Counting Countries

Tan Wee Cheng has traveled to 187 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Wee Cheng, a regional neighbor, and I have communicated on and off for several years, but like many of us in the community we were only virtual acquaintances.  That changed when I met Wee Cheng in person at an extreme travel dinner in Singapore last year and then a more recent catchup in Honolulu.  I was surprised to learn about Wee Cheng’s longevity as a traveler and also noted how he is a bit of an iconoclast in Singaporean culture when it comes to extreme travel.    If you are a listener, you have heard this before … the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok.  Discount code BANGKOK of $120 will end on May 1, so please purchase your ticket today to lock in your savings at the . We love having diverse voices at the event.  Just in case you missed this speaker announcement, Raiiq Ridwan, who holds a Bangladeshi passport, will share the extra challenges he faces as an extreme travelers with one of the world’s weakest passports.  And Elene Chechina will share her stories of working full time, raising 3 children, and having deep connections across 3 continents all the while Chasing 193.  How does she do it? I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Adam Hickman, Barry Hoffner, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Steph Rowe, Lori Pastorelli, Gin, Philippe Izedian, Sunir Joshi, Jorge Serpa, Justine Kirby, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sonia Zimmermann, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Per Flisberg, and Sam Williams for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Wee Cheng that you will not hear.   Excited to welcome new patron, Sam Williams, who is Chasing 193.  He is balancing a lot - wife, 2 small kids, and a full time job.  So his first goal is 40 by 40, which he is on track for, and then a long marathon to 193!  He has a great 10th year anniversary to Singapore, Tokyo and the Maldives.  His IG is sswilliams41 so follow along -   We also have some extra content with Gin, in a segment called Meet The Patron.  Last episode we met Bisa Myles and this episode we are talking with Gin.  Gin caught my attention when she shared her Spotify podcast stats.  In 2023, she listened to over 10,000 minutes of Counting Countries.  I have a new BFF and you can learn about her during our conversation after I speak with Wee Cheng.     And that’s not it! We are rolling out a new feature on Counting Countries.  The idea is to celebrate wins in the 193 community and involve more people.  The inspiration came from my friends at Club 100 from Sweden.  They have been recognizing milestones on their great IG account - .  So make sure you follow along.  I will be asking for travelers to submit audio files to recognize travel accomplishments.  To learn more follow the CC IG and FB accounts and I will be making future call to actions.  Here are a couple of milestones to recognize now.   I was in Bangkok for this recording while Wee Cheng was in Singapore. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my - you rock!!  ….  Adam Hickman, Barry Hoffner, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Steph Rowe, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian, Sunir Joshi, Jorge Serpa, Justine Kirby, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sonia Zimmermann, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Per Flisberg, Dale Wursten, and Sam Williams.        And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! About Tan Wee Cheng Counting Countries • Where were you born: Singapore • What passport (s) do you hold: Singapore • Favorite travel book: Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey through Yugoslavia - by Rebecca West (1941) • Favorite travel film: The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) • Favorite travel app or website: Used to be LP Thorn Tree, still miss it. Maybe Nomadmania or FB EPS page – but I don’t like them as much as I love Thorn Tree. • Must carry item when traveling (like flashlight, Kindle, deck of cards etc.): Mobile phone! • Favorite food: Noodles! Or any derivative/similar – pasta, ramen. I crave for it if I go to a region without it. So happy to find pasta in Ethiopia/Eritrea, and rechta in Algeria. • Favorite drink: Coffee.  Not into alcoholic drink since I started getting gout flareups • Favorite airline: Singapore Airlines…natural for Singaporeans. Love the catering and the Singapore flavours of everything that reminds one of home. • Favorite hotel: Don’t have any. See hotels as very functional and seldom return to the same hotel even for cities that I revisit. • Travel map: https://nomadmania.com/profile/290/nm/nm/by/2024 About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Wee Cheng Counting Countries

Elena Chechina has traveled to 158 countries   Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian.  I met Elena back at the ETF in Yerevan and started to realize what a unique life she was leading.  She is a true global citizen with true family connections to Europe, Asia, and Africa.  Elena has somehow managed to balance the multiple moving parts of her life … 3 children, a spouse who lives and works in Northern Africa, a full time job, and of course Chasing 193.  In this conversation, we learn how she manages the complexity of her life.      The next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok.  At the festival, we will have over 20 amazing speakers.  I am excited to announce new speaker Joe Cummings.  Joe has has spent time over six different decades in Thailand.  He wrote the first Lonely Planet Thailand Guide back in 1981. He offers an unique perspective on Thailand and travel that few have.  He is also a renaissance man, he is a linguist, an actor, and a musician.  You can buy your ticket now and use the code BANGKOK to save big at the .  If you have questions, just let me know.   I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Phil Marcus, Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmerman, Lori Pastorelli, Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Steph Rowe, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Elena that you will not hear.   I was in Bangkok for this recording while Elena was in Sweden. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Phil Marcus, Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmermann, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.          And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! About Elena Chechina Counting Countries Where are you from & where do you live: I was born in Moscow. I live in Sweden. What passports do you hold: I hold 2 passports: Swedish and Russian. Favourite travel app: Couchsurfing NomadMania Must carry items: Powerbank and headphones if traveling solo Baby carrier & small stroller when I travel with kids Favourite food: Sushi and exotic fruits, pad thai Favorite drink: Traditional Sweet green tea with mint prepared by my husband in Mauritania Sugarcane juice  Favourite airlines: Emirates and AirAsia (for budget travel) Favourite hotel: Traditional yurt in Kyrgyzstan Couchsurfing with families around the world Favourite travel book: Books written by other travellers in our community like "Long Road to Cullaville" by Boris Kester; "Chasing 193: a quest to visit every country in the world". I also love books based on real stories or taking place in countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen e.g. The Kite Runner, Thousand Splendid suns, Desert Flower.. Favourite travel films: I love Bollywood movies and especially these movies about travelling: "Zindagi na milegi dobaara" and "Yeh Jawaani hai Diwaani" About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.

