GlobalGaz

05/12/2024

Thanks to Yulia Denisyuk for this great conversation. We talk about many subjects ranging from Abkhazia to the Iron Ore Train to Chasing 193. Please take a listen to this podcast.

Episode 126 Counting Countries with Avid Traveler Ric Gazarian (Who’s Been to 181) Listen on Your Favorite Platform Traveling to the end of the Earth and back Ric Gazarian is an avid traveler who has visited all seven continents and 181 countries on his quest to visit every country in the world. H...

24/10/2024

I join Matt Bowles for Part II of my interview .. we cover a lot of ground, from watching Buzkashi in Afghanistan to visiting micronations.

Check this podcast out and subscribe.

Hear Ric’s stories from Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Eretria, Mauritania, Papua New Guinea, Abkhazia and Transnistria. In Part 2 of this interview, Ric

15/10/2024

Excited to be on the Maverick Show Podcast with my good buddy, Matt Bowles, check out the first half of our conversation. We talk about driving a tuktuk through India. 2000km.

https://link.chtbl.com/306RicGazarianGuest

14/10/2024

I was excited to visit the Phuket Vegetarian Festival for the 2nd time this week. This multi-day festival is an intense spectacle of sound and sight.

You have to see it to believe it.

You can read about my experience from the other year. but here are some photos from this October.

https://globalgaz.com/visiting-phuket-vegetarian-festival/

16/09/2024

Earlier this summer in late June/early July, I had an amazing experience finally getting to visit Papua New Guinea.

I spent most of my time in the Highlands, meeting and visiting a lot of tribes. PNG is known for its 800 tribes/languages. Distinct languages, cultures, dress, religions ...

This is a country with limited infrastructure and this is a great example when you want to hook up with a provider who has contacts and knows the area. This can make or break your trip.

This was my best experience in meeting tribes and taking photos. It was drinking from a firehose, I met dozens and dozens of different tribes.

Here is an overview of what you need to know when visiting the tribes in the Highlands.

And if interested in visiting PNG, let me know!

https://globalgaz.com/visiting-papua-new-guinea/

14/08/2024

One of my bucket list experiences was watching a space launch at the Russian space launch at Baikonur.

I was just featured in the The Times of Central Asia highlighting my experience.

https://timesca.com/blast-off-to-baikonur-a-space-tourists-odyssey/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEpculleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHaY9GxiEtIV7MFVEfZOgMn_0Oxvob8khMAftNAl5zJXWXdAxXXwz9lrMPQ_aem_GMh53MeSIJXgeT3mQW0q6A

Space tourism is a growing industry, with visitors to Baikonur attending launches, especially missions to the International Space Station. The town is a

17/05/2024

I had an amazing trip in Libya early this year. While I have some video, I have not put together anything, and if I did it won't be as good as this overview.

Check out my buddy, from Phil's Guide To The World and see what it is really like visiting Tripoli. While Phil attempted to edit me out of all shots, I did sneak into a couple.

So check it out, subscribe to his channel and of course smash that Like button!!!

Travel to Libya in 2024 and you'll land in Tripoli city, the Libyan capital which for years was mired in civil war. But in this Libya travel vlog, you'll fi...

06/05/2024

As I am attempting to travel to every country in the world, I am also trying to read a book for every country.

Years ago, I went to St Petersburg, Russia. Before I went I read Peter the Great, a fantastic overview of this transformational czar. When I arrived to St Petersburg, the city came alive as I often recalled something I had read from the book.

I recently read 2 awesome travel related books. Narcotopia and You Are Not Here.

The great thing living in the age of the internet is after reading each book, I was able to reach out and connect with these authors.

What is a travel book that made an impact on you?

You Are Not Here
https://globalgaz.com/193-incredible-travel-books-counting-countries-part-iii/

Narcotopia
https://globalgaz.com/193-incredible-travel-books-counting-countries/

21/04/2024

While I am Chasing 193 ... trying to go to every country in the world, I also make an effort of getting haircuts during my travels.

This year I got haircuts in two new countries - Libya and Samoa.

