Counting Countries | Travel The Entire World

Key links & critical information: Get your official Counting Countries apparel Listen with Spotify We’re on Amazon Alexa More about Trek With Taylor Born in: Tuscaloosa, Alabama Passports from: 2 US Passports Favorite travel book: Eat Pray Love, I guess? I don’t tend to read a ton of travel books. Favorite travel film:  Honestly? The Lizzie McGuire Movie or The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Those both probably sound so trivial or childish but from a young age they really inspired me to want to get to Europe and see the places in those movies. And, I am happy to say, I have now been to Rome (multiple times) and finally made it to Greece! I think it was so influential at a young age to be able to see to see other young women traveling around the world. Must carry: My retainer and a small stuffed animal (named Bun Bun). Also, definitely need my phone. Favorite app: Google flights for planning. Google sheets for organization. Favorite food:  Pizza. Or anything involving cheese really. Favorite drink:

Key links & critical information: Get your official Counting Countries apparel Listen with Spotify We’re on Amazon Alexa And check out our new sponsor - The Journey by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - take a listen and subscribe!   More about Jorge Sanchez Born in: I was born in 1954 in Barcelona, Spain Passports from: I have Spanish passport Favorite travel book: My favorite travel book is: The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor Favorite travel film: Baraka Must carry: A notebook Favorite food:  Any Indian dish with curry Favorite drink: Coffee Favorite airline: The cheapest   Favorite hotel: Youth hostel Website: Jorge Sanchez Nomad Mania Map: Jorge Sanchez   Jorge’s books: Meetings With Remarkable Travelers and A Journey To Exotic South America Please leave a rating or a review wherever you listen to Counting Countries. We’re on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Alexa and anywhere else you find podcasts. ------------------ For detailed show notes and more about your host, Ric Gazarian, please visit GlobalGaz

Key links & critical information: Get your official Counting Countries apparel Listen with Spotify We’re on Amazon Alexa And check out our new sponsor - The Journey by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - take a listen and subscribe!   More about Peleg Cohen: Born in: Nahariya, Israel Passports from: Israel Favorite travel book: A Fine Balance Favorite travel film: Into The Wild Must carry: Camera!!   Favorite food:  My mom’s cooking, then Indian food Favorite drink: Mezcal Website: Lonely Peleg Facebook: Lonely Peleg Please leave a rating or a review wherever you listen to Counting Countries. We’re on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Alexa and anywhere else you find podcasts. ------------------ For detailed show notes and more about your host, Ric Gazarian, please visit GlobalGaz.com. ------------------ Counting Countries is produced and supported by Simpler Media Productions. Our theme music is by Mundi.

Key links & critical information: Get your official Counting Countries apparel Listen with Spotify We’re on Amazon Alexa And check out our new sponsor - The Journey by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - take a listen and subscribe!   More about Samer Kawar:   Born in: San Francisco Bay Area Passports from: USA, Jordan Favorite travel book: Any Lonely Planet Guide Favorite travel film: Seven Years in Tibet Favorite travel app or website: Nomad Mania, Atlas Obscura, Tripadvisor Must carry: My sketchbook, Polaroid Zip photo printer Favorite food:  Khao soi, torta ahogada, coconut curry Favorite drink: the local beer in each country Favorite airline: Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines Favorite hotel: Airways Hotel, PNG Website: WanderLuster Instagram: WanderLuster Twitter: WanderLuster Map: Nomad Mania       Please leave a rating or a review wherever you listen to Counting Countries. We’re on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Alexa and anywhere else you find podcasts. ------------------ For detailed show notes and more ab

Key links & critical information: Get your official Counting Countries apparel Listen with Spotify We’re on Amazon Alexa More about Frank Grosse-Oetringhaus: Born in: Germany Passports from: Germany Website: Frank Grosse Oetringhaus Map: Nomad Mania A final note, with this episode, it will mark the end of Season 1.  A great thank you to all the listeners as well as all of the great travelers I have spoken with.  I look forward to speaking with all of you when Season 2 kicks off in early summer.