Hayley has traveled to every country in the world   Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian.  I started to follow Hayley in the last year or two on Instagram.  And over the last several months we started sharing some messages.  She has just completed her journey to every country in the world and I wanted to learn about her adventures as well as her two physical disabilities and how she overcame these challenges.     The next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok.  At the festival, we will have over 20 amazing speakers.  Sort of like the TEDx of travel.  Think Thor Pedersen, Francis Tapon, the Sultan Randy Williams, and so many more.  You can buy your ticket now and use the code BANGKOK to save big at the .  If you have questions, just let me know.   I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Phil Marcus, Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmerman, Lori Pastorelli, Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Steph Rowe, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Hayley that you will not hear.  After the main interview with Hayley, I have a new series, called Meet The Patrons.  And I speak with Bisa Myles, my first supporter.  I have known Bisa personally since I get to see her occasionally on my visits to Chicago, but through our conversation, I got to learn a lot more about her and some of the challenges she has overcome.    I was in Bangkok for this recording while Hayley was in England. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Phil Marcus, Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmermann, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.          And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Hayley Kennedy Counting Countries

This is the second publication of this interview.  The first podcast had a corrupted file.  All audio from the first interview had been deleted after 1 hr and 31 minutes.  This publication is the full file.   Raiiq has traveled to 118 countries Hey now and Happy New Year to all!  I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I knew Raiiq from EPS and had the pleasure of meeting him at the ETF in Armenia.  I was spurred to learn more about him after a recent post in EPS detailing his challenges with carrying a Bangladeshi passport.  We all know Chasing 193 is no easy feat, and Raiiq shares with us an additional set of impediments he faces to complete his goal.  The next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok.  I am also excited to announce optional trips, one for UNESCO Thailand and 3 different agendas to Bhutan before and after the festival.  Check out the website or send me a message.  You can buy your ticket now and use the code BANGKOK to save big at the .  If you have questions, just let me know. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Phil Marcus, Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmerman, Lori Pastorelli, Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Steph Rowe, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Raiiq that you will not hear. After the main interview with Raiiq, there is an additional sidecar interview with Michael Zervos of the .  Michael will be departing from his home in mid-January to attempting to break the GWR record for quickest time to travel to every country in the world. Good luck Michael!     And in 193 news, more congratulations to go around with the following people completing their last country.  (Data from NomadMania.)  * Ryan Smith : Reached his final country in St Vincent and the Grenadines. * Enric Moreno and Mayte Galindo : First Spanish couple to achieve this, ending in Palau. * Ernestine Chan () : completed her global tour in Libya. * Julie Ann Small : The third British woman recently to finish, in the Maldives. I was in Chicago for this recording while Raiiq was in England. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my  …. Phil Marcus, Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmermann, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.  Raiiq Ridwan Counting Countries      And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries:  and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has  and keep up with his journey at  How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania  The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500. SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Raiiq Ridwan Counting Countries

Thor Pedersen has traveled to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Checking in with multi-repeat guest and travel legend, Thor Pedersen of Once Upon A Saga.  For those of us in the know, Thor recently finished a nearly 10 year journey to every country in the world without flying in an unbroken journey with a minimum of 24 hours in each country.  These additional rules that Thor instituted increased the complexity and length of this journey in addition to the global Covid lockdown. Thor demonstrated an immense amount of grit and determination to overcome so many challenges.  It is a singular and unique accomplishment.  The next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok, plenty of time to save the date.  I am also excited to announce optional trips, one for UNESCO Thailand and 3 different agendas to Bhutan before and after the festival.  Check out the website or send me a message. Thor joined ETF virtually in Armenia but will be in person as the closing keynote in Bangkok.  Want to hear and meet him?  Don’t miss out and join us today.  You can buy your ticket now and use the code BANGKOK to save big at the . I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmerman, Lori Pastorelli, Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Steph Rowe, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Thor that you will not hear. Thor is appearing in your feed for the third time.  In addition, I have documented Thor an additional 7 times for my patrons, every 6 months, document his trials and tribulations.  You can access these additional episodes by being a patron or subscribing to them on Apple Podcasts.  I have interviewed Thor a total of 10 times for Counting Countries since 2016.        I want to let you know that is a great resource for those of us who are Chasing 193.  Patron and traveler Justine Kirby is the founder of the group.  For those who are in EPS, this is another great platform to trade travel information to achieve your travel goals.  Join today with the link in the Show Notes.    For the third episode in a row I am highlighting another author from the travel community.  Previously I highlighted Harry Mitsidis’s , Flavio Ferrari Zumbini’s , and this month I am speaking with author Michael Richards who just published .  Listen to my conversation with Michael after my conversation with Thor.  And after my conversation with Michael, stick around for some more info about the Extraordinary Travel Festival.       More congratulations are in order to new 193ers Hayley Kennedy who finished in Libya.   And Mike Downes who finished in Antigua.  Well done to both!  According to NomadMania 27 new people have completed 193 in 2023 so far. I was in Chicago for this recording while Thor was in Copenhagen. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Phil Marcus, Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmermann, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.          And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! More About Thor Pedersen Counting Countries Born in: The Kingdom of Denmark, in the high north of Europe Passports from: Denmark Favorite travel book: GRUK – about travel, by Piet Hein Favorite travel film: Favorite travel site: Must carry: Pen, scarf, passport, smartphone, credit card Favorite food: A good pasta dish or: fresh fish and manioc near the sea in Central Africa (eaten with my hands and not with cutlery) Favorite drink: Milk (from Denmark) Favorite Airline: Haven’t flown for years. Figure they are all the same more or less? Favorite Hotel: I’ve been thinking hard. I’m not sure I have one? But Best Western Plus: Lusaka Grand Hotel in Zambia if you push me. I had free accommodation and the staff was great! 🙂 I like a few lodges and hostels…hotels haven’t been a big part of this journey. Website: Facebook: Instagram:     About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.

