Man visiting every country in the world loved one so much he moved there
A globetrotter who has visited every country in the world revealed that choosing his favourite was "easy" as it's the "only one" that led him to quit his job and move there. American travel blogger Randy Williams completed his audacious adventure in 2023, when he ticked off his 193rd and final country from his list – Turkmenistan in central Asia. But when it came to finding one that he truly loved, the San Diego native found it surprisingly simple to choose. In 2019, he opened up to travel guide publishers LOST iN about his worldwide adventures and his mission to "see them all". At that point, having already visited 120 countries, he shared a list of his top 10, which included diverse locations from Switzerland to Djibouti, Brunei to Armenia. However, his top pick was the fifth largest country in the world – and it's one that reminded made him feel closer to home. Randy said: "I always get asked what's my favourite country, and the answer for me is so easy because well, it's the only country that I packed up everything, quit my job, left everything behind and moved to.
The blogger moved to Brazil after falling in love with Recife
(Image: Brastock Images via Getty Images)
"I found this city on the coast called Recife. I didn't even leave the airport, but passing over the shores of Recife, I saw these beautiful, coral, pastel-coloured high-rises right along the beach. It kinda reminded me of Miami Beach. "I discovered this city on the coast called Recife. I didn't even leave the airport, but passing over the shores of Recife, I saw these beautiful, coral, pastel-coloured high-rises right along the beach. It kinda reminded me of Miami Beach." Brazil is famously the largest country in South America and boasts a whopping 4,500-mile coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. It borders every other country on the continent apart from Ecuador and Chile. Home to a huge portion of the Amazon Rainforest, the vast nation also features the mighty Amazon River as a prominent northern landmark with creatures such as pink river dolphins and piranhas swimming within its waters, which teem with millions of species, reports the Express.
Randy visited cities such as Budapest, Hungary
(Image: Ramblin' Randy/RDub/Instagram)
After achieving his remarkable goal in 2023, Randy – who also runs his travel blog under the pseudonym Ramblin' Randy – excitedly shared with ABC 10News San Diego: "It's bittersweet. A pin for every country, and this is the last one – Turkmenistan. Here we go." Turkmenistan presented more of a challenge, as visiting the country proved tricky due to high restrictions. Randy even classified Turkmenistan as "one of the most mysterious countries on the planet". Detailing how he managed to get into the Central Asian nation, he said: "So, the only way you can visit Turkmenistan is through an approved tour company." Reflecting on his global jaunts, he expressed that his international adventures allowed him not just to understand and appreciate different cultures but to fall in love with them. According to the UN, there are 195 recognised countries, with 193 being UN member states. The remaining two are the non-member observer states: Vatican City and Palestine.
