I am blogging for over a year but as you probably see I don’t spend enough time on posting. One of the reasons is that I don’t want to take myself too seriously about blogging, I just want to go with the flow of writing my personal stories and impressions. I prefer baby steps, with no agenda, no disappointments. This will be the best way for me and for you who read the blog.
The other strange side is even I am blogging about travel I do not have any bucket list. Yep! True! Neither I, neither Dido could tell which countries we would like to visit and what we would like to see in the future. Every journey comes at the right moment when we are ready to explore exactly this place when we are ready to learn exactly this lesson. Having a bucket list looks like something obligatory which I don’t like at all.
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Anyway as you can see on the blog, we do love to make lists, here and here. Today, I am sharing the next list which made us very happy. We have reached 10 visited countries and this came in the same week when announcing the Brexit probably to remind us how happy we must be living with open European borders and having the freedom to travel all around the world. I still remember how my travels started in the ’90s during the times of visas, passports, permissions, etc.
Here is the list of the first ten visited countries. And cheers for many more to come. 🙂
France
France is the first country that I’ve ever visited. I was a young girl studying in the French language school in my hometown Plovdiv. This trip left a mark in my life and the memory of it still remains. As a kid of socialist Bulgaria, raised during the transition to democracy, in 1999 the things were still very strange to describe, and traveling in Western Europe has opened my eyes to the totally different world from ours and the big differences between West and East. For the first time then, I saw the house with a swimming pool, photocell sink, Carrefour Hypermarket, etc. Since then I was traveling to France four times already, two times with Dido. Oui, c’est la vie, c’est comme çà! My parents gave me the opportunity to travel during my teen years and I am very grateful for that.
Italy
Venice was a dream to me. Yes, it was the one and only. But there is a wise sentence, probably you’ve heard of “If you are dreaming about something ask the person who has it is he/or she still happy with it.” My dream was destroyed after my travel to Venice, sorry not sorry. That was my first real disappointment after a journey. I didn’t plan any other trip to Italy. Still.
Turkey
I’ve been to Turkey three times already. And all of them in Istanbul. Ups, nope, I’ve been with my family also in Edirne, the very close city to the Bulgarian border. Istanbul is my favorite anyway. The place between the East and the West recharges everything in me. The last time we were all together – Dido and my sister. Who said a weekend on the Bosphorus? I am always in.
Spain
We have discovered Spain while traveling with Dido. I have done a solo trip to San Sebastian once but the country was distant to me. After a few summer trips to Barcelona, I am in love with this place. I have so many wonderful stories to tell and I am thirsty for more. We already planned our summer trip to Valencia and if you have some tips and tricks we are open to hearing from you.
Germany
The first travel to Berlin was a travel to remember, with a big company of friends, with a lot of emotions and just in time for the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. Wow, right?
The United Kingdom
London, London and again London, still counting. The city is never enough for me.
Croatia
The Balkans are too close to us to miss them. The Balkan road trips were the best idea ever and I can recommend it to everybody who loves to enjoy the short distances, the interesting and hidden gems driving through the picturesque roads.
Montenegro
Montenegro is a place where everyone should go even for one in a lifetime.
Portugal
We traveled to Lisbon with my younger sister and Dido. In November we found cheap flight tickets through London. What a piece of luck! We’ve crossed the cloudy and rainy London to find ourselves in sunny and calm Lisbon. How we spend our days in the Portugal capital, follow our blog to read the stories 🙂
The United States of America
For those of you who are following the blog, you all know that the four months stay in the USA was a turning point for both of us – Dido and I. It was a great experience and at the same time it was a lesson learned. New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Cape May, Wildwood…
10 countries from 196 is a small part, we have such a long list to achieve, I just hope for not stopping to follow our dreams and to be open to the world. I hope that the number of our “om trips” around the world will increase. 🙂
Share your list of visited countries in the comments section below. 😉 Looking forward to hearing from you!
Om, Om,
Moni
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These are awesome! We have an aquarium here, but it’s not nearly as extensive as this one. Looks beautiful!!!
I really like your approach about your blog – just take it easy and I am sure the success will come/continue :-)!
Oh, that’s nice, what I needed it hear! Small steps at a time 🙂
Great points you’ve chosen! I wish you many trips in the next year!
Thanks! It is a short list but anyway it was great ride 🙂 Happy travels to you, too!
It’s always so fun to visit other countries and learn about their culture. Europe is definitely on my bucket list but maybe I’ll have to add these other countries to my list.
Yes, it is so enriching to travel and learn new things about the history and the culture of the different countries, cities, places… Wishing you happy travels, thanks for stopping by!
These are all countries I want to visit! Especially France, I’ve always dreamed of going there one day. I live in the US but I have a dream to go to all 50 states. I am 34 in, which is neat to think how far I have come. This is a great start! I hope you achieve your dream.
Great wishes! Thank you! I am also dreaming about travel accross USA, that day will come, too 🙂 I hope you visit France one day! It’s really worth it! Best wishes!
I’ve not done any serious traveling in years now, so you’re off to a great start with 10 countries! I like the variety of places you ended up for your first 10!
So kind of you, Jen! I needed to read this because I think that this list is quite short… you know when it comes to travel is never enough … 🙂
OMG these pictures are fantastic! Wants to make me go back to Paris
Paris is always a good idea!
Wow what a great list of ten countries you have visited, How I wish I could go to UK soon, and Croatia we have planned this year but too late we have booked and then cancelled. Oh I would love to go to Montenegro as well, hopefully my partner and I could do more than 10 countries 🙂
:))) thank you! I hope that you can visit your dream countries!
Italy and Germany are on my bucket list. I wish i can travel while working, it’ll be a dream come true for sure!
Where do you want to go in Germany?
Oh you hit several of my bucket list locations! Love the pictures! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by!
How great that Croatia is on your list. I live here and it truly is beautiful country that has a lot to offer. Great first 10.
I am in love with this country!
Congrats on your first 10! If you want to visit Serbia, you`re welcome 🙂
Hey, neighbour! I am planning to visit Belgrade soon! Where are you from?
Wow! I hope to get a few more countries down in my book but your list looks amazing too!! I always have a hard time determining were to go first!
How many countries have you visited?
I’ve never ventured outside of the USA yet. But I really want to go to Italy and other European countries. Even more now!
And I would love to make a road trip across USA. 🙂
Croatia is so stunning. It’s definitely on my list of places to visit. Love your photos.
Yes, Jenny! Croatia is like a pearl! It is definitely a must! Balkans are a very special place to me!
I hope to visit Europe one day. Paris is my list but all of these would be nice.
Where are you from?
Wow!!! You’ve been all over Europe! I am praying that I get to visit France and Italy someday. your photos are beautiful!
When you live in Europe you can travel everywhere around the continent, it is distances are not so big and it is not so expensive! That’s why I am dreaming more about visiting Asia, Latin America, Africa…
Beautiful pictures, I really need to travel more and discover new places. Great post and thank you for sharing.
Glad you liked it!
That’s a beautiful picture of the Eiffel Tower.
Thank you, @kendowell:disqus. I am very happy that you liked it. I think that in Paris every single picture is beautiful. 🙂