Zach Forbes has traveled to 140 countries   Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I am excited to introduce Zach Forbes, our new guest this month.  Zach was a character I saw all around social media and connected to many of my friends.  I finally met him face to face in Yerevan at the Extraordinary Travel Festival.  Zach is a true global citizen, raised in Canada and the US.  He also lived in China, Dubai, and Vancouver while traveling to 140 countries.   As some of you might have heard the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok, plenty of time to save the date. You can buy your ticket now and use the code BANGKOK to save big at the .  I am also excited to announce our first trip, and that is 3 different agendas to Bhutan after the festival.  Check out the website or send me a message. And I am very excited to let you know that the ETF will be hosting the NomadMania Awards live in Bangkok Sunday night, November 17th! This will be an amazing way to close out the ETF. After the interview with Zach, I will be checking in with Flavio Ferrari Zumbini, who has recently published EVERYCOUNTRY: A Journey to ALL 193 NATIONS of the World, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.  It was originally written in Italian, but now you can read in English.       I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Adam Hickman, Barry Hoffner, Bisa Myles, Carole Southam, Ed Hotchkiss, Gin, Jorge Serpa, Justine Kirby, Katelyn Jarvis, Lori Pastorelli, Marc Jorgenson, Per Flisberg, Philippe Izedian, Phil Marcus, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Sonia Zimmermann, Steph Rowe, Sunir Joshi, Ted Nims, Thor Pedersen for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Zach that you will not hear.   Justine Kirby is on an East African trip working her way to 167.  Sunir Joshi left Tunisia recently and now is in Morocco, checking in at 128.  Carole Southam just hit 100 on TCC! Jorge Serpa completed Europe and will finish the year at 120.  Simen Flotvik Mathisen hit the benchmark of 10% of the NM regions.     As a favor, please look in your Show Notes, I have shared .  This is a great opportunity to provide me with some feedback.  Thanks for your time!    And in 193 news, a giant congratulations to fan favorite, Luisa Yu, who just completed her journey to every country in the world.     I was in Bangkok for this recording while Zach was in Canada. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Adam Hickman, Barry Hoffner, Bisa Myles, Carole Southam, Dale Wursten, Ed Hotchkiss, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Jorge Serpa, Justine Kirby, Katelyn Jarvis, Lori Pastorelli, Marc Jorgenson, Per Flisberg, Philippe Izedian, Phil Marcus, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Sonia Zimmermann, Steph Rowe, Sunir Joshi, Ted Nims, Thor Pedersen.        And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review!   About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.

Michael Noel has traveled to 192 countries Please fill out this survey and provide feedback - https://forms.gle/1RmLQh7hLuw2Xnc6A Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Checking in with our new guest, Michael Noel and I crossed paths in the Douala airport en route to Bangui.  We ended up sharing a dinner and a trip to a waterfall.  Always great to run into fellow travelers in the least traveled places, and he shared a number of stories which I thought would make a fascinating conversation. As some of you might have heard the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok, plenty of time to save the date. You can buy your ticket now and use the code BANGKOK to save big at the .  I am also excited to announce our first trip, and that is 3 different agendas to Bhutan after the festival.  Check out the website or send me a message. We have some great speakers who have already been announced for the event with more to come.  One of the speakers is Pablo Nemo, who has been walking from south to north for almost two years in Africa.  You can vote for him in the Nomad Mania Awards as the Most Intrepid Traveler.  There are a lot of other amazing travelers, so take a moment to recognize them.  Vote today! After the interview with Michael, I will be checking in with Harry Mitisdis, who has recently published Welcome To The Hotel NomadMania.  This is a classic whodunit with many fictionalized character from the Extreme Travel Community.     I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmerman, Lori Pastorelli, Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Steph Rowe, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Michael that you will not hear. And we have a new patron, Phil Marcus.  You might have heard me refer to Phil on the podcast several times.  Phil have teamed up over the last couple of years on some very memorable Africa and Middle East travels.  If you follow Phil on IG or FB, you might recognize him for his BFF better known as Beaker, a famous muppet, who he travels with all of the time and appears in many photos and video.  And speaking of video, make sure you follow him on YouTube at , which has a ton of great videos.   I was in Chicago for this recording while Michael was in Cali. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Phil Marcus, Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmermann, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.          And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! More About Michael Noel Counting Countries ·       Where were you born o   Mather AFB, Sacramento, CA ·       What passport (s) do you hold o   USA ·       Favorite travel book o   Currently published: “The Long Road to Cullaville.” Though of course I think my upcoming book “Breaking the Tourist Barrier” will be a favorite soon as well. ;) ·       Favorite travel film o   Not really into travel films, maybe some documentaries but nothing stands out. ·       Favorite travel app or website o   Been a big fan of the ‘Fog of World’ app recently, though make heavy use of ‘Flighty,’ ‘Mark O’Travel,’ and ‘Polarsteps.’ ·       Must carry item when traveling (like flashlight, Kindle, deck of cards etc.) o   Only real need is smartphone and passport. Everything else is optional. I travel exceedingly light, nothing more than a small backpack and/or small satchel. ·       Favorite food o   Sooo many choices and it really depends. Honestly, my favorite depends on region, I do try to eat as local as possible. If you press me to come up with something I’ll say Durian. ·       Favorite drink o   Same as above, depends. I don’t really like anything sweet though. Again, if you press probably espresso, but depends on where I am in the world. ·       Favorite airline o   Tough one, as I have status on United Airlines so that’s where I’m most likely to get upgraded, treated well, etc., but let’s be honest, it’s not the BEST worldwide. Probably Emirates if I’m being honest. ·       Favorite hotel o   Actually not really a hotel guy…I like what’s closest to the action and what doesn’t wall me off from the locals. Often times that means staying in someone’s house or an Airbnb. But if you press me for an answer I’ll probably say the Hotel Sapphire in Istanbul, mainly because of location and it’s a great deal.     How to stay in touch o   Travel blog (unfortunately woefully out of date but still useful info there: . ) o   X/Instagram/Threads: @sharingtheglobe About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .

