As part of the Annual Review series, I look back at everywhere I went in 2011.
As usual, it’s a long list! Despite a lull when I spent several months at home writing a book and preparing for WDS, I still made it to a decent amount of places.
All told, I made it to at least thirty countries, including twenty that were new to me. Highlights included a visit to a gorilla reserve in the Eastern Congo and running a half-marathon in Cuba, my final country in the Americas. I also traveled to every province in Canada for the conclusion of my first book tour, and lots of U.S. cities for various meetings, talks, transit stops, and adventures.
In rough chronological order, here’s everywhere I went in 2011:
Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, East Timor, North Korea, Monaco, Angola, Madagascar, Comoros, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo (Kinshasa), Gabon, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Uzbekistan, Australia, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Djibouti, Cuba, Central African Republic, Somaliland, and South Sudan
Note: this is the list of new countries. I also visited approximately 15 countries I’d been to before, on every continent except South America and Antarctica.
A Few Highlights
- Completed an “Axis of Evil” tour to Afghanistan, Libya, and Iran
- Successfully arrived in Angola without a visa
- Nearly got stranded in Comoros, but fortunately made it out (a tough one)
- Began my adventures in several Pacific islands (Palau, Micronesia, Marshall Islands)
- Got shut out of Nauru, but detoured to Australia
- Visited the world’s newest country, South Sudan
- Visited the gorillas in the Eastern Congo
- Ran the half-marathon in Cuba with Stephanie (that’s her photo in this post… see more here.)
- Traveled in a Somali bus for two three-hour trips (this just happened last week; full story in January)
***
Update on the Journey to Every Country
The reason I go on many of these crazy trips is because of the quest to visit every country in the world. I began this journey about five years ago, and I’ve been dutifully traveling the world ever since.
Much to my surprise, I’m not falling behind on the goal—I’ve had plenty of hardships along the way, but I’m now well on track to finish in April 2013. In fact, I’ll end December with only 16 countries to go. Woop woop!
Yeah, I’m psyched… but I’m also a little afraid and uncertain of the future. Traveling the world has been a big part of my identity for a long time, and while I expect to keep wandering after 2013, there’s no doubt that some things will be different. I’m still processing what these means, and I’m sure I’ll be doing so for some time.
I’d usually say something like “next year will be even more intense,” but this time it may be different, since I’m down to less than 20 countries to go. I’ll still be traveling a lot over the next year, but the itineraries will become more specific. I’ll be visiting Sudan, Guinea Bissau, Turkmenistan, and several other countries that can be challenging to get to. I’ll also be preparing for the big finale in 2013. Everything is on track! And I’m still having fun.
Your Turn
Feel free to share your own travel list, high point, or misadventure of 2011. And by the way, don’t worry if you haven’t been to many countries this year… remember, I’ve been doing this a while.
I’m grateful I can do this and looking forward to another great year of travel in 2012.
What about you—where did you go in 2011?
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December 22, 2011
moom
Austria
South Korea (new)
India (new)
USA
In 2012, New Zealand (new) is scheduled and after that we’ll see…
December 22, 2011
Red
I love the annual review.
This year I’ve travelled out backpacking style with:
- Trips to Bangladesh, Kaiping, Zhu Hai (both China), Macau, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Hainan, around South Korea, Ladakh, Delhi, Kuching (Malaysia), Anambas (Riau archipelago), Maluku, Manado (all Indonesia).
- A grand total of 9 trips out of the country
- 4 New countries visited (China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, South Korea)
- Best places visited this year would have to be Dhaka, Gyeongju, and Nubra Valley.
December 22, 2011
Barak
During 2011 I traveled for work to Utah (a couple of times), Michigan (very hospitable people), North Carolina (good BBQ), Rhode Island (twice, spring and fall), Texas (best steak ever in Buffalo Gap), Colorado (twice, where I “taught” at the Air Force Academy and had some video shot for the project I’m working on), Oklahoma, Georgia and South Carolina. Personal travel this year included a trip to Tennessee in April (to explore the RV lifestyle) and Iowa in September (attended and spoke at Wayland Independent Bible Church 50th Anniversary). Both personal trips included stays at Bed & Breakfasts.