Libya was in early January. On a Monday night my personal police officer assigned to me walked me over to a nearby barbershop during a light rain. The barber worked his magic.

https://globalgaz.com/haircuts-around-world/

12/04/2024

The Day of the Dead has been on my bucket list for a long time. And once I finish my quest to visit every country in the world ... I will be making a trip to Oaxaca to be part of this event. It looks amazing.

Have you been?

My friends at Where Sidewalks End have created this overview of everything you need to know about having a great experience.

https://www.wheresidewalksend.com/oaxaca-day-of-the-dead-dia-de-los-muertos/

07/04/2024

Some fascinating photos from Life Magazine from the late 1940s.

Bangkok is the largest city in Thailand and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia, attracting more than 22 million visitors a year. Among those who were drawn to the Thai capital over the years, on multiple occasions, were the photographers of LIFE magazine. LIFE’s biggest Bangkok p...

30/03/2024

I just returned from an Oceania trip ... February 12 - March 27

Sydney - 4 nights
NZ South Island - 9 nights
NZ North Island - 5 nights
Samoa - 5 nights
Fiji - 1 night
Tonga - 5 nights
Fiji - 2 nights
Tuvalu - 2 nights
Fiji - 1 night
Hawaii - 4 nights
Marshall Islands - 2 nights
Kiribati - 2 nights
Brisbane - 2 nights

This trip was in quest to visit every country in the world ... repeats ... Sydney, Fiji, Hawaii.

New countries: 6

Country count: 178/193

Take Aways - Islands

Some of these islands are truly remote. And there is a question of why these countries should be independent, sovereign nations.

Islands like Marshall I, Kiribati, Tuvalu are so small and narrow that you can drive down the main road on the island, and on either side, you can see the ocean. It is easy to imagine these countries simply disappearing as the oceans rise.

Marshall Islands has a GDP of $260 million. The US provides approximately $100 million a year to the nation. And the MI are in Compacts of Free Association (COFAs) with the US. The US provides defense for the nation and MI citizens are allowed visa free travel to the US and can work in the US.

Tuvalu is considered the smallest nation in the world with a population of 11,000. This is remote nation in the fact that only 1 airline flies to Tuvalu, from one location. (Fiji Airways and Fiji.) There are only 4 flights a week.

20/03/2024

An atypical travel experience.

Tuvalu is considered the least populated country in the world ... only 10,000 people live on this very small Pacific Island. The entire country, only 10 square miles!

One of the other unique attributes is the international airport, Funafuti International Airport. The airport code is FUN, which many people feel is quite a good nickname. Because the runway serves as a social meeting point for the entire country ... from walking and jogging, volleyball and soccer, meeting friends and socializing.

FUN is the international airport. It only receives 3 flights a week, from only one country, Fiji.

During my stay, I took my rented motorbike ... and sped down the center line, from end to end. Not sure I would be able to do this anywhere else in the world.

I passed and met, kids and adults playing and walking, many dogs, and including an angry one, and even one man who decided to sleep off his hangover in the middle of the runway. See if you can spot him.

27/02/2024

The Ho**er Valley track about 6 miles return. Beautiful day and walk. Near Mt Cook on the South Island in New Zealand.

25/02/2024

Made it to my 173rd country ... New Zealand! Arguably some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. It is never ending. A perfect and must place to rent a car and explore.

New Zealand has two main large islands ... North and South Islands. My ten days of exploring the South Island is coming to an end.

These are some photos of Milford Sound. I spent two hrs cruising around the Sound in a boat.

12/02/2024

I had the pleasure meeting Luisa Yu this summer in Miami. She is well know and respected in the community of people traveling to every country in the world.

The community has truly grown diverse compared to its origins in the early 1990s.

Check out her amazing story and determination.

Luisa Yu told BI she worked two jobs at a hospital and was a part-time travel agent so she could afford her trips.

24/01/2024

Ever thought about visiting Libya? There is very little tourism to the country and not a lot of info. I share all of the info you need to know when visiting.

ttps://globalgaz.com/visiting-libya-what-you-need-to-know/