Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update II - ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index

Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update II - ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index

Author: Ric Gazarian November 13, 2025 Duration: 30:11
The ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index was announced and premiered at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok in 2024 by founder, João Paulo Peixoto. The professor has recently moved into the #1 position on both the NM and MTP lists. The professor joins us on the ETF to provide an update on the MTI. You can learn more about the MTI by clicking here. Please remember the Extraordinary Travel Festival will be held in Bangkok from October 22-25 in 2026. You can join and use code BANGKOK to save. Click here to join this event!

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
Yooshita Fathi … Breaking Stereotypes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:01
Yooshita has traveled to 108 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. A giant Happy New Year to all of you country counters! We are back today with a new episode after a small break. Over the past year, you've li…
The Maverick Show ... Hosted By Matt Bowles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:45
Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Well not really. Today I am sharing an interview of me hosted by Matt Bowles who hosts the Maverick Show Podcast. Matt and I had great conversation and wanted to share it with my li…
Extraordinary Travel Festival II Update #11 - Charles Veley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:16
Hey now! This is it, the last episode before the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok. Still a little time left to join. Use code BANGKOK. My special guest is speaker and sponsor Charles Veley, founder of the Most Tr…
Phillips Connor … IBZ To SIN Via GGR [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:21
Phillips has traveled to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Today, we are speaking with Phillips Connor. I had the pleasure of meeting PC in Singapore with a group of extreme travelers and…
Andy Hicks ... Recatalogging DNA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:35
Andy Hicks Counting Countries has traveled to 120 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. Today, we are speaking with Andy Hicks. I have had the pleasure of meeting Andy at the first ETF in Armenia and the TCC m…
Luisa Yu … The Black Sheep [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:02
Luisa Yu has traveled to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I am excited to have Luisa Yu on the podcast. She is well known and beloved member to many in the community. For those not in the…
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…