I Traveled to Each Nation within the World With out Ever Getting on a Aircraft

For Journey + Leisure’s column Touring As, we’re speaking to vacationers about what it’s wish to discover the world via their distinctive views. We chatted with Thor Pedersen of Denmark, who spent practically a decade on a single journey to 203 international locations world wide, by no means as soon as getting on a airplane. Throughout the mission, he detailed his expertise on his weblog, As soon as Upon a Saga, and visited Purple Cross places of work in 192 nations as a Danish Purple Cross Goodwill Ambassador. His e book “The Inconceivable Journey” got here out this spring, with a documentary by the identical title on its means. Right here’s his story…

My mom was nice at instilling in me journey and creativeness as a baby. I’d image I used to be part of Robin Hood’s gang, Ivanhoe, or Indiana Jones. Once I acquired older, I grew to become fascinated with correct adventures of those that had gone contained in the deepest, darkest jungles and adopted the longest rivers, circumnavigated the planet, discovered their method to the North and South Poles, and made it to the moon. 

Finally, I noticed I used to be born too late. I couldn’t be the primary to achieve the highest of Mount Everest, for instance, as a result of that was accomplished in 1953. The nice firsts had been gone. I felt a bit unhappy, like there was nothing left for the remainder of us.

Then, in 2013, my dad despatched me an electronic mail about excessive vacationers, individuals who’d gone to each nation on this planet. I had no concept this was attainable. I believed it will take a lifetime, and also you’d must be a millionaire. Again then, about 200 individuals had already accomplished this, and a few had been of their 20s, in order that was fairly inspiring. 

However, I noticed, nobody had traveled to each nation with out flying. I used to be 34 and figured I used to be possible on a path like everybody else my age: Begin a household and proceed my profession. However I simply couldn’t go away the thought, so I began planning.

I purchased a map and blue and purple pens, and sat down with my sister to plot out the route. I needed to start out in my house of Denmark, after which cowl about two-thirds of the European international locations, earlier than going over the North Atlantic, North America, Central America, South America, after which up via the Caribbean. Then, I’d come over the Atlantic and go from West Africa to North Africa, end the remainder of Europe, after which go to the Center East. That will hook up with Asia, after which down via and round Australia and the Pacific. Finally, I had a totally fashioned mission and funding.

On the time I used to be planning the journey, I used to be in a brand new relationship with an exquisite girl I met in 2012, and we began courting in 2013. She needed to do the Berlin Marathon that yr, so we accomplished that collectively in September, and I set my departure date on Oct. 10 at 10:10 a.m. for the reason that 4 10s had a pleasant ring to it.

I set three cardinal guidelines. First, I needed to be in every nation a minimal of 24 hours, however I may keep so long as I needed. Second, I could not return house till I reached the ultimate nation. It needed to be one journey. And lastly, no flying for any purpose by any means. So if I used to be evacuated in an airplane, I would must reset to start out throughout. 

There have been additionally three aspect guidelines. I could not pay any bribes the entire means. I additionally had a finances of a mean of $20 a day. So if I needed to pay $50 or $100 for a visa, I didn’t spend any cash different instances. The third rule was I couldn’t eat McDonald’s the entire means.

I traveled by public transportation wherever out there. The majority of that was buses—351 in complete. I took 158 trains, particularly in Europe, the place there’s plenty of connectivity. There have been additionally taxis, shared bikes, mini buses, and metros. The place it was attainable, I took sailboats. Ferries had been additionally a straightforward method to journey. Towards the tip of my mission, I took plenty of container ships as I used to be going via the Pacific. 

The entire expertise was wild. However the humorous factor is, it did not have that sort of gravity in 2013. I believed, if I comply with the principles, then there’s a transparent definition of what it means to go to each nation with out flying. However not with the ability to fly meant the international locations all needed to join. Not getting a single visa could possibly be a difficulty. If there was one nation blocking me, I could not transfer ahead. 

There have been many highlights. Venezuela is such a beautiful nation—I could not imagine my eyes. There’s one thing concerning the mountains, vegetation, and the dimensions of the valleys, plus the coast and islands. I additionally went to Machu Picchu within the afternoon and had it to myself, since all of the excursions come within the morning. That was cool—standing within the mountains, seeing the clouds in between peaks, and searching on the historical city. 

There was additionally the time I used to be on a container ship between Iceland and Canada throughout a four-day storm. The ship shook significantly for a number of days. It was winter and we acquired a report saying there was ice within the water—and we weren’t removed from the place the Titanic sank. It was not a superb scenario. 

However on the finish, a mirror-like situation hit the floor of the water, and it was simply lovely. Any time the floor broke, it was a whale or a dolphin. At evening, we noticed the northern lights. 4 hours earlier than we may see Canada, we may odor its forest for the reason that wind blew pollen out east. It was unbelievable.

Once I was within the Pacific, the place the water was a light-weight turquoise blue, there was a second the ship headed towards an enormous rainbow. I used to be on high of the bridge and requested the officer, “Is that this regular?” He mentioned he hadn’t seen it earlier than. 

