My Favorite Country So Far

To date, I have had the privilege of traveling to 30 foreign countries (not including territories) as a solo traveler. While many of the countries I have traveled to are not common destinations by any stretch of the imagination, I feel like I still haven’t REALLY traveled yet. To those of you who have been following my adventures, this may sound insane, but I mean, there ARE 195 countries in the world and my having visited 30 of them only scratches the surface.

However, I must say that of the 15% of the planet that I have visited, there has not been one country that I did not enjoy visiting or marked “do not return”. I have also thoroughly enjoyed sharing my adventures with my followers and readers. So, a big thank you to you all, as you keep me motivated to keep exploring and sharing.

Now, on to another question I get asked quite frequently. Besides “where are you headed next?”, I am often asked “of all the places you’ve been, what country was your favorite”?

I imagine my friends abroad reading this and taking wagers thinking “certainly it must be ____________” as they fill in their respective countries. I hate to disappoint but I don’t actually HAVE a favorite country or destination BUT I do have a favorite region.

From my first visit, I have been enamored with the continent of Africa. I love the smell of the earth. I love the greenness of the landscape. I love the warmness of the people, and I especially love that sense of having come “home” while I’m there. This feeling is hard to articulate but anyone who has felt it knows exactly what I mean. There are 54 recognized African nations and each one is absolutely different and distinct from the others. I have been blessed to visit 12 African nations so far, with number 13 slated for later this year, God willing. Of the 13 nations, five of them were standouts for me (and, no, they are not in any particular order, sorry!).

A few of my favorite places

Kenya
Tanzania
Morocco
South Africa
Uganda

Kenya and Tanzania are tied in my listing as one of my favorite destinations for animal sightings . The Maasai Mara and The Serengeti are unlike any other destination in the world. Experiencing the wildebeest migration in 2018 is one of my fondest memories. While I don’t normally go for “luxury travel”, I did treat myself to a two-night stay at the world renowned Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. I won’t even try to describe this experience, I’ll just direct you to my photo gallery and commentary on that trip and let you be the judge. Then a few nights later, I slept in a tent in the Serengeti with nothing but strips of canvas sheltering me from the wildlife of the savannah. Awesome trip from beginning to end.

Morocco – This northern African nation’s sights, sounds, and smells assault and entice the senses simultaneously. How did Morocco snag a spot on my Top Five list? The answer is twofold: architecture and cuisine. The ornate mosques, the busyness of the souks, and the colorful buildings and attire of the locals. Later in the day, the aromas of the different spices created a pungent haze over entire areas of Marrakech and Fez. Then at dusk, you have the delicious smells emanating from the kitchens of the restaurants as the lamb tagines and couscous are being prepared for dinner.

South Africa – I love to delve into the history of any destination I visit. I want to experience the culture, interact with the local people, learn a few words of the spoken language(s) and visit the museums. South Africa’s sordid history of apartheid, its subsequent dismantling and the meteoric rise of the Honorable Nelson Mandela appealed to the historian in me. The landscape and the nation’s newfound ranking as a destination for “foodies” solidified South Africa’s slot on my list. I look forward to a return visit to check out some of the national parks and wildlife in the near future.

Uganda – is a destination I visited in June of 2022 after a two-year delay due to Covid restrictions. I must say it was definitely worth the wait. The beauty of the land truly defies words. The mist that descends at dusk and lingers, basking trees as far as the eye can see in a diaphanous cloak of silver and white was breathtaking. The people, landscape, and animal sightings were phenomenal. Observing gentle, massive silverback gorillas in their own environment was something dreams are made of. The thrill of peering into a tree in Ishasha and realizing that the animal looking back at you was not a large bird, but a tree climbing lion, defies words. Visiting Kibale National Park and trekking chimpanzees, who were totally disinterested in the humans gawking at them, was humorous and heartwarming.

Two additional nations that earned an honorable mention:
Egypt and Botswana

Honorable mention #1: Egypt
Now let me say this Egypt has a lot of issues, many of which the nation tends to hide from view. Google “The Zabbaleens”, to gain just a bit of insight into one of this nation’s heartbreaking social issues. However, the immense number of relics and the near-constant discovery of new antiquities makes Egypt a very exciting destination. For museum junkies like myself, the Egyptian Museum represents a veritable playground. I spent hours walking through there fascinated by the scale and detail of many of the exhibits. I cannot wait to visit the new Grand Egyptian Museum when/if it finally opens (grand opening slated for late 2023).

Honorable mention #2: Botswana is like my first love. While Zimbabwe was the first nation I visited as part of my “introductory” excursion to Africa back in 2016, Botswana and South Africa were the true standouts of that holiday. Botswana is where it all kind of started – my first safari, my first Boma, my first taste of game meat and my first nyama choma (barbecue experience). God spare life, I plan to return to visit the Okavango Delta and see what else Bots has to offer.

Let’s see if Ghana or the Democratic Republic of Congo (potential destinations for November 2023) or Gabon (slated for July 2024) can “dethrone” one of my top 5. Stay tuned…

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