Orest Zub has traveled to 132 countries   Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Checking in with our new guest, Orest Zub, a name many of you might be familiar with.  Orest and I have never met in person, but he falls into that category of someone who I feel like we have met in person, but we never have.  We have shared video calls, messages and share many friends in common.               This is a busy conversation where we speak about Orest’s travels around the globe which have brought him to 132 countries.  We speak about updates in the NomadMania community, where he has a new position at the organization.  Don’t forget to vote for your favorite travelers for the NomadMania Awards and also remember there is a live show in Lviv in October.  Of course, Orest and I speak about the situation in Ukraine, how is life has changed, as well as his role during the war.       The cat is out of the bag.  The next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024, plenty of time to save the date and get ready to eat mango and sticky rice.  The event will be in Bangkok.  Expect amazing speakers, cool pre and post trips, as well as super fun networking with old and new friends.  You can buy your ticket now.  Please use the code BANGKOK to save big when you buy your ticket on .     I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmerman, Lori Pastorelli, Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Orest that you will not hear.   I would like to introduce two new patrons, one of the names, Jorge Serpa, might be familiar.  He was a guest on an episode in 2022.  I encourage you to listen to this episode since Jorge is a very interesting character.  And if you swing by Kinshasa make sure you say hi to him since he is living there.    And also please say hi to Per Flisberg who is Chasing 193 and is currently at 61 countries and is currently planning trips to South America as well as a Gulf State trip.  If you have any recommendations for him, check him out at on IG.     This summer, I also got to connect in person with other patrons Ted Nims and Bisa Myles in Chicago.  Great to see them as always.     Counting Countries is ranked in the top 2.5% of all published podcasts, this is according to , which tracks over 3 million podcasts.  So again, thanks to everyone who listens, writes a review or shares with a friend.     I was in Chicago for this recording while Orest was in Ukraine. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Jorge Serpa, Per Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmermann, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.          And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! More About Orest Zub Counting Countries   Where were you born Lviv What passport (s) do you hold Ukrainian Favorite travel book Vagabonding by Rolf Potts  Favorite travel film The Art of Travel, 2008 Favorite travel app or website NomadMania Must carry item when traveling (like flashlight, Kindle, deck of cards etc.) Tripod selfie stick Favorite food Grilled meat Favorite drink Ouso, Anise Raki, Mastika (all the same) Favorite airline WizzAir Favorite hotel Trunk of my car Travel map   Website   Social Media          About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.  Orest Zub Counting Countries

Check out the Ed Hotchkiss has traveled to 128 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Checking in with our new guest, Ed Hotchkiss.  As I note in my conversation, Ed and I have shared a lot of face time in less than a year, whether it was in the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Armenia or on trips with ITC Sudan to Sudan and a visit to Djibouti.  Ed is also one of those people you hear mentioned every episode since he is a patron.           As I traveled with Ed for a couple of weeks, I always had a keen ear for his travels.  One of the interesting attributes he brings is a window of travel over several decades.  I won’t spoil the plot, but Ed has been traveling for years whether it is hitchhiking across America, for work, with his great buddy Phil, and his lovely wife Khadija.  He is a passionate photographer and has published a massive passion project, a photo book of the people of the NYC subway.  OK, if you have been online, you might have noted that things are heating up for the Extraordinary Travel Festival.  This is a reminder, save the date!  November 15, 2024, so plenty of time to start planning for the second ETF.  What about the location?  Great question.  Tune in to Every Passport Stamp for the live announcement at 9am EST or GMT -5, and you will learn where this amazing event will take place.  I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmerman, Lori Pastorelli, Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast.  And new patron, Per Flisberg.  Welcome aboard!  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons hear extra content with Ed that you will not hear.  I was in Boston for this recording while Ed was in NYC.  Go Red Sox.  Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Per, Flisberg, Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmermann, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.       And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! More About Ed Hotchkiss Counting Countries       Where were you born?                            Denver, Colorado.       What passport (s) do you hold                            USA       Favorite travel book                           Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage (1959) by Alfred Lansing                  Special Mention:                          Into the Wild (1996) by Jon Krakauer                          On the Grand Trunk Road: A Journey Into South Asia (1993) by                          On The Road (1957) by Jack Kerouac.                          The Motorcycle Diaries (written 1952, published posthumously) by Che Guevara.                          The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1968) by Tom Wolfe about Ken Kesey and the “Merry Band of Pranksters" cross-country,                                    psychedelic bus trip.                          Stanley: An adventurer explored (1975) by Richard Hall       Favorite travel film                           Seven Years in Tibet (1997) starring Brad Pitt based on 1952 memoir Austrian Heinrich Harrer.                Special Mention:                           The Man Who Would Be King (1975) with Sean Connery and Michael Caine.                           The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) with Ben Stiller.                           Sullivan's Travels (1941) by Preston Sturges.                           Zentropa (1991) An American takes a railway job in Germany just after WWII.                           Open Water (2003) fiction, based on real story1991) of an American couple who go scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef and                             were accidentally left behind.                           Night on Earth (1991) 5 different cab drivers adventures in one in 5 American and European cities, directed by .       Favorite travel app or website                           NomadMania.com                 Special Mention:                         TheCrazyTourist.com                          AtlasObscura.com                        Every Passport Stamp on Facebook                       All the individual travel blogs        Must carry item when traveling (like flashlight, Kindle, deck of cards etc.)                           Nikon Camera        Favorite food                          Fresh fruits and nuts       Favorite drink                         Smoothies, lassis and Ayran Turkish yogurt drink.        Favorite airline                        Fiji Airways, staff is always polite and considerate, planes are relatively new and 24-hour telephone service where you can                                   speak to an actual person.  However, they impose a 7kg weigh limit on carry-ons.       Favorite hotel                         Baber Mahal in Kathmandu, a heritage hotel in Nepal. I like this type of sprawling hotel which have various types of                                               architectural styles and are an integral part of a region’s or country’s history.       Do you have a travel map you would like to share?                       About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.  Ed Hotchkiss Counting Countries

