Barry Hoffner ... Belonging To The World

Barry Hoffner has published his memoir, Belonging To The World.

Hey now — I’m your host, Ric Gazarian. This is a special episode of the Counting Countries Podcast featuring extreme traveler and philanthropist Barry Hoffner.Barry previously appeared on Counting Countries, and I highly recommend listening to his original episode to hear his remarkable story. I first followed Barry on Instagram and later connected with him on a call. While Barry is an accomplished world traveler, what truly stood out to me was his meaningful philanthropic work in West Africa.In fact, I was so impressed that I invited Barry to speak as a keynote speaker at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok in 2024. His story of travel, loss, and giving back is one that deserves to be shared.

Belonging To The World – Barry Hoffner’s Travel Memoir

Belonging To The World (affiliate link) is Barry Hoffner’s memoir, published on March 3. The book chronicles Barry’s journey through life, career, travel, and family.

I’ve read the book and highly recommend it.

The memoir explores Barry’s lifelong love of travel but also recounts an unimaginable tragedy. Barry’s wife tragically passed away in a sudden accident in Botswana. In the aftermath of this devastating loss, Barry turned to travel and philanthropy to help navigate his grief.

This powerful memoir is both a story of extreme travel and a deeply human story of resilience, loss, and purpose. Whether you’re interested in visiting every country in the world or simply appreciate stories of perseverance, this book is well worth reading.

Buy the book: Belonging To The World – Kindle Version (Amazon)

Extraordinary Travel Festival 2026 – Bangkok

The next Extraordinary Travel Festival (ETF) will take place:

October 22–25, 2026
Bangkok, Thailand

Join hundreds of the world’s most passionate travelers for the largest gathering of extreme travelers anywhere in the world.

Use discount code: BANGKOK to save on your ticket.

New Keynote Speaker: Eunhee Park

I am also excited to announce a new keynote speaker, Eunhee Park.

Eunhee’s story is extraordinary. Born in North Korea, she undertook an incredibly dangerous journey to escape the DPRK in pursuit of freedom. Her story is one of courage, survival, and determination. Eunhee will share her journey with us at the Extraordinary Travel Festival.

Be sure to follow the ETF community on Instagram and Facebook and sign up for the ETF newsletter.

Podcast Episode Notes

This episode was recorded with me in Bangkok while Barry joined from Hawaii.

Please listen in and enjoy.

Support Counting Countries

Thank you to my amazing 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 • Shawn McDonough

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Related Travel Story: Thor Pedersen

Check out the remarkable journey of Thor Pedersen, who visited every country in the world without flying.

The Impossible Journey – Kindle (Affiliate Link)

More about Thor Pedersen: Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

About Counting Countries

Counting Countries is the only podcast dedicated to sharing the stories of travelers pursuing the extraordinary goal of visiting every country in the world.

In fact, fewer people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space.

Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written and performed by Mundi.