Key links & critical information: World Parks, Inc. SISO Club Counting Countries is now on Amazon Alexa Listen on Spotify Buy official Counting Countries apparel today More about Jeff Shea: Born in San Francisco, CA Passports from USA Favorite travel book: Bill Dalton’s Indonesia Handbook 1983 Must carry: Headlamps, Neosporin, satellite phone if on an expedition Favorite food: My wife’s cooking Favorite drink: Soursop juice Favorite airline: Garuda and Turkish Airlines Instagram: Travel The Whole World    Website: Jeff Shea SISO: SISO Overview Map: Nomad Mania And for some trivia, Counting Countries has fans in 114 different countries, including Somalia, Togo, and Paraguay. Jeff joined me from California while I was in Bangkok, please join in and listen to today’s episode.

George has set two ambitious goals.  First, he wants to summit the tallest mountain on each continent.  Second, he intends to travel to every country in the world.  He has made great progress so far, summiting six of the seven summits and has traveled to 78 UN countries. George has climbed the highest mountain on each continent, except for Mt. Vinson Massif in Antarctica, which is quite remote and expensive to climb.  George has showed true grit.  His first attempt at summiting Mt. Everest ended in failure, with the peak only being a couple hundred feet away.  He was not deterred and the following year he successfully submitted Mt. Everest.  This feat was accomplished at great monetary and time expense.  George talks about his summit of Mt. Elbrus, which nearly ended in true disaster.            George has an unusual list of countries he has traveled to.  He has not been to Ireland or Denmark, but he has traveled to Afghanistan, Sudan, Pakistan, and Somalia.  Heshares with us why he is not fond of Burundi, an

Babis completed his quest for 193 in 2004, but has not slowed down at all.   In the late 1970s, Babis backpacked the Hippy Trail which included Pakistan and Afghanistan.  He eventually found his way to Sri Lanka and joined the crew of a Greek ship and travelled even further.   Babis is one of the few who has traveled to both the North and South Pole.  He shares with us an amazing tale of 19 hours in a helicopter traveling to the North Pole.  And no travel career is complete without an arrest story.  Babis found himself in a jail in Benghazi.          Babis spoke about his favorite traveler, Frank Grosse Oetringhaus, who is a fellow 193er.  He also shares an interesting perspective of why he is fond of William Baekeland, who he met and traveled with.      Babis joined me from Greece while I was in Bangkok, please join in and listen to today’s episode. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel!  You can purchase today on Amazon. And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spot

Download Episode! Being a lazy workaholic propelled Artemy to become one of the world’s most traveled people Artemy had exploration in his DNA.  As a kid he traveled the metro in Moscow visiting scores of different theaters, satisfying his passion of cinema as well as exploring the nooks and crannies of his city.  As an adult, he made a pact with himself ensuring that at least once a month he would partake on a trip, whether the neighboring town or across the world.  This led him to be ranked 25th on the Nomad Mania list.   Artemy is a very popular and successful blogger in Russia. Artemy organizes incredible contests and trips on behalf of his fans.  He has brought his fans on explorations of the Pacific via a yacht.  Another adventure had Artemy driving in the dead of winter to Norilsk.  Norilsk is a city located north of the Arctic Circle and is in essence an island. It is typically reached via airplane or ship.  Artemy and his crew traveled overland for two weeks covering 1000 km on non-existent roads par

Jonny loves travel and he has a special interest in micronations. Jonny has met Jonathan I, Emperor of Austenasia and was the first backpacker to visit the nation.  He also visited the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a unique political and geographical entity. Jonny shares stories of traveling to New Zealand and partaking in adventure sports and meeting tons of other travelers.  He explains the challenges of traveling in China and the rewards that are earned by visiting this amazing nation.  He shares with us the beauty of Afghanistan and his discomfort when visiting Venezuela.       Jonny joined me from Poland while I was in Boston, please join in and listen to today’s episode. Check out our friends: Chasing 193, Volume II: The Quest To Visit Every Country In The World and Large Minority.  They organize international rallies around the world including: Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines and the Amazon.   More about Jonny Blair:   Born in: Newtownards, Northern Ireland Passports from: Irish and British

