50 Country Recap

Recaps
Written By Hailey Pryor

Countries visited: 1. USA, 2. Mexico, 3. Canada, 4. Dominican Republic, 5. England, 6. Italy, 7. France, 8. Switzerland, 9. Germany, 10. Austria, 11. Czech Republic, 12. Hungary, 13. Greece, 14. Spain, 15. Netherlands, 16. Monaco, 17. Argentina, 18. Chile, 19. Brazil, 20. Mexico, 21. Costa Rica, 22. New Zealand, 23. Australia, 24. Bali, 25. Singapore, 26. Thailand, 27. Cambodia, 28. Vietnam, 29. South Korea, 30. Japan, 31. Antarctica, 32. Colombia, 33. Ecuador, 34. Panama, 35. Uruguay, 36. Portugal, 37. Morocco, 38. Egypt, 39. Jordan, 40. Israel, 41. Holy See, 42. Palestine, 43. Turkey, 44. Malta, 45. Luxembourg, 46. Brussels, 47. Poland, 48. Ukraine, 49. Bulgaria, 50. North Macedonia // click here to see countries 51-75 >>

We’ve reached our 50th country 🎉

Max and I have just wrapped up 50 countries together and are amazed at how quickly our trip is flying (pun intended) by. We are just a little over one year into our travels, and so far this year we’ve already taken 37 flights, and logged 53,000 miles. That’s over two trips around the world. Our 50th country ended up being an unlikely, unsuspected, and unplanned travel destination: Ukraine. We are now on a 3-week road trip through the Baltics and the Balkans. Greetings from Bulgaria! 

We miss all our friends and family back home and hope that you might take the opportunity to come meet us on part of our travels. Or, at the least, share any travel tips you have for us in our upcoming countries and cities. See where we’re headed next here. 

Most people want to know what our favorites are. We’ve jotted down a quick list to share our favorite places, hotels, foods, and excursions; at least up until now and in no particular order. The list continues to evolve with the more ground that we cover, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t also make sure it’s clear that no country quite compares to The United States of America 🇺🇸

Our favorite hotels:

  • Il San Pietro in Positano, Italy - for the impeccable Italian style and ‘cool’ relaxed aesthetic

  • Hotel du cap Eden Roc in Antibes, France - for the manicured perfection mixed with luxurious ocean views

  • Aman Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan - for the open and minimalistic design paired with flawless service

  • Marbella Club in Marbella, Spain - for the perfect balance of upscale beach bungalow relaxation and evenings full of swanky entertainment

  • Akelarre in San Sebastian, Spain - for the unique and clean design paired with breathtaking views overlooking San Sebastián

  • Heckfield Place in London, England - for the perfect city escape to get a taste of the true English countryside experience

  • Villa Pliniana in Lake Como, Italy - for many reasons, and also because we got married here :)

Countries with the best food:

  • Italy - no surprise here

  • Japan - their commitment to perfection is unwavering

  • Greece - fresh, clean, delicious, plentiful

  • Turkiye - wide range of flavors that all mesh together harmoniously

  • Switzerland - everything so fresh, farm-to-table-like

  • Mexico - what’s not to love

  • Isreal - kosher and cleanliness is unbeatable


Favorite bars:

  • Double Chicken Please in New York

  • Paradisio in Barcelona

  • Bar Benfiddich in Tokyo

  • Brujas in Mexico City

  • Attaboy in New York


Experience highlights:

  • Private geisha show in Kyoto, Japan

  • Walking Jesus’s footsteps though Jerusalem, Isreal

  • Ethereal hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, Turkiye

  • A 4-day cruise down the Nile River in Egypt

  • Everything about Antarctica

  • Traveling back in time in amazement at the Galapagos

  • Vietnam

  • Visiting the DMZ between North & South Korea

  • Hiking the Via Ferrata in Mürren, Switzerland

Countries we could see ourselves living in:

  • Italy

  • Japan

  • France

  • Spain

Best spas:

  • Four Seasons in Ko Samui, Thailand

  • Royal Mansour in Marrakesh, Morocco

  • The Dolder Grand in Zurich, Switzerland

  • Clinique La Prairie in Montreux, Switzerland


Most relaxing hotel experience:

  • Aman, Cambodia

  • Belmond Cataratas in Iguazu Falls, Brazil

  • Como Shambala Wellness Retreat in Ubud, Bali

  • Nayara Gardens in Arenal, Costa Rica


Wine region honorable mentions:

  • Mendoza, Argentina

  • Burgundy, France

  • Waiheke Island, New Zealand

  • Lavaux, Switzerland

Other key takeaways:

  • Embrace what’s in front of you

  • 99% of people around the world are good, kind, loving, caring, and willing to help. Best not to focus on the other 1%.

Hailey Pryor
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