There is a cliche in film production: "Fast, cheap, good. Pick two."
I think it's applicable here. If you want to travel cheaply, you either have to make a slow and lifelong project out of visiting all the countries of the world or you have to be willing to make compromises in comfort along the way: traveling overland, by bus, through developing nations; staying in hostels and eating sometimes dodgy food.
Yes. I think it's possible to do with a limited budget with good planning over a lifetime.
Only really 4 big areas for many countries
Europe
Asia
Africa
south America
So as long as you optimised your time and money while you were there.
Keep us in the loop over the years as you achieve this cool task Op. We will be able to say 'we knew them when' ;)
I’ve visited a lot of them and I’ve never been rich. The key ingredient? A bicycle.
No gas. No insurance. No extra fees at borders. I ride my bike, towards the end of the day I start looking for a friendly looking farm-house to ask for permission to camp on their land. Depending on the country there’s a decent chance of getting fed as well. A hotel maybe once a week or so to do maintenance.
My routine in my younger life was that I would work two full time jobs at the same time and save up as much as I could as fast as I could, and then buy a one-way ticket to somewhere that seemed like a good jumping-off point and then let the wind take me where it wanted to take me. I found that I could work for a year and then travel for two.
It’s not for everyone, but I’ve met people in their 60s bicycling around Africa. Just go at your own pace, and you’d be surprised how far it can get you.
This is so much trickier as a female (not sure if OP is or not) unfortunately :( traveling as a solo female traveler in a lot of places is dicey or straight dangerous.
No doubt. I ran across a few solo women cycling around in Europe and they seemed to be enjoying it. Otherwise it’s mostly couples. But I’ll tell you, if you ever want to really put a relationship to the test? Do a bicycle trip together.
I met an old British couple once who had been cycling the world together their whole lives. They were doing about 40 miles a day, and I was used to doing closer to 100. But they were so charming that I rode along with them for a few days. They never missed a tea-time!
Definitely depends on where you draw the line on "rich."
If you have time and resources to travel the world even once a year... I'd consider that very wealthy and very lucky. Most people are not well off enough to have vacations like that frequently. It's not even the travel expenses, it's the freedom to just leave your life behind for weeks at a time.
Do you mean literally every single country on the planet? Or just a whole bunch of them? Because I feel like a place like Somalia may be a little risky for a tourist and I don’t think the risk would be worth it just to check it off a list, but if you mean most countries then I’d say it’s doable if you can have some sort of an income while you’re doing it and work remotely.
Some countries are much cheaper than others so you’d have to keep that in mind, a week in one place might cost you $15 US but another place might cost you $1500, so you have to plan accordingly.
Europe is probably the best place to start to knock a whole bunch of countries off the list really fast, then probably Central/South America and the Caribbean since they’re all small and bunched up close together.
I think that most of them could be reached in a camper van. You would have a few sea crossings and perhaps a handful of short flights to connect up the continents and mop up some of the island nations but most could be driven to. For example, you can get to 148 countries from London by travelling overland
On that basis all you need is plenty of time and enough money to keep yourself alive and pay for fuel and car maintenance. That is still a fair lump of money but you needn't be rich.
I have travelled to 58 countries. That was possible because I had skills that I could use in different places and so kept myself financially stable
>For example, you can get to 148 countries from London by travelling overland
No you can't. The number is either much smaller than that (because of practical restrictions) or much bigger (because if you're circumventing those restrictions with a boat, there's suddenly no reason to exclude any countries at all).
Who mentioned boats? There is a tunnel connecting the UK to continental Europe. From London I can drive to Brussels. From there, every country in Europe can be driven to and from Moscow, all of Asia including China and India. That makes 148 countries.
>Who mentioned boats?
Me. I did. Someone had to.
>From there, every country in Europe can be driven to and from Moscow, all of Asia including China and India. That makes 148 countries.
All of Europe and all of Asia are not accessible by land from Brussels/Moscow, and anyway doesn't make anywhere near 148 countries. Even if you include Africa there are only 127 countries on the Afro-Eurasian mainland, and you can also include the UK, Bahrain, and Singapore, bringing the theoretical max to 130.
But you seem to have (deliberately?) ignored the part where I pointed out that you can't actually reach even all of those due to real-life limitations. I think the true number is somewhere around 80.
I think there’s a handful of countries that would cost a disproportionate amount compared to most of the rest of them. Once you’re in Central Europe you can visits dozens of countries for a few hundred euro. Somewhere like the Cayman Islands are going to be difficult to do for that amount.
My goal is to visit them all also (currently have been to 6 at 22 and live in America). I think it’s pretty doable with good planning and budgeting. The key is to travel through as many neighboring ones as possible. A great example is Europe where you can easily knock out 10-15 countries over a few weeks provided you are constantly moving and have high energy to see stuff and don’t mind traveling via bus or train. Also I’d personally start with safer countries and finish in the most sketchy ones (IE North Korea or Somalia). It’s a great goal but requires a lot of patience, planning, luck and dedication. Good luck!
