Counting Countries

Chasing 193, one of the most exclusive clubs on Earth. In fact, more people have been to outer space than have earned their way into this, the ultimate travel club. According to the United Nations there are 193 sovereign nations in the world. Welcome to the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to them all. Welcome, to Counting Countries. With your host, Ric Gazarian.

Michael Angelo Zervos … A Happy Moment 06/15/2025

Michael Angelo Zervos … A Happy Moment Michael Zervos has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. This is a bonus episode with Michael Zervos. I interviewed Michael back in December of 2023, before he had started his quest. His quest? To travel to every country in the world in the quickest possible time. We have heard this before … someone who wants to break the GWR. And many in the community would ask what is the point? This is not a race. What will the traveler gain from spending just a day or two in each country? And once the record is broken, it will be broken again. First it was Cassie de Pecol, and then Taylor Demonbreun, who currently holds the GWR for quickest at 554 days to every country in the world. The current male GWR holder is Robson Jesus at 772 days. On a random note, I met Robson in Phuket, his second country on his quest. Former guest, Indy Nelson claimed 539 days to every country. Anderson Dias traveled 543 days to every country in the world, also claiming a record, both unverified by GWR. Michael just completed his journey in 499 days to every country in the world … overcoming potential challenges such as DPRK and Sudan. But Michael put his own spin on his journey. He wanted to create a library of the world’s “what is the happiest moment of your life?” As he traveled to every country in the world, he would meet locals and pose this question to them, and create videos. On another random note, I organized a meetup in Bangkok when he visited, introducing him to two local Thai friends who were interviewed at the event. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the on our ETF will be sometime, somewhere in 2026 around October/November, destination unknown. Some other notes in the travel community. I joined the NM travel conference to Fergana Valley where I met 100 other travelers, including many from the ETF community. One of the highlights was a visit to a unique and amazing enclave. Hats off to the NM team which organized this great event. I just got my copy of the Impossible Journey. This is Thor Pedersen’s mission to visit every country in the world without flying. Make sure you pick up your copy, and take a look at this . I also attended April Peregrino’s last country party celebration in Bratislava. Congrats to April who was interviewed on one of the early . She did an amazing job organizing this multi-day event for 50 people. And one more piece of news, extreme traveler Krazy Koala just visited her last country. And she celebrated in a unique manner by writing a song in honor of her completion. Check out her song Solo 193. Also, she has noted that she is the first double Ivy League graduate and the first “Independent” Solo Female to visit 193 countries (95% no guide). Please note this conversation took place before Michael’s quest began. I was in Chicago and Micheal was in Michigan for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, and . And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! More About Michael Zervos Counting Countries Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprojectkosmos/ 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 Zervos Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/37014250

Jenna Pava … #FOMO 06/02/2025

Jenna Pava … #FOMO Jenna Pava has been to 181 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I had the pleasure of meeting Jenna Pava at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok, only to discover that we were also (distant) neighbors in the city. This conversation offered another fantastic opportunity to dive into the story of a truly compelling traveler in our community. Jenna’s early life was marked by a tug-of-war between her birthplace in Russia and her new home in the United States, shaping a deep sense of resilience from a young age. Remarkably, her travel journey took two major turns for the better—both triggered by moments of disappointment when friends let her down. In this episode, we explore the transformative power of those experiences and much more as Jenna makes her way toward visiting all 193 countries. 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, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams, Scott Day, and Dana Mahoutchian for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . My patrons will hear extra content with Jenna that you will not hear and you can be part of our members only FB group. Also, please remember if you are interested in traveling to Papua New Guinea to partake in your own private Sing Sing to meet scores of tribes in an intimate setting, check out our friends Tribes of Papua New Guinea. Reach out to me to learn more about this experience and how to get a 10% discount or look here . And, we also have partnered with Ahmed and Aknaf in Iraq who offers monthly fixed date trips from Baghdad to the marshes. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the on our ETF will be sometime, somewhere in 2026 around October/November, destination unknown. Jenna and I were in Krung Thep for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams, Scott Day, and Dana Mahoutchian. And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! More About Jenna Pava Counting Countries Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voyajen/ 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. Jenna Pava Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/36816100

We Married Adventure … All Shawarma Visits Count 05/03/2025

We Married Adventure … All Shawarma Visits Count We Married Adventure have been to 149 & 148 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I met Angela and Michael Ballard, the couple behind We Married Adventure, who I met at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok. Angela and Michael at times pushed and pulled between a 9-5 lifestyle and travel. A wedding vow, an insane travel sabbatical and a retirement from work propelled them fully into the world of extreme travel. I am fortunate to have these amazing conversations to learn about my guest’s amazing and unique lives. Angela and Michael did not disappoint. 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, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams, Scott Day, and Dana Mahoutchian for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . My patrons will hear extra content with Angela and Michael that you will not hear and you can be part of our members only FB group. Also, please remember if you are interested in traveling to Papua New Guinea to partake in your own private Sing Sing to meet scores of tribes in an intimate setting, check out our friends Tribes of Papua New Guinea. Reach out to me to learn more about this experience and how to get a 10% discount or look here . Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the on our ETF will be sometime, somewhere in 2026 around October/November, destination unknown. A public service announcement, for those in the UK, go to Amazon and order your copy of the Impossible Journey, Thor Pedersen’s book on his nearly 10 year journey to every country in the world. I was in Bangkok for this recording while Angela and Michael were in France. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams, Scott Day, and Dana Mahoutchian. And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! More About We Married Adventure Counting Countries Instagram: Website: 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. We Married Adventure Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/36418410

