It started with playing X-box games, I got fascinated with completing stuff, not just doing it, but fully completing it.  To be fair, it was more than a fascination, it was probably more in the realms of obsession.  Later, I set up goals to complete, travel goals mostly.  I’ve always been good at focus, commitment, and dedication, so it was right up my street, the fact that it encouraged me to travel more was just a bonus.  So one day, a long time ago, I sat down and wrote out my “Cloud Nine Goals” ~ they were real dedication kinds of stuff that would take years or more likely decades.

Challenge Set in Azerbaijan

In 2016 I went to Russia and followed that with trips to the Baltics and became enthralled with the former Soviet Republics. However, it was a conversation I had in Baku, Azerbaijan, with a city tour guide that really brought it to the fore.  He thought that I might manage to go to some of the other Russian Republics, but without speaking Russian it would be a real stretch to go to them all. That was the challenge that was pure gold motivation.  Going to all 15 of the former Soviet Republics became something that I wanted to explore.  In the years after, I researched these countries, the adventures of ‘Bald & Bankrupt’ on YouTube, Ted Talks, I read books, did internet searches, and learned some Russian words.  Some of these places I’d never even heard of.  What I did find out though was that getting to all these countries was not going to be easy. Getting visas to all the Stan countries would be a challenge, so I knew that this might take a while.

The History of the Soviet Republics

As I slowly chalked off the Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries my interest grew. There were lots of similarities with how they had moved away from the Soviet establishment, but there were so many differences too.  History was littered with the same names, and many of the same dates, but the path was always a little contrasting. Their steps as countries into the modern day brought different ideas about what these nations wanted for their futures.  Some wanted to stay connected to Russia, and likely be authoritarian, but other countries wanted to be democratic and Western. Each country had its independence referendum votes in 1991, and country votes ranged, but all were in favor.

Being brought up in the West I had always held democracy at the forefront of my life, but it was interesting learning about what modern-day authoritarian countries looked like, what was different, and how.  It made me challenge my thoughts, and that can only be a good thing.  I found I was so preconditioned that democracy was good and authoritarianism was not, but it was a good self-reflection to challenge that. Visiting the former Soviet Republics allowed me to do that.

Great Former Soviet Republic Countries

There have been lots of journeys, lots of stories, and lots of brilliant adventures to find my way to today, to Armenia, number 15 of all the 15 former Soviet Republics.  Those 15 countries are Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.  I am so delighted I took on this challenge, this adventure, they are some of the most interesting countries I have ever traveled to. Enjoying every one of them, but always in a different way and for different reasons. That’s just it, that’s travel, that’s adventure, and going to all the Soviet Republics was just the motivation.  What I do know above all else, going to these countries has been fabulous, changed me, and is something I may never have done if it wasn’t for my fanatical completist attitude. So if ever someone questions ‘why would you want to go there’, rather than Italy or Greece for another time, then the answer is simple, to wander, to step forth in somewhere and something new. To learn, to challenge myself in foreign countries, and languages, and to enjoy the world and its wonderful experiences. 

Soviet Republics, Spasiba bol’shoye.