Counting Countries - podcast cover

Counting Countries

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

Nick Butter … Don’t Wait For A Diagnosis

Key Links video IG: Donate!: Website: Thank you to my Patrons…Phillip Jones, , Thor Pedersen, Steph Rowe, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims. You can purchase them today on Amazon. And now, you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! Check out our friend: . They organize international rallies around the world, including Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines, and the Amazon. And watch my full-length when I traveled with Large Minority. Nick appeared on my radar screen when I read a pos...

Apr 08, 20212 hr 8 minSeason 2Ep. 95

Gina Morello … No Roof On Your Dreams

Key Links video Thank you to my Patrons…Phillip Jones, William Schelling, , Thor Pedersen, Steph Rowe, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims. You can purchase them today on Amazon. And now, you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! Check out our friend: . They organize international rallies around the world, including Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines, and the Amazon. And watch my full-length when I traveled with Large Minority. Gina and I met at the Principality of Sealand in the ...

Feb 11, 20211 hr 42 minSeason 2Ep. 94

Indy Nelson…Looking For The Pieces Of A Puzzle

Key Links video Thank you to my Patrons…William Schelling, , Steph Rowe, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims. You can purchase them today on Amazon. And now, you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! Check out our friend: . They organize international rallies around the world, including Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines, and the Amazon. And watch my full-length when I traveled with Large Minority. More About Indy: Born in: USA Passports: USA About Counting Countries Counting Coun...

Dec 10, 20201 hr 42 minSeason 2Ep. 93

Jack Goldstein…Itching To Cross Borders

Natasha was born in the Caribbean and was able to explore the region growing up. But Natasha’s serious travels began when she relocated to the Pacific Islands. She shares with us how she balances her travel when her spouse can not always join her and talks about relying on her 193 travel crew. I encourage you to subscribe wherever you listen, Apple Podcast, Google Play, or Spotify and even better if you write a review. Natasha was in Dublin while I was recording in Bangkok. Please listen in and ...

Nov 12, 20201 hr 47 minSeason 2Ep. 92

Natasha Keary … Lived In 10 Different Countries

Key Links Natasha and I follow each other on Instagram. And two things stood out on her profile bio. First, she travels on a Trinidad and Tobago passport, not one of the most powerful passports in the world. The second is she has lived in ten different countries. That piqued my interest to invite her on the podcast. Thanks to my patrons , William Schelling, Steph Rowe, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, and Adam Hickman for supporting Counting Countries. They help pay for the production of this podcast. You ...

Oct 08, 20201 hr 13 minSeason 2Ep. 91

Graham Hughes…Three Hobbits Named Mohammed

Key Links A fleeting tweet recently connected me to Graham Hughes and paved the way for this podcast. I had reached out to him years ago, but my email ended up in a spam folder. So for those who say nothing good comes from Twitter, you now stand corrected. Thanks to my patrons William Schelling, Steph Rowe, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, and Adam Hickman for supporting Counting Countries. And a warm welcome to our new patron, , from Norway. They help pay for the production of this podcast. You can suppor...

Sep 10, 20202 hr 49 minSeason 2Ep. 90

Very Hungry Nomads…On Their Reverse Retirement

Key Links I had the opportunity to speak with world travelers Martina Sebova and Rachel Davey, who comprise the Very Hungry Nomads. This was my first outing of attempting to interview two people at the same time. Marty and Rach did an excellent job of moderating the answers. It has been a frustrating time for most extreme travelers as we shelter in place around the globe. There does not seem to be an end in sight when travel will go back to normal. I hope everyone is well and keeping in safely. ...

Aug 13, 20201 hr 20 minSeason 2Ep. 89

Chris Sutherland…Striking Out On His Own

Key Links It was back in February and I was preparing for several months of non-stop travel. That meant I had to record and prepare five podcasts prior to my trip so I could publish them once my travels began. And randomly I got an email from Chris Sutherland sharing that he was swinging through Bangkok for a couple of days. I know Chris from FB and being fellow moderators in Every Passport Stamp. This was a great opportunity to sit down with him and hear his story in person. In a perfect world,...

Jul 09, 20201 hr 29 minSeason 2Ep. 88

Joss Stone…Performing In Every Country In The World

Key Links I have spoken to so many travel legends on Counting Countries, but this interview marks my first time speaking with a person, who gained their fame outside of the travel world. Joss Stone is a multi-platinum artist who has won a Grammy. But of course on this podcast, we focussed on her travel accomplishments. Joss created the audacious project, Total World Tour, which entailed Joss performing in every country around the world. I only learned about Joss at the beginning of 2019 when Tho...

