Comments on: How many countries have you been to?

By: Dan - Voyagner

Dan - Voyagner — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:00:50 +0000

Haha, who decides when you have “known” a country deeply enough? Is there a test? Months, miles and doing it overland is just checking off a list in disguise. You might see more of Spain than most Spaniards, but that isn’t important to everyone. There is an undertone of “My way is better” in some of these comments.

By: Dan - Voyagner

Dan - Voyagner — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:47:29 +0000

Haha, funny to see those who are against “shallow” counting have their own egotistical ideals. People just like to quantify, it’s not a measure of your worth get over it.

By: Visiting every country in the world | Nomadic Notes

Visiting every country in the world | Nomadic Notes — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:03:38 +0000

[...] For the sake of simplifying this illustration I’m not counting territories, which Gary Arndt explains in detail at how many countries have you been to? [...]

By: MArk @ TravelWonders

MArk @ TravelWonders — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:53:29 +0000

Aaah, I have done some of these counts. According to TCC I am just over 80 depending on my harsher view of a “visit”. MTP puts me over 100 but their list is absurd. And I am at 46 of Hillmans hundred and 260 of the Hillman 1000 – an impressive list with only a few quibbles. The heritage list is interesting and not a count I’ve done.

By: ClearlyEnlight

ClearlyEnlight — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:15:41 +0000

Many travel blogs I visit, I have a hard time figuring out their route. I list the countries in order so people understand my route, although a person can perceive and judge the context as they wish.

My comment was not referring to you, I have not visited with you in person, although most people that I have visited in person that travel fast cannot explain the deeper levels of the culture or the dynamics of the country.

Everyone has different style of travel, but the counting of numbers of countries a person has been to doesn't mean a thing—it's shallow.

By: Gary Arndt

Gary Arndt — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:40:11 +0000

Don't dare to tell me what experiences I've had, or try to be the benchmark for everyone in the world for how people should travel. If you want to spend 5 months in Egypt compared to my 1, I'm happy for you, but the fact that I spent more time than 99% of most people who visit hardly makes me “fast”.

Also, you god damn hypocrite, I'd like to point out that you list the countries you've been to at the top of your “ego driven” website.

By: ClearlyEnlight

ClearlyEnlight — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:00:50 +0000

That number counting is based on ego driven self-glorification of oneself.

Quality outweighs Quantity within most subjects, and indeed, the traveling subject.

Most people that are traveling fast based on numbers cannot explain the deeper levels of culture or even the dynamics of the country, at least from my experience talking with people that travel fast and numerous countries within a short time.

This subject is stupid as the question, What is your favorite country or place?

By: Sherry Ott

Sherry Ott — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:32:06 +0000

34 if I don't include just passing through an airport (I didn't think that was fair to include!). Doing number 35 in a week!

By: DrManette

DrManette — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 23:08:52 +0000

I'll just list out the places I've been (countries and states):

Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Washington DC, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Quebec.

By: Gary Arndt

Gary Arndt — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:12:43 +0000

Because when you are talking to a group of people about traveling and you give an answer like that, it is a conversation killer and really not very fun.

Numbering the places you've been doesn't destroy the good experiences you've had.

By: Irv

Irv — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:08:28 +0000

Why does it even matter “how many” countries, or places, or whatever a person visits? I can see the allure of counting, but it makes it all sound so frivolous. Isn't it the quality of the travel? Isn't it expanding one's view of the world, seeing how others live and learning about other cultures? Quantifying travel like this kind of defeats the purpose.