Pick My Adventure Show

Gina Morello had four countries left in her quest to visit every country when the pandemic struck in 2020. However, that only delayed her goal, as she was able to get to her final country of Mozambique in December of 2020 – becoming the first person to finish seeing every country post-pandemic! You might think that would be the end of her major travels – as she had taken a year off work to complete the 20+ year journey – but it was only the beginning! Her marriage of 10 years took an amicable split, as Gina’s travel desires were different than her ex-husband, and her home base became Georgia (the country) and now Portugal. In Gina’s interview, you’ll hear about her international career working for the airlines, consulting out of places like Rome and Pakistan. But you’ll also hear about the struggles maintaining a relationship and friendships when you’re constantly on the road. Other things you’ll hear in the Gina’s interview: Her travel tips learned from consulting for airlines and analyzing data What she did during the pandemic while waiting for her four remaining countries to open up Smaller travel goals, including visiting the Top 50 Bars in the world Her favorite (and least favorite) countries Why she’s still considering going back to her least favorite countries Why she chose Portugal to live Countries she felt harassed in for what she was wearing What female travelers should look out for when traveling solo Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

Gina Morello had four countries left in her quest to visit every country when the pandemic struck in 2020. However, that only delayed her goal, as she was able to get to her final country of Mozambique in December of 2020 – becoming the first person to finish seeing every country post-pandemic! You might think that would be the end of her major travels – as she had taken a year off work to complete the 20+ year journey – but it was only the beginning! Her marriage of 10 years took an amicable split, as Gina’s travel desires were different than her ex-husband, and her home base became Georgia (the country) and now Portugal. In Gina’s interview, you’ll hear about her international career working for the airlines, consulting out of places like Rome and Pakistan. But you’ll also hear about the struggles maintaining a relationship and friendships when you’re constantly on the road. Other things you’ll hear in the Gina’s interview: Her travel tips learned from consulting for airlines and analyzing data What she did during the pandemic while waiting for her four remaining countries to open up Smaller travel goals, including visiting the Top 50 Bars in the world Her favorite (and least favorite) countries Why she’s still considering going back to her least favorite countries Why she chose Portugal to live Countries she felt harassed in for what she was wearing What female travelers should look out for when traveling solo Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

Woni Spotts has one of the more unique travel journeys you’ll hear. She traveled to 160 countries before the age of 19 as the host of a travel documentary shot from 1979 to 1982. However, the documentary lost funding for the final year of shooting and Woni didn’t travel much for the next 30 years. That is until 2014 when Woni decided to finish the journey she started as a teenager, completing all 195 countries in 2018. Not seeking any sort of fame or attention, Woni decided to bring her story to light upon hearing of another black female traveler marketing herself as the first black woman to visit every country in the world in 2019. Listen to the full interview to hear why she decided to come forward with her story, plus: How followers of Jessica Nabongo, who claimed to be the first black woman to travel to every country, attacked her online Why she refused to talk to Jessica Nabongo Her experiences traveling as a black woman and whether she has experienced any racism Why she prefers the southern regions, including Patagonia, South Africa, and Antarctica Growing up the child of professional musicians who traveled the world Why it took her over 30 years to start really traveling again The countries she would consider moving to… And, her travel goals now Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 

Woni Spotts has one of the more unique travel journeys you’ll hear. She traveled to 160 countries before the age of 19 as the host of a travel documentary shot from 1979 to 1982. However, the documentary lost funding for the final year of shooting and Woni didn’t travel much for the next 30 years. That is until 2014 when Woni decided to finish the journey she started as a teenager, completing all 195 countries in 2018. Not seeking any sort of fame or attention, Woni decided to bring her story to light upon hearing of another black female traveler marketing herself as the first black woman to visit every country in the world in 2019. Listen to the full interview to hear why she decided to come forward with her story, plus: How followers of Jessica Nabongo, who claimed to be the first black woman to travel to every country, attacked her online Why she refused to talk to Jessica Nabongo Her experiences traveling as a black woman and whether she has experienced any racism Why she prefers the southern regions, including Patagonia, South Africa, and Antarctica Growing up the child of professional musicians who traveled the world Why it took her over 30 years to start really traveling again The countries she would consider moving to… And, her travel goals now Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

