Sunday 5 August 2018

Countries I have visited

Greetings! On my blog, I created a page titled Countries Visited to keep track of the countries I have visited by continent, not counting airport stopovers. At time of this post, I've been to fifty countries, including twenty nine (29) in Europe, nine (9) in Asia, eleven (11) in the Americas, and one (1) in Africa.

It takes a bit of time to write up my travel stories and I know not everyone has a keen interest in travel like I do. So in this post, I randomly picked a sample of five ancient wonders and three natural wonders that I've visited outside of Canada and shared my photos below.

A SAMPLE OF WHERE I'VE BEEN:

The Great Pyramid and Great Sphinx in Giza, Egypt - Constructed around 2580-2560 BC, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. To see the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid in person was a surreal experience for me.


The Acropolis in Athens, Greece - To visit the Parthenon and temples on top of the Acropolis during the day, and to see how they're lit up at night from our hotel rooftop patio was unforgettable. I wrote a post about my stay in Athens here.


The Colosseum in Rome, Italy - It was awesome to see the huge amphitheatre in the centre of Rome. When I walked inside the Colosseum, I imagined the more than 50,000 Roman spectators who were there. That was one of many special moments of my stay in Italy.


Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico - There are a lot more to see and explore at Chichen Itza than the El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan in my photo below. Fascinating traces of the Mayan civilization left me yearn for more learning about the culture.


Machu Picchu in Peru - The first sight of Machu Picchu took my breath away. Lots of climbing up and down the mountainside stone steps to admire this magical ancient wonder. I wrote a post about my visit to Machu Picchu here.


Ha Long Bay in Vietnam - I remember sitting on a junk boat and enjoying the view of the thousands limestone islands named for their shapes. Then entering small coves and caves while thinking of the legends of the Descending Dragon (Ha Long means Descending Dragon).


Iguazu Falls in Argentina - The power of the water, the sights, the thundering sounds, the red earth, and raw nature of Iguazu Falls knocked my socks off. There are trails and lookout points to see the falls up close. I wrote a post about my visit to Iguazu Falls here.


Moon Valley and the Atacama Desert in Chile - The driest desert on earth, the moonscape, the salt flats, Licancabur volcano, the starry nights, and the adobe town San Pedro confirmed that I made the right decision to come. You might like to read my post about San Pedro de Atacama and Moon Valley here.


There are many more places that I could add except I would risk tuning you out. The above photos remind me of the amazing sights I've seen, the countries I've visited, and the wonderful friendships I've made at each location.

WHERE TO NEXT?

Later this month, I'll be going to Paris, France to visit family and attend my cousin's wedding. France is my second home because of the close family connections. Every time I go to Paris, I add a side trip to explore another town or city outside of Paris. I think I might have visited more places in France than in Canada.

After I return from France, I've been thinking about visiting a new-to-me country in Africa before the end of this year. Even though I'd love to revisit the fifty countries that I've been to, there are still many more I'd like to explore. So my general goal is to visit as many countries as possible.

How about you? What country did you last visit? Where is your next travel destination? I'd love to hear your comments.

40 comments:

  1. I'd love to see the pyramids!!

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    1. The pyramids in Egypt are awesome. I hope you get to see them.

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  2. Gosh, you've been so many places around the world. What amazing adventures. My family traveled to Mexico when I was a child and we visited Chichen Itza. I remember climbing up to the top in the hot sun. I've always dreamed of visiting Patagonia and doing a multi-day hike. Hopefully some day I will get there.

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    1. Thank you, Kristin, for stopping by. Hiking in Patagonia when it's not windy is an amazing and very scenic adventure. I hope you get to do it and make your dream come true.

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  3. Hi, Natalie - Thank you so much for sharing these. I love reading about travel and discovering what places have most inspired others. From your list, I have been to the Colosseum in Rome and Ha Long Bay. I agree that both were spectacular! Richard and I are currently planning a 1000 km walk across Italy (ending in Rome) for next Spring. I will keep you posted on our planning.

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    1. Thank you, Donna, for stopping by. Your 1000 km walk sounds Amazing and to end it in Rome is to celebrate in style! I'm thinking to visit Malta or Croatia next spring. Please keep me posted on your planning as I'd love to join you for part of that walk or in Rome if the stars align.

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  4. My last trip was my retirement trip to California - wonderful! No plans for future travel at this point. Moon Valley looks fascinating.

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    1. I did a road trip in California driving along the Pacific Coast and stopping at different places. It was wonderful, minus the freeway traffic in and around LA. Thanks, Karen, for stopping by.

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  5. So many amazing adventures, Natalie! Lots of ideas for my future travels right here.

    SSG xxx

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    1. I'm happy there are many amazing places to explore. Thanks, SSG, for stopping by.

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  6. What amazing places you have been. I have always wanted to go Egypt since I studies egyptian history in high school. I have heard so much press about it being an unsafe place to travel it puts me off but it is something I must do before I die. I have been to Foz du Iguazu many years ago and they were amazing.

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    1. Thank you, Deneale, for your visit and comment. I hope you get to visit Egypt safely, make your history lessons come alive, and your dream come true.

