Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update IV– Ian Cumming - Travel Massive & Orest Zub - NomadMania

Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update IV– Ian Cumming - Travel Massive & Orest Zub - NomadMania

Author: Ric Gazarian May 15, 2026 Duration: 48:55
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 Matt Gray of Pangea, Stefan Krasowski of Every Passport Stamp, and Orest Zub of NomadMania and Ian Cumming of Travel Massive with the last two who are joining me on the podcast today. Orest Zub one of the leaders of NomadMania will be partnering once again with the Extraordinary Travel Festival. During this conversation we speak about updates to the NM regions and their expansion. NomadMania will be hosting the NM Travel Awards in person Sunday evening on October 25 at the ETF. It will be an amazing and fun evening. In addition, Orest will be hosting a panel with some NM power users and how to best benefit from this amazing resource. And there is still time to join the NM event in Brazil in June. Ian Cumming is the founder of Travel Massive, a network of 80,000 travel insiders and avid travelers. It is both an online an in-person network. Travel Massive will be partnering with ETF for its third time - that includes hosting the Travel Massive ETF happy hour meet up on Thursday, October 22. Ian will be hosting a great panel of travel tech experts including Matt Gray of Pangea, Keith Van of seats.aero, and Joel Olseon 193er and multi-year tech insider. Travel Massive will be hosting their own event, Travel Massive Asia Conference, in August in Vietnam. I attended last year and will be returning. 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. On Travel Content Creation Day, we will be screening two travel documentaries ... you will see The Impossible Journey with Thor Pedersen, and What Age Were You Born with Johnny and Maura Ward. All three will be there in person for the Q&A. I was in Bangkok while Orest was in Brazil and Ian was in Tasmania, please listen in and enjoy. Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update IV– Ian Cumming - Travel Massive & Orest Zub - NomadMania

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]

Duration: 1:35:30
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]

Duration: 1:43:05
Mihai Dascalu has been to 99 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mihai Dascalu. I met him at the ETF in Bangkok in 2024, and I am excited he is coming bac…
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]

Duration: 46:18
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…
Extraordinary Travel Festival III Update III – Matt Gray Of Pangea [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 togeth…
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…