Ross OJ Jennings has traveled to 106 countries.  Ross OC Jennings Counting Countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian.  Did you note that the intro has been updated?  Thanks to Evo the longtime voice of Counting Countries.  Ross OC Jennings might not be well known in the 193 community but he is cutting a unique path.  I had read about Ross a couple of years ago, and as I shared with him, I was a bit skeptical about his quest.  His goal was to the first bagpiper to travel to every country in the world.  Well, I can imagine he will be the first since this is not a highly sought after category.  Anyone can create a category and be the first by making the stipulations arcane and non-desirable.  But I recently heard Ross on a 10 minute podcast and was immediately won over.  I wanted to learn more about his journey and I think you will appreciate it as well.         I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons hear an extra 40 minutes with Ross that you will not hear.  And some introductions to our new patrons … it has been a busy month, don’t miss out on the extra content!  Lori Pastorelli learned about Counting Countries from recent guest Barry Hoffner.  She is a fan of Europe and even has a Dutch husband.  She is passionate about dance and fitness.   Sonia Zimmerman is a true global citizen, born in Switzerland, lived in France, Germany, Paraguay, and now living in Australia.  She is a mother who speaks 5 languages and has just finished a trip in Africa on her goal to 100.   Marc Jorgenson had the recent experience of traveling with me for two weeks and survived to tell about it.  Marc who speaks Portuguese was a great companion to have when we traveled to Maputo.  He is based in Seattle and is nearing 100 countries.   Long time member of the 193 community, Justine Kirby is a Kiwi now based in NYC working as a lawyer.  She is at 160 UN countries and 48 US states. And might now be 49 as she was planning a trip to Alaska.    Many of you might know I have been tracking Thor from Once Upon A Saga progress as he travels to every country in the world.  I have just recorded the 7th episode of the Thor Chronicles.  Every six months I check in with Thor.  You will hear a snippet of this conversation after my conversation with Ross.  But my patrons will hear the entire 90 minute conversation.   As an additional aside, at times there is an irritating echo on my audio track, I apologize to you the listener and to Ross.   I was in Bangkok for this recording while Ross was in Scotland complete with sheep. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Justine Kirby, Marc Jorgensen, Sonia Zimmermann, Lori Pastorelli, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.       And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! More About Ross OC Jennings Counting Countries About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.

David Yang has traveled to every country in the world.  David Yang Counting Countries I feel like I have known David for as long as I have been in the community with our mutual 218 FB friends.  David is an outgoing, gregarious and omnipresent traveler in our group.  Whether he is sharing his travel photos on FB sometimes multiple times a day or jumping from one corner of the globe to the other to meetup with travel friends.  I have met David twice in real life which we touch on.  And David is a prolific counter and tracker of all sorts of things.     I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons hear extra content with David that you will not hear.  And a quick hello and thank you to new patron Lori Pastorelli, welcome aboard! You can also support Counting Countries by writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover.  I was in Bangkok for this recording while David was in South Carolina.  Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian, Lori Pastorelli & Dale Wursten.       And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! More About David Yang Counting Countries About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.  David Yang Counting Countries

Barry Hoffner has traveled to 155 countries  Barry should be much better known in the travel community than he is today.  He showed up on my radar screen when we connected on Instagram.  I follow many who are Chasing 193.  Barry later became a generous supporter of Counting Countries via Patreon, and we connected on the phone where I began to learn more about his amazing and at times tragic life journey.   Barry has already lived several lifetimes of amazing experiences with many to go.  From exploring Europe as a 18 year old, to living as an expat in Paris for an investment firm in his mid-20s, to living in a dormitory learning Mandarin in the mid-1990s with his wife in Kunming, to living and working in Moscow with his family.  Barry is the founder of which has built 17 schools in the Timbuktu region and much more.  And of course, much more.  This is a reminder that I am partnering with SafetyWing, a travel insurance company.  I have been using them personally for over 2 years.  And yes, there are a couple of reasons why … let me highlight a couple of the features.  First, you can purchase insurance while you are already on the go.  Some insurance products force you to sign up before you leave on your trip.  Second, you only have to share your initial country on your trip.  Many of my trips are open-ended when it comes to the agenda.  I don’t have to worry about forgetting to update SafetyWing.  They’ve got me covered.  Third, most countries are covered.  Exceptions are Cuba, Iran, DPRK, Syria, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.  Everywhere from Mogadishu to Tripoli is covered.  And fourth, you do not have to declare a dollar value for the trip.  Many providers force you specify the cost of your trip.  Most times I have no idea how much my trip will cost.  To me, this insurance is fire and forgot.  It will renew every month or you can set an end date.  But compared to many of the other products out there, this one to me is the most flexible.  So, take a moment, check out , and click on the link to sign up for your next trip.   I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons hear extra content with Barry that you will not hear.  We have another patron to welcome, Carole Southam.  I have known Carole for several years as she attended travel meetups that I organized in Bangkok.  And even better, she joined many of us from the community in Yerevan for the Extraordinary Travel Festival.  Carole is a prolific traveler in her own right, working and traveling around the world.  We just met for dinner in Bangkok as her and her husband came through Bangkok.  You can also support Counting Countries by writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover.  I was in Bangkok for this recording while Barry was in the Sausalito.  Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.   And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! More About Barry Hoffner Counting Countries About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.  Barry Hoffner Counting Countries

