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On the show
Recent episodes
Mihai Dascalu … Plan B & C
May 2, 2026
Unknown duration
Sherri Donovan … Hugs From Old Mommas
Apr 1, 2026
Unknown duration
Barry Hoffner … Belonging To The World
Mar 16, 2026
Unknown duration
Erik Futtrup … Left At The Fork
Mar 3, 2026
Unknown duration
Konstantin Liorek … Strawberries Forever
Jan 31, 2026
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/2/26 |  Mihai Dascalu … Plan B & C | Mihai Dascalu has been to 99 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mihai Dascalu. I met him at the ETF in Bangkok in 2024, and I am excited he is coming back this October. Mihai and his family left all he knew in Romania to start anew in the US. He and his family went on an epic family journey for over a year. We touch on this and his desire to Chase 193. 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, Philippe "BC" Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Peter Fenger, Mihai Dascalu, Ryan Knott, Zipping Around The World Podcast, and Shawn McDonough for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Mihai.. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use the code BANGKOK. Excited to announce a new addition to the ETF, Mike Boisvert known as the Skate Nomad. He plans on skateboarding to every country in the world … what won me over was watching him skateboard with the Skater Girls of Ethiopia. Check out his reels!. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. Some other community notes and updates. I will be speaking at the TCC meeting in Hanoi in May, about … my take-aways from 150 in-depth conversations with the world's most traveled people. 193 Masters looking to connect with each other consider joining a UNESCO tour in Portugal in early June, if so reach out to MTP's Justyna. And also in June is the awesome NomadMania trip to Brazil. I went to their Fergana event and it was quite awesome. And on July 12, come see me in NYC to meet Barry Hoffner, the author of Belonging To The World, for a reading RSVP exploringed@gmail.com I was in Bangkok while Mihai was in New York for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Peter Fenger, Mihai Dascalu, Ryan Knott, Zipping Around The World Podcast, and Shawn McDonough. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More about Mihai Dascalu Counting Countries: Instagram Facebook Books And check out Thor Pedersen: The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree And Barry Hoffner: Belonging To The World (affiliate) 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post.Sherri Donovan Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 4/1/26 | Sherri Donovan … Hugs From Old Mommas | Sherri Donovan has been to 187 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sherri Donovan, a well-known member of the community. I was taken aback when Sherri shared her solo international travels as a young teenager — a true free spirit. These early adventures paved the way for a truly global life of travel. You can meet Sherri at the third Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok this October. Don't miss out! 🎧 Listen to Counting Countries Spotify Apple Podcasts Alexa: "Play Counting Countries podcast" 🙏 Thank You to Our Patrons 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, Philippe "BC" Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Peter Fenger, Mihai Dascalu, Ryan Knott, Zipping Around The World Podcast, and Shawn McDonough. 👉 Support the podcast at Patreon Patrons receive access to the full conversation with Sherri as well as other goodies. 🌏 Extraordinary Travel Festival 📍 Bangkok 📅 October 22–25, 2026 Join us and use code BANGKOK at www.extraordinarytravelfest.com We are also excited to announce our second documentary screening: "What Age Were You Born" This film follows Maura Ward, in her 70s and living with Parkinson's, who has still managed to visit 50 countries — from backpacking in Afghanistan to walking a marathon in the Serengeti, to summiting Mt. Fuji. The filmmaker follows her and her son Johnny as they take on this journey together. 👉 Instagram 👉 Facebook Latest Travel Fashions 🎙️ Episode Notes Ric was in Bangkok while Sherri was in Anguilla for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. 🔗 More About Sherri Donovan Instagram Facebook Books 📚 Books (affiliates) Thor Pedersen The Impossible Journey (Kindle): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi More options Barry Hoffner Belonging To The World 🌍 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 Mundi. ✈️ About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey to every country in the world at GlobalGaz.com 🌎 How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! United Nations: 193 UK Foreign Office: 226 Traveler's Century Club: 330 Nomad Mania: 1,301 Most Traveled People: 1,500 SISO: 3,978 👉 My goal: the 193 countries recognized by the UN — though I'll visit more along the way. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. | — | ||||||
| 3/16/26 | Barry Hoffner … Belonging To The World | Barry has published his memoir Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. This is a special episode with Barry Hoffner. Barry is a former guest on Counting Countries and I encourage you to listen to this episode to hear his entire story. I followed Barry on IG and then connected with him over a call. Barry is an accomplished traveler but what I noted was his impressive philanthropic work in West Africa. In fact, I was so impressed I invited Barry to be a keynote speaker at the ETF in Bangkok in 2024. His story of giving back needed to be shared. Belonging To The World (affiliate) is his memoir which was published on March 3. This link will bring you to the Kindle version on Amazon. I have read this book, and I highly recommend it. The book traces Barry's life from work to travel to family. And he shared a horrific tragedy as he loses his wife in a shocking accident in Botswana. Barry turns to travel to deal with his immense grief. This is a fantastic book whether you are into extreme travel or to witness one man's resilience in the face of grief. