Frequently Asked Questions

How many countries have I been to?

My goal has always been to explore the regions, tribes, and wildlife of the Earth that captivate me the most. Along the way, I’ve come to realize that every country in the world holds its own unique allure and significance. This has led me to set a new goal: to visit every country on Earth, but not in a rush—taking my time to fully experience each place.

I have now visited all 197 United Nations (U.N.) recognized countries, and if you include territories like Antarctica, Greenland, and nations with limited or no formal recognition by the U.N., such as South Ossetia and Transnistria, I’ve visited over 250 countries and territories. Each journey has brought its own adventures and discoveries, and I look forward to continuing this pursuit of exploration and understanding.

What are my most memorable travel experiences?

Traveling the world has a way of presenting opportunities I never imagined possible. Of course, there are the headline moments—the kind that make for great stories: acting as a World War II soldier in Australia for The Thin Red Line, piloting a Cessna across Baja from San Diego, swimming with Humpback and Sperm whales, descending 1,500 feet by rope into the world’s largest pit cave, and camping beside a lava lake in Ethiopia.

But the truth is, some of my most meaningful experiences have come from the people I’ve encountered along the way. There’s something deeply moving about when a complete stranger goes out of their way to help in a time of need, or when I’ve been invited into a remote tribe’s home and welcomed as family. It’s these unexpected human connections that leave the most lasting impressions on me—proof that the greatest moments of travel often come not from what you see, but from who you meet.

The beauty of a lifetime spent in adventure travel is that a question like this can never truly be answered in one paragraph. Every journey offers so much more—more stories, more memories, and more lessons than I could ever hope to capture in words.

What is my most dangerous experience?

I’ve had many close calls. Of course, the answer to these questions is relative and some might think that almost every trip of mine is flirting with death. But if I had to really sum up my most harrowing travel experiences the list would include the following: My canoe was capsized by a hippo in the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe. A volcano I climbed in Vanuatu erupted sending lava bombs the size of cars raining down on me. I have also been charged by gorillas, elephants and rhinos. I have been held at gun point by corrupt police and had bullets’ whiz over my head during tribal celebrations. I was detained by Taliban in Kandahar, and then there are the many mechanical failures and scares that come with piloting small aircraft that are too many to name.

How do I afford to travel?

Being rich is not necessary to travel. All you need is determination, a sense of adventure and to be resourceful. Long before I could afford to travel, I always managed to find a way to do so. I found English teaching jobs in South Korea, Brazil, a work permit to live and work in Australia on a movie set. I backpacked through India, trekking in the Himalayas for almost 2 months on as little as 800 USD. To be able to travel and see more of the expensive places of the Earth like Antarctica, I have prioritized my spending. Instead of spending my money on going to bars, buying a new car, new clothes, etc. I instead spend it on traveling. I have been driving the same beat-up old truck for 20 years. I also travel with friends and share the costs of travel whenever possible. 

How do I get all the vacation time?

Similar to my answer to the previous question, I prioritize my vacation time so that I only take it for when I am traveling. I have never taken a stay-at-home vacation. I have learned how to be very efficient with my time and to plan vacations around holidays. I also am blessed to have a good job that allows a larger than average vacation allowances compared to the average American. However, even if I only had the average of two weeks’ vacation per year, I would not let this stop me from traveling.

Have I ever been sick while traveling?

I have been fortunate to have never been severely sick, however I have had infections and bouts of food sicknesses. 

What is my biggest concern when Traveling?

Driving is no doubt the scariest part of travel. I have been hit by a drunk driver in Malawi and I have been in many other close calls. In many countries like Nigeria and Iraq, the roads are in a state of total mayhem and vehicles usually are not equipped with seat belts. Cars drive too fast, do not yield or will pass slower traffic on any available side even the highway shoulder. At times driving in these and many other countries is just plain terrifying and my worst fear when traveling is getting into a serious car accident where I could be blamed or have to receive medical treatment in a hospital with inadequate care.

What do I like to see when traveling?

Every place has a different attraction. I am drawn by unique cultures, tribes, history, architecture, wildlife and landscapes. 

What are some of my remaining bucket list items:

Too many to list but a few that come to mind are:

  • Swimming with basking sharks in northern Scotland,
  • Rock climbing to the top of Devils Tower,
  • Stepping foot on Seagull Island in Knife River, Minnesota,
  • Trekking in the remote jungle clad mountains of Laos staying with hill tribes,
  • Climbing to the troll’s tongue in Norway
  • Trekking gates of Arctic National Park Alaska and see an Arctic Wolf in the wild
  • Trekking wild Mulu Caves in Borneo
  • Traveling Across Lake Superior in an ore boat
  • Climb 20,000′ Cotopaxi Active Volcano in Ecuador
  • See a mountain lion in the wild anywhere
  • Abseil into the Cave of Genies, Oman
  • List doesn’t end here

 

How I visited my last country with my daughter so that my last country would be her first?

