. It was getting lost in a suburban neighborhood in Osaka and finding a tiny standing-only bar where the owner spoke zero English but served the best yakitori of my life. That’s the reality of travel that doesn't make it into the "Top 10" lists.
Why Everyone Is Wrong About France
People love to hate on Paris. They say it’s dirty, the people are rude, and it’s overpriced. They’re right, but they’re also missing the forest for the trees. Paris is a city built on layers of history that most travelers just skim over. If you spend your whole trip in the 1st and 7th arrondissements, yeah, you’re going to have a bad time. You’re basically in a museum.
Go to the 19th. Walk around the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. That’s where the locals are actually living. France is a massive, diverse country with rugged coastlines in Brittany and dusty, lavender-scented hills in Provence, yet we reduce it to a single metal tower and a croissant. It's a bit ridiculous when you think about it.
The nuance is what matters. In 2023, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported that France remained the most visited country in the world, pulling in nearly 100 million international arrivals. But how many of those people actually experienced France? Most of them just experienced the transit system between major landmarks.
Breaking Down the Logistics of the Countries I’ve Been To
Let's get practical for a second. Travel isn't just "vibes" and "energy." It's money and time.
If you're looking at Southeast Asia—specifically Thailand or Vietnam—you're looking at a completely different beast than Western Europe. In Bangkok, the heat is a physical weight. You step out of your air-conditioned hotel and the humidity hits you like a wet towel. But then you buy a bowl of boat noodles for two dollars on a street corner, and suddenly, the sweat doesn't matter as much.
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The cost-to-joy ratio in Southeast Asia is skewed heavily in favor of the traveler. You can live like royalty for $50 a day. Try doing that in London or Zurich. In Zurich, $50 might get you a decent sandwich and a coffee if you’re lucky. I remember sitting in a cafe in Switzerland, looking at a bill for a basic burger and realize I could have flown from Bangkok to Chiang Mai for the same price. It puts things into perspective.
The Problem With "Sustainable" Travel
Everyone talks about being a "sustainable traveler" now. It’s a huge buzzword in the industry. But let's be honest: flying halfway across the world to stay in an "eco-resort" that was built on cleared jungle land isn't exactly saving the planet.
True sustainability in the countries I've been to isn't about the hotel's towel policy. It's about where your money goes. Does it stay in the community? Are you eating at family-owned spots or are you hitting the Starbucks because it’s familiar and has "good Wi-Fi"?
The travel expert and author of Overbooked, Elizabeth Becker, has written extensively about how "overtourism" is destroying the very places we love. She points out that when we treat countries like commodities, we strip them of their soul. Venice is a prime example. It’s becoming a theme park for tourists while the actual residents are being priced out. When you visit, you’re part of that ecosystem. You have to decide what kind of impact you’re actually making.
What Most People Miss About "Safe" vs. "Dangerous" Countries
There’s this weird Western bias when we talk about safety. People will ask me if I felt safe in Colombia or Mexico, and then they’ll go walk through a sketchy part of New York or London without a second thought.
The truth is, "safety" is often a code word for "familiarity."
In Medellín, I found some of the most welcoming people I've ever met. Yes, you have to keep your wits about you. No, you shouldn't flash a $1,200 iPhone in a crowded market. But that’s true anywhere. The "dangerous" reputation of many countries I've been to is often based on news cycles from twenty years ago rather than the current reality on the ground.
Statistics from the Global Peace Index often show that countries we perceive as "scary" are actually improving at a faster rate than some Western nations. It’s all about context. If you stay in the tourist bubbles, you’re safe, but you’re also bored. If you venture out, you have to be smart. It’s a trade-off.
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The Slow Travel Movement
If you’re trying to hit five countries in two weeks, you’re not traveling; you’re commuting.
I’ve started adopting "slow travel." I’ll stay in one city for a month. I’ll find a favorite coffee shop. I’ll learn the name of the guy who sells fruit on the corner. This changes your relationship with the countries I've been to. You stop being a spectator and start being a (temporary) participant.
It also saves you a ton of money. Long-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb or local sites are significantly cheaper than nightly hotel rates. Plus, you aren't spending $200 every three days on a train or flight to the next destination. You’re actually there.
Essential Lessons from a Decade on the Road
If you're planning your next move, stop looking at Instagram for inspiration. It's a curated lie. Look at maps. Look at history books.
- Pack less than you think. If you can’t carry your bag up three flights of stairs without breaking a sweat, you’ve failed. I’ve seen people struggling with massive suitcases on the cobblestone streets of Rome, and it looks like a special kind of hell.
- Learn the basics. You don't need to be fluent. But if you can say "hello," "thank you," and "the check, please" in the local language, doors open. People appreciate the effort. It shows you aren't just another consumer.
- Get an eSIM. Don't rely on your home carrier's "international plan" that charges you $10 a day for 2G speeds. Get an app like Airalo or buy a local SIM at the airport. Being connected makes navigation and safety infinitely easier.
- Eat where there are no English menus. If a place has pictures of the food on a board outside, keep walking. Find the place where people are shouting, the lights are too bright, and the chairs are plastic. That’s where the good stuff is.
- Assume things will go wrong. Your flight will be delayed. Your stomach will probably rebel against you at least once. You will get lost. If you expect these things, they become part of the adventure instead of a disaster that ruins your trip.
Final Reality Check on the Countries I’ve Been To
There is no "perfect" country. Every place has its problems. Japan has an intense work culture that can feel stifling. Italy has a crumbling infrastructure that makes the trains a gamble. The United States has a car-dependency that makes it nearly impossible to explore without a vehicle.
When people ask me about the countries I've been to, they’re usually looking for a recommendation for their next vacation. But a recommendation is useless without knowing what you’re actually looking for. Are you looking to escape? To learn? To be challenged?
Most people just want to escape. And that’s fine. But if you want to actually see the world, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable. You have to be okay with not understanding everything that’s happening around you.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to change how you experience travel, start small.
- Stop using "Top 10" lists. Instead, go to Google Maps, find a city you’re interested in, and look for green spaces or neighborhoods that aren't near the main train station.
- Book a "buffer day." Don't plan anything for the first 24 hours after you land. Just walk. Get your bearings.
- Check the visa requirements six months in advance. Don't be the person who gets turned away at the boarding gate because you didn't realize you needed an e-visa for Turkey or Cambodia.
- Use a multi-currency card. Something like Revolut or Wise will save you hundreds of dollars in hidden exchange rate fees over the course of a trip.
The world is a big place, and the list of countries I've been to is still tiny compared to what’s out there. Don't worry about the number. Worry about the depth. One deep experience in a single village is worth more than a dozen layovers in world capitals. Stop counting countries and start counting the times you actually felt like you were somewhere new.