My Traveling Statistics

My international travels began on May 1st, 1990, the day after my 18th birthday, when I caught a flight from San Francisco, California to London, England to begin a summer of backpacking around Europe. I keep track of a few of the basic facts of my travels in my journal, such as how many US states and how many countries I’ve been to, the Greek islands I’ve visited, etc. So I thought I would publish that info here for anyone who might be curious. (This article was last updated in October 2025.)

Santorini, Greece in 2009.

Following are all the US States I’ve visited, in random order (the asterisk symbol * indicates that I hitchhiked in that state):

1. California*
2. Oregon*
3. Washington*
4. Alaska*
5. Hawaii*
6. Idaho*
7. Nevada*
8. Montana*
9. Wyoming*
10. Utah*
11. Arizona*
12. New Mexico*
13. Colorado*
14. Texas
15. South Dakota
16. Minnesota*
17. Michigan*
18. Wisconsin*
19. New York
20. Florida

Also Washington, D.C. (not a state) and the US Virgin Islands (a US territory).

Number of states hitchhiked in: 16

Following are all the countries I’ve visited. Canada is first because that’s where I was born, in Vancouver, BC. My parents were from southern California originally. They moved to Canada in 1971, I was born there in 1972 and then we moved back to California in 1973, when I was a year old.

Since I’ve visited many countries multiple times I’ve indicated how many times I visited each country (except for the United States and Canada, because I’m a citizen of both countries). The asterisk symbol * indicates that I hitchhiked in that country.

When counting countries (since many are disputed or else territories of other countries) I go by the official United Nations list of independent nations. For example, I count the United Kingdom as one country, not four (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). I include Vatican City and Palestine, even though it’s debatable whether they are separate countries, because although they can’t vote in the UN, they have observer status. I don’t count only being in an airport on a layover as having visited a country. I must legally enter the country and do something there outside of the airport, even if it’s only for a few hours.

For example, in 2013 I had a flight from India to Canada with a layover in Shanghai, China. My flight from India to Shanghai was delayed and as a result I missed the flight from there to Canada. The next flight was twenty-four hours later. The airline changed my reservation to the other flight the next day and offered a free night’s stay at a hotel near the airport. I was given a visa so I could enter China, since the hotel was a few miles away from the airport. Although I didn’t go into the center of Shanghai, I had some free time to explore around the hotel. I walked down the street, found a local market, went into a store and looked around, etc. So I count that as visiting China.

On the other hand, in 2016 I had another flight with a layover in China, this time on my way to Thailand. At the airport somewhere in China (I forget which city) I had to go through customs, pick up my luggage and then check in again for the next flight. In order to do that I had to get a transit visa, which was valid for twenty-four hours. So I technically entered the country. But I never left the airport, so I don’t count that as a visit to the country. But later I visited Hong Kong and Macao, which are semi-autonomous regions within China, so I count them both as visits to China.

Following is every country I’ve been to in chronological order, based on the first time I visited the country. The asterisk symbol * indicates that I hitchhiked in that country at least once. The number in parentheses, i.e. (3), after some of the countries indicates how many times I’ve been there if I visited more than once. I don’t keep track of how many times I’ve visited the United States and Canada, since I’m a citizen of both countries.

1. Canada*
2. United States*
3. United Kingdom* (6), including England*, Wales*, Scotland* and Northern Ireland*
4. Ireland* (3)
5. France* (5)
6. Italy* (8)
7. Greece* (19)
8. Austria* (5)
9. Germany (4)
10. Switzerland* (4)
11. Netherlands (6)
12. Belgium (4)
13. India* (16)
14. Thailand* (11)
15. Nepal* (5)
16. Egypt (4)
17. Turkey (8)
18. Philippines (3)
19. Malaysia (3)
20. Singapore (5)
21. China (3)
22. Indonesia (3)
23. Laos
24. Myanmar*
25. Mexico* (11)
26. Belize
27. Guatemala*
28. Colombia
29. Peru
30. Ecuador
31. Cambodia (2)
32. Portugal (3)
33. Spain (5)
34. Iceland (3)
35. Morocco* (2)
36. Sweden
37. Norway
38. Denmark
39. Slovakia (2)
40. Hungary* (2)
41. Slovenia
42. Croatia* (3)
43. Bosnia & Herzegovina
44. Montenegro (2)
45. Albania* (2)
46. Vatican City
47. United Arab Emirates (2)
48. Oman
49. Jordan
50. Israel (4)
51. Cyprus (4)
52. Bulgaria (2)
53. Romania* (2)
54. Czech Republic (2)
55. Finland (2)
56. Japan (2)
57. South Korea
58. Georgia (3)
59. Ukraine (2)
60. Lithuania
61. Latvia
62. Estonia
63. Belarus
64. Vietnam
65. Panama
66. Andorra*
67. Malta (2)
68. Monaco
69. Moldova
70. Uzbekistan
71. Armenia
72. Iraq
73. Serbia
74. North Macedonia
75. Costa Rica
76. Dominican Republic
77. Poland (2)
78. Antigua
79. Luxembourg
80. Bahrain
81. Maldives
82. Saudi Arabia (2)
83. Tunisia
84. The Bahamas
85. Bangladesh
86. Australia
87. Fiji
88. Liechtenstein
89. Palestine (2)
90. Kuwait
91. Azerbaijan
92. Kazakhstan
93. Sri Lanka
94. El Salvador
95. San Marino
96. Qatar
97. New Zealand