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use code BANGKOK. I am excited to share a new keynote speaker, Eunhee Park. She is an extraordinary traveler but not in the traditional sense of what we are familiar with in our community. Eunhee was born in North Korea, and she embarked on a dangerous journey as she escaped DPRK at the risk of losing everything as she made her way to freedom. She will share her journey with us at the ETF. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. I was in Bangkok while Barry was in Hawaii for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mihai Dascalu, Ryan Knott, Zipping Around The World Podcast, and Shawn McDonough. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More about Erik Futtrup Counting Countries: Instagram And check out Thor Pedersen: The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Erik Futtrup Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 3/3/26 | Erik Futtrup … Left At The Fork | Erik Futtrup has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of meeting Erik at ETF II in Bangkok, and I am looking forward to seeing him this October for ETF III. Erik is looking forward to joining the stage at ETF for the UN Master photo as he just accomplished his quest just last year. Erik was early to the internet, real early, in the late 1980s. Erk was connecting with travelers in the early 90s. Think EPS but from 25 years ago. Erik shares his journey to 193, balancing work, family and travel. 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, Philippe "BC" Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Peter Fenger, Mihai Dascalu, Ryan Knott, Zipping Around The World Podcast, and Shawn McDonough for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Erik. And I would like to introduce three new patrons! Welcome guys!! Shawn McDonough of Chicago has joined as a Patron as well as coming to ETF III in Bangkok. He is currently on track to hit his 50th country before his 51st birthday. And in the next couple of years, he is planning on picking up his travels as he transitions to being a digital nomad. And I also want to welcome Dan, who is also the host of his podcast, Zipping Around The World. Dan is nearing 50 countries on his journey. On his podcast, he is providing audio overviews of his trips, in essence a guide book. Check out his podcast and subscribe. And let's not forget Ryan. He started listening to podcast while roadtripping between North Carolina and Kentucky while visiting family. He has visited all 50 states and visited over 50 UN countries! His goal? To hit 100 before the age of 40. Good luck! Thanks everyone for their support. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use code BANGKOK. I am excited to share a new keynote speaker, Eunhee Park. She is an extraordinary traveler but not in the traditional sense of what we are familiar with in our community. Eunhee was born in North Korea, and she embarked on a dangerous journey as she escaped DPRK at the risk of losing everything as she made her way to freedom. She will share her journey with us at the ETF. Check out Extraordinary Adventures on the website. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. And a public service announcement, former Counting Countries guest and ETF keynote speaker, Barry Hoffner has written a book, Belonging To The World. I just finished reading this book, and it is a great and compelling read for those in the extreme travel community and beyond. All proceeds go to fund Barry's efforts in West Africa as he empowers women through education. Pick up your copy today and learn about Barry's journey as he deals with the grief of losing his wife through travel. I was in Bangkok while Erik was in Denmark for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Peter Fenger, Mihai Dascalu, Ryan Knott, Zipping Around The World Podcast, and Shawn McDonough. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More about Erik Futtrup Counting Countries: Instagram And check out Thor Pedersen: The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Erik Futtrup Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 1/31/26 | Konstantin Liorek … Strawberries Forever | Konstantin Liorek has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I have the pleasure to speak with traveler Kostia Liorek. I met Kostia at the ETF in Bangkok in 2024, and I've known Kostia for years virtually on FB. But on this podcast I really had the pleasure of learning his fascinating story from growing up in Ukraine, taking advantage of opportunities to travel abroad after the fall of the Soviet Union, and his journey to Chasing 193 and beyond. 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, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, Mihai Dascalu and Ryan Knott for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Brian. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use code BANGKOK. I am excited to announce 3 new things … a new speaker, day trip, and multi-day trip. Former guest, PC Connor has Chased 193 and well beyond, but also has another passion project Chasing Eclipses. He has witnessed 17 of the last 22 total eclipses since 1995, even one with the president of Gabon. We announced a cooking class which will be held in an 80 year old traditional Thai house near the event, and in conjunction with NomadMania, we are hosting an awesome trip to Bangladesh immediately after ETF, including a special 5% discount. Check out Extraordinary Adventures on the website. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. I was in Boston while Kostia was in Indonesia for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mihai Dascalu, and Ryan Knott. