Michael Runkel … has completed 193 UN countries
Michael has visited every country in the world and is ranked #10 on Nomad Mania On today’s episode, I welcome back Michael Runkel back to Counting Countries. Michael first appeared on Episode 17, back in the fall of 2016. At that time he had completed 176 countries. I am in a difficult position. There are only 26 podcasts a year, and there are so many incredible individuals in the 193 community. I have an ongoing personal debate whether to only feature new people on the podcast or revisit with prior guests. I decided in some cases, it would be interesting to touch base with previous guests who were in the midst of their quest, and who at a later point completed the 193. Hence, Michael rejoins Counting Countries again. And he does not disappoint. Michael is a prolific traveler and shares more incredible travel stories including one from Central African Republic. He introduces us to Kolja Spori’s Extreme Traveler International Congress, which took place in Somalia, where William Baekeland made an appearance. Michael also touches on his [...]
Noratus Cemetery Must-See
This has been on my radar screen for a long time. I have been to Armenia every year since 2003, but somehow this historical gem was always overlooked by me until this year in 2018. Noratus cemetery is a medieval cemetery filled with stone-carved crosses. Noratus located on Lake Sevan is filled with over 1000 stone carved crosses known as khachkars. Some of these khackkars date back to the 10th century. This place is oozing with history. Noratus cemetery must-see. Noratus also known as Noraduz is a leisurely 90-minute ride from Yerevan. Noratus is a small village on Lake Sevan, Armenia’s largest body of water in this landlocked country. Noratus was part of a seven day road trip I took across southern Armenian and neighboring Artsakh. My car rolled up to the edge of the cemetery, a wide green expanse surrounded on one side by the villagers’ homes. The other side eventually seeped into the lake. Khachkars are part of the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Most khachkars feature a cross in the center adorned with [...]
Reasons Why The Bahamas Should Be In Your Bucket List
Reasons why the Bahamas should be in your bucket list The Bahamas is one of those destinations that definitely brings you closer to the wind. It has perfect vision to carry you out with the placement of the high-class cruise liners along with the greater assortment of fascinating natural attractions. Then, as you decided to travel in Bahamas together with your family and friends, one of the very first things that you should consider is completely related with your budget for the trip. Accommodation plays a great role on how far your travel budget takes you. There are excellent rentals in the Bahamas that you can look into which would bring complete relaxation and hassle-free stay during your whole Bahamas trip with price range for every type of traveler. Before you book your trip to Bahamas, find out why this Caribbean paradise should be next in your bucket list. Exciting Ocean Adventures Bahamas is a coral-based archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and it also known for its stellar beaches. Don’t miss to explore its beauty by checking [...]
Scenic Flight Over The Namib Desert
The engine puttered and the propellers came to life. The engine growl reminded me a bit of the lawn mower I used to push during my college summers. But this afternoon was going to be a bit more exciting then pushing a mower in the suburbs. I was strapped in behind the pilot in the second row. I was in a Cessna 210, an aircraft with a 36-foot wingspan that holds 5 passengers, with one sitting in the co-pilot’s seat. I was about to embark on a two-hour sightseeing flight over the Namibian coast. My flight was going to cover nearly 400 miles of Namibian highlights. Scenic Flight Namib Desert. Disclosure: I was an invited guest of G Adventures, check out my itinerary when I visited Namibia! Namibia’s coast stretches nearly 1000 miles, and in fact nearly the entire coast is covered by the Namib-Skeleton Coast National Park. This Park is larger than the entire country of Portugal! And Namib translates to “vast place”, a very accurate description. The Namib-Skeleton Coast National Park is considered the oldest [...]
Lexie Alford … has traveled to 140 UN countries
Lexie is on track to become the youngest person to travel to every country in the world, earning a Guinness World Record Today, I welcome Lexie Alford, the youngest person who has appeared on Counting Countries. She just turned 20 years old. She has already visited 140 countries. She is on track to be the youngest person to travel to every country in the world, sometime next year. Her goal is to visit every country in the world before she turns 21. If so, she will claim the GWR. On previous episodes of Counting Countries, I have interviewed James Asquith the youngest person to travel every country in the world as well as the former record holder, Maurizio Giuliani. I also interviewed Eric Nguyen last year, who finished 193 and is applying to GWR, to claim James’s GWR. The superlatives of travel have seemed to have taken on a life of their own in the travel world, with Cassie De Pecol claiming to be the first documented woman to travel to every country in the world. I [...]
Victoria Falls – Must-See
Victoria Falls Must See. Victoria Falls is one of those places that engenders such lofty expectations, yet is able to exceed them once you are finally able to witness its gargantuan magnificence. Victoria Falls sits at the corner of where Zimbabwe and Zambia meet. David Livingstone, the Scottish explorer, was the first “to discover” the falls in 1855. David Livingstone overlooks the falls While Livingstone named the falls in honor of Queen Victoria its true name is Mosi-oa-Tunya which translates to "The Smoke that Thunders". This name aptly describes the experience of visiting the falls, a giant wall of grey-white mist is produced by the falls sometimes covering you in the equivalent of a downpour. And the sound. In some ways, visiting Victoria Falls is as much an auditory experience, with the giant volume of cascading water creating a thunderous cacophony you will hear. Victoria Falls has some intense competition in the waterfall department, with its global siblings of Niagara Falls and Iguazu Falls. Each one makes its own claim to fame in an ongoing [...]
