Ed Hotchkiss … On The Quest
Ed Hotchkiss has traveled to 128 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Checking in with our new guest, Ed Hotchkiss. As I note in my conversation, Ed and I have shared a lot of face time in less than a year, whether it was in the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Armenia or on trips with ITC Sudan to Sudan and a visit to Djibouti. Ed is also one of those people you hear mentioned every episode since he is a patron. As I traveled with Ed for a couple of weeks, I always had a keen ear for his travels. One of the interesting attributes he brings is a window of travel over several decades. I won’t spoil the plot, but Ed has been traveling for years whether it is hitchhiking across America, for work, with his great buddy Phil, and his lovely wife Khadija. He is a passionate photographer and has published a massive passion project, a photo book of the people of the NYC subway. OK, if you have been online, [...]
Ross OC Jennings … Opening Doors
Ross OJ Jennings has traveled to 106 countries. Ross OC Jennings Counting Countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Did you note that the intro has been updated? Thanks to Evo the longtime voice of Counting Countries. Ross OC Jennings might not be well known in the 193 community but he is cutting a unique path. I had read about Ross a couple of years ago, and as I shared with him, I was a bit skeptical about his quest. His goal was to the first bagpiper to travel to every country in the world. Well, I can imagine he will be the first since this is not a highly sought after category. Anyone can create a category and be the first by making the stipulations arcane and non-desirable. But I recently heard Ross on a 10 minute podcast and was immediately won over. I wanted to learn more about his journey and I think you will appreciate it as well. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially [...]
David Yang … Always On The Move
David Yang has traveled to every country in the world. David Yang Counting Countries I feel like I have known David for as long as I have been in the community with our mutual 218 FB friends. David is an outgoing, gregarious and omnipresent traveler in our group. Whether he is sharing his travel photos on FB sometimes multiple times a day or jumping from one corner of the globe to the other to meetup with travel friends. I have met David twice in real life which we touch on. And David is a prolific counter and tracker of all sorts of things. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons: Carole Southam, Sunir Joshi, Philippe Izedian, Gin, Phillip Jones, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Thor Pedersen, Adam Hickman, Katelyn Jarvis, Ed Hotchkiss, and Barry Hoffner for supporting this podcast. They help pay for the production of this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons hear extra content with David that you [...]
Comoros – 159th Country
Comoros – 159th 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. Comoros is my 159th Country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! The Comoros is a small island nation located off the east coast of Africa, in the Indian Ocean. The islands were inhabited by various Arab and Bantu-speaking groups before being colonized by France in the 19th century. The Comoros gained independence in 1975 and has since experienced political instability and coups. The country has a unique culture and is known for its traditional music, art, and architecture. The Comoros has a mixed economy, with agriculture, fishing, and tourism playing important roles, but the country also faces challenges related to poverty, unemployment, and environmental degradation. The Comoros has also been affected by natural disasters, including cyclones and volcanic eruptions. This visit was a treat after my previous three countries in Central Africa. This island reminded my a bit of the Seychelles without [...]
Central African Republic – 158th Country
Central African Republic – 158th 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. Central African Republic is my 158th Country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! The Central African Republic is a landlocked country located in central Africa, bordered by Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon. The area that is now the Central African Republic was inhabited by various indigenous groups for centuries before being colonized by France in the late 19th century. The country gained independence in 1960 and has since experienced political instability, coups, and periods of violent conflict. The Central African Republic has significant natural resources, including diamonds, gold, and uranium, but has struggled with poverty and underdevelopment. In recent years, the Central African Republic has seen the involvement of both the Wagner Group and the United Nations in the country. The Wagner Group is a private military company with ties to the Russian government, [...]
Equatorial Guinea – 157th Country
Equatorial Guinea – 157th 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. Equatorial Guinea is my 157th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! Equatorial Guinea is a small country located on the west coast of Central Africa, bordered by Cameroon and Gabon. The area that is now Equatorial Guinea was originally inhabited by various Bantu-speaking groups before being colonized by the Portuguese and later, the Spanish. It is the only Spanish speaking nation in Africa. The country gained independence from Spain in 1968 and has since been led by a series of authoritarian regimes. Equatorial Guinea has significant reserves of oil and gas, which have been a major driver of the economy, but there have been concerns about corruption and human rights abuses. The country has also faced challenges related to poverty, health, and education. EG is comprised of a mainland portion as well as a island where the capital resides. This [...]