Number of countries I’ve hitchhiked in: 21

Disputed countries I’ve visited (not recognized by the United Nations as independent states):

1. Taiwan (2) (claimed by China)
2. Kosovo (claimed by Serbia)
3. Northern Cyprus (2) (claimed by the Republic of Cyprus)

Territories of other countries I’ve visited:

1. Aruba (Netherlands)
2. Curacao (Netherlands)
3. Bonaire (Netherlands)
4. French Polynesia (France)

Hawaiian islands I’ve visited:

1. Kauai (12)
2. Big Island (2)
3. Oahu (3)
4. Maui
5. Molokai

Spanish islands I’ve visited:

1. Gran Canaria
2. Tenerife
3. Ibiza (2)
4. Mallorca
5. Menorca
6. Formentera

Islands of Thailand I’ve visited:

1. Ko Mak (2)
2. Ko Kood
3. Ko Phayam (2)
4. Ko Tao (2)
5. Ko Phangan (3)
6. Ko Samui (3)
7. Phuket
8. Ko Chang (Trat)
9. Ko Lanta
10. Ko Phi Phi (2)
11. Ko Lipe
12. Ko Muk
13. Ko Jum
14. Ko Yao Noi
15. Ko Chang (Ranong)
16. Ko Larn
17. Ko Samet

Islands of the Philippines I’ve visited:

1. Luzon (2)
2. Palawan
3. Coron
4. Mactan
5. Siargao
6. Negros
7. Siquijor

Caribbean islands I’ve visited:

1. Isla Mujeres (Mexico)
2. Cozumel (Mexico)
3. Ambergris Caye (Belize)
4. Caye Caulker (Belize)
5. Aruba (Netherlands)
6. Curacao (Netherlands)
7. Bonaire (Netherlands)
8. Hispaniola (Dominican Republic)
9. Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands (United States)
10. Saint John, US Virgin Islands (United States)
11. Antigua (Antigua and Barbuda)
12. New Providence (Bahamas)

Greek islands I’ve visited:

1. Corfu (3)
2. Santorini (8)
3. Anafi (2)
4. Naxos
5. Syros
6. Aegina (2)
7. Patmos (3)
8. Lipsi
9. Leros
10. Kos (4)
11. Nisyros (4)
12. Rhodes (2)
13. Milos (3)
14. Serifos (2)
15. Ios (3)
16. Antiparos
17. Paros (3)
18. Amorgos
19. Astypalea
20. Mykonos (5)
21. Nea Kameni
22. Thirasia
23. Samos
24. Symi
25. Karpathos
26. Crete (2)
27. Gavdos
28. Agistri
29. Zakynthos
30. Kefalonia
31. Ithaki
32. Paxos
33. Antipaxos
34. Skiathos
35. Skopelos
36. Alonnisos
37. Tilos
38. Kalymnos (2)
39. Ikaria
40. Sifnos
41. Hydra
42. Spetses
43. Poros
44. Kythnos
45. Folegandros
46. Iraklia
47. Donousa
48. Ano Koufonisi
49. Schinousa
50. Evia
51. Andros
52. Tinos
53. Skyros
54. Kea
55. Delos
56. Lesvos
57. Lemnos
58. Thassos
59. Salamina
60. Lefkada
61. Meganisi
62. Elafonisos
63. Sikinos
64. Kimolos
65. Kythira
66. Chalki
67. Chios
68. Fourni
69. Arki
70. Pserimos

Islands of Croatia I’ve visited:

1. Hvar
2. Korcula
3. Brac

Islands of Indonesia I’ve visited:

1. Bali
2. Gili Air
3. Lombok
4. Nusa Penida
5. Sumba

Islands of Malaysia I’ve visited:

1. Borneo
2. Penang
3. Langkawi

Islands of the Maldives I’ve visited:

1. Male
2. Maafushi
3. Dhiffushi
4. Paradise Island
5. Hulhumale

Treks in the Himalayas of Nepal:

1. Annapurna Base Camp (2)
2. Langtang National Park (2)
3. Annapurna Circuit
4. Poon Hill

Wonders of the World that I’ve been to:

1. Taj Mahal, India (4)
2. Chichen Itza, Mexico
3. Machu Picchu, Peru
4. Colosseum, Italy (2)
5. Petra, Jordan

The two Wonders of the World that I haven’t been to yet are the Great Wall of China and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. I’ve also visited the Great Pyramids of Giza three times, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (and the only one that wasn’t destroyed).

