Guest contributor
Raman Kolluri
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| Around the world in 50 years! |
I am 82 years old, and do hope with planets lining up, lucky stars shooting across the sky and other astronomical signs of help, I will get to visit an even -100 countries.
My son gave me the very difficult task of selecting only one photograph from each country that I have visited. In selecting these 87 + 2 pictures, I did not necessarily select the best photograph from each trip, but rather tried to select them to highlight a special experience I had and also such that across all of them, they present an interesting variety.
Interestingly, in some cases my count of countries visited got reduced when they merged (e.g Hong Kong and China) and in other cases the count increased when they seceded (e.g Czech Republic and Slovakia).
In general across all my trips, I can confidently say that I did not have a bad experience in any of the countries I have visited. I always enjoy meeting different people, learn about their way of living, their culture, their history and their problems. I am extraordinarily lucky to visit so many countries and have learned so much in the process.
Hope you enjoy the photos below, which are shown in alphabetical order of each country visited.
Please feel free to share how many countries you have visited and plan to visit - I would be interested in hearing that!
87 + 1. Antartic
South Shetland Islands - 2003
87 + 2. Arctic
Sunrise - 2012
Iguazu Falls - 2002
2. Australia
Phillip Island - 2002
3. Austria
Innsbruck - 1993
4. Belgium
Grand Place - 1993
5. Belize
Former British Honduras, Central America - 2005
6. Bosnia
Motsar - 2007
7. Botswana
2011
Motsar - 2007
7. Botswana
2011
8. Brazil
Rio - 2002
9. Cambodia
Angkor Wat - 1998
Angkor Wat in Cambodia was the most challenging place to visit. When we went, the country was still in an unsettled condition and visitors had to be worried about being attacked. We saw the magnificent temples and got out of there as fast as we could! Maybe it is better now.
10. Canada
Niagara Falls - 1965
11. Chile
Cape Horn - 2003
12. China
Forbidden City - 1992
13. Colombia
Cartagena - 2000
14. Costa Rica
2012
15. Croatia
Dubrovnik - 2007
16. Czech Republic
Prague - 2017
Prague had the best weather in all my visits. I had such a wonderful time mostly because of the perfect weather. It was practically 70F every single day and no rain.
17. Denmark
Copenhagen - 2003
18. El Salvador
Mayan Ruins - 2000
19. Egypt
Luxor - 1999
20. Estonia
Tallinn - 2013
21. Fiji
Indian Market - 2010
Fiji Islands was the friendliest place I have visited. They were so nice to us and in particular to me, that I will not forget about it.
22. Finland
Helsinki - 1994
23. France
Paris - 1993
24. Germany
Berlin - 1993
25. Greece
Santorini - 2014
26. Guatamala
Tacpan - 2012
27. Guyana
Georgetown - 1999
28. Hungary
Budapest - 2004
Hungary is the country I have visited the most. I have traveled so many times on rivers of Europe and every single one of them goes through Budapest. It came to a point, I started closing my eyes, whenever the Parliament Building came into sight!
29. Iceland
Reykjavik - 2007
30. India
Stone Chariot in Hampi - 2018
31. Indonesia
Bali - 1998
32. Iran
Grand Bazaar, Tehran - 1968
33. Ireland
Cliffs of Moher - 2004
34. Italy
Rome - 2007
35. Jamaica
Anne Palmer House - 1999
36. Japan
Sensoji Temple, Tokyo - 1998
37. Kenya
Sensoji Temple, Tokyo - 1998
37. Kenya
Masai Mara - 1998
38. Kuwait
Kuwait City - 2015
Kuwait City - 2015
39. Latvia
Riga - 2013
40. Lithuania
Vilnius - 2013
41. Malaysia
Selangor - 2000
42. Mexico
Riga - 2013
40. Lithuania
Vilnius - 2013
41. Malaysia
Selangor - 2000
42. Mexico
Acapulco - 2001
From Mayan civilization to Modern culture, Mexico is the most meaningful country I have visited.
43. Monaco
Grand Casino - 2010
44. Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar - 2011
45. Montegnegro
Old Town Kotor - 2007
46. Morocco
Grand Casino - 2010
44. Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar - 2011
45. Montegnegro
Old Town Kotor - 2007
46. Morocco
Kasbah Museum - 2000
Morocco was our shortest stay. We just went for a few hours from Gibraltar and see the desert.
