Jay Moore … Kumé And Remo
Counting Countries
Jay Moore has been to 166 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jay Moore. Jay was early to a lifestyle as a digital nomads in the aughts and leveraged the Couchsurfing community to build lifetime friendships. But, he only connected with the extreme travel community in the last couple of years. And Jay will also be joining over 225 people at the Extraordinary Travel Festival.. 🙏 Thank You To My Patrons I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my . You know them, you love them! Bisa...
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Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update VIII – Neville Mehra – Genki & Charles Veley – MTP
Counting Countries
✈️ ETF III Update VIII: Bangkok 2026 Hey now! I am your host Ric Gazarian, and I am here with the seventh update for the (ETF III), happening October 22-25, 2026, in Bangkok. We have 4 amazing days of community, content, and exploration of Bangkok and beyond. Over 200 people have committed to joining ETF III. Use code BANGKOK to join and save $100. Remember there is a price INCREASE on September 22. 🎉 Community, Content & Exploration We will have amazing community and networking: lunches, coffees, a dinner, a party, a meetup, and the NomadMania Awards. We...
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Shagg Makino … Trading Train Tickets
Counting Countries
Shagg Makino Counting Countries has been to 169 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Shagg Makino. Shagg is a part-time resident of Bangkok, and we have met socially several times this year. Shagg will also be joining over 200 people at the Extraordinary Travel Festival. I was in Bangkok while Shagg was also in Bangkok for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. 🙏 Patron Shoutout I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons. You know them, you love them! Bisa "fully...
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Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update VII - Fadi Assi - Golden Team & Baba Ahmed - T'ore Mauritania
Counting Countries
✈️ ETF III Update #7: Bangkok 2026 Hey now! I am your host Ric Gazarian, and I am here with the seventh update for the (ETF III), happening October 22-25, 2026, in Bangkok. We have 4 amazing days of community, content, and exploration of Bangkok and beyond. Over 190 people have committed to joining ETF III. Use code BANGKOK to join and save $100. 🎉 Community, Content & Exploration We will have amazing community and networking: lunches, coffees, a dinner, a party, a meetup, and the NomadMania Awards. We have amazing content, over 40 speakers will take the stage over 4...
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Avi Ivan … His Superpower
Counting Countries
Avi Ivan Counting Countries has been to every 166 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Avi Ivan, who I just met at the TCC meeting in Hanoi. And when he decided to attend ETF I thought it would be a great opportunity to bring him on as a guest and get to learn his story. I was in Boston while Avi was in Miami for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. 🙏 Patron Shoutout I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons. You know them, you love them! Bisa "fully nomadic" Myles,...
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Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update VI - Ian Ord - WSE & Justin Murphy - The Murph Foundation
Counting Countries
✈️ ETF III Update #6: Bangkok 2026 Hey now! I am your host Ric Gazarian, and I am here with the sixth update for the (ETF III), happening October 22-25, 2026, in Bangkok. We have 4 amazing days of community, content, and exploration of Bangkok and beyond. Over 175 people have committed to joining ETF III — 25 additional people have joined since the last podcast just 4 weeks ago. Use code BANGKOK to join and save $100. 🎉 Community, Content & Exploration We will have amazing community and networking: lunches, coffees, a dinner, a party, a meetup, and the NomadMania Awards. We...
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Dr Tim Astandu … Berhasil
Counting Countries
Dr Tim Astandu has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Tim Astandu. Tim and I have been in the same room three times in less than 12 months … Addis Ababa, Hanoi, and Lisbon, but today was a great opportunity to learn about his life and travels and it didn’t disappoint. A mother who wrote for NatGeo, extensive schooling in the UK, and then of course … Chasing 193. And do not forget a special serenade in DPRK. Tim will be attending the ETF and you will be able to...
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Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update V– Keith Van – seats.aero & Ahmed Abdulrazzaq – Aknaf Al Sawary
Counting Countries
✈️ ETF III Update #5: Bangkok 2026 Hey now! I am your host Ric Gazarian. And I am here with the fifth update for the Extraordinary Travel Festival for October 22-25, 2026 in Bangkok. We have 4 amazing days of community, content, and exploration of Bangkok and beyond. Over 150 people have committed to joining ETF III. 💰 Price Increase Coming July 1 On July 1, the price of tickets will be increasing. The code BANGKOK will still be valid with a $100 discount. So if you want to lock in the lower price, do so now, and 🎉 Community, Content & Exploration We will have amazing...
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Jason Mayfield … Can’t Is Not An Option
Counting Countries
Jason Mayfield has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Mayfield. Jason was propelled into his travel life as a high school student on a 5 week school trip to Siberia and he never looked back. Jason finished 193 in 2016 but has been travelling continually since then. Jason will be attending the ETF and you will be able to meet him in Bangkok. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons. You know...
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Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update IV– Ian Cumming - Travel Massive & Orest Zub - NomadMania
Counting Countries
Join the in Bangkok, October 22-25, 2026. Use code BANGKOK to save on your ticket. One of the goals of the Extraordinary Travel Festival is to bring the leaders of the travel industry together. Why? We want to make your travels richer and more meaningful. Hearing from these thought leaders keeps you abreast of changes and benefits that can help you. We have founders and leaders like Matt Gray of Pangea, Stefan Krasowski of Every Passport Stamp, and Orest Zub of NomadMania and Ian Cumming of Travel Massive with the last two who are joining me...
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- Untamed Borders
- Support Counting Countries, and check out these trips from G Adventures
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- Counting Countries Apparel
A fleeting tweet recently connected me to Graham Hughes and paved the way for this podcast. I had reached out to him years ago, but my email ended up in a spam folder. So for those who say nothing good comes from Twitter, you now stand corrected.
Thanks to my patrons William Schelling, Steph Rowe, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, and Adam Hickman for supporting Counting Countries. And a warm welcome to our new patron, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, from Norway. They help pay for the production of this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com. My patrons will hear 30 more minutes of my conversation with Graham.
Untamed Borders is the sponsor of this podcast, and we will be hearing a few words from James Willcox, the co-founder, on how to manage safety and security when traveling.
Graham is no stranger to the extreme traveler community. He completed his quest to travel to every country in the world in 2013. He claimed the Guinness World Record as the fastest time to visit all countries by public surface transport. Graham shares a lifetime of stories from his travels from watching the sunrise from the top of the Pyramids of Giza to spending time in jail in Cape Verde. You can imagine which one was a more pleasant experience. And don’t worry, we speak about Thor Pedersen and his quest and claim to be the first to travel to every country in the world with only surface transportation.
I encourage you to subscribe wherever you listen, Apple Podcast, Google Play, or Spotify, and even better if you write a review.
Graham was in the UK while I was recording in Bangkok. Please listen in and enjoy.
Thank you to my Patrons….William Schelling, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Steph Rowe, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims.
Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! You can purchase them today on Amazon.
And now, you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa!
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review!
Check out our friend: Large Minority. They organize international rallies around the world, including Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines, and the Amazon. And watch my full-length documentary in Cambodia when I traveled with Large Minority.
More About Graham Hughes:
- Born in: UK
- Passports: UK
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today!!
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. Fewer 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 Mundi.
About GlobalGaz
Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia.
Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com.
Well…that depends on who you ask!
- The United Nations states that there are 193 member states.
- The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories.
- The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands.
- The Most Traveled Person states that there are 949 unique parts of the world.
- The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions.
- SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world.
- 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.
An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori.
Disclaimer: I will earn a fee if you order from Amazon/Agoda. Or book a trip through G Adventures. PS Thanks!
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Produced by Simpler Media