December 22, 2011
Tristan
Great roundup Chris. I’ve been very fortunate this year. We visited Port Douglas (north-east Australia) in March, followed by a trip to New Zealand for adventure – paragliding, kayaking, cave-climbing and gorge swings), Thailand for scuba diving and Spain for practicing Spanish, visiting the Alhambra and eating too many delicious Tapas.
Next year we’re hoping to visit Egypt and/or South America.
December 22, 2011
Elizabeth
This was a fun travel year for me. I visited South America for the first time and went to Lima, Easter Island and Buenos Aires. I also did a roadtrip across the US with a friend. And since the year’s not over yet, I’m making a quick hop over to Frankfurt, which will be my first visit to Germany. All in all, a good year for me. And thanks to some travel hacking, I’m planning to return to Asia somewhere next year.
December 22, 2011
Suzanne Tilton
My husband and I opened the year in Hawaii (most beautiful place I have ever been) and went snorkeling, whale watching and this 55 year old even went surfing. We spent the last two weeks in Florida and stayed at our friends beach house.
In February we went to Quito, Ecuador. We went to Mindo which is a cloud rain forest.
In April we spent a few days in New York City and Brooklyn. (Ate some wonderful pizza!)
In May I traveled with my daughter to Medellin and Bogota, Colombia, and then went to Cuzco, Peru, and Machu Pichu. An absolutely amazing experience!
July I traveled to Salt lake City, Utah for the Days of 47 and went to a rodeo.
In November I had the opportunity to go to Madrid, Spain, and stay at a resort for a week, all expenses paid. I was involved in program where I helped Spaniards learn English by just talking English.
I am leaving for Hawaii next week.
December 23, 2011
m
In July I went to the Galway Film Festival and travelled from Edinburgh to Galway in Ireland by train & ferry (i’ve always flown before). I went Rail & Sail more info from http://www.seat61.com. It was fabuous. I want to do more slow travel in the next year.
December 23, 2011
Brian
This year I visited (x denoting countries I visited for the first time):
France
Spain
Germany
Switzerland
Austria
UK
Liechtenstein
Turkey
Pakistan (x)
Poland (x)
Latvia (x)
Estonia (x)
Finland (x)
Lithuania (x)
December 23, 2011
Jenny
2011
Tulum, Mexico – Jan-Feb
San Pancho, Mexico – February
New York, NY x 3 – April, August, October
Costa Rica – November
2012 (planned)
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Tulum, QR, Mexico x 6wks
Portland, Oregon – July
somewhere new?
Great article Chris! This year has been a good one. Much more positive.
December 23, 2011
Dave
A year in Ethiopia for work, with a two-week vacation riding a motorcycle through the Alps in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Then a week in St. Thomas before returning back to the US today!
December 23, 2011
Socko
After seeing the entire USA the past few years, in 2011 I started visiting lands outside our nation. Here is the list:
Canada (Ontario and British Columbia)
Belize
Bermuda
Cayman Islands
Mexico (Yucatan)
Puerto Rico
The Bahamas
My favorite was Bermuda, but they all were great for different reasons. And I already have my list for 2012 and a goal, 12 new countries in 2012.
Socko
December 23, 2011
Maggie Dodson
2011 has been my big travelling year.
In order of appearance:-
Australia – Melbourne + Queensland
Senegal – Dakar
Portland
Seattle
Vancouver
Liverpool
Albania
Norwich
Australia – Melbourne
Africa, US and Eastern Europe constituted the meat in my Aussie sandwich this year and then all roads lead back to London. I feel as if I have almost constantly been on the road this year partly because I always spend months in Oz and Dakar and that adds up to a lot of time away but compared to some people here and especially you, Chris, I barely moved.
I loved being on the move in so many ways and in each place I had unforgettable experiences, in fact some of them were quite momentous, but I’m considering how much I need to be in one place for a long stretch in order to consolidate. At least for next year.
December 23, 2011
Sharon Knight
This year’s highlight – Tuscany, Italy checking out castles. Which is easy to do since they’re on every hilltop.
Aside from that, drove all over the U.S. playing music. There will be more of that next year – so far a highlight is to perform Halloween in a New Orleans Mansion. That should be fun! Also hoping some European tours come through.
December 23, 2011
Scott
Chris. Thanks for the roundup. Always inspiring.
