Over the years, I’ve embarked on many adventures, but this multi-country travel experience is truly one of a kind. Spanning three weeks, this journey took me across nine countries, each offering unique experiences and challenges. From strategic planning and award flight bookings to reaching personal milestones, this trip stands out as an extraordinary chapter in my travel history.
Overview of the Journey
- Duration: 3 weeks
- Countries Visited: 9 (5 new)
- Airports: 15
- Flights: 13
- Airlines: 9 (3 new)
- Hotel Nights: 20
This trip is unique in many ways. Not only is it the longest trip I’ve ever taken, but it also marks several personal milestones, including visiting five new countries and achieving a long-term travel goal.
The Significance of This Trip
The Longest Trip Ever
This journey is my first extended vacation, lasting three weeks. Previously, my responsibilities with work, family, and finances have limited my travel opportunities. However, with my kids away at camp and a break between jobs, I found a rare opportunity to explore the world for an extended period.
Visiting New Countries
One of the highlights of this trip is visiting five new countries, including Mongolia, a destination that has long been on my travel bucket list. I am particularly drawn to countries that are less traveled and offer unique experiences that differ from my previous travels.
Achieving a Milestone
This trip also marks the completion of a personal goal I set 20 years ago: visiting 100 independent countries/territories before turning 50. If everything goes according to plan, I will achieve this milestone in Nairobi, Kenya, at the age of 45.
The Genesis of the Trip
Planning the Journey
As I sit comfortably in my business class seat on the upper deck of an Asiana A380, it feels surreal that this trip has finally begun. The planning process started a year ago when I began searching for award flights, knowing that some airlines release seats a year in advance. My goal was to plan a significant trip during the summer of 2024 when my kids would be away for a month.
Initially, I booked premium economy seats from San Diego to Cape Town, South Africa. However, I soon discovered Asiana award seats from LAX to Seoul for 75k miles each. Despite having visited Seoul before, I saw this as an excellent jumping-off point and decided to cancel the Cape Town flights.
Piecing Together the Trip
Over the following months, I began piecing together the rest of the trip. I knew I wanted to visit Mongolia, so I planned to travel from Seoul to Mongolia. My next step was to secure business class return flights, focusing on options from Europe that would bring us back before my kids returned.
I eventually found business class award seats on British Airways from Larnaca, Cyprus, to San Diego via LHR for 57k AA miles on the exact return date I wanted. With the starting and finishing flights booked, I began exploring options for the three-week journey.
The Adventure Begins: Exploring Multiple Destinations
The First Half of the Journey
I started with two days in Seoul, followed by three days in Mongolia. Afterward, I planned two days in Beijing, where I found an incredible business class redemption on Etihad from Beijing to Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv for only 30k AA miles. This itinerary included a 10-hour flight from Beijing to Abu Dhabi, making it one of my best redemptions to date.
The Second Half of the Journey
For the second part of the trip, I had eight or nine days to plan between Israel and Cyprus, where I needed to end the trip to catch my return flight. I knew I wanted to visit more African countries, with Uganda and Rwanda high on my list. After piecing together flights using miles from various airlines, the itinerary was set.
Securing Accommodations: A Focus on Points Redemptions
Booking Hotels
With the itinerary in place, I turned my attention to booking hotels, focusing on Marriott properties to maximize my points and status benefits. I booked stays at several Marriott hotels, including Le Meridien Seoul, Renaissance Beijing, Le Meridien Abu Dhabi, Protea Entebbe, and Marriott Kigali. Mongolia presented a challenge due to the lack of large chain hotels, but I was able to secure a solid redemption using Wyndham points in Ulan Bator.
A Splurge in Israel
For our stay in Israel, I decided to splurge on the Waldorf Astoria in Jerusalem, a fantastic property located next to the Old City. I purchased Hilton points during a sale and booked three nights, ensuring a luxurious stay with potential upgrades and free breakfast.
Final Stays in Africa and Cyprus
In Nairobi, I used Hyatt points to book a suite with lounge access at the Hyatt Regency. For our last night in Cyprus, I leveraged IHG points to book the Indigo hotel. Overall, I secured almost all my accommodations using points, with the added benefits of potential upgrades, free breakfast, and lounge access.
Conclusion: Reflecting on an Epic Multi-Country Travel Experience
This three-week multi-country travel journey across nine countries has been nothing short of extraordinary. From meticulous planning and strategic use of award miles to the thrill of exploring new destinations, this trip represents the culmination of years of travel experience. Visiting five new countries, including the much-anticipated Mongolia, and reaching my goal of visiting 100 independent countries, has made this multi-country travel adventure truly unforgettable.
