Fiji – 116th Country
Fiji – 116th Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Fiji is my 116th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! A five night trip to Fiji was unfortunately shortened to two nights. A brutal snowstorm ripped through the Northeast shutting down the airport in Boston. My flight to Fiji was rescheduled for three days later. Fiji a South Pacific Island gained its independence from the Brits in 1970. I was surprised to learn that nearly 40% of the people on Fiji have an Indian background. They were brought to Fiji by the Brits as indentured workers to farm sugar cane during the 19th century. Many remained after their contract. My brief time in Fiji was spent lounging around at the Hilton Resort and also spending a day with Coral Cats on a day snorkel trip. Even though it was a short trip, it was great to escape the [...]
Jonny Blair – 113 countries … a Northern Irishman in Poland
[Download .mp3] Jonny has been on the road for nearly a decade in a half and has covered a lot of ground. Jonny was inspired to travel by both ice cream and football. He sold ice cream for four summers in his twenties and his coworkers hailed from 20 different countries, opening his eyes to the world. Jonny’s other passion is football. And as a kid he collected stickers of World Cup competitors from around the world. Jonny loves travel and he has a special interest in micronations. Jonny has met Jonathan I, Emperor of Austenasia and was the first backpacker to visit the nation. He also visited the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a unique political and geographical entity. Jonny shares stories of traveling to New Zealand and partaking in adventure sports and meeting tons of other travelers. He explains the challenges of traveling in China and the rewards that are earned by visiting this amazing nation. He shares with us the beauty of Afghanistan and his discomfort when visiting Venezuela. Jonny joined me [...]
Quarantine On The Friendship Highway, Part IV
Quarantine On The Friendship Highway, Part IV. Real fear and paranoia set in. It was our fourth day and for all intensive purposes we were in an information black out. The day began like Groundhog Day, the same as the day before. The Yetis silently crept into our room with thermometers clutched in their white latex gloved hands. I stirred awake in my damp bed and stared at my roommate Jessica as I propped my body up in the bed to get my morning temperature reading. This is a multipart story, to start from the beginning, click here. All of my fellow imprisoned friends eventually shuffled their way out of their rooms and headed to the lobby. I poked my chopstick against the morning slop, lazily stirring the food in the prison-like metal tray. The gossip and speculation began anew. When would we be released? Tomorrow? A week? A month? No one knew, but we all felt comfortable presenting our own pet theories. The Yetis getting ready for their mid-morning temperature reading Chewy entered the [...]
A Year In Review: 2017
A Year In Review: 2017. It was another crazy year of travel in 2017. I continued exploring new countries, visiting my 115th country in September when I touched down in Palau in September. There are 193 countries recognized by the UN, so that means I still have 78 more to travel. Besides visiting Palau, I traveled to 11 other new countries in chronological order: Belize Monaco Andorra Algeria Burkina Faso Niger Tunisia Bolivia Chile Paraguay Federated States of Micronesia Palau I have almost finished Europe with just four countries left: Ireland (how have I not been there yet!), San Marino, Cyprus and Monaco. South America is nearly done, with three countries being left: Venezuela, Suriname, and Guyana. I have just begun to tip my toe in regard to the Pacific Islands, but I also have three other new ones scheduled for January of 2018. And Africa remains my biggest challenge. I have only visited 11 countries on this massive continent with 54 countries. And of course there were many repeats … 13 in fact. For someone who [...]
Tony Giles – 110 countries … and blind and mostly deaf
[Download .mp3] Tony has a sense of adventure not rivaled by many. Tony heard tales of travel from his Dad, a merchant marine. He also had two opportunities to study in the USA as a student. Yet, the gift of a kidney which prevented a life of dialysis supercharged his travel life, reminding him that his life is short. And did I mention that Tony is also blind and mostly deaf. Tony shows an incredible amount of poise, courage and optimism. Tony typically travels solo and revels in the magic of travel, enjoying the interactions with locals and other travelers. Tony shares why he loves New Zealand and Iceland. He tells us why he found the Italians less than helpful. Tony shares with us how he we was kicked out of North Dakota on his first visit and about Greyhound’s habit to lose his luggage. Tony has a penchant for adventure, whether it is hang gliding, bungee jumping, zip line or skydiving. He has a zest for life and exploration. Tony joined me from the [...]
Palau – 115th Country
Palau – 115th Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Palau is my 115th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! I took a brief late night flight on the once weekly flight from Yap to Palau. I arrived at my Airbnb in darkness and prepared for my three days on the water in this western Pacific country. For pure natural beauty it is hard to beat the Palau. Untouched islands mix with the crystal blue oceans. The snorkeling is amazing with healthy coral and a multitude of colorful fish. Kayaking was enjoyable, taking in the breathtaking nature. Palau, Pacific Perfection Palau – 115th Country
