Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #7 – Meet The Attendees II

Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #7 – Meet The Attendees II

Author: Ric Gazarian July 2, 2024 Duration: 1:28:51
Join us in Bangkok for the Extraordinary Travel Festival in November of 2024. Please use code – BANGKOK – to save $100. Reserve your place today. I believe there are 3 main pillars of why you might want to consider attending the ETF, this November in Bangkok. First is the destination. Maybe BKK might seem too common. Well as a resident I would posit that this city offers so much beyond the Grand Palace, the Skybar and riding a tuktuk. This is a true onion; you can keep peeling back more and more layers and keep on exploring. Maybe you are missing some NM regions in Thailand, maybe a funicular or the new UNESCO site, Si Thep. Or you missed Laos or Brunei on your last visit. There are cheap flights to everywhere in ASEASN. Or maybe catch a direct flight to Bangladesh, Bhutan or Kazakhstan. There is so much to see here! Second, is the content. We have an incredible lineup of speakers. More will be announced. Please take a moment to look at the speakers on the ETF website. Everyone from Thor Pedersen who went to every country without flying, or Renee Bruns who has explored over 130 countries in a wheelchair, or the Sultan Randy Williams, who invented his own country. And last up, is the community, the network of extreme travelers whether you are chasing 193 or maybe enjoy Iraq more than Italy. Then you have found your tribe. So think of Bangkok as the hub for the event. A hub with great infrastructure at great prices. The spokes are everywhere in Thailand or the region you can visit easily. Don't get FOMO, come join the 160 plus who have already committed. And how many more will sign up in the next 6 months. Should be a lot of people! Feel free to go to the website, use code BANGKOK to save $100, and join us in Krung Thep this November. If you have questions, reach out to me on SM, contact form on the website, or anywhere else. I want to introduce three members of the community, three people who are coming to Bangkok, on this special episode. Meet the attendee! Please meet Virginia Ko, Zahid Williams, and Doug Mann. First up is Virginia Ko, a traveler who recently passed her 100th country. Virginia grew up in Maylasia, moved to CA, and recently quit her job to Chase 193. Wow! Follow her here on IG. Next up is Zahid Williams. Zahid is on his way to 100, but starting off with the challenging countries first. We even met randomly in the Pacific earlier this year. Don't miss out on his IG posts. And last, I speak with Doug Mann. Doug is a true expat. Working for years in Germany and Japan, and now retired in Chiang Mai. Check him out on website. Please listen in and enjoy.

The journey to visit every country on the map is a pursuit that defines a life, blending obsession, logistics, and profound personal discovery. Counting Countries, hosted by Ric Gazarian, explores this rarefied world through conversations with the travelers who are doing it. This isn't a typical travel podcast about tips or destinations; it's about the human stories behind the stamps. Each episode delves into the motivations, the decades-long itineraries, the close calls, and the unexpected moments of connection that happen along the way. Listeners hear firsthand accounts of what it truly costs-financially, emotionally, physically-to chase this singular goal. The podcast naturally examines the shifting definitions of travel and countryhood, the ethical considerations of crossing borders for a list, and the quiet reflections that come from a lifetime of movement. Gazarian guides these discussions with the insight of someone who understands the quest, creating a space for honest talk about an endeavor fewer people have completed than have gone to space. It’s about the texture of the world, one border at a time, and the unique perspective gained from seeing all of it. Tune in for intimate narratives that go far beyond passport counts, revealing the deeper meaning of a global life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Counting Countries
Podcast Episodes
Jason Wang … No Poop Left Behind [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:24
Jason Wang has traveled to 175 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I am happy to introduce to you Jason Wang, an avid traveler, foodie, and photographer. Not only is he Chasing 193, but he also chasing the 7…
Joel Oleson … Hungry For Travel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:32:13
Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. You might know Joel from his flowing beard on social media. Joel is someone I have known of for years but virtually. And in fact, we ran into each other randomly on our travels in C…
Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #6 - Meet The Attendees [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:05
Join us in Bangkok for the Extraordinary Travel Festival in November of 2024. Please use code – BANGKOK – to save $100. Reserve your place today. I believe there are 3 main pillars of why you might want to consider atten…
Nabil Kazi … Make Every Day Count [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:14:44
Nabil Kazi has traveled to 129 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I am excited to share my conversation with Nabil Kazi. I connected with Nabil Kazi back in 2021 when he suggested a guest (Nick Butter - epi…
Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #5 - Richard Barrow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:21
Join us in Bangkok for the Extraordinary Travel Festival in November of 2024. Please use code – BANGKOK – to save $120. Reserve your place today. The discount will be reduced starting in May, lock in your savings and buy…
Tan Wee Cheng … An Iconoclast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:23:11
Tan Wee Cheng has traveled to 187 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Wee Cheng, a regional neighbor, and I have communicated on and off for several years, but like many of us in the community we were only v…
Elena Chechina … A Lost Day Of Your Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50:01
Elena Chechina has traveled to 158 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I met Elena back at the ETF in Yerevan and started to realize what a unique life she was leading. She is a true global citizen with true…
Hayley Kennedy … Overcoming Obstacles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:13:09
Hayley has traveled to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I started to follow Hayley in the last year or two on Instagram. And over the last several months we started sharing some messages.…
Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:21:16
To hear the entire podcast join us on patreon.com or Apple Podcast subscription. Join us in Bangkok for the Extraordinary Travel Festival in November of 2024. Please use code – BANGKOK – to save $120. Reserve your place…