How to remember which countries and cities you have been to
If you want to know how many countries you have really visited, you first need to rebuild your trips. These are the sources that work best.
1. The location of your photos
Most photos taken with a phone store where they were taken. In your phone’s gallery (Google Photos, Apple Photos) you can see a map or search by place. It is the most complete source: one look at the map will remind you of towns you had forgotten.
2. Booking emails
Search your inbox for words like “booking”, “reservation”, “flight”, “hotel”, “boarding pass” or the names of airlines and accommodation sites. Every confirmation is a city and a date.
3. Location history
If you had your phone’s location history turned on (on Android, Google Maps Timeline), it shows where you were day by day. Check it before it is deleted according to your settings.
4. Passport, tickets and bank statements
Passport stamps, old train tickets and even bank statements with payments abroad help to fill the gaps.
5. Social media and messages
Your old posts and chats with travel companions usually include photos and dates. Ask the people who travelled with you too: two memories remember much more than one.
Then: put it on a map
Once you have the list, mark it on a travel map. Start with countries, continue with cities and add dates when you know them. If you do not remember the year of a place, save it anyway as “I don’t remember”.
Frequently asked questions
How can I see the places I have been to?
Look at the map in your photo gallery, search your booking emails and check your phone’s location history if you had it turned on.
Is there an app that counts the countries I have visited?
Yes. In Turi you mark the countries and cities you have visited and see how many countries you have been to, your percentage of the world and your continents.