My 10-year-old has been to 100 countries — it’s taught him things school never could

Jamie is only 10, but he’s visited his 100th country this month (Picture: Hayley France-Meconi) Most children are lucky to have a family holiday each summer, or a trip to the seaside, if money allows. But for one little boy, who has just visited his 100th country (scroll down for the full list), travel isn’t a treat. It’s a way of life. Meet Jamie France-Meconi, age 10. Jamie’s journey began in May 2023 when mum Hayley, 47, packed up their home in Preston and took him on the road to travel full-time. Since then, he has waded through forests in Borneo, swam with whale sharks in Madagascar, visited the pyramids in Giza, and lived off-grid with the Maasai tribe — experiences Hayley believes will teach him something school never could. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. ‘Children [need] to get out of the classroom. When these kids were planting cress in plastic cups, Jamie was planting trees in Borneo,’ she tells Metro. ‘His friends were learning about Charles Darwin, and he was in the Galapagos Islands.’ Hayley hopes travel will keep her little boy humble (Picture: Hayley France-Meconi) Hayley’s passion for travel began in 2017 after the death of Jamie’s dad. After her ‘little boy lost one parent’, she ‘didn’t want to be that mum who went to work at 7am and came home at 7pm’. Hayley hopes that travelling so far at such a young age will teach her son the importance of staying ‘humble and compassionate.’ Treasured memories Given he was nine weeks old, Jamie doesn’t remember his first-ever trip, to Greece with Hayley and her sister. Win a luxurious stay for two at London hotel The Gore Stay in an opulent hotel room in London's most cultural neighbourhood (Picture: Jack Hardy) Four-poster beds, gilded mirrors and chandeliers everywhere you look... Metro has teamed up with Starhotels Collezione to give one lucky reader (and a companion) a chance to win a luxurious two-night stay worth £900 at The Gore London, a historic boutique hotel in the cultural heart of the UK capital. For your chance to win this incredible London getaway, enter your details before midnight on Sunday, 9 August 2026. Enter now Open to UK (excluding Northern Ireland) residents aged 18 or over. Promotion opens at 00:01 BST on 20/07/2026 and closes at 23:59 BST on 09/08/2026. Entrant must complete the entry form hosted on Metro. 1 prize of a two-night bed and breakfast stay in a Deluxe Room at The Gore Hotel in South Kensington, London for two (2) adults including dinner at the restaurant 190 Queen’s Gate on one night only consisting of a three course meal from the A La Carte menu with one (1) complimentary glass of wine included per person. Only one (1) entry will be accepted per person or per email address. Full T&Cs here. One adventure that has stuck, however, is Tanzania, where the family lived for a brief stint in 2020. At 10, Jamie has travelled more than most adults (Picture: Hayley France-Meconi) Originally, they were on a week-long trip, but when the UK went into Covid lockdown, Hayley was in no rush to go back. In the end, they stayed in Tanzania for around seven months and were even invited by a Maasai man to meet his family. What was meant to be one afternoon with the tribe ended up lasting four months. The family stayed in a dung hut and ‘shared a bed with lots of goats, lots of dogs…and that’s probably [Jamie’s] first memory,’ Hayley laughs. This month, the family celebrated a huge milestone: Jamie visited his 100th country, as they travelled to Saudi Arabia to watch Anthony Joshua v Kristian Pranga. Hayley wants to visit every country in the world and bring her son along with her (Picture: Hayley France-Meconi) Navigating school In the past, prioritising travel has meant that Jamie has missed school, but now, Hayley tries not to plan trips during term-time. Jamie has ADHD and autism, she explains, so the ‘routine and structure he gets from school is massively important’. ‘I don’t believe the classroom is everything, but it provides friendships,’ she says. ‘He wants to be playing football with other 10-year-olds, and school is a great place for that.’ Jamie’s family travelled full-time for two years (Picture: Hayley France-Meconi) When they were travelling, Hayley says that her little boy ‘thought someone he’d known for a week was his best friend’, so it means a lot to her to see him develop meaningful relationships. Jamie’s attendance rate is currently 96%, and every 10 weeks, he’s allowed a week that runs for four-and-a-half days, rather than five, which makes more time for jet-setting. Under UK law, parents can be issued with a fine of £80 if they miss school without a good enough reason. Legislation is in place that could require parents to attend parenting classes. ‘We only get one life’ While Jamie has already visited more countries than most adults can conceive, his mum has her own dreams. Ultimately, Hayley wants to travel to every country in the world, an achievement that would make her a United Nations Master. Jamie has planted trees in Borneo (Picture: Hayley France-Meconi) She’d also like to become the youngest mother and son duo to achieve joint UN Master status. Jamie, for his part, says he’d love to set the record for being the youngest person to travel to every country in the world, a title currently held by 12-year-old Filipino, Wyatt Maktrav Bedura. Over the years, Hayley has faced judgment about how much Jamie travels. But these days, she refuses to let it bother her. Jamie’s mum Hayley has a passion for extreme travel (Picture: Hayley France-Meconi) She says: ‘My view is really simple – we only get one life, and it’s ours to live. I refuse to live based on what other people think we should be doing. ‘I know my son better than anyone. I know he’s happy, safe, loved. Our Top Shopping Picks Parents can save up to 30% on Kickers school shoes ahead of the new term The back-to-school hack that's helping parents avoid queues and sold-out sizes Could your hair be wavy rather than straight? This brand thinks so Could your star sign improve your skincare routine? This new beauty launch thinks so Best skincare for menopausal skin? This dermatologist-created treatment is tailored to you ‘If travelling isn’t for you, that’s completely okay. Every family is different. But this is our life, and it’s the best decision for us.’ Every country 10-year-old Jamie has been to Albania Zimbabwe Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Barbados Belgium Belize Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Cambodia Chile Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia (Czech Republic) Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt Estonia Ethiopia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Indonesia Ireland Italy Jamaica Japan Kenya Kuwait Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Mexico Moldova Monaco Montenegro Morocco Namibia Netherlands Norway Oman Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saudi Arabia Serbia Seychelles Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Türkiye (Turkey) Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uzbekistan Vatican City Vietnam Yemen Zambia Do you have a story you’d like to share? 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