79-year-old Luisa Yu had no intention of becoming famous after completing her nearly 50-year-journey to visit every country in the world. But a Croatian social media travel influencer she met along the way had other plans for her, insisting she make Serbia her final country. So, when Luisa arrived in Serbia, a throng of media awaited to interview her and the influencer (Vanna Bojovic @vannabojovic) released an Instagram reel featuring Luisa that garnered 2.7 million views. The rest, they say, is history! Since that day, just last month, Luisa has been featured in news outlets everywhere in the world – in English, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and many more. However, those interviews feature a quote or two, a favorite country or experience, and little more. As with all interviews on the Pick My Adventure Show (and podcast), we dig a little deeper. Luisa’s first full interview gives us a glimpse of: The lives of all the social media influencers she has met on her travels who have adopted her, lovingly calling her “Mama” How she went to 47 states in the United States while waiting for her green card in the 70s (and which state and city was her favorite) Why and how she went against her doctor’s orders to skydive last year (at 78 years old!) Why two of the countries she was most-advised AGAINST going to turned out to be two of her favorites (Afghanistan and Somalia) Her advice for other “senior”-aged travelers – and travelers of all ages! How her daughter has attempted to stop her from going to some destinations Why her travels are far from over and what she wants to do next Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

79-year-old Luisa Yu had no intention of becoming famous after completing her nearly 50-year-journey to visit every country in the world. But a Croatian social media travel influencer she met along the way had other plans for her, insisting she make Serbia her final country. So, when Luisa arrived in Serbia, a throng of media awaited to interview her and the influencer (Vanna Bojovic @vannabojovic) released an Instagram reel featuring Luisa that garnered 2.7 million views. The rest, they say, is history! Since that day, just last month, Luisa has been featured in news outlets everywhere in the world – in English, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and many more. However, those interviews feature a quote or two, a favorite country or experience, and little more. As with all interviews on the Pick My Adventure Show (and podcast), we dig a little deeper. Luisa’s first full interview gives us a glimpse of: The lives of all the social media influencers she has met on her travels who have adopted her, lovingly calling her “Mama” How she went to 47 states in the United States while waiting for her green card in the 70s (and which state and city was her favorite) Why and how she went against her doctor’s orders to skydive last year (at 78 years old!) Why two of the countries she was most-advised AGAINST going to turned out to be two of her favorites (Afghanistan and Somalia) Her advice for other “senior”-aged travelers – and travelers of all ages! How her daughter has attempted to stop her from going to some destinations Why her travels are far from over and what she wants to do next Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

You may think you’ve met or heard of every type of traveler out there, but you have NEVER met a traveler like Indy Nelson. Having just graduated from UC Berkeley, he traveled to every country in the world for the thrill of being able to plan out every part of the trip – including routes, visas, accommodations, and even booking 100 plane tickets BEFORE the trip even started – leaving little room for error! When Indy Nelson finished his journey, he was the youngest (24 years old) and fastest to visit every country in the world (539 days). Want to know how much it would cost you to see every country in the world on one continuous trip? Because Indy kept detailed notes on how much he spent in those 539 days and shares with us the cost! Other unique things you’ll hear in the Indy Nelson interview: The four countries he was detained in for being a suspected spy – including the eight hours of interrogation in a disputed territory in Georgia by the Russians Of the 197 airlines he has flown on (a record), which would he say are the best in the world Why Central Asia is one of his favorite regions How it took 100 hours of research and paper work so that he could spend 25 minutes in Democratic Republic of Congo Why he spent three weeks in Cambodia, when he only allotted 36 hours for every country (And why it was his favorite country) How long it took him to pay off his trip cost after maxing out several credit cards How his travels have helped him in job interviews How he was able to be on the front line in war zones, including up close and personal with ISIS