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  7. Love the picks of wonders to share. I've not been to nearly as many countries as you (I'll need to start a list - I'm thinking it's high 20's), but Machu Picchu and Rome are on my future list! Is Great Wall of China on yours? Another Ancient Wonder!

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    1. Great Wall of China is on my future list. There are many inexpensive vacation packages from Toronto to China so I may go in the near future. Thanks, Pat, for stopping by.

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  8. I love your travel posts so I get to travel virtually!!

    Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek Next week's optional prompt is "Famous People I Have Met". Denyse

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    1. Thank you, Denyse, for hosting and for your comment which encourages me to write more travel posts. Have a great week!

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  9. You've certainly accomplished a lot Natalie (and your blog title is a perfect fit). I haven't been anywhere near that in countries but I'm happy with what I've seen and Australia really surpasses everywhere else I've been so I'm happy staying put for now (retirement will be a different story!)
    #MLSTL :)

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    1. Australia is a big country with diverse scenery so there is plenty to explore. Thanks, Leanne, for stopping by.

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  10. Someday? So far only three countries under my belt. My own, Canada, and Cuba. I'm looking forward to adding more.

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer, for your comment. It's nice to have something to look forward to.

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  11. Very cool. You have seen a lot of great and cool places. Very sweet.

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    1. Thank you, Patrick, for your kind words.

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  12. I LOVE to travel, but my adventures are not as far-reaching as yours :) I have led several student trips to Europe where we visit London-Paris-Florence-Rome-Sorrento. The last trip I led was in 2017 and I am making plans to lead my final tour in 2020. My favorite city is Paris... although the 12 hours I spent in Venice were magical.

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    1. Your students are lucky to have you as their trip leader, Molly, and the trip itinerary is fantastic. I love Paris and Venice, too. Thank you for stopping by.

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  13. Hi Natalie, thank you for stirring memories of some of the places we have visited. I remember catching a glimpse of a pyramid from the bus and through some apartment buildings. That was surreal ancient with modern. We have South America on our list but Mexico also looks interesting. We have been fortunate to visit many countries in Europe, New Zealand, Canada/USA, Britain, Thailand, Vietnam, China and our next trip is in 8 weeks. We are taking a 2 week cruise around Japan. I always look forward to reading your travel posts. Have a beautiful week and thanks so much for sharing at #MLSTL. xx

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    1. Thank you, Sue, for hosting MLSTL and sharing your travel experiences. Your 2-week cruise around Japan sounds amazing. I love Japan and wouldn't mind a second visit. Have a beautiful week!

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  14. You have visited some wonderful places. I would like to see the pyramids, and go to both Greece and Italy. All on my to do list.

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    1. You have wonderful destinations on your list, Victoria. Greece, Italy, and Egypt each has a special place in my heart and mind. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

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  15. What a great idea Natalie, I love the list of countries you've visited! We're just back from our 3 month odyssey and can now add Iceland and the Netherlands to the list of places we hadn't been to before! I'd love to see the pyramids one day too #mlstl

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    1. Iceland and the Netherlands are fun destinations, Debbie. Lots to explore. I've been following your odyssey. Can't believe 3 months are done and you're back home already. Thank you for stopping by.

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  16. I love reading about your travels Natalie. It was fun seeing some of the highlights all together in one post. Have fun in France! I know you will. #MLSTL

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    1. Thank you, Christie. I joke with my family that I've been practicing smiling and laughing so my face won't hurt much when I go to France. It's a happy place for me.

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  17. Wonderful travels...while I've been to a lot of other countries, most are either islands in the Caribbean or countries in Central/South America. We even lived in Ecuador for two years, high up in the Andes Mountains. Thanks so much for sharing & stirring up a few memories.

    #MLSTL visitor (shared on SM)

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    1. You probably know Ecuador very well then. I'd like to visit Ecuador one day. Thanks, Donna, for sharing your travel experiences.

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  18. I haven't done ANY of South America yet! I'd love to go to Peru and Chile. But I've also heard amazing things about Vietnam. #LifeThisWeek

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    1. Thanks, Katherine, for stopping by. It's so great that there are many amazing places for us to explore.

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  19. My travels, so far, fall very short of yours. I am intimately familiar with most all of the Mayan ruins, excavated and those that are still hidden by the jungles in Mexico and Central America. I used to go every six weeks or so for about 10 years and dig for artifacts. It was a wonderful, thrilling and dangerous time. Brenda #MLSTL

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    1. Thank you, Brenda, for your visit and for sharing your experience with the Mayan ruins. I imagine it must be hard work in the jungle with the heat and humidity, but so thrilling every time you discovered an ancient artifact and looked into its history.

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  20. I've been to 43 countries but only two on this list of amazing places (Mexico and Vietnam). You've inspired me to keep going at least until I get the rest of these on my list. Heading to South America in April so hopefully I will get to add a few of these while there.

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    1. I love the way you're traveling and exploring the world. You're inspiring me, Lisa. Look forward to reading your next adventure and viewing your exquisite photos.

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