Very Hungry Nomads … On Their Reverse Retirement

Very Hungry Nomads have traveled to 185 countries

I had the opportunity to speak with world travelers Martina Sebova and Rachel Davey, who comprise the Very Hungry Nomads. This was my first outing of attempting to interview two people at the same time. Marty and Rach did an excellent job of moderating the answers.

It has been a frustrating time for most extreme travelers as we shelter in place around the globe. There does not seem to be an end in sight when travel will go back to normal. I hope everyone is well and keeping safe.

Thanks to my patrons William Schelling, Steph Rowe, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Stephen Rothwell, and Adam Hickman for supporting Counting Countries. And William, if you are listening, please reach out to me. They help pay for the production of this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com. My patrons will hear an extra interview with Marty and Rach which is exclusive to them.

Untamed Borders is our sponsor and they want to remind you that Covid-19 travel restrictions are slowly being lifted in certain parts of the world. If you are looking for inspiration for your first post Covid trip then check out some of their trips for the 2020-21 winter period in the middle east.

It’s been a crazy year for travel. None more so than for Untamed Borders, Counting Countries’s sponsor. They have been grounded since March but as travel restrictions ease they are arranging some private itineraries to countries such as Somalia, Afghanistan and Lebanon, where entry is permitted without quarantine if you have a negative Covid PCR test result. Contact Untamed Borders for a list of the more interesting places on the planet with this entry system. Please note, you may need to quarantine when returning to your home country.

One trip they have in September where many countries do allow free travel is to Turkey. UB they will be diving into the far southeast of the country populated by the Kurdish community. Visiting Diyarbakir, Mardin, and the very rarely visited province of Hakkari, which is high in the mountains on the border where Iraq, Iran, and Turkey meet.

If that is perhaps too soon then maybe check out some of their desert offerings in early 2021.

First up is their trip to what they call the Heart of the Sahara. To the Tadrat Rouge mountains of Southern Algeria. Right on the border with Niger and Libya, this really is an Untamed part of the world and for lovers of desert scenery, their photos of the orange sand and black rocks are spellbinding.

You could also try their new Saudi Arabia itinerary. As well as visiting Jeddah, Riyadh and the UNESCO Maidan Saleh. They have also added a night camping by the volcanos north of Medina. Who knew that Saudi Arabia contains almost 2000 extinct volcanos. A real trip off the beaten path of a country that is off the beaten path.

Marty and Rach grew up on two independent tracks but with an equal passion for travel. Their paths crossed in Europe while both worked for the same tour provider. Taking advantage of the off-season, they teamed up to start exploring other parts of the world. And of course, this transitioned at one point in traveling to every country in the world. They share their journey.

I encourage you to subscribe wherever you listen, Apple Podcast, Google Play, or Spotify and even better if you write a review. Listen to the end of the podcast to hear the latest review from Glimpses of Everywhere in Sweden … “Exactly what I needed!!! Instead of traveling this whole spring and summer (as was my initial plan) I got stuck at home and lost my job. Luckily I found a corona-job, making body bags. What helped me through this tough time was definitely Ric’s podcast. He is such an amazing interviewer, so respectful and nuanced and a great listener. I love listening to the podcast and with every episode, my bucket list gets longer and longer…”

Also, a quick note to some of my listeners and supporters. A former guest on Counting Countries who is a bit disgruntled has been harassing some of my listeners. I apologize for this person’s actions and hope you have not been overly inconvenienced.

Very Hungry Nomads were in their Covid home base of Australia while I was recording in Bangkok. Please listen in and enjoy.

Thank you to my Patrons …. William Schelling, Stephen Rothwell, Steph Rowe, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims.

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About Counting Countries

Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less 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, performed, and provided by Mundi.

About GlobalGaz

Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia.

Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com

More About Very Hungry Nomads:

Born in: Slovakia (Marty)
Born in: Australia (Rach)
Passports: Slovakian (Marty)
Passports: Australian (Rach)
Favorite Book: The Alchemist (Marty) and Tales of a Female Nomad (Rach)
Favorite Travel Film: The Motorcycle Diaries and The Beach
Favorite App: Google Translate
Favorite Food: Thai food
Favorite Drink: Red Wine and coffee
Their Map: Map
Their Blog: Very Hungry Nomads
Instagram: IG
FB: FB

How Many Countries Are There?

Well… that depends on who you ask!

The United Nations states that there are 193 member states.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories.
The Traveler’s Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands.
The Most Traveled Person states that there are 949 unique parts of the world.
The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions.
SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world.
Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way.