Sam Goodwin … Ice Rink Up The Escalator 04/03/2025

Sam Goodwin … Ice Rink Up The Escalator Sam Goodwin has traveled to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. This conversation was a long time in the making. In fact, this interview was originally scheduled in 2020. But as we say, better late than never. Sam Goodwin back in the day was just one of us … Chasing 193. But his life was changed forever during his visit to country 181, Syria. As 193ers, we are constantly pushing the envelope. What we consider standard or normal travel is to others somewhere between poorly conceived to outright insanity. Soon after entering Syria, Sam was imprisoned by the Assad government and spent over 60 days in prison. This is the real deal, the stuff of nightmares. This is an incredibly, compelling conversation, and a reminder of the risks we take in the community. 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, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams, and Scott Day for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . My patrons will hear extra content with Sam that you will not hear and you can be part of our members only FB group. And … I want to introduce a new patron, Dana Mahoutchian. She has been close to 70 countries and grew up in Kobe, Japan! Think of how much steak she got to eat. Thanks for joining. Also, please remember if you are interested in traveling to Papua New Guinea to partake in your own private Sing Sing to meet scores of tribes in an intimate setting, check out our friends Tribes of Papua New Guinea. Reach out to me to learn more about this experience and how to get a 10% discount or look here . Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the on our ETF will be sometime, somewhere in 2026 around October/November, destination unknown. This episode could have easily been double in length. I had so many more questions. You can read the full story with his book, . (affiliate) I was in Boston for this recording while Sam was in St. Louis. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams, Scott Day, and Dana Mahoutchian. And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! More About Sam Goodwin Counting Countries Instagram: Website: Born In: US Lives in: US 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. Sam Goodwin Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/35987780

Vance ... My Latin Life 03/17/2025

Sandy Cohen … A Different World 03/03/2025

Sandy Cohen … A Different World Sandy Cohen has traveled to 102 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. We are back with a new guest, Sandy Cohen. I have known Sandy for years on social media, and I was fortunate to meet her at both Extraordinary Travel Festivals. But, this conversation was my opportunity to learn more about Sandy, her life and travels, and I found it to be a fascinating conversation. Sandy shared tales of her life, from being a chocolatier to hosting a top travel TV show for over a decade to running drugs in Guinea-Bissau. Well, not exactly. 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, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams, and Scott Day for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . My patrons will hear extra content with Sandy that you will not hear and be part of our members only FB group. You also get swag … Ted Nims and Barry Hoffner just received Counting Country T-shirts. Also, please remember if you are interested in traveling to Papua New Guinea to partake in your own private Sing Sing to meet scores of tribes in an intimate setting, check out our friends Tribes of Papua New Guinea. Reach out to me to learn more about this experience and how to get a 10% discount. I was in Boston for this recording while Sandy was in Panama City. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams and Scott Day. And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! More About Sandy Cohen Instagram: Born In: Colombia Lives in: Panama 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. Sandy Cohen Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/35511070

Pav Mbeda … Go Big Or Go Home 02/03/2025

Pav Mbeda … Go Big Or Go Home Pav Mbeda has traveled to 106 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. We are back with the second episode of 2025. I hope your travels are off to a good start. Today, I am happy to share this conversation with Pav Mbeda. Pav was one of the 250 participants of the sold out Extraordinary Travel Festival. I reach out to all ticket buyers and was happy to note that Pav was from Kenya. Whether it is ETF or this podcast, it is great to hear different perspectives and life experiences. And speaking with Pav, I am reminded how different my upbringing was compared to someone like Pav’s. Pav shares her travel stories … everything from traveling in Kenya as a kid, to work trips throughout Africa, pursuing a masters in Europe, and then spreading her travel wings further to explore the seven continents. **Public Service Announcement Jonny Beardmore, the Galapagos Postman, has spent the last year hand-delivering 50 postcards from around the world. He picked up these 50 postcards from a fabled 18th century postbox in the Galapagos Islands which has been used by sailors hoping their letters would be delivered by returning sailors. . I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons. You know them, you love them! Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams, and Scott Day for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . My patrons will hear extra content with Yooshita that you will not hear and be part of our members only FB group. Also, please remember if you are interested in traveling to Papua New Guinea to partake in your own private Sing Sing to meet scores of tribes in an intimate setting, check out our friends Tribes of Papua New Guinea. Reach out to me to learn more about this experience and how to get a 10% discount. I was in Boston for this recording while Pav was in Nairobi. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! …. Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams and Scott Day. 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. Pav Mbeda Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/35126635

