As a kid, I pored over maps, flags, and history books, curious about what life looked like in far-off corners of the world. At the same time, I was quietly struggling with debilitating obsessive-compulsive disorder, which often left me feeling trapped inside my own mind.
One night during my freshman year at the University of Miami, I came across an article in my apartment that stunned me. It said that more people had been to space than had visited every country in the world.
Finding that out changed the direction of my life. I decided to set out on a mission to visit every country, not just as a travel goal, but as a way to confront my OCD and prove to myself that it didn’t have to dictate the limits of my life.
Over the next few years of college, I saved aggressively while working in nightlife marketing in Miami, putting aside just enough to make the trip possible if I budgeted carefully and kept costs low.
When I told my parents about my plan, they laughed and shrugged it off, not quite taking me seriously. Not long after, I called one of my best friends. He laughed too and said just two words: “Good luck.”
After graduating, I made it my mission. I backpacked mostly alone across conflict zones, remote islands, and places at the center of ancient history. On April 3, 2025, I reached my 195th and final country in North Korea. The journey was verified by NomadMania, the world’s largest travel community, which confirmed that I was the youngest person ever to have visited every country.
After completing my mission, a few places stood out as truly unforgettable. These are three cities I always suggest others experience — and one I wouldn’t rush back to.
Sydney, Australia
Out of the hundreds of cities I’ve visited in my life, Sydney is my favorite. What stood out most was how relaxed and welcoming people were. The pace reminded me of my hometown in San Diego, with the same laid-back energy but an even greater sense of warmth.
One morning, while sitting at a café, an older couple at the table next to me struck up a conversation and started sharing their favorite places around the city. They talked about the coastal walks they loved, which neighborhoods were worth spending time in, and the restaurants they kept going back to. Interactions like that happened often enough that the friendliness stopped feeling like a novelty and became part of everyday life.
As I explored the city, I kept noticing how naturally beautiful it was. More than 100 beaches are within reach, including Bondi, where I watched surfers roll in with the tide. In the city center, I wandered through different neighborhoods and took in the mix of historic architecture and modern design. The sunsets were especially memorable. I watched ferries cut across the water as the skyline came into view, framed by the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
Sydney is the kind of city I could easily imagine building a life in.
Valletta, Malta
Valletta felt like a living crossroads of history from the moment I arrived. Sitting at the center of the Mediterranean, the city reflects centuries of Italian, Arab, British, and North African influence, all packed into a compact, walkable capital.
I’d walk past waterfront cafés and, minutes later, find myself standing on the city’s fortified walls, looking out over waters once traveled by Phoenician traders, Ottoman fleets, and British warships.
What surprised me most about Valletta was how under-visited it felt compared to much of southern Europe. Even during peak season, it never felt overrun. A short ferry ride away, I spent time on the island of Gozo, where life moved even slower. I visited ancient temples older than the Egyptian pyramids and passed through small villages where fishing and farming still shape daily life.
Experiencing Gozo made Valletta feel even more special: a historic capital with easy access to a quieter, older side of the Mediterranean.
Krabi, Thailand
Krabi wasn’t even on my radar at first, and it ended up being one of the last places I reached on my journey. A Thai friend I’d met years earlier on the junior tennis circuit told me it was the most beautiful part of the country and insisted I couldn’t miss it.
He was right. Krabi Town is the province’s main city, but most travelers use “Krabi” to refer to the surrounding beaches and islands — and few places on Earth combine land and sea as dramatically. At Railay Beach, limestone cliffs rise from turquoise water, creating a backdrop unlike anything else I’ve seen.
I took day trips through Phang Nga Bay and out toward the nearby Phi Phi Islands, weaving past mangrove forests and hidden coves that felt largely untouched. And then there was the food. For a few dollars, I could get a delicious local meal and a fresh dragon fruit smoothie from a roadside stall or beachside café.
Krabi is a reminder that some of the most memorable places aren’t always part of the original plan.
New Delhi, India
India was one of the countries I was most excited to visit, and it delivered some amazing experiences. Seeing the Taj Mahal in Agra lived up to every expectation, and witnessing the ancient religious rituals along the Ganges in Varanasi was one of the most powerful cultural moments I’ve experienced anywhere in the world.
That said, New Delhi isn’t a place I feel a strong pull to return to. The air quality was poor enough that I found myself coughing constantly, making it uncomfortable to spend much time outside. In a city of more than 22 million people, the traffic was relentless, adding to a sense of chaos that, unlike in other busy cities I’ve loved, never felt energizing. Compared to other parts of India, I also didn’t find the city’s main sights as compelling.
I’m glad I went, and India as a whole left a lasting impression on me. But if I were planning another trip, New Delhi wouldn’t be on my list.
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