You may think you’ve met or heard of every type of traveler out there, but you have NEVER met a traveler like Indy Nelson. Having just graduated from UC Berkeley, he traveled to every country in the world for the thrill of being able to plan out every part of the trip – including routes, visas, accommodations, and even booking 100 plane tickets BEFORE the trip even started – leaving little room for error! When Indy Nelson finished his journey, he was the youngest (24 years old) and fastest to visit every country in the world (539 days). Want to know how much it would cost you to see every country in the world on one continuous trip? Because Indy kept detailed notes on how much he spent in those 539 days and shares with us the cost! Other unique things you’ll hear in the Indy Nelson interview: The four countries he was detained in for being a suspected spy – including the eight hours of interrogation in a disputed territory in Georgia by the Russians Of the 197 airlines he has flown on (a record), which would he say are the best in the world Why Central Asia is one of his favorite regions How it took 100 hours of research and paper work so that he could spend 25 minutes in Democratic Republic of Congo Why he spent three weeks in Cambodia, when he only allotted 36 hours for every country (And why it was his favorite country) How long it took him to pay off his trip cost after maxing out several credit cards How his travels have helped him in job interviews How he was able to be on the front line in war zones, including up close and personal with ISIS

Have you ever tried working 16 hours in a day – for several consecutive days – just to have enough vacation time to go on a trip? 🤯 Well, Romaine Welds has been doing that for years now, all to accomplish his goal of seeing every country in the world (195) – which he completed earlier this year! He’s the first Jamaican, Caribbean, and black American (take your pick! 😅) to see every country in the world – and one of only two black men in the world. He doesn’t call his trips “vacations,” as he’s exhausted when he starts them and he’s on-the-go the entire time to see as much as possible. However, his trips (and pictures) have resulted in incredible memories and experiences. Find out how he makes his schedule work and how he doesn’t die from exhaustion! 😅 Other unique things you’ll hear in the Romaine Welds interview: The only country in the world he experienced racism – which might surprise you… or will it? The country where a child bit him, because the child had never seen a black man and thought he was made of chocolate 😂🍫 His favorite country (yes, he actually has one, unlike most other world travelers!) The country where he thought he was going to die after the car detected a bomb Why his worst travel experience happened in Ecuador Tips on cutting costs to be able to travel more His thoughts on the San Francisco Bay Area, where the host 😉 believes is the best “region” in the world, and also where Romaine lives

Have you ever tried working 16 hours in a day – for several consecutive days – just to have enough vacation time to go on a trip? 🤯 Well, Romaine Welds has been doing that for years now, all to accomplish his goal of seeing every country in the world (195) – which he completed earlier this year! He’s the first Jamaican, Caribbean, and black American (take your pick! 😅) to see every country in the world – and one of only two black men in the world. He doesn’t call his trips “vacations,” as he’s exhausted when he starts them and he’s on-the-go the entire time to see as much as possible. However, his trips (and pictures) have resulted in incredible memories and experiences. Find out how he makes his schedule work and how he doesn’t die from exhaustion! 😅 Other unique things you’ll hear in the Romaine Welds interview: The only country in the world he experienced racism – which might surprise you… or will it? The country where a child bit him, because the child had never seen a black man and thought he was made of chocolate 😂🍫 His favorite country (yes, he actually has one, unlike most other world travelers!) The country where he thought he was going to die after the car detected a bomb Why his worst travel experience happened in Ecuador Tips on cutting costs to be able to travel more His thoughts on the San Francisco Bay Area, where the host 😉 believes is the best “region” in the world, and also where Romaine lives

You might think traveling to every country would be an impressive accomplishment. How about traveling to every country twice? Well, that’s exactly what Gunnar Garfors of Norway did! His mom may think he’s crazy, but he’s made a career out of his travels, speaking around the world — and even met his girlfriend at a conference for extreme travelers! He’s the author of six books and currently working on his seventh, examining the countries along the equator and the arctic circle. Other unique things you’ll hear in the Gunnar Garfors interview: How he decided to visit every country for a second time while working on a book Why he was bombarded by Romanian journalists who thought he declared Romania as his favorite country in the world What event organizers ask him to speak about at conferences around the world How a robbery attempt in Gabon forced him to change his preconceived plan to peacefully give away whatever possessions he had How a one year old’s birthday party in Kiribati helped put things into perspective Where he would live if he weren’t “living” in Oslo Find out more here: https://pickmyadventure.com/episodes/episode-04-gunnar-garfors-visited-every-country-twice

