2021 is my forty second calendar year on planet earth, it would be forty three since embryo status, a quirk I often use when counting decades (you see this is my sixth decade since conception, and at one point when I did that I was still in my 30s). To date however, it might come as a surprise, that the only country I have spent an entire calendar year in, is Northern Ireland. I did that à few times in the 1980s.
In my life, I have also visited Northern Ireland MORE times than any other country. I have visited Northern Ireland 99 times in my life. I have also spent more time in Northern Ireland than in any other country.
Countries I’ve Been To In Calendar Years
So far in 2021, I have only been in one country, Poland. So that record is in jeopardy of being equalled with Poland. In fact, this current stint in Poland is the longest I have ever spent in ONE country in my adult life. I arrived here in February 2020 and I haven’t left it since!
Staying in Poland for now
Down the years on this blog, I enjoyed compiling some quirky random lists such as:
- My ultimate list of real countries
- Countries I have been to in order of visits
- Less recognised / wacaday countries I have been to
- Countries I have been to in order of time length
Crossing the border into the Republic of Uzupis, 2015, only for a day
2021 is my ninth calendar year in Poland. The previous eight are 2005, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. However, Northern Ireland is the leader. It is the country that I have visited in the highest number of calendar years, I have visited that country in 38 years of the 42 years I have been here. So far the only calendar years that I haven’t visited Northern Ireland are 2010, 2013, 2020 and 2021. To qualify for a visit on a calendar year, even 1 second counts, so here is the list (I think this is accurate)
Northern Ireland 38/42
Republic of Ireland 27/42
England 26/42
Germany 10/42
Poland 9/42
Scotland 8
France 8
Spain 7
China 6
Hong Kong 6
Singapore 6
USA 6
Wales 5
Malaysia 5
Thailand 5
Australia 4
Italy 4
Turkey 4
Kyrgyzstan 3
Belarus 3
Austria 3
Brazil 3
Russia 3
Hungary 3
Slovakia 3
Greece 3
Netherlands 3
United Arab Emirates 3
New Zealand 2
Ukraine 2
Cyprus 2
Lebanon 2
Montenegro 2
Czechia 2
Belgium 2
Colombia 2
Iraq 2
India 2
North Korea 2
Canada 2
The Philippines 2
Indonesia 2
Macau 2
Latvia 2
Panama 2
Sweden 2
Denmark 2
South Africa 2
Botswana 2
Kazakhstan 2
Cheatzerland 2
Kenya 2
Tanzania 2
All other countries – 1
Safe travels!