Jun 11, 20202 hr 1 minSeason 2Ep. 87

Francis Tapon … Traveled Africa With Three Thousand Friends

Key Links Francis popped up on my radar about a year ago, when former guest Fabio Cao brought him to my attention. I hit google up and quickly realized Francis was an accomplished traveler, including a five year continuous journey across every country in Africa. He seemed like a great fit for Counting Countries, but I neglected to reach out. Then a recent email from listener, Francois Xavier, suggested that I have Francis on the podcast. This email served as a catalyst for me to finally reach ou...

May 14, 20202 hr 44 minSeason 2Ep. 86

Melissa Roy…Dreams From Her Father

Key Links I reached out to Melissa shortly after she announced her accomplishment of traveling to every country in the world. Social media and traditional media began reporting that she was the first woman of South Asian heritage to complete this quest. On Counting Countries, I am always looking for diverse voices, whether it is nationality, ethnicity, religion, or any other differentiators. It is great to get other perspectives. Lemurs, Baobab trees. Come join Counting Countries on its first gr...

Apr 09, 20202 hr 23 minSeason 2Ep. 85

Lorenzo Riccardi…Marrying Economics And Travel

Key Links I had the great opportunity to sit down with Lorenzo during his visit to Bangkok. We had known of each other through the EPS community on FB as well as through some mutual friends. After the interview, Lorenzo joined me at a travel networking event I host in Bangkok where he was the featured speaker. It is always great to do the interviews in person. Counting Countries is offering its first group tour to Madagascar in August of 2020. Please reach out to me with any questions on this tr...

Mar 12, 20201 hr 42 minSeason 2Ep. 84

Slawek Muturi…A Neighbor Of The World

Key Links Today, I speak with Slawek Muturi, a truly fascinating and impressive traveler. The more I researched Slawek, the more I was looking forward to our conversation. He is a successful individual, whether it is business or travel. Counting Countries is offering its first group tour to Madagascar in August of 2020. Please reach out to me with any questions on this trip. In addition, if you are planning trips to places like Antarctica, Svalbard, Galapagos, please consider my partner G Advent...

Feb 13, 20202 hr 21 minSeason 2Ep. 83

Maryam Sultan Abdullah … The Wonder Woman Of Travel

Key Links -----I am announcing that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support creators, and that is me. I have been extremely fortunate to be be able to create this podcast and to meet so many interesting and compelling travelers, but I have also spent a tremendous amount of time and some money creating this podcast. This is an opportunity for you to support Counting Countries. I have created several tiers of support, each...

Dec 12, 20191 hr 40 minSeason 2Ep. 81

Kach Howe … Dreamed Of Being A Diplomat

Key Links ----- And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! More About Kach: Where were you born: Philippines What passport (s) do you hold: Philippines Website: and And write a review! Check out our friend: . They organize international rallies around the world including: Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines and the Amazon. And watch my full length when I traveled with Large Minority. About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’...

Nov 14, 20191 hr 53 minSeason 2Ep. 80

Charles Veley … And The Commitment To Travel

Key Links ----- And now you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! Check out our friend: . They organize international rallies around the world including: Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines and the Amazon. And watch my full length when I traveled with Large Minority. 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 tr...

Oct 10, 20192 hr 46 minSeason 2Ep. 79

Per Besson … On The Road To Turkmenistan CORRECTED

Key Links -----I had the great opportunity to sit down with Per Besson. We met in person at the Extreme Travel International Congress, where Per did a lot of great organizing for the event at the Principality of Sealand. The following week we met for some great Georgian food and sat down to do an interview in person in London. My apologies, this episode was recorded in the hotel lobby with some background noise. I am reminding you that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is...

Sep 12, 20191 hr 41 minSeason 2Ep. 78

Lexie Alford … Collecting 10,000 Documents

Key Links Blog: Instagram: TedEx: -----Lexie Alford … Collecting 10,000 Documents Lexie is the youngest person to travel to every country in the world This is my second conversation with Lexie. As I have mentioned before, I constantly debate whether to invite guests back for a second conversation, especially since I only publish podcasts on a monthly basis at this time. But I considered Lexie’s accomplishment worth a second conversation as I had become vested in her journey as I tracked her trav...

Aug 08, 20191 hr 44 minSeason 2Ep. 77

Live From Dubai! … A Conversation With Four Extreme Travelers

Key Links -----A bit similar to our last episode, Live From Sealand, this episode, Live From Dubai, features four extreme travelers: Ryan Gazder, Zulekha Huseni, Zsuzsanna Berencsi, and Adam Hickman. I had an extended layover in Dubai en route to Armenia and I reached to some fellow travelers. We met for some Lebanese and then retired to a conference room in the Burj Khalifa to record this episode. I am reminding you that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform th...

