• Karyn Farr is a travel advisor who has visited more than 125 countries.
• Of all those places, Farr told Business Insider that Mongolia was one of her favorites.
• She said Mongolia's natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and hospitality make it worth visiting.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with travel advisor Karyn Farr, a Californian who has traveled to 125 countries. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I've been a travel advisor for 24 years and have visited over 125 countries.

My travels have taken me to Canada, all across Europe, the United Kingdom, the Nordic and Baltic countries, India, South and Central America, the Middle East, Asia, coastal Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

Of all the places I've been, Mongolia is one of my favorites. It's incredibly beautiful and unique, with a lifestyle and culture that not many people get to experience.

I first visited in the summer of 2018 with a small group of people, and we traveled the country extensively. While Mongolia is very welcoming to foreigners, you'll want a guide — unless you're just staying in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, where a lot of the population lives.

If you're heading to more rural and remote areas, you need guides who speak English and transportation arranged in advance.

The country certainly isn't one of the more touristy destinations. I had to fly from Los Angeles to Beijing — a two-day journey just to get there. It requires a truly adventurous spirit, but it's absolutely worth visiting and experiencing for yourself.

Mongolia's scenery is stunning

One afternoon, when I was in Ulaanbaatar, I was walking around when a local man approached me and asked, "Where are you from?" I said, "California," and his eyes widened. He said, "Well, that's far down there," and said, "Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay in Mongolia."

I did. I spent about two weeks there and visited many different regions, each so different.

Mongolia has a beautiful landscape. There are many lakes, pine forests in the North, which have a climate similar to the northern United States, and open spaces filled with greenery, where cows and horses freely graze.

In the South, there are a lot of mountains, including the Gobi-Altai Mountains. The southern region is also home to the Gobi Desert, which has a lot of sand dunes.

One afternoon, while my group and I were exploring the dunes, our tour guide showed us a natural spring flowing up from the ground. I spent the afternoon watching the spring feed nearby horses. I just felt very connected with the land.

Mongolia is best known for Genghis Khan, a conqueror who founded the Mongol Empire, which became one of the largest empires in history. If you head east, you can visit the Genghis Khan Statue Complex. It has massive statues of Genghis Khan and his warriors.

The country is also known for its horseback riding, made famous by Genghis Khan's army. I had several opportunities to ride the horses when I visited, and it was wonderful.

I had many adventures in Mongolia

There's a lot to do in Mongolia. When my group was in Ulaanbaatar, we stayed in a small Western-style hotel. During the day, we visited a Buddhist monastery. In the evening, we went into town and enjoyed entertainment like traditional music and dance. Mongolians have a distinct vocal style: they throat sing.

When we were in the Gobi Desert, my group stayed at the Gobi Nomad Lodge, a resort with many gers, also known as yurts, which resemble tipis in Native American culture.

At night, we would sit outside and watch some of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen.

In the desert, we saw camels, horses, sheep, and yaks. I also tried my hand at archery. Hunting is a historic tradition in Mongolia, and there was an archery range set up. I wasn't exactly accurate, but I was proud to get my arrow to the target.

In Ömnögovi Province of the Gobi Desert, we visited a local family and spent time in their yurt home, where they served us traditional food and fermented mare's milk.

We also explored the Flaming Cliffs, also known as Bayanzag, famous for their glowing orange rocks; the Singing Sands, sand dunes that make music when shifted by the wind; and the Khavtsgait Petroglyphs, ancient rock carvings dating back to the Bronze Age.

I feel incredibly special and blessed to have had the opportunity to experience this. It's not something everyone dreams of doing, but I grew up in Iowa, where you don't see much beyond the familiar.

As a child, I would read books and imagine distant places. I always wanted to travel. One time, my mother asked me, "Why do you want to go to all these places?" And I simply said, "Because I can."

I would definitely return to Mongolia — I had so many great adventures, made unforgettable memories, and even made a friend.

Our group's guide, who shared so much about her lifestyle with us, later came to California to visit me and a few other members of our tour group. She and I cooked a Mongolian dinner for everyone in California, giving us a chance to reminisce about our time there.

• I visited Braum's, a southern fast-food chain that only has locations in five states.
• I bought almost every item on the menu, including burgers, fries, chicken strips, and ice cream.
• The burgers and chicken strips were great, but I still think ice cream is the best thing to order.

The West Coast has In-N-Out. The Midwest has Dairy Queen. I'd argue the South has Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store.

In 1933, Henry Braum started a small butter plant in Emporia, Kansas, which expanded to include milk and ice cream production. In 1968, Henry's son Bill opened the first official Braum's store in Oklahoma City.

Today, the family-run business has more than 300 locations across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. According to the company, every store is located within a 300-mile radius of its processing plant in Tuttle, Oklahoma.

Braum's is best known for its wide range of ice cream and frozen yogurt, from classic flavors like vanilla to stranger concoctions like pineapple upside-down cake. But it's more than an ice cream shop — it also has staples of the American diet like cheeseburgers, chicken strips, shakes, and malts.