Yooshita Fathi … Breaking Stereotypes 01/05/2025

Yooshita Fathi … Breaking Stereotypes Yooshita has traveled to 108 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. A giant Happy New Year to all of you country counters! We are back today with a new episode after a small break. Over the past year, you’ve likely heard me mention many times the Extraordinary Travel Festival on this podcast. In November, I had the privilege of organizing this incredible sold-out event in Bangkok, hosting 250 participants over four action-packed days. With 30 inspiring speakers and lively evening events and some amazing sponsors, it was a truly memorable experience. I’m excited to share that planning is now underway for the next festival in 2026. Stay tuned for updates! Today, we are speaking with Yooshita Fathi. I had the pleasure of meeting Yooshita in Bangkok at ETF after seeing her for years on social media and having many common acquaintances. Besides travelling to over 100 countries, Yooshita has lived in 9 different countries. She shared many stories and experiences but I will definitely not forget her story travelling to Mozambique. Thanks to Tembo for his guest introduction and whose role will become more clear during our conversation. Tembo epitomizes the type of person we all hope to meet on the road. Besides producing my own podcast, I also love binging podcasts. I subscribe to dozens of them and listens to scores of them every week. And I have also been fortunate to be a guest on many podcasts as well. I want to thank Yulia Denisyuk for hosting me on her podcast, . And I just met Yulia at a event in Chicago where I also ran into patron Ted Nims. I also want to mention and recognize three other podcasters who have all hosted me on their podcasts. Of course I subscribe to Francis Tapon’s , Palle Bo’s , and Matt Bowles’s . All three also appeared at the Extraordinary Travel Festival. Thanks guys and great to see all of you in person. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons. You know them, you love them! Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams, and Scott Day for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . My patrons will hear extra content with Yooshita that you will not hear and be part of our members only FB group. I also want to welcome Scott Day to our patreon community. I have had the pleasure of meeting Scott a couple of times when he passed through Bangkok. And I virtually connected with Scott after appearing on Francis Tapon’s podcast several years ago. A quick thank to Arvi Bahal who gifted me a stupendous gift, his book The Tireless Traveler. Arvi has completed 193 as well as the South and North Pole, and is on the waiting list for Virgin Galactic. This book is a true treasure. Arvi did a limited run and is not even selling these but gifting his limited supply. Check out his from the other year. I was in Boston for this recording while Yooshita was in Spain.. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! …. Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams and Scott Day. And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review!About Yooshita Fathi Counting Countries Stay in touch with Yooshita:https://www.tiktok.com/@yooshitaaa 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. Yooshita Fathi Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/34726105

The Maverick Show ... Hosted By Matt Bowles 11/25/2024

The Maverick Show ... Hosted By Matt Bowles Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Well not really. Today I am sharing an interview of me hosted by Matt Bowles who hosts the Maverick Show Podcast. Matt and I had great conversation and wanted to share it with my listeners. So, please check out this conversation and also make sure you subscribe to the Maverick Show Podcast. He has over 300 episodes to binge. A ton of interesting people. Including the 2nd part of our conversation on our feed. The other reason I don’t have one of my typical interviews is things were a bit overwhelming with the production of the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok on November 15th. I will recap the event at a later point, but I am guessing many of you have seen tons of photos flying around social media. So make sure you are following ETF on FB and IG. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons. You know them, you love them! Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . Thanks to Carol and Jim, Jorge, Bisa, Ted, and Phil to making it out to Bangkok. I was in Boston for this recording while Matt was in Ashville, NC. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! …. Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams. 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. Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/34129961

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #11 - Charles Veley 11/03/2024

Phillips Connor … IBZ To SIN Via GGR 10/17/2024

Phillips Connor … IBZ To SIN Via GGR Phillips has traveled to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Today, we are speaking with Phillips Connor. I had the pleasure of meeting PC in Singapore with a group of extreme travelers and I am very pleased that he will be attending the ETF in Bangkok. Phillips is extremely well traveled, nearing 1000 regions on the NomadMania list. Phillips shares it all on this episode … starting travel early with a corporate job, moving to Singapore and Chasing 193. Time is definitely running out! Don’t get #FOMO with over 225 extreme travelers attending this event. The Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok. Use discount code BANGKOK for $60, so please purchase your ticket today to lock in your savings at the . I’ll give an ETF recap at the end of this episode. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons. You know them, you love them! Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williamsi for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . My patrons will hear extra content with PC that you will not hear. You might have heard me speaking about the Maverick Show podcast. Well, I am now a guest on the show. So please take a listen and check out my conversation with host Matt Bowles. We cover a lot of ground. I was in Bangkok for this recording while PC was in Singapore.. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! …. Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams. 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. Phillips Connor Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/33502292

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #10 – ETF/ABS Index, Baba Ahmed El Bekay, Ahmed Abdulrazzaq, & NM Awards 09/30/2024