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More about Konstantin Liorek Counting Countries: Instagram FB And check out Thor Pedersen: The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Konstantin Liorek Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 1/1/26 | Brian Johnson … Slightly Bigger Office | Brian Johnson has been to 128 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I have the pleasure to speak with traveler Brian Johnson. I met Brian twice in the last two years, first at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok in November of 2024 and 12 months later in the Omo Valley as we escaped a hot zone of Marburg Virus, more on that later. Brian's stories of overlanding in Africa in the 1990s caught my attention and I realized he would be an interesting guest. And here we are … 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, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, Mihai Dascalu and Ryan Knott for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Brian. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use code BANGKOK to save $110 (for a couple more days and then the discount will be reduced) for this incredibly packed event. I am excited to announce a new day experience. We have partnered with Blue Elephant who has been hosting cooking classes since the 1980s and will be setting up a special school for us at a 80 year old Thai home in a garden oasis just minutes from our event. Check out Extraordinary Adventures on the website. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. I was in Chicago while Brian was in San Francisco for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mihai Dascalu, and Ryan Knott. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More about Brian Johnson Counting Countries: Instagram Hey Brian Website And check out Thor Pedersen: The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Brian Johnson Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 12/16/25 | Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update III – Matt Gray Of Pangea | Join the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok, October 22-25, 2026. Use code BANGKOK to save on your ticket. One of the goals of the Extraordinary Travel Festival is to bring the leaders of the travel industry together. Why? We want to make your travels richer and more meaningful. Hearing from these thought leaders keeps you abreast of changes and benefits that can help you. We have founders and leaders like Ian Cumming of Travel Massive, Stefan Krasowski of Every Passport Stamp, and Orest Zub of NomadMania. I am excited to be speaking with Matt Gray on this episode who will also be joining us at ETF. He is the founder of Pangea, whose goal is to connect and explore the world, and who better to do that with than friends who share your same passion. Download the app so you can better connect with travelers around the world. Since this interview with Matt, Pangea has been on a roll, acquiring and integrating several other Digital Nomad & Travel Community apps into their core platform. Their general thesis and strategy is that by consolidating the very fragmented consumer travel app space, they can deliver a best in class experience and become the all in one platform that many are referring to as the "Strava for Travel" So far they've integrated Overlap & Nomadago, two leading community apps, bringing together nearly 50,000 users who have downloaded one of these apps into their core Pangea platform. And consider meeting Matt and other nomads at Nomad Week in Cape Town. Want to save $50? Please use code ETF50. Remember to join us in Bangkok at the ETF, please use code BANGKOK to save on your ticket. (ETF alumni contact me directly to get your special discount.) The event will be October 22-25, 2026 in Bangkok. We continually have news to share with you. As an example, we will have a Travel Tech panel, hosted by Ian Cumming of Travel Massive, with 2 announced panelists, 193er and tech expert Joel Oleson, and Matt Gray as well. They will be talking all things tech and what you need to know to make your travels better. On Travel Content Creation Day, we will have a panel of video travel content. The first panelist is Barbs, you might know him for his uber successful channel, Geography Now with over 4 million subscribers! More panelists to be announced. I was in Bangkok while Matt was in Cape Town, please listen in and enjoy. | — | ||||||
| 12/3/25 | Yaël Pericard … A Pair Of Jeans | Yaël Pericard has been to 133 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I have the pleasure to speak with traveler Yael Pericard. I met Yael briefly at the ETF in Bangkok and follow him on FB, but here is another case of a traveler who I really did not know well. Of course that is no longer the case after our conversation. Yael leads an adventurous life from summiting 7000 meters in Pakistan, to giving back in the Phillipines, to risking it all to explore a remote airstrip in Lesotho (this one is a pretty crazy story). And, you will get to meet him at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok as he is coming back for the next event in 2026. 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, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, Mihai Dascalu and Ryan Knott for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Thomas. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use code BANGKOK to save $110 for this incredibly packed event. We have announced a new speaker, Roberto Helou, who you might know from IG as ExploRob. I followed him last year as he biked from Cairo to Cape Town on an epic journey. I am excited to hear him speak next year. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. I was in Bangkok while Yael was in Norway for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mihai Dascalu, and Ryan Knott. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More about Yaël Pericard Counting Countries: Yael on IG: Instagram Yael on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@yaelpericard The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Yaël Pericard Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 11/13/25 | Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update II - ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index | The ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index was announced and premiered at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok in 2024 by founder, João Paulo Peixoto. The professor has recently moved into the #1 position on both the NM and MTP lists. The professor joins us on the ETF to provide an update on the MTI. You can learn more about the MTI by clicking here. Please remember the Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held in Bangkok from October 22-25 in 2026. You can join and use code BANGKOK to save. Click here to join this event! | — | ||||||
