I've been quite lucky to have had the opportunity to travel through work, on my own, and with family. Have ticked off 9 countries so far! (Though eternally jealous of a guy I briefly dated who had been to 40 countries by the time he was 20...wtf hectic.)
Top five that I've been to would be:
- Sri Lanka: which is where my parents were born and we have extended family there. Beautiful country and culture, though I've always felt a bit odd going there and not really fitting in due to growing up in Australia. Something that I'm still trying to reconcile, this internal conflict of cultures. But still a great place to visit, especially up north away from the cities.
- The Philippines: gorgeous country and amazing people. Was in the Philippines for around 6 weeks and was continually blown away by people's hospitality and warmth. Heaps to see and do, and Filipino food is amazing honestly.
- Cambodia: went there last year. Siem Reap is gorgeous with Angkor Wat and the ancient history there (plus 50c beers, yes please). PP has a lot of recent history as well which is eerie but so important to know to really understand the country and its culture, especially since the Khmer Rouge regime was so recent.
- Poland: I didn't get to explore too much in Poland as I was there for work, but going to Auschwitz was harrowing, and something that I recommend everyone to do if they get the chance. Surreal. Great food and drinks in Poland as well, and quite cheap compared to western and northern Europe.
- NZ: have only done part of the north island but very excited to do the south island eventually. I love the culture in NZ and how integrated Indigenous Maori culture is in the country, while also acknowledging there's more progress that needs to be made. Such a beautiful country as well, with a varied landscape.
Top five on my list to visit are:
- Iceland, for the nature
- Peru, mainly for Machu Picchu
- Mexico, for the vibrance of its culture
- Nepal, for the culture and nature
- Bhutan, they're doing a lot of cool things in sustainability