Morocco was our shortest stay. We just went for a few hours from Gibraltar and see the desert.
47. Myanmar
Bagan - 2016
My longest stay was in Myanmar (not counting the US and India). We stayed for nearly twenty days in that country and saw most of the country (except the North West where the Rohingya live).
48. Namibia
2011
Bagan - 2016
My longest stay was in Myanmar (not counting the US and India). We stayed for nearly twenty days in that country and saw most of the country (except the North West where the Rohingya live).
48. Namibia
2011
49. Nepal
Durbar Square - 2000
50. Netherlands
Amsterdam - 1993
51. New Zealand
Christchurch - 2010
52. Nicaragua
Corinto - 2001
53. Nigeria
Lagos
54. Norway
The Fjords - 2012
55. Panama
The Fjords - 2012
55. Panama
Panama Canal - 1999
56. Peru
Lima - 2003
57. Philippines
Market Street - 2000
58. Poland
Krakow - 2008
59. Portugal
Fatima - 2001
60. Romania
Satumare - 2003
61. Russia
With my sister in Moscow - 2016
62. Serbia
Novi Pazar - 2003
63. Singapore
1998
64. Slovakia
Brataslavia - 2003
65. Slovenia
Lake Bled - 2003
66. Spain
Granada - 2000
67. South Africa
Novi Pazar - 2003
63. Singapore
1998
64. Slovakia
Brataslavia - 2003
65. Slovenia
Lake Bled - 2003
66. Spain
Granada - 2000
67. South Africa
Table Top Mountain - 2011
68. South Korea
Seoul - 2016
69. Sri Lanka
Colombo - 2005
70. Swaziland
Seoul - 2016
69. Sri Lanka
Colombo - 2005
70. Swaziland
Mbabane - 2011
71. Sweden
Nobel Institute - 1994
72. Switzerland
Geneva - 2001
73. Taiwan
Taipei - 2016
74. Tanzania
Nobel Institute - 1994
72. Switzerland
Geneva - 2001
73. Taiwan
Taipei - 2016
74. Tanzania
Arusha - 1999
75. Thailand
Bangkok - 1998
Thailand had probably the best vegetarian food I have eaten in my travels.
76. Turkey
Cappadocia - 2012
Turkey was the place where I had the best "experience". There is so much culture - from Topkapi palace to Cappadocia- it is a magical land. That is why I like to call it the land of civilizations.
77. Uganda
Bangkok - 1998
Thailand had probably the best vegetarian food I have eaten in my travels.
76. Turkey
Cappadocia - 2012
Turkey was the place where I had the best "experience". There is so much culture - from Topkapi palace to Cappadocia- it is a magical land. That is why I like to call it the land of civilizations.
77. Uganda
Jinja - 1998
78. Ukraine
Kiev - 2008
79. United Arab Emirates
Dubai - 2014
80. United Kingdom
Fulbright Scholar at Loughborough University - 1995
81. United States
Nubble Lighthouse, Maine - 2017
82. Uruguay
Montevideo - 2003
83. Venezuela
Caracas - 2001
84. Vietnam
Halong Bay - 2013
Vietnam is the country I have enjoyed visiting the most. Even though an emerging market, I found that the Vietnamese are proud, resilient and care about the people who visit them.
85. Zambia
Halong Bay - 2013
Vietnam is the country I have enjoyed visiting the most. Even though an emerging market, I found that the Vietnamese are proud, resilient and care about the people who visit them.
85. Zambia
Kalomo - 1998
86. Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls - 2011
87. Zululand
2011
I have always loved travel.
2011
Post-script:
I have always loved travel.
My first journey outside my house
was when I was ten years old. It was a trip to a big city from my small
town in southern India. The mere act of packing my clothes, and watching the towns
and villages go by as the train chugged along, itself was a great thrill. I
have been traveling ever since.
It is said that 'Life is a book and those who
do not travel, read only one page'.
I have learned it in practice, how true that
saying is. Travel lets me peek in to the lives of millions of others who
are so much like me and yet so different from me. As you can tell from the above photo-essay, I have traveled far and wide.
However, I have realized that travel is never ending. It is enriching and fulfilling, so
long as I keep an open mind, be welcoming to new experiences and respect the local
culture.
28 comments:
I invite you to visit Ethiopia which is the birth place of humans.
Expecting you soon...
Best regards..
