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12 Lessons, 12 Countries, 12 Months: My Third World Tour
They say good things come in threes. When I first dreamed of becoming a digital nomad, visiting 12 countries in 12 months felt like the ultimate goal. Three years later, I've turned that dream into a trilogy: 2022, 2023, and now 2025.
And as tradition, I extract one lesson from each country I visit and share it with the world.
Before we jump into the lessons of my latest world tour, feel free to track my journey where it first started:
- 12 Lessons, 12 Countries, 12 Months: My First World Tour
- 12 Lessons, 12 Countries, 12 Months: My Second World Tour
Now fasten your seatbelts and prepare for takeoff. Here's the trifecta, the trilogy, the third chapter of chasing wonder around our beautiful planet.
1. Peru
“One chapter can hold an entire book.”
Peru’s diversity will blow you away! Peru completely rewires your understanding of what one country can contain. Mountains that scrape the clouds, beaches that stretch into infinity, deserts that whisper ancient secrets, and jungles that pulse with untamed life. Every corner holds layers of history so rich, you'll find yourself questioning everything you thought you knew about scale and wonder.
This is the kind of place that makes you feel both incredibly small and infinitely connected to something larger. Peru teaches you that sometimes a single destination can hold the vastness of an entire world. An experience like that really makes you appreciate the world in all its glory.
Related: What Are The Best Cities In Peru
2. Portugal
“If you plan to be beautiful, be dramatic about it.”
This one’s for Madeira, Portugal’s crown jewel island. Madeira is hands-down the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited on this planet. This Atlantic jewel bleeds every color imaginable across landscapes that seem almost too perfect to be real: cliffs that plunge into crystal waters, mountains crowned with mist, forests that feel like fairy tales, and towns so charming they could be movie sets.
Madeira taught me that true beauty doesn't whisper or apologize for taking up space. It commands attention, demands to be seen, and leaves you breathless in the best possible way. Sometimes the most powerful lesson is learning to be boldly, dramatically yourself.
Related: Portugal For Solo Travellers & Digital Nomads
3. United Kingdom
“Hospitality is the best kind of gift.”
What I treasure most about the United Kingdom is all the people from different chapters in my life – family, friends, university mates, and fellow travellers I’ve met along the way – so many of them ended up here.
There's something profound about realizing that the best destinations aren't always about the places themselves, but about the people who make you feel at home thousands of miles from where you started. That kind of welcome is a gift that lingers long after you've left.
4. Spain
“Some loves never fade, they just change form.”
Barcelona hit me like lightning when I was twelve. This electric city where music spilled from balconies, art lived on every corner, and culture wasn't something you visited in museums but breathed in the alleys. It topped my favorite cities list without question and lived in my memory like a perfect, untouchable dream.
A decade and a half later, I found myself hesitating to revisit, not wanting to ruin this perfect memory. Instead, I discovered something even more beautiful: love that evolves. Barcelona was still incredible, but now I saw it through different eyes. It felt vulnerable comparing old photos with new experiences, appreciating both the wide-eyed twelve-year-old's wonder and my adult understanding of what makes a place truly special.
Though it's no longer my top city, it remains one of my favorites and will always be the first travel destination I ever fell in love with. This one's for twelve-year-old me.
Related: The 6 Best Cities For Digital Nomads In Spain
5. Indonesia
“You carry the torch lit by generations long before you.”
Ubud crept up on me like the best kind of surprise, revealing a piece of myself I didn't even know was missing. Ubud allowed me to witness a culture so deeply rooted, so beautifully preserved, that it made me rethink everything I thought I knew about identity and belonging.
Culture binds communities and carries meaning across generations – and there’s something powerful about how Balinese cherish their culture alongside growing tourism. Their connection to their land, each other, rituals, faith, traditions, and even to visitors like me, is something I’m still trying to fully grasp. Sometimes you have to travel halfway around the world to truly understand where you come from.
After spending some time in Ubud, my appreciation for culture has deepened. Not just Balinese culture, but the role culture plays in shaping who we are and how it connects us to our identities.
Related: A Visual Journey Of Culture & Growth In Ubud
6. Malaysia
“A flap of a butterfly’s wings can trigger a hurricane.”
Ah the famous butterfly effect! One small choice can rewrite entire stories through a chain reaction of important events.
Malaysia became the hinge on which my entire journey turned, though I had no idea at the time. I had everything mapped out for my next destination. Flights booked, accommodations reserved, my next chapter was perfectly planned. Then I met Alex, a fellow traveller who happened to cross my path at exactly the right moment.