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #10 – ETF/ABS Index, Baba Ahmed El Bekay, Ahmed Abdulrazzaq, & NM Awards Hey now, I am your host Ric Gazarian on the 10th update for the Extraordinary Travel Festival. We have a lot of news to share with you today. So grab that coffee of if in Thailand, grab a chamanow and please listen in. The event is now about a month and a half a way. But still time to join, use code BANGKOK to save at . Some quick updates ... we have added three new speakers, Luisa Yu, Matt Bowles and Sabbatical Tommy. Luisa is well known in the community for her determination and her multi-decade quest to visit every country in the world. She finished at age 79! So impressive. Matt is the host of the super entertaining the , where he speaks with amazing travelers from around the world. He will be speaking on his 10 plus years of being a digital nomad. Tommy is a travel content creator on and also a polyglot! That's cool. Are you scared of ghosts? Did you know that ghosts play a cental role in Thai culture? We have partnered with Bangkok Haunts to provide you with an introduction to ghosts and spirits in Thailand. We offer a half day tour on November 14 and 18. Check it out! First, I speak with Professor JP. I think so many of us love lists and rankings. So I am excited to share a new travel index will be premiered at the ETF. The index is called the ETF/ABS Magellan Traveller Index. This will rank the top 100 travelers in the world. We will be sharing this list and announcing the top 3 ranked at ETF. I want to thank both Most Traveled People and NomadMania for partnering with us and sharing their data. I also speak to 2 great individuals and partners of ETF. These two people are sponsors of ETF and deserve a special thank you for supporting our event. First up is Baba the founder of Baba has been welcoming and introducing travelers to this amazing Saharan country. Many members of the extreme travel community know and have traveled with Baba. Please consider Baba if you are travelling to Mauritania. Baba will be exhibiting at ETF as well as moderating a session on Mauritania to answer all of your questions. I also speak with Ahmed, the founder of Aknaf Alsawary. Ahmed was my guide when I visited Iraq the other year. Ahmed is a virtual sponsor of ETF. Ahmed offers fixed date group tours to Iraq, and he is raffling a 50% off coupon to one of these trips at ETF. In addition, ETF is pleased to announce that we can offer a $150 off these fixed date trips. Contact me to get your $150 off his tour. ric @ globalgaz.com And after I speak with Ahmed, I will do a little recap on the ETF and the ! Up first is Baba, please listen in and enjoy. /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/33264062

Andy Hicks ... Recatalogging DNA 09/16/2024

Andy Hicks ... Recatalogging DNA Andy Hicks Counting Countries has traveled to 120 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Today, we are speaking with Andy Hicks. I have had the pleasure of meeting Andy at the first ETF in Armenia and the TCC meeting in May in the Azores. Andy was raised in a non-travel environment, but a couple of pivotal trips propelled him into the 193 community and with his stated goal of every country by 50. If you want to meet Andy Hicks and 206 other travelers join us in Bangkok. The Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok. Use discount code BANGKOK for $60, so please purchase your ticket today to lock in your savings at the . I’ll give an ETF recap at the end of this episode. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “JL” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams, and Ani Chaturvedi for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to . My patrons will hear extra content with Andy that you will not hear. I binge a ton of podcasts. I have just started listening to the Maverick Show podcast, hosted by Matt Bowles. Maverick Show just celebrated his 300th episode. Check out a most recent episode with Ashley Company. She grew up as a military brat, living as a local in South Korea with her family. Then she went on a multi-month epic trip visiting every country in South and Central America. Check out Ashley. Of course, Counting Countries is all about Chasing 193. Matt is more focused on digital life and travel, but there are many interesting lessons and parallels within our community. I was in Bangkok for this recording while Andy was in Denver. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my - you rock!! …. Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams, and Ani Chaturvedi. And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review!More About Andy Hicks Counting Countries Where were you born: Lexington, KY USA What passport (s) do you hold: USA (2) Favorite travel book: probably Around the World in 50 Years by Albert Podell; Bradt guides 100% for trip planning Favorite travel film: Raiders of the Lost Ark (no kidding) Favorite travel app or website: EPS, Adam Hickman’s Top Tips, Geography Now! Must carry item when traveling (like flashlight, Kindle, deck of cards etc.): my sleep is extremely important – so eye shades, ear plugs, and Ambien; anything else I can buy locally Favorite food: probably sushi Favorite drink: good coffee and Coca Cola with real sugar when outside the US Favorite airline: Qatar Favorite hotel: not too focused on hotels but if I had to pick one, probably the Grovepark in Asheville, NC 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. Andy Hicks Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/33072082

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #9 - Matt Bowles And Ian Cumming 09/05/2024

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #9 - Matt Bowles And Ian Cumming I am excited to introduce to you two partners of the Extraordinary Travel Festival, Matt Bowles and Ian Cumming. Matt is a 10 year plus digital nomad, who hosts the very successful as well as a real estate investment company. Matt can be found around the globe setting up shop in cities as diverse as Nairobi, Lagos or Luanda. I am pleased to announce that Matt will be one of the speakers at the ETF. You can connect with him here on . Ian Cumming is the founder of Travel Massive, a global networking platform for people who work in travel or are passionate travelers. There are scores of chapters around the globe hosting events or meet people on the network whether they be entrepreneurs or content creators. Travel Massive is also hosting our meetup on Thursday, November 14. . I believe there are 3 main pillars of why you might want to consider attending the ETF, this November in Bangkok. First is the destination. Maybe BKK might seem too common. Well as a resident I would posit that this city offers so much beyond the Grand Palace, the Skybar and riding a tuktuk. This is a true onion; you can keep peeling back more and more layers and keep on exploring. Maybe you are missing some NM regions in Thailand, maybe a funicular or the new UNESCO site, Si Thep. Or you missed Laos or Brunei on your last visit. There are cheap flights to everywhere in ASEASN. Or maybe catch a direct flight to Bangladesh, Bhutan or Kazakhstan. There is so much to see here! Second, is the content. We have an incredible lineup of speakers. More will be announced. Please take a moment to look at the speakers on the ETF website. Everyone from Thor Pedersen who went to every country without flying, or Renee Bruns who has explored over 130 countries in a wheelchair, or the Sultan Randy Williams, who invented his own country. And last up, is the community, the network of extreme travelers whether you are Chasing 193 or maybe enjoy Iraq more than Italy. Then you have found your tribe. We have some great events to share a drink and conversation with your fellow travelers …. Friday night will be a great party with music, Saturday will be the gala dinner, and, don’t leave early, we will be hosting the NomadMania Awards live in Bangkok on Sunday. And we added in another meetup on Thursday evening, November 14th to check in with fellow attendees before the event officially kicks off on Friday morning. The host of our meetup is . So think of Bangkok as the hub for the event. A hub with great infrastructure at great prices. The spokes are everywhere in Thailand or the region you can visit easily. Don’t get FOMO, come join the 170 plus who have already committed. And how many more will sign up in the next 3 months. Should be a lot of people! Feel free to go to the website, use code to save, and join us in Krung Thep this November. If you have questions, reach out to me on SM, contact form on the website, or anywhere else. Please listen in and enjoy. And check out the last episode on . Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #8 /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/32919382

