Recently, I saw a news story about a 24-year-old British traveler who became the youngest person to have visited every country in the world.
My first thought was that it was a ridiculous goal to pursue. I scrolled quickly through the photos and it looked like he just went to the most touristic places in each country for a photo-op before moving along to the next destination. I couldn't help but wonder whether he was simply going through the motions to reach a new record or if he actually enjoyed the journey?
To be honest, I don't think that I would ever want to be the youngest person to visit every country in the world. At my age, I couldn't break his record even if I wanted to, but my sentiment does not stem from jealousy. For me, the joy of travel goes beyond the passport stamps. It's not simply enough to say: "I have been to (insert city name)" or "I have taken a picture in front of (insert tourist site)."
To be honest, I don't think that I would ever want to be the youngest person to visit every country in the world. At my age, I couldn't break his record even if I wanted to, but my sentiment does not stem from jealousy. For me, the joy of travel goes beyond the passport stamps. It's not simply enough to say: "I have been to (insert city name)" or "I have taken a picture in front of (insert tourist site)."
I'll admit that I used to take great pride in visiting as many countries as possible. During my study abroad year in London, I think I traveled to seventeen countries - none of which I enjoyed for more than a long-weekend. I even flew to Venice once for a day trip with a classmate, just because I found a good deal on a flight and it seemed like a fun way to spend a Wednesday. In fact, we spent more time in transit than we spent at our destination!
Of course it was fun. We ate gelato, rode through the canals on a gondola, bought a Venetian carnival mask for my mom (which is still hanging in my parents' house), and took pictures feeding the pigeons in St Mark's square. But, beyond simply saying that I have been to Venice, do I really know much about it? Not really.
I wonder if this new world-record holder will ever look back on his accomplishment and wish he didn't rush through things so quickly. With so many amazing places to visit, there is really no need to rush through every country in such a short period.
After I read the story, I thought more highly of his approach to accomplishing this goal. It sounds like he took the time to meet people and even to get part-time jobs in some places. Learning about a country from people who live there and feeling like part of the community adds so much more value than simply visiting the sites that are mentioned most in the guidebooks.
Today's world is so saturated with social media that actually visiting certain tourist attractions is almost unnecessary. Sure, you can take a cliched tourist photo, but seeing most popular attractions is never as special as discovering the unknown and under-appreciated gems.
Now that this guy has seen every country in the world, does this mean that he will stop traveling? I can almost guarantee that the answer is no. Travel is like an addiction and there is an endless supply of places to visit.
Simply visiting one place in every country would be like eating only an appetizer at every restaurant you visit. You get a taste of the ambiance, but sometimes, you just want to try the wider range of options on the menu. In Spain, for example, Barcelona is nothing like Madrid and both cities are completely different than Bilbao, even though they are all part of the same country. To visit only one city in Spain is doing a disservice to the amazing diversity that exists throughout the country. This rationale applies to many other countries as well.
In addition to visiting new cities, it can also be exciting to revisit some cities for a fresh perspective. I have returned to London four times since living there in 2001-2002 and each trip has been special. In 2004, I stayed in a penthouse suite at the Mandarin Oriental overlooking Knightsbridge. Then, just two years later, I slept on the floor of my friend's tiny dorm room at the University of London and we kept the trip very casual. In 2010, I spent my birthday driving around in a Porsche, and drinking Pimm's No 1 around Chelsea. My most recent trip in 2012 was to the financial district and I experienced what seemed like a completely different city.
To announce that this guy has visited all 195 countries implies that he has seen the entire world. It is certainly an amazing achievement, but there will always be new places to discover. From my perspective, the record should say that he finished the first stage of global discovery by "testing" every country. The real fun will come in stage two, when he can return his favorite countries and discover even more about them.
Of course it was fun. We ate gelato, rode through the canals on a gondola, bought a Venetian carnival mask for my mom (which is still hanging in my parents' house), and took pictures feeding the pigeons in St Mark's square. But, beyond simply saying that I have been to Venice, do I really know much about it? Not really.
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| At least we got a good touristy picture in Venice! |
I wonder if this new world-record holder will ever look back on his accomplishment and wish he didn't rush through things so quickly. With so many amazing places to visit, there is really no need to rush through every country in such a short period.
After I read the story, I thought more highly of his approach to accomplishing this goal. It sounds like he took the time to meet people and even to get part-time jobs in some places. Learning about a country from people who live there and feeling like part of the community adds so much more value than simply visiting the sites that are mentioned most in the guidebooks.
Today's world is so saturated with social media that actually visiting certain tourist attractions is almost unnecessary. Sure, you can take a cliched tourist photo, but seeing most popular attractions is never as special as discovering the unknown and under-appreciated gems.
Now that this guy has seen every country in the world, does this mean that he will stop traveling? I can almost guarantee that the answer is no. Travel is like an addiction and there is an endless supply of places to visit.
Simply visiting one place in every country would be like eating only an appetizer at every restaurant you visit. You get a taste of the ambiance, but sometimes, you just want to try the wider range of options on the menu. In Spain, for example, Barcelona is nothing like Madrid and both cities are completely different than Bilbao, even though they are all part of the same country. To visit only one city in Spain is doing a disservice to the amazing diversity that exists throughout the country. This rationale applies to many other countries as well.
In addition to visiting new cities, it can also be exciting to revisit some cities for a fresh perspective. I have returned to London four times since living there in 2001-2002 and each trip has been special. In 2004, I stayed in a penthouse suite at the Mandarin Oriental overlooking Knightsbridge. Then, just two years later, I slept on the floor of my friend's tiny dorm room at the University of London and we kept the trip very casual. In 2010, I spent my birthday driving around in a Porsche, and drinking Pimm's No 1 around Chelsea. My most recent trip in 2012 was to the financial district and I experienced what seemed like a completely different city.
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| Cliche London photo: 2010 edition |
To announce that this guy has visited all 195 countries implies that he has seen the entire world. It is certainly an amazing achievement, but there will always be new places to discover. From my perspective, the record should say that he finished the first stage of global discovery by "testing" every country. The real fun will come in stage two, when he can return his favorite countries and discover even more about them.
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