Download Episode! Tony has a sense of adventure not rivaled by many. Tony heard tales of travel from his Dad, a merchant marine.  He also had two opportunities to study in the USA as a student.  Yet, the gift of a kidney which prevented a life of dialysis supercharged his travel life, reminding him that his life is short.         And did I mention that Tony is also blind and mostly deaf.  Tony shows an incredible amount of poise, courage and optimism.  Tony typically travels solo and revels in the magic of travel, enjoying the interactions with locals and other travelers.      Tony shares why he loves New Zealand and Iceland.  He tells us why he found the Italians less than helpful.  Tony shares with us how he we was kicked out of North Dakota on his first visit and about Greyhound’s habit to lose his luggage.  Tony has a penchant for adventure, whether it is hang gliding, bungee jumping, zip line or skydiving.  He has a zest for life and exploration. Tony joined me from the UK while I was in Chicago, please

A number of allegations have been made against William Baekeland by other members of the travel community. These allegations have not been proven in a court of law. Please listen in on this special episode. Photos provided with permission by Harry Mitsidis and Dominique Laurent. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today!  And write a review! Check out our friends: Chasing 193, Volume II: The Quest To Visit Every Country In The World and Large Minority.  They organize international rallies around the world including: Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines and the Amazon. More about the guests: About Harry Mitsidis His appearance on Counting Countries About Mike Kendall Mike’s map on Nomad Mania About David Langan His appearance on Counting Countries His website About Dominique Laurent His website About William Baekeland His appearance on Counting Countries Nomad Mania newsletter in regard to William Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today!! About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the

Download Episode! James is the current world record holder as the youngest person to travel to every country in the world according to the Guinness World Records James has travel DNA.  His grandfather regaled him with tales of spending time in Yemen.  His mother lived in Hong Kong.  His father was an airline captain who flew to international locales like Senegal and Ethiopia, James sometimes accompanying.   James shares with us why people make such a big difference when visiting every country in the world.  And he tells us what country has the friendliest people. James  tells us where the most magical sunrise is in the world.  James recounts visiting Ivory Coast during a civil war and traveling to Libya after the killing of Gaddafi.   And what counts as visiting a country?  James and I discuss the “broken finger rule”.   James also has a lot of current travel initiatives currently.  He recently published a book called Breaking Borders.  He is also rolling out a new travel app named Holiday Swap that helps pe

Pong has travel in his blood.  He started traveling to nearby Asian countries and Europe with his parents as a kid.  Pong spent a year as a thirteen year old in Bangalore, India learning English at a strict boarding school.  He continued his schooling in Canada as he went to high school and university. Instead of heading back to Thailand on summer break he ended up visiting his classmate in the middle of Russia in the Urals for two months, living like a local. During university, he took a year off, and began a backpacking trip to the Middle East which included Syria. Owning his own business has allowed Pong a lot of flexibility in his travels.  Pong shares with us why he loves South Africa and why he is not fond of the Gulf States.  He takes us to current conflict zones likes Afghanistan and Venezuela.  He tells us why he loves the natural beauty of DRC and the hospitality he received in Iran.  And Pong shares with us the magic of travel, when he met a random South African family who drove him around showing

Download Episode! Arvi is nearly finished in completing his quest to travel to all 193 countries, and has had some amazing experiences on the way. Arvi only has 15 countries left and is hoping to finish this quest in the next year.  During his travels, he has visited both Antarctica and the North Pole.  He sailed around Antarctica from New Zealand to Chile, stopping and visiting McMurdo Station via helicopter during his 30 day cruise.  He joined a Russian nuclear ice-breaker as it journeyed to the North Pole.  Arvi shares with us why he is fond of Macedonia, thinks Paris is overrated, and why Nigeria is not one of his favorites.  Arvi tells us about crossing the border from India to Bhutan as he motor-biked in Bhutan in the early 1970s, when tourism did not even exist.  And Arvi will most likely be our first guest who travels to outer space.  He has placed his deposit with Virgin Galactic and heopes to be traveling to space in 2019.  Arvi shares with us what it is like hanging out with Richard Branson who he