Prof. Kolluri. This is a fascinating compilation and I enjoyed browsing through them and reading your comments for some special countries.
I am a little over 50 now and have travelled to around 30 countries. I would certainly like to tick off at least 70 more!
A few questions for you:
1. Did you remain a vegetarian in all your travels? If yes, where was it almost impossible to be a vegetarian?
2. I am assuming most of your stays would have been in hotels because you may have made these trips in the pre airbnb era. Do you think airbnb would provide today's travellers a better cultural experience given that you stay with the locals and in places where the locals do?
Thanks once again for this painstaking effort in compiling all this together!
Wishing you the very best for your upcoming trips.
JC
Dear JC
Thank you first for the comment. I did remain a vegetarian except that in later stages started eating eggs. In the early days ( first trip to China) it was practically impossible to get vegetarian food.
These days, practically every place we can vegetarian food. I could find Subway sandwich shop in Prague !
I have travelled both individually as well as in groups. I always felt that when I made my own arrangements, I enjoyed most, as I was able to interact with locals and learn more about them,their culture and their problems.
But it also required much more planning and often uncertainty.
But for me, travel is a passion. II do not mind the difficulties I have to overcome.
Recently, at the age of 81 I ventured to travel 400 km each way all by myself in a taxi to see the ruins of Hampi in Karnataka and became sick!
But I was stubborn and saw them anyway.
Hope you will take many trips and enjoy them.
Best wishes
Surya, help your Dad travel another 11 countries .. help him to cross the milestone of 100.. started reading that ..
It is in a simple way that all of us can understand and I appreciate his positive attitude in saying that he did not have any bad experiences in any of these countries.
Wow... 89 countries..... Very fortunate to have this privilege... Sure it had a lot to with your mother accompanying him
What an enjoyable feat by your dad! Travelling to so many places of diverse culture and ethnicity by itself is an enjoyable pursuit.. True to the saying that pictures in a travelogue speaks much much more than words... I enjoyed the photos capturing his travel... Pl convey my best wishes to him to continue this travel bug and visit many more places
Great Glimpses of places travelled on this planet👌Pictures speaks one^s lifelong incredible destinations travelled explored experienced adventured worldwide👌👏
It's truly inspiring after seeing Prof travellogue
^To Travel is to Live^...My Salute
Excellent efort by Professor Kolluri!
I am very proud to have been his student and to be in touch with him.
May God bless him with great health and enable him realise that magical count of 100 which I am sure he will 👍
Pandi - Thank you for the Invitation.I had a colleague from Ethiopia. I have learned a lot of wonderful things about that country.
God willing, I will visit that country.
Great pics and story. Thanks to your dad I had a virtual tour around the world in eight minutes. With his amazing spirit and drive he can cross a century(years and countries)!
Mind-boggling!
That is amazing!
Superb!!! We would like to see a few more pictures of this wonderful collection of photos.
Enterprising! Wish you live for many more years to make a century of countries in hundred years.
Absolutely wonderful! Keep going strong to Dr Kolluri!
p.s. My dad is 89, my mom 82 and currently they are on a cruise to Hawaii!
Really amazing, Professor !
Great photos - let us know when your dad is in Boston as it would be nice to meet him and talk about our mutual travel experiences. !
Whenever I met your father in USA, he used to talk about the countries he visited and show some photographs. But I never thought that he has visited so many countries. It is really amazing.
Hats off to your Dad. Amazing.
World travel is a rare privilege. Your father has seen a vast extent with an incisive eye. Incredible!!
simply great!! We wish and hope he will complete the century.
remarkable! I am reading Richard Holmes’s “Age of Wonder” the sort about travel in the romantic age. You might enjoy it.
I remember siting with your dad in our offices at the college discussing his many travels. I know he will make that 100th. I hope all is well with you guys and I believe spring has finally arrived.
Not only is it amazing that he’s gone to so many places, but taken so many gorgeous shots. I’m inspired. Thank you for sharing this.
WOW. What a truly extraordinary man your dad is – and what a vibrant life he is living.
Thanks for sharing – I’m dazzled.
Very impressive. Uncle mentioned once that he sticks a pin on the map the places he visit. I told him, instead he should pin the places that he did not visit which would be few. Thanks for sharing.
Life fully lived..Thrilled to see your travel pictures..let the quest never end :)
GOD bless you & your family!Let your dad's zeal to complete 100 countries be complete ASAP.
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