Riza Rasco has traveled to 192 countries Riza Rasco is a well-known person in the extreme travel community.  And I have crossed paths with her twice, once for breakfast in the North End of Boston and for the multi-day Extraordinary Travel Festival in Armenia. She is a prolific and immersive traveler who is only one country away from completing her quest.    Riza shares so many experiences yet this podcast could have been double the time since there was so much to discuss.  Riza shares some very personal moments from her life and how travel began to dominate.  She shares her philosophy of travel, which should be more than taking selfies and checking boxes, but how you can give back to the community.   This is a reminder that I am partnering with SafetyWing, a travel insurance company.  I have been using them personally for over 2 years.  And yes, there are a couple of reasons why … let me highlight a couple of the features.  First, you can purchase insurance while you are already on the go.  Some insurance products force you to sign up before you leave on your trip.  Second, you only have to share your initial country on your trip.  Many of my trips are open-ended when it comes to the agenda.  I don’t have to worry about forgetting to update SafetyWing.  They’ve got me covered.  Third, most countries are covered.  Exceptions are Cuba, Iran, DPRK, Syria, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.  Everywhere from Mogadishu to Tripoli is covered.  And fourth, you do not have to declare a dollar value for the trip.  Many providers force you specify the cost of your trip.  Most times I have no idea how much my trip will cost.  To me, this insurance is fire and forgot.  It will renew every month or you can set an end date.  But compared to many of the other products out there, this one to me is the most flexible.  So, take a moment, check out SafetyWing, and click on the link to sign up for your next trip.       I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons:  Lucy Shoe, Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons hear extra content with Riza that you will not hear.    It is also time to recognize three more patrons.  Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute (so sorry for butchering your name), and Philippe Izedian.  Our Chasing 193 community is fascinating how it is changed and grown over the years.  Sunir and I have been corresponding for three years talking about travel.  Sunir has changed his entire life in regard to work to pursue his dream of Chasing 193.  Philippe is a fascinating guy, still at university but so well traveled.  For those who read my blog, GlobalGaz, you might know I enjoy writing an end of the year review.  I encourage you to check out Philippe’s .  Impressive!  You can also support Counting Countries by writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover. These reviews were written a while ago but I just noted them. Thanks guys for the review. Excellent Podcast I love your interviews of very interesting travel stories that make me to want to travel more around the world. Thank you - DallasTX7   Great podcast Inspiring travel stories. Look forward to each episode. - divebookreader   And there is a lot of updates for this podcast. This is a special announcement before we return to my conversation with Riza..  I am excited to announce a special conversation with two of the best known and best traveled individuals, Harry Mitsidis and Charles Veley, both former guests.  Harry is known as the founder of NomadMania and Charles is the founder of Most Travel People.  I will be hosting a conversation with these two travel legends on March 25 at 1700 GMT.  Want to stay in the loop, click on the link in the podcast notes and share your email so we can follow up with viewing instructions.       I was in Boston for this recording while Riza was in the Philippines.  Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Katelyn Jarvis, Lucy Shoe, Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Sunir Joshi, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian & Dale Wursten.

Special Links Katelyn Jarvis … Giving Back In West Point  Katelyn Jarvis has traveled to 150 countries Katelyn is one of many who has been on my radar screen for some time as we passed each other like two ships during the night on FB.  I finally got to meet Katelyn in person at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Yerevan and then learned more about her when she was nominated for the Nomad Mania Awards.  So I thought now would be a great time to set up an interview and learn more about her travels.        I was curious to learn more about Katelyn’s philanthropy and how she combined that with her travels.  During our conversation, I was impressed to learn more about her efforts with her organization, Peace Stamps.  I believe anyone Chasing 193 is an impressive person, when you are able to marry that with something even more meaningful, even better.        This is a reminder that I am partnering with SafetyWing, a travel insurance company.  I have been using them personally for over 2 years.  And yes, there are a couple of reasons why … let me highlight a couple of the features.  First, you can purchase insurance while you are already on the go.  Some insurance products force you to sign up only when you are in your home country.  Second, you only have to share your initial country on your trip.  Many times on some of my open ended trips, I end up adding in additional countries.  I don’t have to worry about forgetting to update SafetyWing.  They have me covered.  Third, most countries are covered.  Exceptions are Cuba, Iran, DPRK, Syria, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.  Everywhere else is covered from Mogadishu to Tripoli.  And fourth, you do not have to declare a dollar value for the trip.  Some other providers force you to list the dollar value of your trip.  I really can’t think of ay trips I have taken where I am able to calculate the trips costs for one or two months.  To me, this insurance is fire and forgot.  It will renew every month or you can set an end date.  But compared to many of the other products out there, this one to me is the most flexible.  So, take a moment, check out SafetyWing, and click on the link to sign up for your next trip.   I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons:  Lucy Shoe, Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  You can also support Counting Countries be writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover.  My patrons hear extra content, like an extra 30 minutes with Katelyn.     I was in Chicago for this recording while Katelyn was in Ohio.  Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Barry Hoffner, Ed Hotchkiss, Lucy Shoe, Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims.

