The 16 Countries I Have Visited So Far and My Plan to Reach 60 by 60
I turned 55 this past June, and I gave myself a birthday goal that has been sitting in the back of my mind for years. I want to visit 60 countries by the time I turn 60. Even better, I want to step into country number 60 on my 60th birthday.
Right now I am at 16. That leaves 44 countries and a little under five years. When I first did the math I wondered if I would have to travel full time to pull it off. It turns out I do not. Here is every country I have been to so far, and how I am planning the rest.
Every Country I Have Visited So Far
I am counting countries only, not cities, and I am counting the United States because it is home.
Here is the full list in the order I visited them.
United States, my home base
Bahamas, 1997
Jamaica, 1998
Mexico, 2001 for the Mayan ruins and again in 2016 for Cancun
Dominican Republic, 2003
Costa Rica, 2009
Iceland, 2016 (Reykjavik)
Spain, 2016 (Barcelona and Girona)
England, 2016 (London)
France, 2016 (Paris)
Cuba, 2017
Singapore, 2018
Japan, 2018
South Korea, 2018
Thailand, 2018
Indonesia, 2018 (Bali)
How My Travel Has Changed Over the Years
My first stamps were all close to home. The Bahamas, Jamaica, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica were warm weather trips spread across about twelve years.
Then came 2016. That summer I went to Iceland, Spain, England, and France. Four countries in one summer showed me how far you can go when countries sit close together.
Cuba came in 2017. Then in January 2018 I headed to Asia and added five countries: Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia. That trip is the model for everything I am planning now.
Why 60 Countries by 60
I am in a season of letting go of things and making room for experiences. I would rather collect passport stamps than more stuff, and I do not want to wait for a traditional retirement age to see the world.
A number and a deadline make a dream real. Saying I want to travel more someday does not get a flight booked. Saying 44 countries before my 60th birthday does.
How I Plan to Visit 44 Countries in Four Years
Here is the part that surprised me. I do not need to travel full time. My plan is to start in 2027, and three trips a year will get me there as long as each trip covers a few countries that sit close together. These are the rules I am planning around.
Group countries that are close together. One train trip through Western Europe can cover six or seven countries.
Go in the right season. That means Europe in early fall, Southeast Asia and Central America in winter, and the far north in summer.
Do the hardest trips first. I love a good hike, so places like Machu Picchu go early in the plan.
No cruises. They are just not my thing.
Let income lead. I book a trip when the money for it is there, not before.
At that pace I add about eleven countries a year, which is a lot more doable than it sounds.
Where Country Number 60 Will Be
I already know how I want this to end. I love animals and I love a quiet beach, so country number 60 will be a safari followed by a beach somewhere in Africa. I am deciding between two routes, and I am saving that part of the map until the very end.
The first new stop on my list is Portugal. I will share each trip here on the blog and on my YouTube channel as it happens.
Now I want to hear from you. Which country should I make sure is on my list, and where have you been that changed you? Tell me in the comments.
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