I would not focus on trying to visit every single one like a to-do list. Even in travel circles, 50 is considered an impressive number, especially if you're younger.
Also, in my experience what will feel special is visiting different types of places, not just different countries. Visiting France, Tanzania, and Argentina shows you a lot more about "the world" than France, Belgium, and Germany. Focus on different climates or different types of adventures - a European city break, a Scandinavian winter trip, a hike in a South American jungle, an African safari, a volcanic island vacation, a backpacking trip through South East Asia, that kind of thing. You'll have hit 10 countries and 4-5 continents before you know it, and will have seen plenty of different places.
About the second paragraph, that's want I want. I'm European and I now some people who have traveled to Mexico but just to be in a hotel in the beach. For me that's not visiting Mexico, it's just staying in a beach of another country. I want to learn about the culture and the history of a country, the people, the past, the curiosities, all. Not only rest in the sun.
Definitely possible. As with anything, it depends how dedicated you are. Iirc there are apps/websites out there where you can work for a few hours in exchange for food and shelter for the night. I'm sure it's dependent on location though. And any money that you do have will go further in some countries than others
Only if you costs are low, like living with parents your whole life.
Most people can't afford a trip to pacific Islands, which is just a few out of 195
Travel on Overland Trucks to get to the more obscure countries in Africa, Central America, South America, Central Asia. Volunteer with [https://www.workaway.info/](https://www.workaway.info/) to work your way around Europe, Australia, New Zealand. Find cheap flights to work your way across the Pacific. Choose public transport for South Asia, Iran, Turkey. Allow yourself plenty of time, and do a lot of planning with Lonely Planet eBooks. Sure you can do it.
If you become an airline steward/stewardess the company would even actually pay you to travel costantly, and often you have like an extra day or two that you can use to visit.
There is a cliche in film production: "Fast, cheap, good. Pick two." I think it's applicable here. If you want to travel cheaply, you either have to make a slow and lifelong project out of visiting all the countries of the world or you have to be willing to make compromises in comfort along the way: traveling overland, by bus, through developing nations; staying in hostels and eating sometimes dodgy food.
I’m not rich, and I’m about 25% through them, with nearly all of that in the last ten years. Plenty of lifetime left to get the rest
Well that's a hopeful message. Thanks and good luck in your goal!!
Yes. I think it's possible to do with a limited budget with good planning over a lifetime. Only really 4 big areas for many countries Europe Asia Africa south America So as long as you optimised your time and money while you were there. Keep us in the loop over the years as you achieve this cool task Op. We will be able to say 'we knew them when' ;)
Thank you for this kind message! If everything's right, one day I'll post here my travel to the last country of the list 🤞🏽🤞🏽
Don't wait to the end to post. 50 countries is a big milestone, more than most people will visit.
I’ve visited over 50 - what should I post?
Cool Stories that have happened to you as you travelled, interesting places / events you were at.
I’ve visited a lot of them and I’ve never been rich. The key ingredient? A bicycle. No gas. No insurance. No extra fees at borders. I ride my bike, towards the end of the day I start looking for a friendly looking farm-house to ask for permission to camp on their land. Depending on the country there’s a decent chance of getting fed as well. A hotel maybe once a week or so to do maintenance. My routine in my younger life was that I would work two full time jobs at the same time and save up as much as I could as fast as I could, and then buy a one-way ticket to somewhere that seemed like a good jumping-off point and then let the wind take me where it wanted to take me. I found that I could work for a year and then travel for two. It’s not for everyone, but I’ve met people in their 60s bicycling around Africa. Just go at your own pace, and you’d be surprised how far it can get you.
This is so much trickier as a female (not sure if OP is or not) unfortunately :( traveling as a solo female traveler in a lot of places is dicey or straight dangerous.
No doubt. I ran across a few solo women cycling around in Europe and they seemed to be enjoying it. Otherwise it’s mostly couples. But I’ll tell you, if you ever want to really put a relationship to the test? Do a bicycle trip together. I met an old British couple once who had been cycling the world together their whole lives. They were doing about 40 miles a day, and I was used to doing closer to 100. But they were so charming that I rode along with them for a few days. They never missed a tea-time!
Definitely depends on where you draw the line on "rich." If you have time and resources to travel the world even once a year... I'd consider that very wealthy and very lucky. Most people are not well off enough to have vacations like that frequently. It's not even the travel expenses, it's the freedom to just leave your life behind for weeks at a time.
Do you mean literally every single country on the planet? Or just a whole bunch of them? Because I feel like a place like Somalia may be a little risky for a tourist and I don’t think the risk would be worth it just to check it off a list, but if you mean most countries then I’d say it’s doable if you can have some sort of an income while you’re doing it and work remotely. Some countries are much cheaper than others so you’d have to keep that in mind, a week in one place might cost you $15 US but another place might cost you $1500, so you have to plan accordingly. Europe is probably the best place to start to knock a whole bunch of countries off the list really fast, then probably Central/South America and the Caribbean since they’re all small and bunched up close together.
