Thursday, March 29, 2012

Where in the world?

The other day two of my coworkers were filling out a Visa application (the travel kind, not the credit card kind) and I asked the guy who was planning to travel how many countries he's been to. I was thinking it would be more than he could count on two hands. I think his total came in around nine.

My other coworker started counting the countries she's been to and she came up with 10. When one of our other coworkers came in, we asked him and he was able to get his total up to 11 (we have a winner, folks!). We had to create a rule to clarify that in order to count visiting a country the visit has to involve leaving the airport (i.e.: a lay-over is OK, as long as you're able to go do something outside of the airport boundaries).

So, you may be wondering, how many countries have I been to? Well, I actually surprised myself and TIED with the first guy I had asked the question! Yep, I've been to NINE foreign countries, on two continents.

Here's where I've traveled and the year:
  • Canada (not sure when, but sometime in the 70s)
  • Spain (1984)
  • Mexico (1986)
  • Germany (1999)
  • Belgium (1999)
  • Luxembourg* (1999)
  • France (1999)
  • The Netherlands (1999, and I still like to call it "Holland")
  • Poland (2004)

I would love to add to that list and hit a couple more continents along the way. Australia has been a dream vacation of mine for a long time, and I'd love to go to England and Ireland someday. It will be interesting to see what other places I can get to in my lifetime. I hope I will continue to be surprised by the total!

What about you? Care to list your countries visited? Can you top 11?

*I think it was only a drive-through on the way to or from Belgium, but I'm counting it, since if you blink, you'll miss it. I'm pretty sure we got out at a rest stop or someplace!!!

5 comments:

The Fish Family said...

I loved this, Nanette. I thought for sure I had been to 11 or more but I could only remember 10. Mine are Mexico, Canada, Greece, England, Costa Rica, Argentina, Singapore, Indonesia, Romania, Amsterdam.

I grew up outside New Orleans. Does that count as another country? Sure felt like it at times. :)

Nanette R. said...

Ha, I tried to count NY, too, and someone in the office mentioned TX (they just think they're their own country in TX). Thanks for commenting.

Jeanette said...

I love this!

Canada, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, England, Scotland, Italy, Austria, Luxembourg, France, Poland, Morocco.

I need more!

texnykazrus said...

Mexico, England, Wales, Scotland, Germany, France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Poland.

I smugly say that I'm embarrassed I've only been to 14 countries.

Nanette R. said...

Um . . . I think you listed 15, Russell. So far, you win!