Download Episode! Listen to Nina’s inspiring story to learn how an offhand comment by a friend set her on the path of becoming one of the approximately 10 women who have visited every country in the world. Nina grew up in Frankfurt in a single parent home. As a child she dipped her toe in the water and traveled within Europe, visiting England on a language exchange program. She began to travel and explore more after university visiting a couple dozen countries.  At the age of 36, she quit her job in the corporate world so she could focus more on counting countries.  Nina shares with us her love of and passion for travel, of speaking multiple languages, witnessing beautiful wildlife, and meeting and interacting with locals. Nina shares her love of safari, the beauty of the Serengeti, and watching the wildebeest migration. She talks about the remoteness of the Orkney islands, and her frustration getting visas...for iran, turkmenistan, and equatorial guinea.  She tells us a story of watching a gorilla slap a to

Download Episode! Ella made a drastic decision after graduating university and starting her first corporate job.  She quit on her 89th day.    Despite having a great opportunity in the corporate world, she realized quickly that she craved a life of independence and freedom.  She ended up living in Rwanda working for a NGO for 6 months.  And this started a transition to becoming a digital nomad and beginning a career as an elite success coach.  This new role allowed her the flexibility to live where she wanted to live as she grew her business.   As she gained more success, she began to travel and explore more often.  Ella shares with us why she loves Thailand, believes Paraguay is interesting, and why she is not fond of Dubai.  We also talk about her upcoming road trip to West Africa.    During this conversation, Ella joined me from Spain while I was in Chicago on Skype.  Please listen in and enjoy. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! Check out our partner and sponsor: Chasing 193, Volume II: The Quest To Vis

Download Episode! A family that travels together stays together.  Jakob travels frequently with his girlfriend and two young children.   Jakob travels often with his girlfriend and two young children.  Family vacations include overland West African road trips, visits to Somaliland, and family excursions to Afghanistan.  His children aged 10 and 8 respectively have traveled to 72 and 55 countries respectively. Jakob also hits the road solo as well.  He recounts witnessing a secretive Satanic ritual in West Africa.  He overviews his attempt to travel overland from Antarctica to the Arctic over 10 months.  Jakob was fortunate to visit Cambodia in the early 90s when the Khmer Rouge still reigned.  He visited Angkor Wat when there were virtually no tourists.  Cambodia was a bit lawless, where travel sometimes required armored cars where the machine gunner's bullets cost extra and where marijuana came for free at your guest house. During this conversation, Jakob joined me from Copenhagen while I was in Chicago on

Download Episode! Maurizio was a travel outlier at a young age.  Riding the rails in Europe independently as a 13 year old.   At 17, he left Italy to travel the Trans-Siberian to visit his penpal in Mongolia.             After university in the UK, be began an international career as a journalist and NGO worker.  This allowed ample opportunity to travel and lives overseas.  Maurizio has spent time living in Haiti, Brazil, Mali, Sudan, Afghanistan, Central African Republic amongst others.  Maurizio shares with us why he loves Gabon and Cameroon.  Maurizio has traveled to Tokelau, one of the remote places in the world in the Pacific, and recounts his journey.   Maurizio lived in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban.  He met his future wife in Kabul.  And he had his wedding in Kabul, but yet he and his wife were traveling with the wedding held in their honor.  Maurizio spent time in Saudi Arabia on a pilgrimage to Mecca.   Maurizio in 2004 held the Guinness World Record for being the youngest traveler to v

Download Episode! Fabio is closing in on his goal of 193 countries as he narrows down the list! Fabio was born in Milan and spread his wings as a model as he travelled to Miami and then moved to East and Southeast Asia before he was even 20 years old.  Before he knew it, he had visited dozens of countries and he was on his quest.  Fabio shares with us why Kabul and Caracas are the most dangerous cities in the world.  Fabio recently visited Libya, and explains how he wrangled a visa and what his experience was like visiting Tripoli.  Fabio has visited the Pygmies of Burundi and the Maasai of Kenya.  Fabio tells us why he loves both Hong Kong and the Cheesecake Factory.  He shares with us why he doesn’t want to visit Djibouti City or Belize City again.  And Fabio tells us why Uzbekistan is an underrated country. Fabio joined me on Skype today from London, while I was in Boston.  Please listen in and enjoy! . Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! Check out our partner and sponsor: Chasing 193, Volume II: The Ques