Number of Countries visited - a question

Martynt74 · 8 Feb 2017 at 18:49

Shadowness;30481805 said:
At least one night I'd say. I travel for a living so I think I can weigh in on this a bit, I'm even in East Timor at the moment.

I'd have dozens and dozens added to my list if I simply counted the ones I transited through, but how is that visiting when I didnt even leave the airport?!

According to the travel map thing on trip advisor, I've visited (properly) just over 30% of the world now.

Interesting, Are you a travel writer or work for a holiday company checking out hotels?

G-MAN2004 · 8 Feb 2017 at 20:10

I'd say simply stepping foot on land counts.

panthro · 8 Feb 2017 at 20:47

Freefaller;30481810 said:
Spent at least one night. However, a caveat could be, if you landed in the morning say 8am, and didn't leave until the evening and had spent some time outside of the airport and actually immersed yourself a little in the culture.

I once landed in Baku at 9am, left early afternoon and did everything possible to not immerse myself in it's culture, but I still count it as a visit.

Freefaller · 8 Feb 2017 at 20:51

panthro;30484505 said:
I once landed in Baku at 9am, left early afternoon and did everything possible to not immerse myself in it's culture, but I still count it as a visit.

I'd agree with that.

MadFruit · 8 Feb 2017 at 22:32

I'd say you have to leave the transit area, spend at least one night outside it, and eat out before it counts.

Interestingly, I've visited 48 countries and it would only be 50 if I counted my layover/transits (UAE and Ethiopia being the two airports I've transitted through without visiting. I suppose there might be more but I can't think of them).

Hades · 8 Feb 2017 at 22:34

You have to clear immigration and walk out of the airport.

I once did a day trip to Singapore on the way back from Bali. I had a good look around the city and went shopping. According to the current leader of this pole that doesn't count as visiting as I didn't stay the night.

Amp34 · 9 Feb 2017 at 05:14

krooton;30481761 said:
I don't think you need to stay overnight, I spent 6 hours walking around Kotor as one of my stops on a cruise, does that mean I haven't been to Montenegro?

Yeah, no need for an overnight requirement. I spent 8+ hours in Casablanca and another 8+ hours in Doha (Qatar), both during the day. I could have spent that time sleeping but instead spent time wandering round both cities. You've visited a country is you've spent a reasonable amount of time actually outside the airport, and reasonably in this sense is a few hours, u less you got there at 10pm and spent the night in a hotel "overnighting" somewhere.

Amp34 · 9 Feb 2017 at 05:16

Freefaller;30481810 said:
Spent at least one night. However, a caveat could be, if you landed in the morning say 8am, and didn't leave until the evening and had spent some time outside of the airport and actually immersed yourself a little in the culture.

Perhaps the definition should be that you have had a meal outside the airport (not a fast food joint).

If you're eating then you're probably spending some time there, not just popping in or out, and have got to interact with local people?

EDIT: On 31 right now (not including UK obviously), 32 in a couple of weeks. Three of those only "transits", but left the airport and spent at east 6 hours sightseeing in the cities (Hong Kong, Singapore, Doha). All holidays so far, although two I've also been for work.

Amp34 · 9 Feb 2017 at 05:34

bobbyspangles;30482962 said:
A much more important question would be how long do you have to have visited a country before you can tell people you lived there.

And no, 3 1/2 weeks as part of your gap year doesn't count.

Easy.

If you have a government issued ID/documentation then you've lived there (i.e. social security number, drivers licence etc). If not you haven't officially lived there.

Participant · 9 Feb 2017 at 06:24

krooton;30481761 said:
I don't think you need to stay overnight, I spent 6 hours walking around Kotor as one of my stops on a cruise, does that mean I haven't been to Montenegro?

This. Not sleeping there is still visiting.

Ironic how people think sleeping there is a prerequisite of having visited a country yet whilst you're sleeping, you're not doing anything at all.

If I spend 12 hours visiting a country for the day but fly back the same day, have I less visited the country than someone who slept at a hotel at the airport waiting for a connecting flight the next day?