Secretary of State John Kerry on the road

On March 6, John Kerry wrapped up his first official trip as US secretary of state. The former senator from Massachusetts described the nine-nation trip as a “get acquainted’’ tour of America’s closest allies in Europe and the Middle East. Kerry plans to stop in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emerites, and Qatar. Click through the gallery and check out scenes from Kerry’s first official road trip.

Pictured: Kerry waved goodbye from the top of the stairs at the airport in Doha, Qatar, en route to return to Washington on March 6, ending his first official visit overseas as secretary.

Kerry, accompanied by France’s President Francois Hollande (center), greeted France’s Prime Minister Jean Marc Ayrault (right) as he arrived for the cabinet meeting.

Kerry met some young family members of US Embassy staff at the Chief of Mission Residence in Paris.

Kerry spoke with French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Feb. 27.

In front row, from right, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, Kerry, and British Foreign Minister William Hague posed prior to the trans-Atlantic dinner with ministers from the EU and NATO in Villa Madama in Rome.

Kerry held a news conference with Syrian National Coalition President Mouaz al-Khatib (center) and Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi at Villa Madama in Rome. The United States will send non-lethal aid directly to Syrian rebels for the first time, Kerry said on February 28, disappointing opponents of President Bashar al-Assad who are clamouring for Western weapons.

A protester held a placard as Kerry looked on during a news conference at Villa Madama in Rome. The activist, who would not give her name, was protesting against what she said was the killing of innocent civilians by countries including the US and Italy.

Kerry, who speaks several languages, joked about needing headphones to listen to Italian during a cultural event with Italian Foreign Minister Terz at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome.

Kerry presented an award to Yasemin Akarsu, widow of Mustafa Akarsu, a US Embassy guard who was killed by a suicide bomber attack on February 1, Kerry’s first day as secretary of state. With Akarsu was her son, Sami Akarsu.

Kerry attended the wreath laying ceremony at Ataturk’s Mausoleum in Ankara on March 2. During his visit, Kerry criticized as ‘objectionable’ comments by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that compared Zionism to fascism. Kerry said he had raised the issue with Turkish officials and warned that such remarks complicate the Middle East peace process. Relations between former allies Israel and Turkey have been strained since 2010 after a deadly Israeli military raid on a Turkish-flagged ship seeking to bypass a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Kerry met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at Ankara Palas in Ankara, Turkey.

Kerry was greeted by Turkish President Abdullah Gul before their meeting at Cankaya Palace in Ankara, Turkey.

Egyptian activists burned a poster depicting Kerry during a protest outside the Egyptian foreign ministry in Cairo on March 2.

US Secretary of State John Kerry laughed as he met with Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby, seated across the table from Kerry, in Cairo.

Kerry met with Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Ministry of Defense in Cairo on March 3 as he wrapped up a visit to Egypt with an appeal for unity and reform to the country’s president and military chief.

Kerry met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr (left) and Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (right) at the Presidential Palace in Cairo.

Kerry had a last-minute meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, seated across the table, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. The Palestinian leader arrived unexpectedly in Riyadh on Sunday.

Kerry walked with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, as he arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, March 3. Saudi Arabia is the seventh leg of Kerry’s first official overseas trip.

Kerry met with Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid al-Khalifa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Surrounded by the children of US Embassy employees who he asked to come on stage with him, Secretary of State Kerry spoke at the embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, right, chatted with Kerry as they posed for a photograph before their dinner meeting at the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The plane carrying Kerry descended over Doha, Qatar.

Kerry and Qatar’s Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held hands at the Prince’s Sea Palace residence in Doha, Qatar.

The red carpet was rolled up after Kerry boarded his plane to leave Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on his way to the final destination of Qatar.

Kerry drank tea with the Qatari Ambassador to the United States Mohammed al-Rumaihi inside the Doha International Airport in Qatar.

Kerry shook hands with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin al-Thani after a news conference in Doha. On Tuesday, March 5, Kerry said Washington was increasingly confident that weapons being sent by others to the Syrian opposition were going to moderate forces within it rather than to extremists.

Kerry met with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah at a hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 4.

On Feb. 24, Kerry boarded his plane at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., en route to London, the first leg of his nine-nation tour.

Kerry visited with the traveling media aboard the plane.

Kerry walked with British Foreign Secretary William Hague as he arrived at Downing Street in London on Feb. 25.

Kerry met with British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing St. in London.

The table was set for Kerry and British Foreign Secretary Hague to meet at London’s Lancaster House.

Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague met face-to-face in Lancaster House in central London.

Kerry and Hague held a joint news conference after their meeting.

Kerry gestured alongside US Ambassador Louis Susman during a visit to the American Embassy in London.

Kerry arrived at the Tegel Airport in Berlin on Feb. 25.

Members of Berlin’s special police forces SEK stood guard in front of the Brandenburg Gate during Kerry’s first official visit to Germany.

Kerry stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Feb. 26.

Kerry spoke next to French Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius during a press conference.

Kerry greeted US embassy staff and shook hands with their children during a visit to the American embassy in Berlin.

While traveling in Germany on Feb. 26, Kerry held a conversation with a group of invited young people as part of his Youth Connect series of discussions.

Kerry signed a “Facebook Wall” after speaking at the Youth Connect: Berlin event.

Kerry and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle addressed a press conference at the foreign ministry in Berlin on Feb. 26.

A member of an exile Iranian association waved national flags as she stood next to a placard depicting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with an inscription reading, in German, “Down with the dictator,’’ during a protest in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Protesters demanded that the US improve protection and contact between the Iranian opposition and Camp Liberty in Iraq.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel received Kerry as they gave a statement to the press.

 Kerry and German Chancellor Merkel looked at a painting during their meeting at the chancellery in Berlin on Feb. 26.

While visiting Germany, Kerry met with his Russian counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov. Their meeting came as Washington and Moscow sought to resolve differences over how to address the two-year conflict in Syria and Iran’s nuclear program.

Kerry arrived at Le Bourget International Airport in Paris on Feb. 26 and was greeted by US Ambassador to France and Monaco Charles Rivkin. Paris was the third leg of Kerry’s first official overseas trip.

Kerry attended a breakfast meeting with French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Feb. 27.

Kerry embraced his longtime friend, US Ambassador to Italy David Thorne, as he arrived Feb. 27 at Ciampino Airport in Rome where talks on Syria were be held.