One of Braum's locations sits about two miles from my childhood home in Fort Worth, Texas. When I was a kid, on Fridays after a long day of work, my dad would bring home a tub of ice cream. If I were really lucky, we'd go to the store. Together, we'd sit, ice-cream cone in hand, in silence, savoring the flavors.

I wanted to see if Braum's still served up old-school charm and yummy food, so my husband and I took a trip to the closest one near us in Dallas. Here are some items I tried from the menu — some I'd order again, and others I'd probably skip.

Even though it's a chain, Braum's gives off the vibe of a mom-and-pop shop.

Unlike fast food giants like McDonald's and Burger King, which have embraced modernity in both their branding and menu presentation, Braum's has done the opposite. It has retained its cozy, classic vibe, making it feel both familiar and comforting.

Maybe that's what makes it special.

When I visited the store, I spent a lot of time reminiscing about the times my dad and I shared there. It all felt so nostalgic.

It's a convenient place to grab a snack.

Braum's has dozens of ice cream flavors to choose from. But it is also a grocery store with a small market. Customers can buy everyday items like bananas, tomatoes, onions, and even hamburger buns if they'd rather grill their own at home.

Braum's ice cream is pretty affordable.

Braum's sells its ice cream in various sizes, but most tubs contain three pints. Each tub is typically priced under $5 — a steal compared to other brands.

A single pint of Blue Bell ice cream is sold for $3.97 (excluding tax) at Walmart, and a single pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream at Target is $4.99, according to both companies' websites.

Braum's has more than 100 ice cream flavors.

The company sells traditional flavors like vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, but it also has quirky options like bubble gum and Mother's Circus animal cookies.

I wouldn't recommend the latter — it was too sweet for my taste buds, and didn't have enough animal crackers.

Braum's also sells frozen yogurt.

Ice cream is typically made with dairy from cream, whereas frozen yogurt is made from cultured milk. On most days, I'd choose frozen yogurt — which might be a controversial opinion.

While I haven't tried all of Braum's frozen yogurt flavors, their vanilla cone always hits the spot. I doubt I'll ever get around to trying the pineapple upside-down cake flavor, though.

Braum's makes several flavors of sugar-free ice cream.

Sugar-free ice cream isn't really my cup of tea, but I understand why some people prefer it or choose it for dietary or medical reasons.

If that's you, then you're in luck — Braum's offers many sugar-free flavors.

I have to admit the vanilla chunk chocolate tub looked pretty tempting.

My husband and I ordered a lot of food.

To get the full Braum's experience beyond ice cream, we ordered about 10 different items from the menu:

• A double quarter pound sweet 'n spicy Gouda burger combo meal with medium fries and a large sweet tea — $8.89
• A cheeseburger combo meal with medium fries and a large strawberry shake — $8.29
• Four-piece chicken strips — $5.19
• A grilled chicken sandwich — $4.79
• Medium chili cheese fries — $4.64

• A medium strawberry malt shake — $1.99

The chicken strips were better than I expected.

In the chicken strips war, restaurants like Chick-fil-A and Zaxby's usually reign supreme. But I'm throwing Braum's into the fight.

Braum's strips were crispy on the outside, yet still soft inside. I also appreciated that they weren't overly salty — just the right amount. For me, they rivaled Chick-fil-A's.

I really wanted to like the chili fries.

I was probably most excited to try the chili fries. Crispy potatoes dressed in perfectly melted cheese and sauce— what more could anyone ask for?

Well, in my case, a bit more seasoning. Ultimately, they tasted bland, and it felt more like I was eating canned beans on fries than actual chili.

Braum's burgers are simple and delicious.

My husband and I split the double quarter pound sweet 'n spicy Gouda burger and the cheeseburger.

While I thought the Gouda burger was good — and a bit spicy — it didn't quite compare to Braum's traditional cheeseburger.

It wasn't fancy — just meat, buns, lettuce, tomato, and cheese — but it felt classic, exactly what I imagine when I think of a good burger.

The grilled chicken sandwich was just OK.

The grilled chicken sandwich was all right. It didn't quite compare to a sandwich I'd get at Chick-fil-A, but I had no trouble finishing it. For $4.79, I'd say it's worth the price.

Dessert was my favorite part of the meal.

After dinner, my husband and I went back to the counter to order ice cream.

He bought a double scoop sopapilla cheesecake sundae for $3.79, and I got a small chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurt cone for $1.45.

His sundae tasted like the real deal. The cinnamon-flavored ice cream sat on top of a spongy cake, draped in golden caramel. I think it's perfect for someone with a sweet tooth.

However, the frozen yogurt cone was right up my alley. It was simple and sweet, and the flavors weren't too overpowering.

We bought so much food that we had to take it home.

I left the restaurant full, but not without taking a to-go bag. The next day, my husband and I devoured our leftovers for lunch.

I'll be visiting again soon.

While the burgers and sandwiches at Braum's were good, the ice cream and frozen yogurt were what made the visit stand out among other chains.

Overall, going back to Braum's was a sweet experience. It was nice to try new-to-me foods, reminisce about my childhood, and create new memories with my husband.

Residents of the 45 states that don't have a Braum's are definitely missing out.