Following is every international trip I’ve been on (not including working in Canada), the countries visited (in chronological order) and length of the trip. When I visited the same country on the same trip multiple times, I don’t list it more than once for each time I entered the country on that trip, only once:

1. May to August, 1990 (10 countries, 3.5 months): United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Greece, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium
2. October 1999 to March 2000 (1 country, 5 months): India
3. December 2005 to March 2006 (1 country, 3 months): India
4. November 2007 to April 2008 (4 countries, 6 months): United States (Hawaii), Thailand, India, Nepal, United States (Hawaii)
5. August to December 2009 (3 countries, 4.5 months): Greece, Egypt, Turkey
6. October 2010 to March 2011 (4 countries, 5 months): Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, India
7. November 2012 to March 2013 (1 country, 4 months): India
8. November 2013 to June 2014 (6 countries, 7 months): Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Nepal, India
9. February to April, 2015 (3 countries, 3 months): Mexico, Belize, Guatemala
10. September to December, 2015 (3 countries, 3 months): Colombia, Peru, Ecuador
11. February to September, 2016 (7 countries, 6.5 months): Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
12. November 2016 to March 2017 (5 countries, 4 months): Iceland, Spain, Morocco, France, India
13. April to August, 2017 (16 countries, 3.5 months): Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Italy, Ireland
14. October 2017 to April 2018 (13 countries, 6.5 months): Singapore, Thailand, India, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Israel, Cyprus (South), Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Finland
15. June to August, 2018 (5 countries, 2 months): Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, India, Singapore
16. August 2018 to January 2019 (12 countries, 4.5 months): Belgium, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Iceland
17. February to March, 2019 (2 countries, 1 month): Vietnam, Hong Kong* (China)
18. April to June, 2019 (4 countries, 2 months): Mexico, Aruba* (Netherlands), Curacao* (Netherlands), Bonaire* (Netherlands), Panama, Canada
19. July 2019 to February 2020 (22 countries, 7 months): Spain, Andorra, France, Malta, Italy, Monaco, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Finland, Netherlands, Iraq, Egypt, India, Nepal, Thailand, Taiwan**, Philippines, Mexico
20. March 2019 (1 country, 1 week): Mexico
21. July 2020 to February 2021 (8 countries, 7 months): Mexico, Serbia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Turkey, United Kingdom, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic
22. April to May, 2021 (1 country, 3 weeks): Mexico
23. May to October, 2021 (6 countries, 4 months): Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Ireland, Antigua
24. October to December, 2021 (3 countries, 1.5 months): Morocco, Iceland, US Virgin Islands* (United States)
25. January to October, 2022 (20 countries, 8 months): Mexico, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Albania, Kosovo**, United Kingdom, Bahrain, India, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Greece, Bulgaria, Israel, Portugal, Tunisia, Turkey, Cyprus (North)**, Cyprus (South), Bahamas
26. October to November, 2022 (1 country, 1 month): Japan
27. December 2022 to April 2023 (9 countries, 4 months): Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Australia, Fiji, United States (Hawaii)
28. May 2023 to January 2024 (22 countries, 8 months): United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands, Malta, Greece, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Israel, Palestine, Cyprus (South), Cyprus (North)**, Georgia, Italy, Kuwait, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Macao* (China)
29. March 2024 (1 country, 2 weeks): El Salvador
30. April to June 2024 (8 countries, 2 months): Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Greece, Italy, San Marino, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands
31. August to November 2024 (8 countries, 3 months): Canada, Croatia, Montenegro, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, India
32. December 2024 to July 2025 (19 countries, 7 months): Canada, Mexico, United States (Hawaii), French Polynesia* (France), New Zealand, Philippines, Taiwan**, Thailand, India, Cambodia, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Cyprus (South), Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Austria
33. September 2025 to ? (6 countries): Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Singapore, Indonesia, India

*Not independent, officially part of another country

**Disputed, not officially an independent country according to the United Nations

Total amount of time spent traveling internationally (not including working in Canada) from May 1990 to July 2025: 10 years and 8 months

The 10 countries that I’ve visited the most:

1. Greece: 19 trips, 16 months
2. India: 16 trips, 30 months
3. Mexico: 11 trips, 7 months
4. Thailand: 11 trips, 7 months
5. Italy: 8 trips, 2 months
6. Turkey: 8 trips, 4 months
7. United Kingdom: 6 trips, 2 months
8. Nepal: 5 trips, 4 months
9. Spain: 5 trips, 2.5 months
10. Netherlands: 5 trips, 1.5 months