| 11/5/25 | Thomas Preinl … Inspired By His Grandfathers | Thomas Preinl has been to 190 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. On this episode I have the pleasure to speak with Thomas Preinl who I met at the NomadMania meeting in Uzbekistan and spent time with him during a recent visit to Thailand. Thomas is one of those characters who has been Chasing 193 but only recently found the extreme travel community. Thomas has benefited with flight benefits due to his employment with Lufthansa for years. As Thomas will share, he is German by birth, but not by character, having a flexible and adaptable travel persona. You will get to meet him at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok. 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, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, Mihai Dascalu and Ryan Knott for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Thomas. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use code BANGKOK to save $110 for this incredibly packed event. Thor Pedersen will be hosting a screening of his travel documentary, The Impossible Journey, which will also include a Q&A. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. We are also adding in a Travel Content Creation day at the ETF, where we will screen travel documentaries and host travel authors. Thomas and I recorded together in Bangkok. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mihai Dascalu, and Ryan Knott. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. | — | ||||||
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| 10/3/25 | Orla Phillips … A Travel Brochure | Orla Phillips has been to 172 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. On this episode I have the pleasure to speak with Orla Phillips who I was fortunate enough to meet at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok. Orla was inspired as a child to travel as she thumbed through travel brochures in her home. We trace her life as she leaves the Irish countryside to become a long term expat in Dubai. We discuss her transition from avid traveler to someone who is Chasing 193. And we learn about the tragic passing of her mother and why Portugal will be her last country to visit. 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, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, Mihai Dascalu and Ryan Knott for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Orla. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use code BANGKOK to save $110 for this incredibly packed event. We have great speakers like Jaime Aleman, who has completed the Grand Slam of Travel, every country in the world, both poles, and outer space. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. We are also adding in a Travel Content Creation day at the ETF, where we will screen travel documentaries and host travel authors. Speaking about books, friend of the pod, Ildy Szabo has just published a new travel book. Congrats! The World Is Your Playground. You can purchase this book on October 7th for just 99 cents on Amazon. And remember to pick up a copy of the Impossible Journey by Thor Pedersen. The Impossible Journey (including Kindle on Amazon US - affiliate). I was in Bangkok while Orla was in Dubai for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mihai Dascalu, and Ryan Knott. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Peter Fenger Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 9/14/25 |  Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update I - Destination Reveal | Hey now! Welcome to the third season of ETF news and updates. The destination for ETF III will be back to Bangkok, Thailand! The dates will be October 22-25, 2026. Join today to lock in great prices with these discount codes. ETF3 - $140 DISCOUNT – EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 24 ALUMNI - if you are an alumni of ETF I or II please contact me for a bigger discount - expires September 24 as well Tickets are non-refundable, but you may sell your ticket. It will be your responsibility to find the buyer. For more details. www.extraordinarytravelfest.com | — | ||||||
| 9/2/25 | Peter Fenger … The Milk Run | Peter Fenger has been to 102 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. On this episode I have the pleasure to speak with Peter Fenger, who just celebrated his 50th anniversary of global traveler. I always love to hear the insights of pre-internet travelers, as Peter visited both China and the USSR in the 1980s. AS a young man, Peter turned left at the fork, which opened a path of exploration and freedom and avoided a regimented life in Copenhagen. He never looked back, and he never lived in Denmark again. 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, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, Mihai Dascalu and Ryan Knott for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Thor. And, we also have partnered with Ahmed at Aknaf Tours in Iraq who offers monthly fixed date trips from Baghdad to the marshes. Of course it is a bit too hot. But start planning those trips starting in September and beyond. Here is the link. And ask me for the discount code. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Remember the date will be October 22-25, 2026. And, please note there will be a FB Live on September 14th where we announce the host city for the third ETF. Click this link to stay apprised of the date and time. Also, remember to pick up a copy of the Impossible Journey by Thor Pedersen. The Impossible Journey (including Kindle on Amazon US - affiliate). I was in Chicago and Peter was in Lisbon for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mihai Dascalu, and Ryan Knott. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Peter Fenger Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 8/1/25 | Thor Pedersen … Impossible Journey | Thor Pedersen has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Thor returns for the 4th time to Counting Countries in addition to 7 other episodes for patrons. During this conversation, we speak about his newly published book, The Impossible Journey (including Kindle on Amazon US - affiliate). Despite knowing his journey well, this book shares more stories and additional context to his quest. We also overview what he has been doing over the last 2 years since his return from his nearly 10 year journey. 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, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, Mihai Dascalu and Ryan Knott for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear the entire conversation with Thor. And, we also have partnered with Ahmed at Aknaf Tours in Iraq who offers monthly fixed date trips from Baghdad to the marshes. Of course it is a bit too hot. But start planning those trips starting in September and beyond. Here is the link. And ask me for the discount code. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. I do have some news to share at this time … a save the date, ETF will be October 22-25, 2026. Destination to be announced soon. So if interested in the ETF, block those dates off. And speaking of the ETF, one of the sponsors of the ETF in Bangkok was Visit Mogadishu, a well known provider for travelers going to Somalia. I am sorry to share that Omar and Visit Mogadishu are unfortunately untrustworthy. Omar, the founder, when he came to Bangkok informed me he could not pay the full amount of his sponsorship. I accommodated Omar for many months, and unfortunately after 8 months, Visit Mogadishu never settled their bill, continually making excuses on why they were unable to fulfill their commitments. This is a poor reflection on their organization and would make me second guess traveling with them to a volatile region. Just my two cents on why you might want to avoid them for any future trips to the region. I was in Bangkok and Thor was in Copenhagen for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mihai Dascalu, and Ryan Knott. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More About Thor Pedersen Counting Countries Instagram: Instagram The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Thor Pedersen Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 7/3/25 | Zsuzsanna Berencsi … Thanks Tammy | Zsuzsanna Berencsi has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Zsu Berencsi shares with us her awesome travel adventures to every country in the world with a big celebration this past December in her last country, Jamaica. I have met Zsu twice before at both ETFs and she promises a third. I got it on tape. I also reconnected with Zsu at April Peregrino's 193 party in Bratislava where Zsu arranged a special field trip. 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, Sam Williams, Scott Day, and Dana Mahoutchian for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear extra content with Zsu that you will not hear and you can be part of our members only FB group. And my patrons will get behind the scene video and audio from a unique roadtrip that Zsu hosted to her favorite ice cream parlor! And now I want to take a moment for one of my parts of the podcast and that is to welcome two new patrons to the Counting Countries family. First up is Mihai Dascalu. He recently retired, and after a NM survey, he and his wife decided to officially Chase 193. They have a passion for UNESCOs and Mihai plays classical piano. And I got to meet him last November at the ETF, so you know he is a cool guy! And also welcome Ryan Knott, who has listened to over 100 episodes in the last two years, especially while driving on some roadtrips. He visited all 50 US states with his Dad by the age of 20. And he is planning on 100 countries by 2030. Good luck Ryan! And congratulations to Phil Marcus who just hit 100,000 on his Youtube channel, Phil's Guide To The World. Occasionally, I make some cameos. And one more and, congratulations to Alvaor Rojas for his second time to every country in the world. And, we also have partnered with Ahmed at Aknaf Tours in Iraq who offers monthly fixed date trips from Baghdad to the marshes. Of course it is a bit too hot. But start planning those trips starting in September and beyond. Here is the link. And ask me for the discount code. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter on our. ETF will be sometime, somewhere in 2026 around October/November, destination unknown. I was in Bangkok and Zsu was in Dubai for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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, Mhai Dascalu, and Ryan. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More About Zsuzsanna Berencsi Counting Countries Instagram: Instagram Her Story: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lifestyle/20241229/zsuzsanna-berencsi-journeys-across-196-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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Zsuzsanna Berencsi Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 6/15/25 | 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 ETF newsletter 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 link here to see your options. I also attended April Peregrino's last country party celebration in Bratislava. Congrats to April who was interviewed on one of the early Counting Countries episodes when she was just at 84 countries. 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 Patrons - 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 Mihai Dascalu. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Michael Zervos Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 6/2/25 | 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 Patreon.com/CountingCountries. 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 website on the Show Notes. 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 ETF newsletter 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 Patrons - 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. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Jenna Pava Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 5/3/25 | 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 Patreon.com/CountingCountries. 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 website on the Show Notes. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter 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 Patrons - 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. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More About We Married Adventure Counting Countries Instagram: We Married Adventure (@we.married.adventure) • Instagram photos and videos Website: WE MARRIED ADVENTURE – We Married Adventure 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. We Married Adventure Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 4/3/25 | 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 Patreon.com/CountingCountries. 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 website or the Show Notes. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter 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, Saving Sam. (affiliate) I was in Boston for this recording while Sam was in St. Louis. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - 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. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More About Sam Goodwin Counting Countries Instagram: Extraordinary Travel Festival (@extratravelfest) • Instagram photos and videos Website: Bio - Sam Goodwin 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Sam Goodwin Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 3/17/25 | Vance ... My Latin Life | Hey now, this is your host, Ric Gazarian. And today, we have a special episode. The mission of this podcast is to speak to travelers who have been to every country in the world or who are in the process of completing that goal. And, this is an amazing community of individuals which I am fortunate to get to speak with. This episode is a bit different since Vance is not Chasing 193, but he is very well traveled. He comes more from the 2nd passport / permanent residency world, which overlaps here and there with some members of the 193 community. Vance has been a virtual friend of mine for several years. I have been hosted twice by Vance on his podcast, My Latin Life. You can check out my recent episode on your favorite podcast player in February. I wanted to use this opportunity to learn more about Vance and his world. I was in Boston for this conversation while Vance was in Portugal. Please listen in and enjoy. And remember to sign up for the ETF newsletter! | — | ||||||
| 3/3/25 | 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 Patreon.com/CountingCountries. 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 Patrons - 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. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More About Sandy Cohen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandy_bonvoyagetv/ 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Sandy Cohen Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 2/3/25 | 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. Please join Jonny as he celebrates in London with this link. 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 Patreon.com/CountingCountries. 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 Patrons - 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. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Pav Mbeda Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 1/5/25 | 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, Going Places. And I just met Yulia at a Travel Massive 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 WanderLearn, Palle Bo's Radio Vagabond, and Matt Bowles's The Maverick Show. 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 Patreon.com/CountingCountries. 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 podcast 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 Patrons - 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.Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review!About Yooshita Fathi Counting Countries Stay in touch with Yooshita:https://www.instagram.com/yooshitaa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/youshita-fathi/ 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Yooshita Fathi Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 11/25/24 | 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 Patreon.com/CountingCountries. 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 Patrons - 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. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! 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 Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Counting Countries | — | ||||||
| 11/3/24 | Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #11 - Charles Veley | Hey now! This is it, the last episode before the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok. Still a little time left to join. Use code BANGKOK. My special guest is speaker and sponsor Charles Veley, founder of the Most Traveled People, and considered one of the most traveled people in the world. Charles teases some of the updates he will be sharing in Bangkok, from updates on the App to next location of the MTP Summitt. Please listen in and enjoy. www.extraordinarytravelfest.com | — | ||||||
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Chart Positions
3 placements across 3 markets.
Chart Positions
3 placements across 3 markets.