Ildikó Szabó has traveled to every country in the world.  Ildiko Szabo Counting Countries I knew of Ildy for several years and had noted her social media presence, but it wasn’t until October of this year when I met her in person at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Yerevan.  I shared several conversations with her and recognized she would be a great guest for the podcast.  And, voila, a month after the festival we were recording this podcast. I would like to thank Ildy, since this podcast was a challenging endeavor.  To create 2 hours of recordings took us nearly 6 hours.  And then in post-production another 6 hours.  To say we had some technical difficulties would be an understatement.  Ildy was very, very gracious with her time.  And that is how the cookie crumbles, some episodes are straight forward and easy to publish, and well others suck up a ton of time.  And just a warning, at times it might seem like the podcast is missing audio from our conversation since at times it appears we are skipping around.  And it is true, we lost a fair amount of audio recordings, besides re-recording and my best attempts of editing, the podcast might be wanting for a better flow.  Nonetheless, Ildy provides a ton of great stories from her travels.       I found Ildy to be an accomplished traveler as well as very adventurous.  One thing I personally enjoy about interviewing all of these great travelers is how so many of them are interconnected.  I learned of a connection between Ildy and Johnny Ward.  I was impressed years ago to hear of Johnny’s adventure on a cement ship from Oman to Socotra.  Well, in this conversation I was to learn Ildy took the same trip on her own to Socotra.  Really impressive.   I have a new partnership to announce.  I am promoting SafetyWing, a travel insurance company, and yes, I am an affiliate.  I have been using them personally for over 2 years.  And yes, there are a couple of reasons why … let me highlight a couple of the features.  First, you can purchase insurance while you are already on the go.  Some insurance products force you to sign up only when you are in your home country.  Second, you only have to share your initial country on your trip.  Many times, on my open-ended trips, I end up adding in additional countries.  I don’t have to worry about forgetting to update SafetyWing.  They have me covered.  Third, most countries are covered.  Exceptions are Cuba, Iran, DPRK, Syria, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.  Everywhere else is covered from Mogadishu to Tripoli.  To me, this insurance is fire and forgot.  It will renew every month, or you can set an end date.  But compared to many of the other products out there, this one to me is the most flexible.  So, take a moment, check out , and click on the link to sign up for your next trip.   I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons:  Lucy Shoe, Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, and Adam Hickman for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  I would also like to thank and highlight two new patrons of the podcast, Ed Hotchkiss and Barry Hoffner.  I also met Ed in Yerevan for the festival as well.  Ed is Chasing 193 and is also an accomplished photographer.  I just purchased his book, , a labor of love with black and white photos highlighting the people of the NYC subway.  Please take a moment to check out his book.  Barry is also Chasing 193 and has been to over 150 countries.  Say hi to him on his IG account, .  You can also support Counting Countries be writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover.  My patrons hear extra content, like an additional hour of my conversation with Ildy.     And at the end of Ildy’s conversation, you will hear a ten-minute conversation with Thor Pedersen of Once Upon A Saga.  As you might know, I have been documenting his journey every 6 months for the last 3 years.  My patrons will hear nearly 90 minutes of Thor recounting his last 6 months and his predictions for the end of the saga.     I was in Bangkok for this recording while Ildy was in Budapest.  Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my  …. Barry Hoffner, Edward Hotchkiss, Lucy Shoe, Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims.

Paul Barbato has traveled to over 70 countries Paul AKA Barbs and I met through Gus Rosted.  Gus is one of the attendees at the Extraordinary Travel Festival.  Gus recommended Barbs as speaker at the festival. I knew Barbs and his YouTube channel, Geography Now! and thought he would be a great addition in Armenia.  Barbs agreed to participate in the festival and also to join me on Counting Countries.   Barbs has had tremendous success with his YouTube channel with over 3 million subscribers.  Barbs’s success was not overnight but nearly a 10 year grind of perfecting his craft and attracting new followers.  Barbs is also on a quest to travel to every country in the world, but at his own pace.  Unsurprisingly, he also enjoys the oddities of geography during his travels, including salients.  As many of you have heard, Stefan Kraswoski and I have teamed up to host the Extraordinary Travel Festival, the world’s largest gathering of accomplished travelers. This will take place in Yerevan, 2022.  We are excited to produce this event to help grow our community while organizing great events, and hosting some amazing experiences. You will see and meet former guests from this show like Francis Tapon, Debjeet Sen, Per Besson, and Audrey Walsworth in Armenia.   Please go to to see our speakers, our sponsors, and some of the trips we are hosting.  Check back often since there are frequent updates.  If buying a ticket, please use code ETF to save $50.  Hope to see you in Yerevan.      I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons:  Lucy Shoe, Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, and Adam Hickman for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  You can also support Counting Countries be writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover.  My patrons hear extra content, like an additional 35 minutes of my last conversation with Lucy Shoe and with this conversation with Barbs, only for you.    You will also hear from Thor at the end of the Barbs interview.  For the last 2 years plus, I have been interviewing Thor to track his progress in traveling to every country in the world without flying.  My patrons hear this fascinating interviews at the time of the recording.  You will hear only a snippet at this time.   And as a side note, Barb’s mom makes a brief appearance while I attempt to say hello in Korean and not impress his mother.   I was in Chicago for this recording while Barbs was in LA.  Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Lucy Shoe, Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims.  And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Most Traveled Person states that there are . The Nomad Mania SISO says there are .   Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: I will earn a fee if from some of these links like if you order from Amazon/Agoda/etc. Or book a trip through G Adventures.  PS  Thanks!

