We Married Adventure … All Shawarma Visits Count

We Married Adventure … All Shawarma Visits Count

Author: Ric Gazarian May 3, 2025 Duration: 2:12:32
We Married Adventure have been to 149 & 148 countries Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. I met Angela and Michael Ballard, the couple behind We Married Adventure, who I met at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok. Angela and Michael at times pushed and pulled between a 9-5 lifestyle and travel. A wedding vow, an insane travel sabbatical and a retirement from work propelled them fully into the world of extreme travel. I am fortunate to have these amazing conversations to learn about my guest's amazing and unique lives. Angela and Michael did not disappoint. I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons. You know them, you love them! Bisa "fully nomadic" Myles, Ted Nims, Adam "one-away" Hickman, Steph "Phuket" Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe "BC" Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil "Marmaduke" Marcus, Sam Williams, Scott Day, and Dana Mahoutchian for supporting this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear extra content with Angela and Michael that you will not hear and you can be part of our members only FB group. Also, please remember if you are interested in traveling to Papua New Guinea to partake in your own private Sing Sing to meet scores of tribes in an intimate setting, check out our friends Tribes of Papua New Guinea. Reach out to me to learn more about this experience and how to get a 10% discount or look here website on the Show Notes. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter on our. ETF will be sometime, somewhere in 2026 around October/November, destination unknown. A public service announcement, for those in the UK, go to Amazon and order your copy of the Impossible Journey, Thor Pedersen's book on his nearly 10 year journey to every country in the world. I was in Bangkok for this recording while Angela and Michael were in France. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams, Scott Day, and Dana Mahoutchian. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More About We Married Adventure Counting Countries Instagram: We Married Adventure (@we.married.adventure) • Instagram photos and videos Website: WE MARRIED ADVENTURE – We Married Adventure 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 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 Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! 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. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. We Married Adventure Counting Countries

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: 166

Counting Countries
Podcast Episodes
Anna Zavialova - 92 countries ... and counting! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:08
Download Episode! Anna is on a quest to travel to every country in the world. Anna is an adventurous, solo female traveler who couchsurfed on her own in Afghanistan and then some! Anna's youth was spent as a citizen of t…
Anthony William - 38 countries ...  accomplished in a wheelchair! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:21
Download Episode! Anthony is on a quest to visit all 193 countries in the world. And he plans to accomplish this goal as the first person in a wheelchair. Anthony is an incredibly impressive individual who has not let ph…
Mario Hardy - 82 countries ... and counting! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:55
Download Episode! A true global citizen who was inspired to country count after an impulsive wager with a friend. Mario has lived on 3 continents in 7 different countries. He has had a 30 year career in travel and in IT.…
Thor Pedersen - 132 countries and no airplane flights! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:24
Download Episode! On an improbable quest to visit every country in the world without ever taking a single flight. Thor is on a multi-year journey to visit every country in the world without ever taking a single airplane…
Johnny Ward - 190 countries ... and only 3 more to go! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:26
Download Episode! Johnny has been collecting amazing travel experiences as he travels to every country in the world. Johnny started his travel adventures straight out of university on an incredibly low budget. He shares…
Markus Lundgren - 193 countries …  and then some! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:28
Download Episode! Markus is a Swedish diplomat who has traveled to every country in the world and now is focussing on the Travelers' Century Club which divides the world into 325 places. Markus has been posted to countri…
April Peregrino - 84 countries …  and closing in on 100! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:19
April is approaching her century mark and is on a quest to travel to every country in the world! April is the first Filipino female to travel to all seven continents in one calendar year. She is also on a mission to visi…
Henrik Jeppesen - 193 countries …  at age 27! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:37
Download Episode! Henrik Jeppesen completed his quest of traveling to every country in the world at the age of 27. Henrik was laser focused on completing his goal at all cost. Henrik has traveled to all 193 countries at…