Luisa Yu … The Black Sheep 08/19/2024

Luisa Yu … The Black Sheep Luisa Yu has traveled to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I am excited to have Luisa Yu on the podcast. She is well known and beloved member to many in the community. For those not in the know, Luisa just visited her last country this year. She accomplished this goal as a 79 year old. When many in her age group have retired to more placid and serene pastures, Luisa has demonstrated grit and determination. And Luisa has not slowed down .. trips since she has completed the quest include Mogadishu, the north Caucasus, and the Kalash Festival in Pakistan. Truly, she is an inspiration. A quick show out to Phillipe for assisting in scheduling my conversation with Luisa. A public service reminder, the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held on November 15, 2024 in Bangkok. Discount code BANGKOK for $100, so please purchase your ticket today to lock in your savings at the . This $100 discount will be reduced starting September 1. What I did not mention is at ETF we will be hosting a moderated conversation with Luisa and her multi-decade journey to every country in the world. Luisa has a unique voice which is different than the traditional stereotype of a traveler in the extreme travel community. Don’t get #FOMO over 170 people are committed! Including of course, Luisa. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Adam “one away” Hickman, Barry Hoffner, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Steph Rowe, Gin, Philippe ‘JL’ Izedian, Sunir Joshi, Jorge Serpa, Justine OTB 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 Luisa that you will not hear. For those who listen a lot, I am a big fan of small world stories … and this is relevant when I introduce a new patron Ani Chaturvedi, who I randomly met while getting a Covid test in Armenia the other year. Ani is originally from Mumbai but now is in San Francisco. Regarding travel, Ani was inspired by his mom who made frequent trips to Mauritius and Singapore. He is now Chasing 193 and nearing 70 countries. Welcome aboard! And also a quick thank you to new patron, Craig, unknown last name at this time. Besides hosting a podcast, I listen to a ton of podcast, including community favorites Palle Bo’s , and Francis Tapon, WanderLearn. In fact, you can check me out on WanderLearn with Francis speaking about the ETF. But, I am late to the dance with the Maverick Show podcast, hosted by Matt Bowles. Maverick Show has nearly 300 episodes and is ranked in the top 1% of all podcasts. I recently found out about this travel podcast and I have started binging episodes. Matt is a great host who guides the conversation while naturally sharing his travel experiences adding to the conversation. I have heard great conversations with people like Eriva Vivro, who has lived an incredible travel life, living in multiple countries like Qatar, Thailand, Zambia, and now has been wintering in Ghana with her family. Very, very cool. Of course, Counting Countries is all about Chasing 193. Matt is more focussed on digital life and travel, but there are many interesting lessons and parallels within our community. I was in Boston for this recording while Luisa was in Miami. 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, Gintaute Liutkeviciute, Philippe Izedian, Sunir Joshi, Jorge Serpa, Justine Kirby, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sonia Zimmermann, Katelyn Jarvis, Carole Southam, Per Flisberg, Sam Williams, Aniruddh Chaturvedi, and Craig. And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! Luisa Yu 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. Luisa Yu Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/32639867

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #8 - Fadi Assi, Jon Beardmore, Evelthon Vassiliou 08/02/2024

