I’m being told that Europe contains 50 countries (or 51 or if you count Kosovo).  This is a very broad definition which includes Kazakhstan and the Caucasuses.

I’ve got this dream of visiting every European country within my lifetime.  So far I’ve visited 18 of this 50, and it seems like a lifetime and I’m not even halfway yet.  But somehow it seems as though I’ll be spending more time doing country counting rather than actually visiting something worthwhile.  Such as visiting every single country in the former Yugoslavia…8 of them.  Had I started this bucket list in the 80s I could have gotten Yugoslavia out of the way in one trip.

And so I’m beginning to run of out the “Good” countries and going more backwoodsy.  Such as Moldova and Belarus sometime.  Those are countries I wouldn’t think about visiting, but somehow I’m checking them off my list at some point in the future.

And there’s another thing.  I won’t be alone anymore.  I’m engaged.  And now Sharon will soon be my travel companion.  I am excited and scared at the same time.  I have a responsibility to keep her (and myself) safe during these trips.  Most likely I’ll stick to the safe parts of western Europe.  But come to think of it, I haven’t ever been anywhere really shady, although some parts of Romania and Poland seemed a little gray.

And so now I start a new journey of sorts.  A journey of me transitioning not only from explorer but also to tour guide anxious to see how my better half enjoys Europe.