Where I’ve Been and Where I’m Going
My travels have taken me to many wonderful places around the globe. I have visited 51 countries so far, with more on the books for 2026 and 2027. Whether it is a bustling city or a small village, I love to explore new and exciting places.
I began most of my travel in the late 1990s through work. I was a corporate trainer for an international containerized shipping company, and my territory included the southern United States and Latin America. Fortunately, my job took me to several wonderful places and whetted my appetite for more travel.
In the 2000s I began to travel for pleasure more and more. My early trips were relatively quick visits to see some friends and family. But I expanded my horizons in 2017 when I did my first cruise – a river cruise with Avalon on the Rhine River. To say I was immediately hooked would be an understatement…I quickly felt the love for cruise travel!
After doing several river cruises, I started to venture out to ocean cruises. Having cut my teeth on small river cruise ships, I tend to stick with smaller ocean cruise ships as well. I have loved my cruises with Azamara and Crystal. Occasionally I stretch my legs a bit on a slightly larger ship, and have sailed with Holland America and Virgin Voyages as well.
Countries I Have Visited
As my wanderlust was stoked, I decided to give myself a challenge. In my late 40s, I embarked on a ’60 in 60′ quest…to visit 60 countries by the time I turn 60 years old. Cruising definitely helps me accumulate multiple countries on a single trip, so I have made wonderful progress over the past several years. I do use a slightly unofficial definition of ‘country,’ though…several of the countries on my lists below are not technically independent countries, but I don’t let that small technicality get in my way!
North and Central America
I have had the pleasure of exploring 39 of the 50 United States, along with Puerto Rico. My adventures have also taken me to four different provinces in Canada: British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. One of many highlights for me in Central America was cruising through the Panama Canal!
- United States
- Canada
- Costa Rica
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Mexico
- Panama
- Puerto Rico
On the books:
- Belize (December 2027)
Caribbean
Living in Florida now, you would think I would have seen more of the Caribbean! However, my adventures in the Caribbean just started about a year ago. My first Caribbean cruise with Azamara took me to the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonair, and Curaçao). I then visited the Cayman Islands and Bahamas on a Virgin Voyages cruise.
- Aruba
- Bahamas
- Bonaire
- Cayman Islands
- Curaçao
On the books:
- Dominican Republic (January 2027)
- St. Thomas / USVI (January 2027)
- Saint Kitts & Nevis (January 2027)
South America
My first visit to South America was my first international business trip, to beautiful Peru. After working a week in Lima, I was fortunate to spend a weekend at Machu Picchu. An Azamara cruise took me to Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, with the highlight being the fabulous Carnival Samba Parade in Rio de Janeiro.
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Peru
- Uruguay
Europe
I have been fortunate to spend quite a bit of time in Europe. Most of my visits to Europe have been on river cruises with Avalon, but I have also visited several European countries on Azamara and Crystal cruises as well. I have many highlights and favorites in Europe, from the stunning Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands to waterfalls and glaciers in Iceland!
- Austria
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Faroe Islands
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Guernsey
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Portugal
- Scotland
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
On the books:
- Bulgaria (October 2026)
- Romania (October 2026)
- Serbia (October 2026)
Asia
The travel time from the United States to Asia can be daunting, but once there, amazing Asia never disappoints. My first foray to Asia was a trip to China while I was getting my MBA at the University of Colorado at Denver. Later, I took a fantastic river cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam. I have also been able to visit several other Asian countries while on Crystal cruises.
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Vietnam
Common Questions
Do you have a favorite place?
This is THE MOST common question I get when people learn I love to travel! My answer is always the same…for me, picking a favorite place or trip is like a parent having to pick a favorite child. I love different things, for different reasons, about each place I visit. It’s impossible for me to identify one single overall favorite.
What’s the best way to see a lot of different countries?
Cruises, both river and ocean, are a great way ‘collect countries’ if that’s your goal. Cruises can hit two, three, four, or more countries on one voyage.
How do you know what visas are required to visit other countries?
If you are working with a Travel Agent, they can help guide you on all requirements for your trip. Otherwise, all of the information is readily available online. For US citizens, the Department of State’s website provides detailed entry/exit rules, passport validity, and other health/safety information.
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