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #8 - Fadi Assi, Jon Beardmore, Evelthon Vassiliou Join us in Bangkok for the in November of 2024. Please use code – BANGKOK – to save $100 (the discount will be reduced starting September 1). Reserve your place today. On this episode, I speak to 3 amazing people who you will also meet at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok on November 15-17. First up is Fadi Assi. Many people in the extreme travel community are familiar with Fadi and his generosity. He has welcomed many of us to Syria. Fadi is the founder of . Fadi will be one of the speakers in Bangkok and will be sharing his wealth of knowledge. If you are considering visiting, make sure you check in with Fadi. Second is Jon Beardmore. Jon is an accomplished traveler and has undertaken a fascinating project, The Galapagos Postman Project. We all love travel and sometimes incorporating in an additional quest has the potential of really adding to your travel experiences. The Galapagos Postman Project is one of those really cool quests. You can follow along on his quest on . And third is Evelthon Vassiliou. He is another accomplished traveler who recently accomplished the 193. Evelthon was ahead of the curve visiting places like Angkor Wat in the late 1990s. Despite finishing the 193, he is still actively traveling. Follow along on . I believe there are 3 main pillars of why you might want to consider attending the ETF, this November in Bangkok. First is the destination. Maybe BKK might seem too common. Well as a resident I would posit that this city offers so much beyond the Grand Palace, the Skybar and riding a tuktuk. This is a true onion; you can keep peeling back more and more layers and keep on exploring. Maybe you are missing some NM regions in Thailand, maybe a funicular or the new UNESCO site, Si Thep. Or you missed Laos or Brunei on your last visit. There are cheap flights to everywhere in ASEASN. Or maybe catch a direct flight to Bangladesh, Bhutan or Kazakhstan. There is so much to see here! Second, is the content. We have an incredible lineup of speakers. More will be announced. Please take a moment to look at the speakers on the ETF website. Everyone from Thor Pedersen who went to every country without flying, or Renee Bruns who has explored over 130 countries in a wheelchair, or the Sultan Randy Williams, who invented his own country. And last up, is the community, the network of extreme travelers whether you are Chasing 193 or maybe enjoy Iraq more than Italy. Then you have found your tribe. We have some great events to share a drink and conversation with your fellow travelers .... Friday night will be a great party with music, Saturday will be the gala dinner, and, don't leave early, we will be hosting the NomadMania Awards live in Bangkok on Sunday. And we added in another meetup on Thursday evening, November 14th to check in with fellow attendees before the event officially kicks off on Friday morning. The host of our meetup is . So think of Bangkok as the hub for the event. A hub with great infrastructure at great prices. The spokes are everywhere in Thailand or the region you can visit easily. Don’t get FOMO, come join the 170 plus who have already committed. And how many more will sign up in the next 3 months. Should be a lot of people! Feel free to go to the website, use code to save $100, and join us in Krung Thep this November. If you have questions, reach out to me on SM, contact form on the website, or anywhere else. Please listen in and enjoy. And check out the last episode on . /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/32409342

Jason Wang … No Poop Left Behind 07/16/2024

Jason Wang … No Poop Left Behind Jason Wang has traveled to 175 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I am happy to introduce to you Jason Wang, an avid traveler, foodie, and photographer. Not only is he Chasing 193, but he also chasing the 7 Summits. Jason’s life tracks all of the great successes embodied by the best of American immigration. A life which was originally defined by school and work was dramatically redefined by a gap year of travel after dental school. He never looked back. 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 for $100, so please purchase your ticket today to lock in your savings at the . Come join to meet with some great partners of the extreme travel community, we have Fadi Assi of Golden Team in Syria, and David Van Driessche of Papua New Guinea, and Baba from T’Ore Mauritania. We also have the three great travel groups participating as well, you will see representatives from NomadMania, Most Traveled People, and Every Passport Stamp. Don’t get #FOMO over 165 people are committed! Including Jason Wang. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Adam “one away” Hickman, Barry Hoffner, Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Steph Rowe, Lori Pastorelli, Gin, Philippe ‘JL’ Izedian, Sunir Joshi, Jorge Serpa, Justine OTB 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 Jason that you will not hear. Time for our monthly 193 Milestones Segment, where we recognize travel accomplishments in the community. Today, we will get updates from Steve Schwarms and Virginia Ko. You will meet Virginia at the ETF in Bangkok. Let’s hear from both of them now. I will be asking for travelers to submit audio files to recognize travel accomplishments. To learn more follow the Counting Countries on and accounts and I will be making future call to actions. I was in Bangkok for this recording while Jason was in Ulan Bator. 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!More About Jason Wang Counting Countries: Where were you born Nanjing, China What passport (s) do you hold USA Favorite travel book “Into Thin Air” by John Krakauer Favorite travel film Lost in Translation Favorite travel app or website Swarm Must carry item when traveling (like flashlight, Kindle, deck of cards etc.) iPhone Favorite food Japanese Favorite drink Soya Cincau (also known as the Michael Jackson drink) Favorite airline Japan Airlines Favorite hotel Nimmo Bay in BC, Canada 11. How to connect with Jason https://www.cityfoodsters.com/ https://www.facebook.com/jwang815/ https://www.instagram.com/jwang815 https://www.threads.net/jwang815 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. Jason Wang Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/32158597

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #7 – Meet The Attendees II 07/02/2024