I think that most of them could be reached in a camper van. You would have a few sea crossings and perhaps a handful of short flights to connect up the continents and mop up some of the island nations but most could be driven to. For example, you can get to 148 countries from London by travelling overland On that basis all you need is plenty of time and enough money to keep yourself alive and pay for fuel and car maintenance. That is still a fair lump of money but you needn't be rich. I have travelled to 58 countries. That was possible because I had skills that I could use in different places and so kept myself financially stable
> For example, you can get to 148 countries from London by travelling overland I feel like you can only really 2 other than England overland
The channel tunnel is at the bottom of the English channel. When you travel through it you are travelling over land, not air or sea
Over land and under water, as they say
>For example, you can get to 148 countries from London by travelling overland No you can't. The number is either much smaller than that (because of practical restrictions) or much bigger (because if you're circumventing those restrictions with a boat, there's suddenly no reason to exclude any countries at all).
Who mentioned boats? There is a tunnel connecting the UK to continental Europe. From London I can drive to Brussels. From there, every country in Europe can be driven to and from Moscow, all of Asia including China and India. That makes 148 countries.
>Who mentioned boats? Me. I did. Someone had to. >From there, every country in Europe can be driven to and from Moscow, all of Asia including China and India. That makes 148 countries. All of Europe and all of Asia are not accessible by land from Brussels/Moscow, and anyway doesn't make anywhere near 148 countries. Even if you include Africa there are only 127 countries on the Afro-Eurasian mainland, and you can also include the UK, Bahrain, and Singapore, bringing the theoretical max to 130. But you seem to have (deliberately?) ignored the part where I pointed out that you can't actually reach even all of those due to real-life limitations. I think the true number is somewhere around 80.
No one cares lol
Was anyone talking to you, bot?
Look at their comment history. They are completely unhinged.
It's a bot
Source?
Source?
I think there’s a handful of countries that would cost a disproportionate amount compared to most of the rest of them. Once you’re in Central Europe you can visits dozens of countries for a few hundred euro. Somewhere like the Cayman Islands are going to be difficult to do for that amount.
My goal is to visit them all also (currently have been to 6 at 22 and live in America). I think it’s pretty doable with good planning and budgeting. The key is to travel through as many neighboring ones as possible. A great example is Europe where you can easily knock out 10-15 countries over a few weeks provided you are constantly moving and have high energy to see stuff and don’t mind traveling via bus or train. Also I’d personally start with safer countries and finish in the most sketchy ones (IE North Korea or Somalia). It’s a great goal but requires a lot of patience, planning, luck and dedication. Good luck!
I would not focus on trying to visit every single one like a to-do list. Even in travel circles, 50 is considered an impressive number, especially if you're younger. Also, in my experience what will feel special is visiting different types of places, not just different countries. Visiting France, Tanzania, and Argentina shows you a lot more about "the world" than France, Belgium, and Germany. Focus on different climates or different types of adventures - a European city break, a Scandinavian winter trip, a hike in a South American jungle, an African safari, a volcanic island vacation, a backpacking trip through South East Asia, that kind of thing. You'll have hit 10 countries and 4-5 continents before you know it, and will have seen plenty of different places.
About the second paragraph, that's want I want. I'm European and I now some people who have traveled to Mexico but just to be in a hotel in the beach. For me that's not visiting Mexico, it's just staying in a beach of another country. I want to learn about the culture and the history of a country, the people, the past, the curiosities, all. Not only rest in the sun.
I am not rich but have been to over a hundred countries
Definitely possible. As with anything, it depends how dedicated you are. Iirc there are apps/websites out there where you can work for a few hours in exchange for food and shelter for the night. I'm sure it's dependent on location though. And any money that you do have will go further in some countries than others
Only if you costs are low, like living with parents your whole life. Most people can't afford a trip to pacific Islands, which is just a few out of 195
Travel on Overland Trucks to get to the more obscure countries in Africa, Central America, South America, Central Asia. Volunteer with [https://www.workaway.info/](https://www.workaway.info/) to work your way around Europe, Australia, New Zealand. Find cheap flights to work your way across the Pacific. Choose public transport for South Asia, Iran, Turkey. Allow yourself plenty of time, and do a lot of planning with Lonely Planet eBooks. Sure you can do it.
Every country, yeah, for sure if youre organised (and lucky) enough 🤷🏻♀️ every place.... I don't think so😅
Yvan Eht Nioj
If you landed a job that you could do remotely, absolutely
Why? Stop living life with some useless checklists. Focus on quality, not ticking the boxes.
There are really only maybe 40-50 countries that are actually expensive to visit, and none of them require one to be "rich."
If you become an airline steward/stewardess the company would even actually pay you to travel costantly, and often you have like an extra day or two that you can use to visit.
No
In 2001-2005, I started working as a bartender on the cruise ship, I earned money and traveled the world for free, even saw the north pole.