GlobalGaz

19/01/2025

The other year I went to visit the Mundari Tribe in South Sudan. Before camping with them, we had to sleep in Juba, the capital, before the drive to visit them.

Here I am with Phil Marcus and our guide Teddy B. Well, that is not his name, but this was the nickname we gave him after we spotted him wearing this adorable shirt.

Check out my time w the Mundari with a video from Phil and his Guide To The World.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5JZj4tCRFU&list=PL-QFeeX74IS-zx_BYM8QKG9mLwkbujAxi

08/01/2025

Ever think of getting a Sak Yant tattoo? Or ... what is a Sak Yant?

Check out my friend John the Traveler who shares his experience of getting this special and traditional tattoo in Thailand with Where Sidewalks End

https://johnthetraveler.com/sakyant/

John P McKenzie Where Sidewalks End

A guide to getting a traditional Sak Yant tattoo in Thailand: decision-making tips, history, terminology, and a detailed personal experience

01/01/2025

Happy New Year! Before we get on with 2025. Here is a recap of my 2024 travels. I checked out of 2024 with 181 UN member countries. 12 to go!!!

https://globalgaz.com/a-year-in-review-2024/

29/12/2024

Did you hear about the Travel Festival ?

This event was held in Bangkok in November, where the world's most traveled people gathered.

Our opening keynote speaker was the Sultan Republic of Slowjamastan, who brought down the house.

The Sultan is a triple threat who is also a great writer. The Sultan penned this overview of the ETF with his alter ego, Ramblin Randy. Read all about it!

Alone Again, Naturally Over the years, I’ve fallen hard for solo travel—so much so that it’s not just a preference; it’s a necessity. Honestly, I avoid traveling with others like the plague. Some people get it. Others think it’s weird. Maybe it’s a little selfish—I won’t argue that. ...

27/12/2024

This was fun!

Check out my interview with Traveller’s World with host David Barrett, presented in partnership with TravelDailyNews.

This was filmed at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok, where the world's most traveled gathered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJodLJUJZNU

Welcome to Episode Two of Traveller’s World, presented in partnership with TravelDailyNews. This week, we dive into the thrilling world of extreme travel wit...

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.