I failed to chalk up any new countries in 2011 but did manage to finally move to Jakarta, Indonesia. Not an easy place to find a comfort zone. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Big move aside I ran a half marathon in Dili, Timor-Leste, went on four visa runs to Singapore, carried out field work in Sukabumi, Bali, Lombok and Yogyakarta, island hopped across seven islands via six bridges in Riau province (also in Indonesia), slashed around in the Thousand Islands just off Jakarta and today i’ll visit Bogor for the first time. This was a real contrast to the previous year back home in England where I followed by football team (Burnley) to every Premier League ground with just one victory out of 19. Throughout the whole season I took one weekend off from football fandom to run the London Marathon. Loved it so much that four weeks later I ran the Edinburgh marathon.
I’m kicking off 2012 with a family holiday in Ko Lanta, Thailand and have set a goal to visit as many Indonesian islands as possible. 40 down, another 17,000 to go.
December 23, 2011
Hannah
Thank you for sharing Chris!
While I’m writing this from 30,000 feet above the North Sea (gotta love onboard wifi), I can only reflect on the year being WOW! I made several separate trips such as Thailand&philippines, Palestine&israel(getting lost in a very orthodox Jewish neighbourhood), Nepal (breaking ankle), Italy, and last but not least Cairo (where Tahrir Square protests flamed up again when I was there). Often I think it’s not the number of countries but what adventures you have while there which make it most memorable.
Bring on 2012!
December 23, 2011
Anna
Thanks for your fantastic blog, Chris. I’ve been reading it for a year now & find it very inspiring. I’m stoked you made it to Australia. If you’re down this way again, please let us know in advance & I’ll be happy to arrange all sorts of exciting trips. Sydney is great but there is so much more to see and do.
Getting to lots of countries from Australia is challenging as we’re comparatively georgraphically isolated to you northern hemisphere types!
I’ve been lucky that work has been providing me with opportunities to visit Europe for the past three years & various other random countries along the way. I’ve just changed occupations entirely and won’t get quite the same travel occasions in the coming years.
This year I visited Luxembourg, the UK, Dubai & Portugal for the first time. I also returned to France, Belgium, the Netherlands & Spain. London was incredible, Portugal fantastic but I am truly in love with Spain!
Last year I was lucky to visit Canada, Lithuania, Belarus & the Czech Republic for the first time, as well as several European destinations again.
I’m flying ‘across the ditch’ to New Zealand tomorrow & will see in 2012 over there. Merry Christmas to all!
December 23, 2011
Monica
My uncle travels a lot so when he moves somewhere new my mom and I usually go and visit him. Keep in mind, some of the things on here we visited just for fun! Here is my list:
-Hong Kong
-Jakarta
-France (Paris, South of France, Champagne)
-Mexico (Cozumel, Puerta Vallarta, Progresso)
-Italy (Rome, Venice)
-Barcelona
-Australia (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Phillips Island, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef)
-Christchruch, New Zealand
(I might be missing a few)
December 23, 2011
Jo
I live in Israel and did a bit of travelling this year, although next year we plan on doing a lot more, including Africa for the first time! Unfortunately I didn’t visit any new countries to add to my list of 30, but that will change soon.
2011 travels:
Amsterdam
Hungary
Jordan
South Korea
Australia – the highlight being 4 nights on Heron Island in the Great Barrier Reef for our honeymoon – what a piece of heaven! 2 meter long Turtles were laying eggs on the beach every night, 1000s of birds were nesting on the island, and the diving was spectacular.
Thanks for the inspiration Chris. There is so much of this amazing world to see.
December 24, 2011
Kirsten Lodge
This year I visited Sweden, France, Switzerland, Germany, England, Scotland, Spain and, after two years away, came back home to Australia. Last year was a mammoth travel year, 2011 was a little slower. But 2012 is the year I take my take my business out of Australia and become Location Independent…. and that means loads of TRAVEL
December 24, 2011
Suzanne
Still sticking around America but ticked a lot off my list:
Nassau Bahamas (well not America)
Portland Oregon, Chicago!, Nashville, Charleston SC, San Francisco, NYC for new years.
December 24, 2011
Nico
My main trip was three weeks to QingDao in China for an internship in a hospital for Traditional Chinese Medicin. Didn`t have much time for travelling but was able to spend a weekend at Qufu. I loved it all very much. Definitely am going back in a few years.