I waited to do my last country St. Kitts and Nevis, in the West Indies with my 6-month-old daughter Indie so that my last country would also be her first one. Even though it wasn’t the most adventurous trip of mine, I will always remember it as one of my most meaningful trips. Visiting My Last Country of the World 197/197 & My 6-Month-Old Daughter’s First Country-Saint Kitts & Nevis | Venture The Planet

What are my craziest adventures?

I have had too many to recount but a few that stand out are;

What is One of the Craziest Things I Almost Did?

I almost had the chance to see the wreck of the Titanic in the now world-famous OceanGate submersible, which, tragically, later imploded with five tourists on board during its dive to the Titanic. Back in 2020, a close friend asked me to look into the trip and offered to cover both of our tickets. I reached out to the company and even spoke with the president and wife of the owner. We reviewed and signed the liability forms for a planned trip in the summer of 2021, and the only thing left was a deposit.

But then, as often happens, external factors changed the course of events: political uncertainty from a presidential change and the onset of COVID-19 led my friend to pause the decision. Soon after, OceanGate dramatically raised their prices to such a high level that only billionaires could afford the trip.

For years, I harbored deep regret that I didn’t take the opportunity to visit the Titanic wreck at a depth of 12,000 feet in that tiny submersible—surely the greatest adventure of my life. But as time passed, I came to a realization: the same submersible we had planned to travel in was a ticking time bomb, vulnerable to implosion under the immense pressure of the deep ocean. What had once been a fear of mine about the trip ultimately came true. The OceanGate owner and four others tragically joined the wreck of the Titanic for eternity.

Sometimes, the best opportunities in life don’t happen for a reason, and in hindsight, I understand that avoiding that journey may have been one of the best decisions I never made.

What is my favorite country?

Mexico-Mexico | Venture The Planet-because I have been fortunate to explore most of it and I am blown away by its diversity and the amount of adventure it presents. It has so much to offer; jungles, mountains, volcanos, deserts, indigenous tribes, wildlife, caves, ancient ruins…..and I love the culture and food. 

My top ten favorite countries

It is really hard to nail down a list like this because I have had good experiences in so many countries, but I will try.  Here are my top ten: Mexico- Mexico | Venture The Planet, Afghanistan-Afghanistan | Venture The Planet, Myanmar-Myanmar | Venture The PlanetColombia-Colombia | Venture The Planet, Ethiopia-Ethiopia | Venture The Planet, Yemen-Yemen | Venture The Planet, Russia-Russia | Venture The Planet, Australia-Australia | Venture The Planet, India-India | Venture The Planet, Romania-Romania | Venture The Planet

My Favorite Continent?

Africa is the only continent where I feel instant goosebumps the moment, I step off the plane and my feet touch African soil. I love Africa for too many reasons to explain here. 

My Top Ten Urban Explorations

I love exploring abandoned structures usually with some historical significance whether they are in an urban or rural setting, so urban exploration isn’t the most accurate term to describe this. My top ten favorites in this category are:

1:  Illegal sections of the Paris Catacombs. An Adventure into the Un-Official Paris Catacombs, a Mecca for Urban Exploration | Venture The Planet.

2: The haunted Poveglia Island in Venice, Italy known for its plague pits where millions of black plague victims were cast into mass burial pits and an abandoned insane asylum where a mad doctor performed sinister experiments on his patients. Exploring the Haunted Poveglia Island-Final Resting Place for Thousands of Plague Victims and Location of an Abandoned Mental Asylum | Venture The Planet

3: Sleeping in Dracula’s Poenari Castle in Transylvania. Spending the Night in Dracula’s Castle, Transylvania, Romania | Venture The Planet

4: Visiting a Soviet Ghost Town Created by the World’s Worst Nuclear Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant | Venture The Planet

5: Exploring legendary Minotaur Tunnels in Crete with World War II Artifacts. Island of Crete-Looking for the Labyrinth of the Legendary Minotaur | Venture The Planet

6: Exploring Buzludzha, a Ruined Communist Era Building Resembling a Spaceship during a Snowstorm and Being Invited Into a Gypsy Ghetto before having to Escape a Gang of Glue Sniffing Kids | Venture The Planet

7: Underground Soviet Military base in Estonia. Visiting a Secret Underground Soviet Military Base During My Travels by Train and Bus Across the Baltic Countries of Lithuania & Estonia | Venture The Planet

8: Abandoned World War One Fortress Used by Nazis and Soviets in Hungary. Road trip from Budapest to Slovakia and Exploring an Abandoned 1800’s Era Fortress Used by Nazi and Soviet Troops  | Venture The Planet

9: Civil War Era Ghost Town of Rodney in Mississippi Delta. Dwindling Towns, Ghost Town of Rodney, Juke Joints Playing Live Blues Music and the Swamps of the Bayou, Mississippi | Venture The Planet

10: Soviet Arctic Ghost Town of Pyramiden in Spitsbergen. Exploring the High Arctic and Abandoned Soviet Era Mining Towns-Svalbard Arctic Islands | Venture The Planet