MY TRAVELS IN 2023
I continued in 2023 on my quest to see all 193 countries in the world.
At the end of 2022, I had been to 161/193 countries, Nomad Mania regions – 830/1301– #54 in NM and #2 in Canada. World Heritage Sites – 784/1,154 – #7 in NM.
As of Jan 10, 2024, I had been to 189/193 countries, Nomad Mania regions 929/1301 – #38 in NM and #1 in Canada. World Heritage Sites 885/1,194 – #5 in NM.
In 2023, I underwent three more Nomad Mania Verifications – World Heritage Sites, Extreme Verification and the difficult verification for TBT, The Biggest Traveler. These are done to prove where you have been.
2023 Country List. *indicates countries that I have been to before.
Ethiopia. The Afar region in the far north at -135 m below sea level is another incredible natural destination with an active volcano.
Somalia. 2 days in Mogadishu US$1,259 + flights.
Djibouti.
Somaliland. Part of Somalia but functions independently. The oddest money system in the world. Before they adopted this electronic method, you needed a wheelbarrow to carry around the money.
Eritrea. The North Korea of Africa – no internet.
Canada.* Home to get a new passport (one rarely lasts longer than 2 years)
Singapore.* My second time here to see more NM series items.
Malaysia.* Malacca, Kuala Lumpur.
Thailand.* Bangkok, Phuket, East regions. Rented a car and drove 3200 km
Bangladesh. Dhaka was the last of the 25 biggest cities in the world to visit – 23 million people and not one stop light.
Burundi. The poorest country in the world 193/193. Rented a car
Rwanda. Interesting to see all the genocide sites. Rented a car.
Uganda. Rented a car
South Sudan. The newest country in the world. On a tour with Ammon Watkins, #3 in Canada.
Kenya. I passed Stewart Sheppard to become #1 in Canada with 857 of the 1301 regions in Nomad Mania. Rented a car.
Tanzania. The most corrupt police in the world. National Parks very expensive. Rented a car.
Zambia.
Zimbabwe. Victoria Falls, is one of my last Wonders of the World. The Great Zimbabwe, one of my favourite World Heritage Sites. Zimbabwe surprised me the most – it was much more functional than I thought it would be. Rented a car.
Malawi. A very difficult visa. Rented a car.
Mozambique.
South Africa.* The most dangerous place in Africa. Rented a car.
Botswana. Rented a car
Madagascar. The most difficult country I have ever been to in terms of getting around – terrible roads and impossible to book flights.
Comoros. #53/54 countries in Africa. I was sexually molested by 3 Muslim women in a share taxi.
China.* My 6th time in China to see more NM regions, WHS and my Chinese girlfriend
Taiwan.* Rented a car. Great roads but the worst traffic control of any country – not one stop sign and millions of traffic lights. I drove through hundreds of red lights.
South Korea.* Rented a car.
Indonesia.*. Gunung-Leuser National Park on Sumatra, one of the great wildlife destinations on Earth – saw many orangutans, monkeys, hornbills, and birds of paradise.
Papua New Guinea. Goroka Show, a world-famous festival with 157 Highland tribes.
Australia. Rented a station wagon to drive everywhere over 3 months – 25,000 km but 22,000 of it through the identical looking bush. People rave about Australia but I don’t go to beaches, drink beer or watch sports. 95% of the beaches can’t be swam in due to currents, surf and undertow. My last Wonder of the World, the Great Barrier Reef. I have now been to all the following Wonders of the World: Medieval, Modern, New 7 Wonders Foundation, USA Today New 7 Wonders (except Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, Hawaii), Natural, New 7 Natural, American Society of Civil Engineers, Industrial (except Bell Rock Lighthouse), and Underwater (except Deep Sea Vents).
The Least Visited Countries of the world, all in the southwest Pacific. Dec 8 -Jan 10, 2024.
Solomon Islands. Dec 8-11
Vanuatu. Dec 11-12.
Fiji. In Fiji from Dec 12-18, Dec 21-22, Dec 25 and 28. Rented a car.
Tuvalu. After a big rain, the runway developed 3 cracks and flights were cancelled from Dec 14-18. All flights were booked out to Dec 29 and I never made it here. Now resigned to never reaching 193.
Tonga. Dec 18-21. The most interesting of all these countries.
Samoa. Dec 22-25
Nauru. Dec 29-Jan 1. One of the most difficult visas in the world.
Kiribati. Jan 1-5
Micronesia. Jan 5-8
Marshall Islands Jan 8-10
189 countries. I flew home to Courtenay via Honolulu, tired after 16 months of hard travel.
The only countries of the 193 in the United Nations that remain: Tuvalu, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Equatorial Guinea, and Yemen. I have plans to see the last three in April and May 2024. Hopefully, this will include some time in England and Madrid on my way to EG. After Yemen, I plan on going to Afghanistan for 12 days, the Gilgit region of northern Pakistan, go over the Karakoram Pass to China (on my bucket list forever), and finishing in China to see my girlfriend and to see a few things missed from my previous six trips.
Future Trips on my Bucket List. Switzerland, drive through Mainland Mexico, and Argentina. Then maybe I’ll retire!