Lucy Hsu … It’s A Compromise Lucy Hsu has traveled to 187 countries Lucy and I met briefly at an impromptu meetup in Jeddah.  I knew she was an accomplished traveler who was nearing completion of every country in the world, but did not realize the scope of her travel CV.  This conversation was a great opportunity to learn more about her travel history.  I always say there are so many fantastically interesting people to talk to in the Chasing 193 community, but simply not enough time to speak to them all.     Lucy has managed some deeper travel experiences while balancing a family and teaching full time.  I always marvel at the bandwidth of some in the travel community who are able to pursue different passions and manage so many different moving parts of their lives.     I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons:  Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, and Adam Hickman for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  You can also support Counting Countries be writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover.  My patrons hear extra content, like an additional 40 minutes of my last conversation with Jorge Serpa and exclusive content from Lucy.   As many of you have heard, Stefan Kraswoski and I have teamed up to host the Extraordinary Travel Festival, the world’s largest gathering of accomplished travelers. This will take place in Yerevan, 2022.  We are excited to produce this event to help grow our community while organizing great events, and hosting some amazing experiences.  Please go to ExtraordinaryTravelFestival.com to see our speakers, our sponsors, and some of the trips we are hosting.  Check back often since there are frequent updates.  If buying a ticket, please use code ETF to save $50.  Hope to see you in Yerevan.        I was in Bangkok for this recording while Lucy was in California.   Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims.         And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!     And write a review! About Lucy Hsu Counting Countries Born: San Jose, CA Passport: USA  Favorite website: Tripadvisor Must carry: iPhone Favorite food: sushi Favorite drink: tea Favorite airline: Emirates About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Most Traveled Person states that there are . The Nomad Mania SISO says there are .   Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: I will earn a fee if from some of these links like if you order from Amazon/Agoda/etc. Or book a trip through G Adventures.  PS  Thanks!

Jorge caught my attention when I came across his blog.  He is a true global citizen with an early move with his his family to Mozambique from Portugal followed by Venezuela and then attaining his higher education in the US.  Between his career and his marriage to a US diplomat, Jorge has lived all around the world.  Jorge has a passion for the road and the sea.  He loves a great road trip whether it is overland on a big bike or a 4x4 or on his sailboat while on the open seas.  We discuss balancing travel, family, and work.  And of course, we touch on future goals.           I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons:  Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, and Adam Hickman for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  You can also support Counting Countries be writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover.  My patrons were able to watch the entire video interview with Drew Binsky and exclusive content with Jorge.      As many of you have heard, Stefan Kraswoski and I have teamed up to host the Extraordinary Travel Festival, the world’s largest gathering of accomplished travelers. This will take place in Yerevan, 2022.  We are excited to produce this event to help grow our community while organizing great events, and hosting some amazing experiences.  Please go to ExtraordinaryTravelFestival.com to see our speakers, our sponsors, and some of the trips we are hosting.  Check back often since there are frequent updates.  If buying a ticket, please use code ETF to save $50.  Hope to see you in Yerevan.      I was in Bangkok for this recording while Jorge was in Khartoum.   Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims.   And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Most Traveled Person states that there are . The Nomad Mania SISO says there are .   Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: I will earn a fee if from some of these links like if you order from Amazon/Agoda/etc. Or book a trip through G Adventures.  PS  Thanks!  Jorge Serpa Counting Countries

video Mette and I had been connected on Facebook via Every Passport Stamp, but we recently crossed paths in Jeddah for an evening of dinner and shisha with a group of extreme travelers.    We were connected by former guest Henrik Jeppesen who was aware that both of us were traveling in KSA.  While I was aware that Mette was a seasoned traveler, over dinner I heard more of her stories and thought she would be a great fit for Counting Countries.   After my conversation with Mette, I will be checking in with Thor Pedersen again, of Once Upon A Saga.  I have been documenting Thor’s journey to every country in the world and all of the challenges he has been facing with this pandemic.  You will hear a snippet of this conversation but my patrons will hear the entire conversation.   The next episode will be the 100th episode.  Our first episode was in 2016.  I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons:  Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Steph Rowe, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, and Adam Hickman for supporting Counting Countries. They help pay for the production of this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  You can also support Counting Countries be writing a review or sharing this podcast with a travel lover.  I have already interviewed three Danes, Henrik Jeppesen, Jakob Oster, and Thor Pedersen, yet I thought Mette’s lived travel experiences provided a unique voice.  Mette shared a very candid explanation of the changes she made in her life to Chase 193.  Mette also travels constantly with her children, who have racked up impressive numbers.  We have a wide ranging conversation, everything from the Danish Travel Club to Nomad Mania to Every Passport Stamp, while name checking extreme travelers like Ramblin Randy, David Yang, and Lucy Shoe.     As many of you have heard, Stefan Kraswoski and I have teamed up to host the Extraordinary Travel Festival, the world’s largest gathering of accomplished travelers. This will take place in Yerevan, 2022.  We are excited to produce this event to help grow our community while organizing great events, and hosting some amazing experiences.  Please go to ExtraordinaryTravelFestival.com to see our speakers, our sponsors, and some of the trips we are hosting.  Check back often since there are frequent updates.  If buying a ticket, please use code ETF to save $50.  Hope to see you in Yerevan.      I was in Chicago for this recording while Mette was in Copenhagen.   Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my …. Phillip Jones, Thor Pedersen, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Steph Rowe, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims. More About Mette Ehlers Mikkelsen Counting Countries:   Born: Denmark Passports: Hold Danish passports  Book: Kronisk Rejsefeber volume 1-2-3 - Cronical TravelAddiction - a Danish series of books with the selected best travel stories written and published by member of the Danish Travelers Club during the 25 years, the Club has existed. I have an article in each volume on Faroe Islands, Libya and Sudan  Film: David Attenborough - everything. For cozy weekend: Eat, pray, love. TV: Danish television on Danish Diplomats from 2021  App: BEEN, Polarsteps, Danish MFA. Sustainable: TripDoodler  Must carry: The purse to organize all passports and vaccine documents for me and my children by Swedish Ordning and Reda  Food: Try all local as principle - spiders in Cambodia, bat in Palau before covid  Drink - Ecuador whisky in Scotland as it was Al Capone’s favorite - admire they got permission to export it to the USA during the period where this was forbidden  Hotel: Guldsmeden. Dragon Fly  Airline: SAS Blog: IG: https://www.instagram.com/expandingourhorizon/   About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are . The Most Traveled Person states that there are . The Nomad Mania SISO says there are .   Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: I will earn a fee if from some of these links like if you order from Amazon/Agoda/etc. Or book a trip through G Adventures.  PS  Thanks!