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #7 – Meet The Attendees II Join us in Bangkok for the Extraordinary Travel Festival in November of 2024. Please use code – BANGKOK – to save $100. . I believe there are 3 main pillars of why you might want to consider attending the ETF, this November in Bangkok. First is the destination. Maybe BKK might seem too common. Well as a resident I would posit that this city offers so much beyond the Grand Palace, the Skybar and riding a tuktuk. This is a true onion; you can keep peeling back more and more layers and keep on exploring. Maybe you are missing some NM regions in Thailand, maybe a funicular or the new UNESCO site, Si Thep. Or you missed Laos or Brunei on your last visit. There are cheap flights to everywhere in ASEASN. Or maybe catch a direct flight to Bangladesh, Bhutan or Kazakhstan. There is so much to see here! Second, is the content. We have an incredible lineup of speakers. More will be announced. Please take a moment to look at the speakers on the ETF website. Everyone from Thor Pedersen who went to every country without flying, or Renee Bruns who has explored over 130 countries in a wheelchair, or the Sultan Randy Williams, who invented his own country. And last up, is the community, the network of extreme travelers whether you are chasing 193 or maybe enjoy Iraq more than Italy. Then you have found your tribe. So think of Bangkok as the hub for the event. A hub with great infrastructure at great prices. The spokes are everywhere in Thailand or the region you can visit easily. Don’t get FOMO, come join the 160 plus who have already committed. And how many more will sign up in the next 6 months. Should be a lot of people! Feel free to go to the website, use code BANGKOK to save $100, and join us in Krung Thep this November. If you have questions, reach out to me on SM, contact form on the website, or anywhere else. I want to introduce three members of the community, three people who are coming to Bangkok, on this special episode. Meet the attendee! Please meet Virginia Ko, Zahid Williams, and Doug Mann. First up is Virginia Ko, a traveler who recently passed her 100th country. Virginia grew up in Maylasia, moved to CA, and recently quit her job to Chase 193. Wow! . Next up is Zahid Williams. Zahid is on his way to 100, but starting off with the challenging countries first. We even met randomly in the Pacific earlier this year. And last, I speak with Doug Mann. Doug is a true expat. Working for years in Germany and Japan, and now retired in Chiang Mai. Please listen in and enjoy. /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/31979347

Joel Oleson … Hungry For Travel 06/16/2024

Joel Oleson … Hungry For Travel Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. You might know Joel from his flowing beard on social media. Joel is someone I have known of for years but virtually. And in fact, we ran into each other randomly on our travels in Central Africa. I speak with Joel and learn about his fascinating journey in life as well as Chasing 193. Joel was very candid during this conversation about subjects that some people will avoid such as family and his faith. This made our conversation richer and I appreciate that. 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 for $100, so please purchase your ticket today to lock in your savings at the . Why would you want to come? Some might say Bangkok, been there, done that. And that might be true. But have you been to every Nomad Mania region in Thailand or every UNESCO site, even the new one, Si Thep, announced in September? Or maybe you have missed Laos, Burma, or Brunei? All have direct and economical flights. Or even Bhutan or Bangladesh. Think of ETF as the hub and everywhere else the spokes of wherever you want to explore. Don’t get #FOMO over 160 people are committed! 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 ‘JT’ Izedian, Sunir Joshi, Jorge Serpa, Justine OTB 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 Joel that you will not hear. Time for our monthly 193 Milestones Segment, where we recognize travel accomplishments in the community. Today, we will get updates from Mike Safo (check out his awesome podcast - the ), Luc Jones, who I met in Armenia, and Chantal Patton, who travels as a 5 person family unit. You will hear their updates throughout the podcast. Let’s hear from my buddy Mike. I will be asking for travelers to submit audio files to recognize travel accomplishments. To learn more follow the Counting Countries on and accounts and I will be making future call to actions. Here are a couple of milestones to recognize now. And take a look at GlobalGaz.com and look for Joel’s Counting Countries podcast, I shared the photo of Joel walking over the “bridge” in CAR. I was in Boston for this recording while Joel was in San Diego. 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 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. Joel Oleson Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/31759213

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #6 - Meet The Attendees 06/02/2024

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #6 - Meet The Attendees Join us in Bangkok for the Extraordinary Travel Festival in November of 2024. Please use code – BANGKOK – to save $100. . I believe there are 3 main pillars of why you might want to consider attending the ETF, this November in Bangkok. First is the destination. Maybe BKK might seem too common. Well as a resident I would posit that this city offers so much beyond the Grand Palace, the Skybar and riding a tuktuk. This is a true onion, you can keep peeling back more and more layers and keep on exploring. Maybe you are missing some NM regions in thailand, maybe a funicular or the new UNESCO site, Si Thep. Or you missed Laos or Brunei on your last visit. There are cheap flights to everywhere in ASEASN. Or maybe catch a direct flight to Bangladesh, Bhutan or Kazakhstan. There is so much to see here! Second, is the content. We have an incredible lineup of speakers. More will be announced. Please take a moment to look at the speakers on the ETF website. Everyone from Thor Pedersen who went to every country without flying, or Renee Bruns who has explored over 130 countries in a wheelchair, or the Sultan Randy Williams, who invented his own country. And last up, is the community, the network of extreme travelers whether you are chasing 193 or maybe enjoy Iraq more than Italy. Then you have found your tribe. So think of Bangkok as the hub for the event. A hub with great infrastructure at great prices. The spokes are everywhere in Thailand or the region you can visit easily. Don't get FOMO, come join the 150 plus who have already committed. And how many more will sign up in the next 6 months. Should be a lot of people! Feel free to go to the website, use code BANGKOK to save $100, and join us in Krung Thep this November. If you have questions, reach out to me on SM, contact form on the website, or anywhere else. Before I introduce my guest, a name from the past has reappeared. William Simon Baekeland aka Jesse Simon Gordon aka William Gordon. Maybe you do not know the back story. William appeared on the scene years ago, a young, extremely well-traveled individual and the descendent of a billion-dollar fortune. William won over some of the most experienced travelers and began to organize challenging trips for them. In fact, I interviewed him for this . Some of these trips took place, others didn’t, and refunds were scarce. Harry Mitsisdis after a canceled trip put on his detective hat, and deduced that William Baekeland was really Jesse Simon Gordon from Birmingham, a product of limited means. In short order, it was revealed that William/Jesse allegedly had fleeced over $800,000 from the travel community. And I hosted another podcast , where several guests shared their experiences. William/Simon then appeared to go dark … until now. This episode was recorded a couple of weeks before the publication, so there will likely be more up to date news. But it was discovered that William has relocated to Pitcairn Island and was working in some fashion for the government. I was totally flabbergasted by this discovery. Really. William was hiding out in the most remote place in the world where he was most likely to be discovered. I am sure we will learn a lot more in the future. First up is Marc Jorgensen, a traveler who recently passed his 100th country. Marc has lived and worked in Brazil and also speaks Portuguese. Marc and I discuss our joint southern African roadtrip. Next up is Dima Zemsky. Dima emigrated to the US from Ukraine as a teenager to start a new life in the states. Dima is a member of the points community, and the spark of his travels began with a round the world trip. And last, I speak with Matt Keffer. Matt has leveraged his career and his business trips around the world into country counting. He also was a working expat for three years in Germany. With that in mind, I want to introduce three members of the community, three people who are coming to Bangkok, on this special episode. Meet the attendee! Please meet Marc Jorgenson, Dima Zemsky, and Matt Keffer. Please listen in and enjoy /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/31565027