Jul 25, 20191 hr 26 minSeason 2Ep. 76

Live From Sealand! … Extreme Travelers Gather & A Conversation With Prince Michael

Key Links -----On today’s episode, I speak with eight extreme travelers at Sealand. Well, let me explain that, the interviews did not take place at Sealand, but at the nearby port of Harwich in England. And yes, these interviews are recorded, so it is really not live. But, I loved the title … Live From Sealand. I am reminding you that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support creators, and that is me creating Counting Coun...

Jul 11, 20192 hr 46 minSeason 2Ep. 75

Palle Bo … re-invented himself at 50

Key Links -----On today’s episode, I welcome Palle Bo to Counting Countries. Palle and I have met twice over the last couple of years, once in Manila and once in Chicago, but today is the day where we made it official with an interview. Before I introduce Palle, I am reminding you that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support creators, and that is me creating Counting Countries. I have been extremely fortunate to be be ab...

Jun 13, 20191 hr 29 minSeason 2Ep. 74

Adam Hickman … striving to travel to every country before he turns 40

Key Links -----Hey now… Thank you for joining me on Counting Countries. I’m your host, Ric Gazarian, . On today’s episode, I welcome Adam Hickman to Counting Countries. Adam is on a mission to visit every country before he turns 40 and moving to the UAE opened up many travel opportunities. Before I introduce Adam, a quick reminder that Counting Countries is now partnered with . Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support creators, and that is me creating Counting Countries....

May 09, 20191 hr 33 minSeason 2Ep. 73

Felix Mechnig-Giordano … flirting with disaster in Syria

Key Links -----On today’s episode, I welcome Felix Mechnig-Giordano to Counting Countries. Before I introduce Felix, I am reminding you that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support creators, and that is me creating Counting Countries. I have been extremely fortunate to be be able to create this podcast and be able to meet so many interesting and compelling travelers, but I have also spent a tremendous amount of time and ...

Apr 11, 20192 hr 6 minSeason 2Ep. 72

Thor Pedersen … left home in October of 2013 to travel the world without taking any flights

Key Links -----On today’s episode, I welcome back Thor Pedersen to Counting Countries. Thor is on a mission to see every country in the world with several caveats; no airplane flights, at least 24 hours in every country, and will not return home until the mission is finished. Before I introduce Thor, I am reminding you that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support creators, and that is me creating Counting Countries. I ha...

Mar 07, 20191 hr 48 minSeason 2Ep. 71

Sascha Grabow … avoiding watermelons on the road

Key Links -----On today’s episode, I welcome Sascha Grabow to Counting Countries. I noted Sascha’s name on the top of the Nomad Mania’s best traveled for quite some time. We spent numerous months scheduling this conversation taking into account our travels as well as some time that Sascha spent in prison in the Solomon Islands. Before I introduce Sascha, I am reminding you that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support cre...

Feb 07, 20192 hr 14 minSeason 2Ep. 70

Petro Marais … and the slow boat to Laos

Key Links -----I am announcing that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support creators, and that is me. I have been extremely fortunate to be be able to create this podcast and to meet so many interesting and compelling travelers, but I have also spent a tremendous amount of time and some money creating this podcast. This is an opportunity for you to support Counting Countries. I have created several tiers of support, each...

Jan 10, 20191 hr 34 minSeason 2Ep. 69

Debjeet Sen … and the seduction of travel

Key Links -----I am announcing that Counting Countries is now partnered with Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows patrons, that’s you, to support creators, and that is me. I have been extremely fortunate to be be able to create this podcast and to meet so many interesting and compelling travelers, but I have also spent a tremendous amount of time and some money creating this podcast. This is an opportunity for you to support Counting Countries. I have created several tiers of support, each...

Dec 13, 20181 hr 28 minSeason 2Ep. 68

Rus Margolin … from communist to capitalist

Website: Instagram: On today’s episode, I welcome Rus Margolin to Counting Countries. I learned about Rus and his prolific travel from seeing his photos on Facebook in Every Passport Stamp, and fellow EPS Moderator Petro suggested that I interview him for the podcast. Russ grew up in the Soviet Union in Minsk, Belarus. Rus’s parents believed in travel and took him on frequent trips within the Soviet Union, including frequent trips to the Baltics. In fact, growing up Rus was the president of the ...

Nov 29, 20181 hr 20 minSeason 2Ep. 67

Danay Bustamante … introduces us to the three wise men of Burkina Faso

On today’s episode, I welcome Danay Bustamante to Counting Countries. I learned about Jenna from previous guest, Henrik Jeppesen, who introduced us via email. It took Danay and I several months to connect due to conflicting schedules. Danay was born in Cuba, was separated for years from her father who moved to Mexico, and she eventually reunited with her father via a trip to the UK. Growing up she developed her twin passions of travel and dance. Her love of salsa has opened many doors around the...

Nov 15, 20181 hr 33 minSeason 2Ep. 66
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