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 [...]
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. And this is a double episode. Following Sandy, I have a great conversation with Vance from My Latin Life. While Vance is not Chasing 193, he can be found in an interesting corner of travel, specifically in the world of 2nd passports and Permanent Residencies. Vance also has a podcast, My Latin Life, and I had the honor of appearing on a recent episode. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my [...]
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 [...]
Yooshita Fathi … Breaking Stereotypes
Yooshita has traveled to 108 countries Yooshita Fathi Counting 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 [...]
A Year In Review 2024
The year of 2024 is a tale of two cities. The first half of the year was about Chasing 193 while the second half of the year was focused on producing the second Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok. I ended 2023 at 171 UN countries. This year I made further progress, ending the year at 181 UN member countries. So close I can almost taste it. Only 12 more countries remain, and my quest will be complete. My goal was to finish this journey in May of 2025, visiting my last country, Ireland. But, unfortunately there is a catch. I will explain that later in this post. The New Ones. I reported last year that I was near completing the most challenging continent, Africa, with 54 countries. I only had 2 countries left at the end of 2023, Libya and Sao Tome & Principe. Libya a sometime tough visa and security challenge and Sao Tome & Principe a bit of a logistical pickle. I left Boston in early January to visit my penultimate African country, Libya. Libya [...]
20 Best Photos Of 2024
20 Best Photos Of 2024. I am back again with my annual wrap-up of my best travels from the year. It was another incredible year of travel, especially the first half of the year. The first half of the year was focused on finishing the continents of Africa and Oceania, the second half of the year it was all about the Extraordinary Travel Festival. Please take a gander and feel free to share any comments. LIBYA I could have selected many photos from the historic Roman Ruins in Libya but I opted for this guy who shared this sly smile with me in the Medina of Tripoli. TUNISIA Not maybe the image you think of when one mentions Tunisia. The US maintains a handful of war cemeteries overseas, including the magnificent and somber North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, honoring those who perished fighting the Axis forces. AUSTRALIA There are sometimes reasons why landmarks are the top tourist draw. One of the most recognizable monuments in the world is the Sydney Opera House. Here is a shot [...]
