Countries visited: 51. Albania, 52. Montenegro, 53. Croatia, 54. Bosnia & Hercegovina, 55. Serbia, 56. Slovenia, 57. Slovakia, 58. Romania, 59. Kenya, 60. Tanzania, 61. Rwanda, 62. South Africa, 63. Botswana, 64. Zimbabwe, 65. Seychelles, 66. Sweden, 67. Finland, 68. Norway, 69. Denmark, 70. Moldova, 71. Armenia, 72. Georgia, 73. United Arab Emirates, 74. Kazakhstan, 75. Kyrgyzstan // click here to see countries 1-50 >>

75 Countries and 1 Anniversary 🥳

Max and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary in Uzbekistan with a casual pizza dinner and an early night in at the hotel. Every day feels like an anniversary when you live on the road. Somebody we met during our travels joked that we celebrated our first anniversary before our honeymoon was over. 

Since the last time we wrote, we’ve knocked off 25 more countries; reaching a total of 75 countries traveled together since March of 2022. Here’s a quick recap of the last chunk of travel:

• After our 5-week car ride through The Balkans, we took a quick trip on the historic Orient Express Train with YPO International before embarking on a 5-week trip through Africa. 

• Those of you that have been to Africa know how it can change you and you’ll leave the African Safari experience a changed person. Spending 5 weeks with Mother Nature, watching all various stages of the circle of life pass before your every eyes is a sobering and beautiful experience.

• After a beautiful and blissful tour of Africa, we went back up to Europe to run through a future YPO planning trip, met with friends who were vacationing in Europe for the summer, and then we flew up to Northern Europe to start exploring those countries that neither of us had been to before. Going forward, all countries that we visit will be new for the both of us. 

• We crossed off the Caucasus Countries, made an impromptu stop in Dubai, and just wrapped up 21 days in Central Asia visiting “The Stans” (all but Afghanistan and Pakistan).

From the last round of travel, here’s how things stack up:

Our Favorite Hotels (and/or safari camps):

• One&Only in Montenegro

• Aman Montenegro

• Angama Mara in the Maasai Mara, Kenya

• Mnemba Island, Zanzibar

• Singita Ebony in Sabi Sand, South Africa

• DumaTau in Linyanti Concession, Botswana

• Castiglion Del Bosco, Tuscany 

• Casa Mari Luigia, Modena - perhaps one of the most unique hotel & dining combo experiences we’ve ever had

Hidden Travel Gems:

• Lake Bled, Slovenia

• Ljubljana, Slovenia 

• Mostar, Bosnia & Hercegovina 

• Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia 

• Franschhoek, South Africa 

• San Sebastián, Spain (ok, maybe not a “hidden gem”, but still deserving of a mention)

• Tbilisi, Georgia 

Experience Highlights:

• Traveling (and sleeping) on the Orient Express Train from Budapest to Bucharest

• Every single safari experience in the various camps in Botswana

• Watching hundreds of baby turtles hatch from their nest and embark on their maiden voyage to the ocean in Mnemba Island, Zanzibar 

• Spending hours observing silverback gorilla families in the jungle in Rwanda 

• Cruising through the thin canals of Burgundy on a renovated private barge 

• Getting drenched at Victoria Falls, our 4th of the 7 natural wonders of the world

• Getting scuba certified and diving in Seychelles

• Spending another year witnessing the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain

• Overlooking The Palm in Dubai 

• Watching traditional Eagle Hunters share their craft in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan

• Riding the coveted ‘Golden Horses’ from Turkmenistan 

• Getting an up close look at flames that give the name to The Door To Hell in Durvasa, Turkmenistan

Food: 

• Noma in Copenhagen exceed all expectations, and remains our favorite culinary experience for a 3 Michelin star restaurant… ever 🤯

• It wasn’t a very food heavy tour, but Armenian food blew us away

Reflections:

• We know far less about the world than we know for certain about it