150 Country Recap

There are two main parts to this travel block: the Pacific island countries and the Middle East. The tour through the Pacific island countries was eye-opening from a geopolitical standpoint. We could see China’s influence in every one of the Pacific island countries — “China Aid” signs were everywhere. These territories used to be strategically important to the US, but the lack of resources and productivity in many of the countries means they are accepting aid from whoever is willing to provide it. There also did not seem to be many local food options — most available foods were processed or canned, like Cup Noodles and Chef Boyardee.

The beauty of Palau, its waters, and its marine life are unparalleled. I’d love to go back and spend more time there. Mongolia was also a highlight because of the uniqueness of its culture, and a second visit would definitely be during the country’s cultural festival. The whales in Tonga were unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before, and I would include that experience among my top 15 travel highlights.

The Middle Eastern block was perhaps our most challenging yet, but also incredibly informative in showing how far the region has advanced and developed as a whole. Pakistan and Afghanistan are wildly different, with Afghanistan feeling more organized, clean, creative, and peaceful. Syria could be the crown jewel of the region if it were not constantly in conflict. Somalia felt like the most war-torn country we’ve visited, and every moment carried the sense that things could escalate into a bigger issue. Ethiopia had an abundance of things to do and see — we were there for two weeks and still feel like we only scratched the surface. We’re grateful to have visited when we did, as shortly after we completed our tour, more wars and conflicts broke out across the Middle East.