30 Countries Before 30

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I think I was so inspired to start this blog because of all the wonderful blogs I read. Honestly, I read A LOT of blogs…and they’re about a variety of topics: traveling, fashion, baking, politics, etc. One of my favorite travel blogs is called “40 Before 30.”It is about a woman who wants to visit 40 countries before she turns 30. So I’ve made it my mission to visit 30 countries before 30!

40 countries seemed a bit ambitious for myself but it inspired me to write down where I’ve visited and where I want to go before I turn 30 (although, I’m already halfway to 40 countries!). There is something that is absolutely wonderful and exhilarating about writing down goals and things I want to do. It seems to give me purpose and drive in my life. I’m such a list maker and this current list I’m calling “30 Countries Before 30”

VISITED:

North America:

Canada – Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, British Columbia (honestly, I’ve probably been to even more provinces but can’t remember!)
United States (duh!) – I’ve been to all 48 continental states (just need to visit Hawaii and Alaska)

Europe:

Austria – Innsbruck
Belgium
Croatia – Zagreb, Pula, Opatija
France – Paris, Normandy Region (Honfleur, Caen, Bayeux, Gold Beach, Omaha Beach, Point du Hoc), Nice
Germany – Heidelberg, Tuebingen, Frankfurt, Berlin (4 times), Munich, Dresden, Stuttgart, Bonn, Cologne, Essen, Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Potsdam, Mainz, Wiesbaden, Dachau, Schloss Neuschwanstein, Ulm (honestly, the list goes on and on!)
Ireland – Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey
Italy – Genoa, Pisa, Cinque Terra, Florence, Rome, Naples, Venice, Bellagio, Lake Como, Ischia
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg – Luxembourg City
Monaco – the entire city!
Netherlands
Portugal – Lisbon
Slovenia – Julian Alps, Kranjska Gora
Spain – Barcelona, Montserrat (monastery)
Sweden – Stockholm, islands surround Stockholm, Vasteras, Nykoping
Switzerland – Chur, Interlaken
United Kingdom – London (and all surrounding areas), Edinburgh (Scotland is almost like its own country! haha), Oxford, Cambridge
Vatican – I saw the Pope!

After visiting Portugal in a few months, I’ll have been to 20 countries (which isn’t bad for someone who is only 22 years old!). Here are the 10 countries I want to visit in the next 8 years. I’m optimistic that I’ll be able to easily accomplish that (and hopefully 10 more after that make it “40 Before 30”!)

Places I want to visit before 30:

Australia – Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide
Czech Republic – Prague
Denmark – Copenhagen
Greece – Athens
Hungary – Budapest, Debrecen
Iceland – Reykjavik
Israel – Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
Jordan – Amman
Norway – Oslo
Poland – Warsaw, Krakow
Turkey – Istanbul

** OK, so maybe this list is 31 countries by 30 because it was too hard to narrow down my list! Also, I feel like crossing the Atlantic Ocean on an ocean liner has to count for something…half a country? That took 8 days!

I might be being overly optimistic, but hopefully I’ll be able to accomplish this before I leave Germany in April/May of 2015! Well, as my Dad said the other day, I don’t need a job…I need a trust fund! Currently taking donations!