'This is the best country to live in, period': US woman visited 193 countries before settling down in Singapore

Having travelled solo to 193 countries in the world, YouTuber The Krazy Koala, or KK for short, declared Singapore "the best country to live in".

The Singapore Permanent Resident (PR), who hails from the US, has been living here for the past seven years, and it sounds like she's not leaving anytime soon.

In a chat with fellow content creator Max Chernov, shared on YouTube on Monday (April 22), KK spoke about her adventures around the world and why she ranks Singapore high on her list of countries.

"As a traveller who has been to 193 countries, this is the best country to live in—period," she said.

It's all about efficiency

KK's travel adventures have exposed her to a variety of experiences that have shaped her views on many countries she has visited.

"How do you perceive Singapore?" Max asked.

She did not take long to answer, claiming that "most of the countries" in the world are simply "inefficient".

KK provided some examples, such as immigration, travelling to and from the airport and even congestion on the roads in general.

"It's so rare to see traffic jams in Singapore and you can get [out of] Changi Airport in five minutes. It's so fast," she added.

For KK, time is money and should anything cost her "too much time", then it's something she might not want to do.

What's impressive about her list of countries visited is that she only began solo travelling a decade ago.

She told Max that she caught the travel bug and simply wanted to continue exploring the world.

"Once you get to the point of travelling to 100 countries, then you just want to finish the rest," KK shared.

From best to worst

Of all the 193 countries she's visited, KK revealed that Syria was the most impactful.

It's a country that is unlikely to be on many people's travel list, given the current situation there and how it is often portrayed in media.

Before stepping foot in the country, KK was aware about how supposedly dangerous Syria is.

But her experience there was not at all what many might have expected.

"People are so friendly and so happy to see you," she said.

KK also noted that children in Syria "have never seen a foreigner", and they were more than happy to interact with her, despite the language barrier.

While her trip to Syria was a revelation, visiting its nearby neighbour Egypt was a whole different experience for her.

Of course, KK pre-empted her response by stating that this was her own personal views.

"I went to Egypt 13 years ago, I don't know how it is like now but my experience at the time was horrible. I [faced] a lot of sexual harassment back then," she recalled.

Training to be soldiers

As if it's not impressive enough to have travelled the entire world before making Singapore your home, KK is also a member of the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC). 

She decided to join the SAFVC due to her love for Singapore. As "actions speak louder than words", KK felt it was the best way for her to give back to the country.  

"I've been a PR of Singapore for many years. I personally benefit so much from the safety, the environment, the facilities, the efficiency of the country. 

"And I think that by being a soldier, and being part of the army, it's time for me to contribute to the safety of the country that I've benefitted from," she said.

ALSO READ: 'Living here is a blessing': British expat praises Singapore and calls it home, here's why

amierul@asiaone.com

No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.