December 24, 2011
David Urmann
Its hard to compete with the “Axis of Evil”. Looking back I had some interesting travels which mostly revolved around work. Last February I took my mom and wife on a tour of Rajasthan. In June I travelled with my wife in the Philippines. We found the very nice island of Camuigan. Also spent some time in other islands in Visayas. We will see what this year brings.
December 24, 2011
Michael W.
Just curious- how did you get to go to Cuba? Did you go legally on a mission/ volunteering type of trip or did you go the illegal kind of way? Or was it some other way?
December 24, 2011
Chris
See this post.
December 25, 2011
Ryan Victoria
My travel goals are much less than Chris’: 1 international and 2 domestic travels.
- For my international travel, I was able to go to France, Germany, Switzerland and India (stopovers in Amsterdam, Dubai, Bangkok).
- For my domestic travel, I was able to go to Iloilo, Guimaras and Negros Occidental.
Next year will be a good challenge: London Olympics!
December 26, 2011
Chris Reynolds
I spent 2011 making my first long term move out of the States. My girlfriend and I moved to Costa Rica, and successful traveled to almost every nook and cranny in the country, also making a trip to Panama and Nicaragua! While living here we found a charity to work with in San Jose and successfully raised over $5000 for children with Developmental Disabilities by trekking across the country!!! Another great success is that we also became completely online this year by becoming English teachers, teaching students every evening from Mexico to Argentina. I would have to say that life has became even more KICK ASS in 2011, and only getting better. We are now preparing for our next move to an Island in the Caribbean in Panama, or the mountains of Peru….decisions, decisions. Life is way better out of the Rat Race!!! Pura Vida!!!
December 27, 2011
Eric
I made it to:
Kansas City, KS/MO
New York, NY
Omaha, NE
London, England
Paris, France (first time)
Amsterdam, Netherlands (first time)
and will be in Costa Rica for new years (first time)
I love adding places to my first time list!
December 27, 2011
liisa
Went to Australia (4th time) and travelled from Sydney to Perth on the Indian Pacific, fulfilling a dream I’ve had for a long time. Also had the joy of interacting with dolphins at Monkey Mia.
Visited family in Sweden.
Finally went to Estonia, where my father was born. Saw the places he lived as a boy, the road where my grandfather was killed during WWII, and met a swarm of cousins for the first time.
December 28, 2011
klaartje Loose
I had very little chance to travel this year, my focus was in Holland to get some important work done, but have been to Portugal, Spain, and Belgium; none of them new on my travellist, but in all countries I went to new cities and landscapes
I’m a slow traveller by the way, if I’m somewhere I take my time (spend 10 weeks in Vietnam and Cambodja earlier, 3 months in India, etc.)
Next year I plan to travel to Asia again, it’s been too long…
Maybe a massage-course of 1 month in Thailand?!?
Klaartje
The Netherlands
December 29, 2011
Wyman
Here is a thought. Sense some of these countries are so hard to get into maybe you can use your goal to visit every country to advantage. Write a blurb to their leader and ask, “do you want to be listed as the only country that would NOT let me in?” Stroke their ego. You might even get a royal welcome.
January 4, 2012
Cesar Kuriyama
2011 was about accomplishing a life long dream. I spent all summer June/July/August (95 days total) driving around the Country, and drove back home to Brooklyn through length of Canada.
This is what it looked like from the top view: 15,000 Miles
I only paid for lodging about 5 or 6 times and crashed with friends, friend of friends, or camped under the stars.
Bonus: I earned enough travel miles along the way to go around the world next year on OneWorld!
January 4, 2012
Dan
Just came across your site- enjoying it so far, great stuff.
For me this year I got to Malaysia, Singapore, India, Nepal, Thailand, and moved to Chile (from Australia).
All these were new except Malaysia. I think I am 16 countries total now, but plenty more to go. Hopefully a few more countries in South America for 2012, and maybe a trip to Europe too.
May 11, 2012
Melissa
2010 was my big travelling year where I fulfilled a lifelong ambition of travelling South America but 2011 is shaping up pretty well too. So far have travelled to:
- Las Vegas
- Copenhagen
- Barcelona
- Miami – where I flew in with no accommodation and partied for 3 days straight with some new found friends!
- Colombia (Best country in the world for me and always my high point!)
Coming up in the next few months:
- Singapore
- Menorca
- Berlin
- Mauritius!!!
- Plus vietnam and Cambodia TBC
Excited!!!