Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update III – Matt Gray Of Pangea

Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update III – Matt Gray Of Pangea

Author: Ric Gazarian December 16, 2025 Duration: 46:29
Join the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok, October 22-25, 2026. Use code BANGKOK to save on your ticket. One of the goals of the Extraordinary Travel Festival is to bring the leaders of the travel industry together. Why? We want to make your travels richer and more meaningful. Hearing from these thought leaders keeps you abreast of changes and benefits that can help you. We have founders and leaders like Ian Cumming of Travel Massive, Stefan Krasowski of Every Passport Stamp, and Orest Zub of NomadMania. I am excited to be speaking with Matt Gray on this episode who will also be joining us at ETF. He is the founder of Pangea, whose goal is to connect and explore the world, and who better to do that with than friends who share your same passion. Download the app so you can better connect with travelers around the world. Since this interview with Matt, Pangea has been on a roll, acquiring and integrating several other Digital Nomad & Travel Community apps into their core platform. Their general thesis and strategy is that by consolidating the very fragmented consumer travel app space, they can deliver a best in class experience and become the all in one platform that many are referring to as the "Strava for Travel" So far they've integrated Overlap & Nomadago, two leading community apps, bringing together nearly 50,000 users who have downloaded one of these apps into their core Pangea platform. And consider meeting Matt and other nomads at Nomad Week in Cape Town. Want to save $50? Please use code ETF50. Remember to join us in Bangkok at the ETF, please use code BANGKOK to save on your ticket. (ETF alumni contact me directly to get your special discount.) The event will be October 22-25, 2026 in Bangkok. We continually have news to share with you. As an example, we will have a Travel Tech panel, hosted by Ian Cumming of Travel Massive, with 2 announced panelists, 193er and tech expert Joel Oleson, and Matt Gray as well. They will be talking all things tech and what you need to know to make your travels better. On Travel Content Creation Day, we will have a panel of video travel content. The first panelist is Barbs, you might know him for his uber successful channel, Geography Now with over 4 million subscribers! More panelists to be announced. I was in Bangkok while Matt was in Cape Town, 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: 100

Counting Countries
Podcast Episodes
Jason Mayfield … Can't Is Not An Option [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Jason Mayfield has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Mayfield. Jason was propelled into his travel life as a high school…
Mihai Dascalu … Plan B & C [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Sherri Donovan … Hugs From Old Mommas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:06:01
Sherri Donovan has been to 187 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sherri Donovan, a well-known member of the community. I was taken aback when Sherri sha…
Barry Hoffner … Belonging To The World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Barry has published his memoir Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. This is a special episode with Barry Hoffner. Barry is a former guest on Counting Countries and I encourage you to listen to this episode to hear his…
Erik Futtrup … Left At The Fork [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:50
Erik Futtrup has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of meeting Erik at ETF II in Bangkok, and I am looking forward to seeing him this October for…
Konstantin Liorek … Strawberries Forever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:50
Konstantin Liorek has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I have the pleasure to speak with traveler Kostia Liorek. I met Kostia at the ETF in Bangkok in 2024, and I…
Brian Johnson … Slightly Bigger Office [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:16
Brian Johnson has been to 128 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I have the pleasure to speak with traveler Brian Johnson. I met Brian twice in the last two years, first at the Extraordinar…
Yaël Pericard … A Pair Of Jeans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03:00
Yaël Pericard has been to 133 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I have the pleasure to speak with traveler Yael Pericard. I met Yael briefly at the ETF in Bangkok and follow him on FB, but…