Thanks to YOU!

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Thanks to all of you who followed my blog as I explored all these amazing places, and a million of thanks to those of you who stayed in touch via SMS and emails to support me. This long trip was certainly no holiday. Darn, if I wanted a holiday I would have booked into the 5-star Le Meridien Bora Bora in Tahiti and everyday relaxed by the infinity pool. My exploration of 65 countries in 27 months was a mission to digitally capture some of the most amazing places on earth before they change too much - watch for the receding of the many glaciers I photographed in Alaska and Patagonia (Argentina), the destruction of the rain forests I roamed in the Amazon..... I conquered several active volcanoes and many other dangerous excursions. I'm truly glad to be safely back home and I truly appreciate the support you gave me on the road...a road which often was very lonely where nobody understood my English (or my Spanish and Russian) and where roads sometimes came to a dead-end. During times like this it was such a relief to open my email and receive words of encouragement from those who cared enough. Thanks and God bless!!! Below...pics of me on location:
LEFT: High above ancient Shibam (Manhatten of the desert), Central Yemen. CENTRE: Close-ups of the Fur Seals, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. RIGHT: Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, USA

Round-the-World in 27 months - in Review

The past 27 months has been the best time of my life! I went through immigration 210 times - which means 105 countries. However, as I visited some countries more than once, the un-duplicated number of countries I visited is 65. These countries are in Asia, Middle East, Europe, North America, Central America, South America, Africa....and the best region: Asia! (Foto to right: Iranian Qashqai Nomad lady who claims to be 120).

Herewith the countries I visited and the 5 star ranking for each, based on as little, or as much, I have experienced. Length of visit is often strongly correlated with a more positive ranking - but not necessarily. A higher ranking means a more positive evaluation with 5 being a great place to visit and 1 = dull

Albania	2		Finland	3		Oman	3
Argentina	5		Georgia	4		Panama	3
Armenia	3		Germany	3		Paraguay	2
Azerbaijan	3		Greece	3		Peru	5
Bahrain	1		Guatemala	4		Poland	3
Bangladesh	5		Hong Kong	4		Romania	4
Belarus	3		Honduras	4		Russia	4
Belize	3		Hungary	3		Serbia	2
Bolivia	5		Iran	5		Slovakia	3
Bosnia	3		Israel	3		Slovenia	3
Brazil	5		Japan	5		South Africa	5
Bulgaria	3		Jordan	4		Sweden	3
Burma	5		Laos	4		Syria	4
Canada	5		Latvia	3		Thailand	4
Chile	4		Lebanon	3		Turkey	4
Colombia	4		Lithuania	3		UAE	2
Costa Rica	5		Mexico	5		Ukraine	3
Croatia	3		Moldova	2		Uruguay	2
Czech	3		Montenegro	3		USA	5
Ecuador	5		Nepal	5		Vietnam	4
El Salvador	1		Nicaragua	3		Yemen	5
Estonia	3		Norway	4

If I had to choose just 5 countries out of these 65...it will be: Iran, Yemen, Nepal, Costa Rica, and Argentina....and rounding up the top ten would be Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, and South Africa (see more top 5 lists below).

Top 5 lists:
Most Amazing Overall: South Africa, Iran, Yemen, Ecuador, Nepal
Best Wildlife: South Africa, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Bolivia
Most Bizarre: Bangladesh, Nepal, Yemen, Belarus, Azerbaijan
Most Beautiful People: Brazil, Armenia, Iran, Colombia, Argentina
Most Cultural: Nepal, Burma, Japan, Iran, Syria
Most Dangerously Exciting Outdoors Activities: Hawaii Volcanoes (USA), Volcan Conception (Nicaragua), Himalayas (Nepal), Sunderbans (Bangladesh), Mountains of Northern Yemen.
Best Food: Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Burma, Argentina
Friendliest people: Most of Asia....Rudest people: Most of Eastern Europe.

Whats Next: Good question....I am dying to start an executive office job again...stearing many offices around Asia....or maybe I'll start a wildlife conservatory on Palawan Island, Philipines, or maybe I'll head off next week to Central Asia to explore Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan...nah.....I know what I'll do....I'll take over Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.....put my picture on the front of the mighty Wall Street Journal....and then book a seat on the next Russian mission to the ISS (International Space Station). Yeah...thats what I'll do. Let me go call Rupert. Wanna go along?...write me at peter(at)petersteyn.com