Nabil Kazi … Make Every Day Count 05/19/2024

Nabil Kazi … Make Every Day Count Nabil Kazi has traveled to 129 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I am excited to share my conversation with Nabil Kazi. I connected with Nabil Kazi back in 2021 when he suggested a guest (Nick Butter - episode 95) for Counting Countries. I guess everything comes full circle as Nabil is a guest on this episode. Nabil and I have been in contact ever since and even connected in person for dinner in Bangkok at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Charlie Browns. Nabil has had two distinct chapters in his adult life. Chapter One, an executive in the land of Hollywood and Chapter Two, as a full time traveler. Maybe we can get some behind-the-scenes Hollywood insights. Some of you might have heard the tragic news from Bamiyan in Afghanistan. Nabil and I touch on this but while editing there are some greater details. Apparently, a tour provider from our 193 community brought a group to Afghanistan. Three Spaniard travelers and three Afghan locals were shot and killed. In additional six travelers and Afghans were also injured. Just a reminder when you ask in a conversation or online, “is it safe?” and many people respond, “I just went it is very safe, just go!”. Remember it was very safe for that traveler, on that specific day, time, and location. This is a country of 40 million and 250,000 square miles. That traveler is not a security expert on Afghanistan. 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 $100, so please purchase your ticket today to lock in your savings at the . Just a reminder for those who are coming or thinking of coming that we will be hosting the NomadMania Awards live in Bangkok on Sunday evening. This is the great event that NM has been streaming on YouTube for the last several years. This is a great opportunity to get together and recognize some travelers who are making a difference. Don’t forget, Sunday evening, November 17 this year. 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. And remember, we have 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. Today, we will get updates from Ted Nims, Justine “off the beaten path” Kirby, Raiiq Ridwan (former guest and ETF speaker). You will hear their updates throughout the podcast. Let’s listen to one now. I will be asking for travelers to submit audio files to recognize travel accomplishments. To learn more follow the Counting Countries on and accounts and I will be making future call to actions. Here are a couple of milestones to recognize now. And take a look at Nabil’s page on GlobalGaz.com Counting Countries page. I share his Pakistani passport from when he was a small kid. I was in Boston for this recording while Nabil was in Cali. 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 Nabil Kazi Counting Countries 1. 129 countries (not including Kosovo, Vatican, Palestine and Taiwan) 2. I was born in Kuwait City, Kuwait 3. I hold a USA Passport 4. Favorite Travel Book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 5. Favorite Travel Film is Eat Pray Love 6. Must Carry Item when Traveling AirPods and Canon Camera 7. Favorite Food is Lebanese 8 Favorite Drink is hot latte with oak milk 9. Favorite Airline is Emirates 10. Favorite Hotel is Aman Resorts 11. Instagram handle is 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. Nabil Kazi Counting Countries /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/31371747

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #5 - Richard Barrow 04/30/2024

Tan Wee Cheng … An Iconoclast 04/18/2024

Tan Wee Cheng … An Iconoclast 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 /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/30885623

Elena Chechina … A Lost Day Of Your Life 03/19/2024

Elena Chechina … A Lost Day Of Your Life 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. /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/30436493

Hayley Kennedy … Overcoming Obstacles 02/21/2024

Hayley Kennedy … Overcoming Obstacles 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 /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/30047093

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #4 02/02/2024

Raiiq Ridwan … The Travel Bug 01/28/2024

Raiiq Ridwan … The Travel Bug 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 /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/29678898

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #3 01/03/2024

Thor Pedersen … He Did It!I 12/15/2023

Thor Pedersen … He Did It!I 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. /episode/index/show/countingcountries/id/29097803

Extraordinary Travel Festival Update II #2 With Lakshmi Parthasarathy 11/02/2023

Counting Countries

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