Within 24 hours of her telling me about Vietnam's Nomad Fest happening in just one week, I had completely flipped my plans. Rebooked everything, said yes to a festival I knew nothing about based on a conversation with someone I'd just met (which was awesome byw!). And that leap of faith further opened a door to a summer journey later in the year across the Mediterranean with 300 other nomads, an opportunity that reshaped my entire path.
Sometimes the universe sends exactly the right person at exactly the right moment. You just have to be brave enough to listen.
Related: Penang, Malaysia: A Solo Traveller’s Photo Journal
7. Vietnam
“Your tribe is found where your purpose is shared.”
In life, there's nothing quite as important as alignment. Walking into Vietnam Nomad Fest, I met 200 digital nomads who were completely aligned in career direction, personal goals, and vision for what life could look like beyond traditional boundaries.
This was my first taste of the magic that happens when you find your travel tribe. Instant friendships sparked, opportunities unfolded, connections that are still going strong today. In a country with such a strong community-centric culture, it felt particularly special to build our own little nomadic subculture during my month in Vietnam. Sometimes the most powerful communities are the ones you choose and create together.
Related: Vietnam For Digital Nomads & Solo Travellers
8. Thailand
“One of life’s joys is giving back what once was given to you.”
Flying my parents out to Thailand was like coming full circle in the most beautiful way. Growing up, they'd taken me here multiple times, those family trips that shaped my love for travel and adventure. Now, years later, I got to be the one planning the itinerary, choosing the restaurants, and showing them hidden gems.
There's something magical about switching roles and giving back to the people who first showed you the world. Thailand had always been a family favourite, but experiencing it as the trip planner rather than the kid piggybacking along added layers of meaning I hadn't expected. Sometimes the best travel memories are about sharing beloved destinations with the people who matter most.
Related: Thailand For Digital Nomads: Discover The Best Cities
9. Italy
“The art of building something is an art in itself.”
Italy elevates craftsmanship to an art form that transcends generations. From the intricate details of Renaissance architecture to the passionate precision of a perfectly crafted espresso, every creation here carries the weight of tradition and the spark of innovation. This is where art is lived, breathed, and practiced daily.
As a designer, Italy fed my soul in ways I didn't expect. Walking through Florence, tasting authentic pasta in Rome, admiring the fashion in Milan—each experience reminded me that true craftsmanship combines technique with passion passed down through generations and reinvented by each new pair of hands.
10. France
“The first spark sets the fire.”
France was barely a blip on my itinerary (less than 24 hours), but sometimes the shortest stops leave the longest shadows. This was where my pan-Mediterranean adventure ignited, where I first met the incredible group of 300 other nomads who would become my travel family for the most unforgettable weeks of the year with Nomad Cruise.
First impressions matter, and France gave me one hell of an opening act. Even though I barely scratched the surface this trip, it set the stage for everything that followed. Sometimes all you need is that initial spark to light up an entire adventure.
11. Malta
“Sometimes you just need to kick back and relax.”
Malta was my exhale, a European hidden gem where the Mediterranean whispers instead of shouts. After weeks of go-go-go adventures, this tiny island nation offered something precious: permission to simply exist. Poolside views of endless blue, gentle waves, and zero pressure to tick off a tourist checklist.
In a world obsessed with productivity and constant motion, Malta reminded me that sometimes the most revolutionary act is doing absolutely nothing. Just watching the sea bring in waves from a poolside sunbed, letting your mind wander, and remembering that rest is necessary magic.
12. Greece
“Travel mirrors back the many selves you carry.”
Greece became my grand finale, island-hopping across Mykonos, Naxos, and Santorini. Each one reflected a different facet of who I am. Mykonos brought out my energetic social side with new friends and celebrations that lasted until sunrise. Naxos felt like finding my village, spending a week with fifty other nomads in perfect alignment, creating community wherever we went.
Then Santorini, my solo finale, where I wandered famous viewpoints and hidden hiking trails, lost in reflection about the incredible year behind me. Each island showed me a different version of myself, reminding me that we all carry multiple identities, and the best travels let each one shine at exactly the right moment.
And That’s A Wrap!
Each story from my year-long adventure carries its own meaning. What resonates with you might be completely different from what struck me, and that's exactly the point. Trust your wanderlust, follow your curiosity, and let the world reveal its secrets to you in whatever way feels right.
This journey transformed me in ways I'm still discovering. Twelve months, twelve countries, countless moments that shifted my perspective on everything from friendship to courage to what home really means. Every stamp in my passport became a chapter in understanding myself and this incredible planet we share.
So how did I do this? I built a location-independent business and dove headfirst into the nomad lifestyle. More importantly, I gave myself permission to chase what excited me instead of what was expected. If that spark of adventure is calling you, listen to it.
The world is waiting with open arms and endless stories.
Your next great chapter might be just one flight away.