You might think traveling to every country would be an impressive accomplishment. How about traveling to every country twice? Well, that’s exactly what Gunnar Garfors of Norway did! His mom may think he’s crazy, but he’s made a career out of his travels, speaking around the world — and even met his girlfriend at a conference for extreme travelers! He’s the author of six books and currently working on his seventh, examining the countries along the equator and the arctic circle. Other unique things you’ll hear in the Gunnar Garfors interview: How he decided to visit every country for a second time while working on a book Why he was bombarded by Romanian journalists who thought he declared Romania as his favorite country in the world What event organizers ask him to speak about at conferences around the world How a robbery attempt in Gabon forced him to change his preconceived plan to peacefully give away whatever possessions he had How a one year old’s birthday party in Kiribati helped put things into perspective Where he would live if he weren’t “living” in Oslo Find out more info here: https://pickmyadventure.com/episodes/episode-04-gunnar-garfors-visited-every-country-twice

Unlike most other world travelers, Stefan Krasowski has been in a relationship for almost the entirety of his travels! Find out the trade-offs he had to make with his wife, how he makes money off his travels, and which of his 80 credit cards are the most important to him and other travelers. Other unique things you’ll hear in the Stefan Krasowski interview: What job he had after college that allowed him to travel extensively How he can speak fluent Mandarin (Chinese) Tips for maximizing credit card points The rare benefit that Alaska Airlines allows that most people don’t know exists The three “D’s” he abides by in all of his travels to avoid trouble Find out more here: https://pickmyadventure.com/episodes/episode-02-stefan-krasowski-credit-card-points-travel-dckly

Unlike most other world travelers, Stefan Krasowski has been in a relationship for almost the entirety of his travels! Find out the trade-offs he had to make with his wife, how he makes money off his travels, and which of his 80 credit cards are the most important to him and other travelers. Other unique things you’ll hear in the Stefan Krasowski interview: What job he had after college that allowed him to travel extensively How he can speak fluent Mandarin (Chinese) Tips for maximizing credit card points The rare benefit that Alaska Airlines allows that most people don’t know exists The three “D’s” he abides by in all of his travels to avoid trouble Find out more here: https://pickmyadventure.com/episodes/episode-02-stefan-krasowski-credit-card-points-travel-dckly

Besides the amazing feat of traveling to every country without getting on a plane – which has yet to be duplicated – Graham also holds the record for the most countries visited in one year: 133! Find out more about his crazy, four-year journey, the complicated nature of inventing a never-before-listed World Record, and how he won an island in Panama! Other unique things you’ll hear in the Graham Hughes interview: Why he’s banned from USA for life How much he spent each year traveling while trying to set his world record Why Guinness told him he had to re-do his visit to Russia What he’s doing with the island he won in Panama now The two countries that imprisoned him The new world records he’d like to pursue Find out more here: https://pickmyadventure.com/episodes/episode-01-graham-hughes-every-country-no-planes-guinness

Besides the amazing feat of traveling to every country without getting on a plane – which has yet to be duplicated – Graham also holds the record for the most countries visited in one year: 133! Find out more about his crazy, four-year journey, the complicated nature of inventing a never-before-listed World Record, and how he won an island in Panama! Other unique things you’ll hear in the Graham Hughes interview: Why he’s banned from USA for life How much he spent each year traveling while trying to set his world record Why Guinness told him he had to re-do his visit to Russia What he’s doing with the island he won in Panama now The two countries that imprisoned him The new world records he’d like to pursue Find out more here: https://pickmyadventure.com/episodes/episode-01-graham-hughes-every-country-no-planes-guinness