However at its coronary heart, my journey was concerning the individuals. My motto was, “A stranger is a pal you’ve by no means met earlier than.” 1000’s of individuals had their palms on this mission. Individuals who would pat me on the again once I had a nasty day, or give me a meal, a spot to sleep, or simply level me in the best route. Folks would assist with translations and connections. I used to be by no means alone—individuals world wide had been useful, humorous, and beneficiant.

I knew it was going to be enjoyable. I used to be going to fulfill individuals and eat nice meals. All that occurred, however a few years into the mission, it grew to become difficult. I needed to be in a rustic, whether or not or not I needed it. In most international locations, it wasn’t an issue. But when I went to a spot with armed battle or was unable to get a visa, then the 24 hours turns into a difficulty. Not returning house was a tricky rule.

For example, Equatorial Guinea is an attractive little nation with superb wildlife. However it’s additionally in a tough a part of the world, with dictatorships and corruption. It’s modified so much since I used to be there in 2016. Again then, they had been strict about who they needed inside their nation. It took me three months to get the visa. I went from one diplomatic mission to the subsequent to the subsequent, typically going again to international locations I had already been to and having to get visas so I may re-enter these international locations simply to go and get denied a visa.

Once I lastly acquired the visa, the borders had been shut. It was rumored there had been a coup try and that it had failed. I solely had 30 days to enter earlier than my visa expired, so I used to be determined. I attempted so many issues. Three days earlier than its expiration, I met a French expat working in Equatorial Guinea, who was capable of take me contained in the nation. 

The mission was estimated to take lower than 4 years, but it surely ended up taking 9 years, 9 months, and 16 days. This meant I used to be in a long-distance relationship for nearly a decade. My now-wife got here 27 instances, which corresponds with 27 completely different international locations. (She used a airplane each time.)

We had our ups and downs within the first few years. She was finding out to grow to be a physician, acquired her PhD, after which she began a profession. When she and I had been each preoccupied, and we had a terrific distance between one another, it was onerous making a long-distance relationship work. It virtually fell aside at one level, however we managed to concentrate on ourselves and construct it up once more.

Then, issues acquired actually good, and I began to assume, that is the lady I need to spend the remainder of my life with. I discovered a hoop in Tanzania, with a Tanzanite stone, which is exclusive to the nation. Relying on the way you twist it, it modifications its shade within the gentle. I made a decision I used to be going to ask her to marry me on high of Mount Kenya. We began mountain climbing with our information, and it took two to a few days to achieve the height. 

In my head, it was going to be like The Lion King with an attractive dawn and animals bowing. In actuality, it acquired chilly as we approached the highest. The flowers and rocks had been frozen, and there was ice and snow. On the high, there was no view—it was an entire whiteout.

However I acquired on one knee and requested her the query, and he or she mentioned sure. She virtually danced all the way in which down the mountain. On the backside, we had some popcorn and tea. There have been even monkeys on the rooftop.

I used to be right down to the final 9 international locations when the worldwide pandemic hit. I used to be speculated to spend 4 days in Hong Kong to make transit between two ships. At first, the nation was tightly closed. I ended up being separated from my fiancé for a yr and a half. There was no means I may get her inside Hong Kong until we had been married.

Then, I realized there was an company in Utah the place you may get married on-line. She was in Copenhagen at 10 p.m., I used to be in Hong Kong previous midnight, and we had household and buddies logging on from throughout. As a result of time distinction, we weren’t technically married on the identical day.

We acquired the paperwork, and that was ok for Hong Kong to permit her to get a visa. She did three weeks in resort quarantine, after which we had been collectively. However after that, we couldn’t get the paperwork previous Denmark. 

So after I left Hong Kong, we met once more in Vanuatu, an attractive island nation within the Pacific. We simply occurred to fulfill a German who had been residing there for a very long time. He had a resort and organized many weddings. So we determined to get married there.

In a brief span of time, we acquired married on the seaside, had cake, and took pictures. However Denmark mentioned no for a second time, stating it wasn’t an actual wedding ceremony. So we lastly acquired married in metropolis corridor in Copenhagen after I acquired house. It is a humorous factor, we’ve been married thrice now.

Despite the fact that the journey got here with smiles and laughs, I needed out two years into the mission. And I pushed for nearly eight extra years to finish it. The 2 years of the pandemic, not realizing how lengthy it was going to be, was mentally very traumatic.

Within the second, I’d look again, fascinated about all of the individuals I would met, locations I would been, and issues I would realized. It was additionally good to look ahead, like sometime I’ll be in Japan. However generally it was nightmarish.

I didn’t understand there can be a lot paperwork concerned. In some international locations, securing a bus or practice ticket required a marathon of paperwork. In different places, it took a few minutes on the telephone. The longest I spent on a ship was about 10 months. 

Once I was on my method to my closing nation, the Maldives, somebody despatched a message saying, “That is the final time in your life you may go to a brand new nation.” However I like going again to international locations. There’s all the time stuff I have never seen. It is enjoyable to return and see how issues change. 

Now I’m engaged on Mission 773, which has divided the world into extra items, and I’m engaged on making an attempt to go to 773 of them so I might be Denmark’s most traveled man.

I hope that from studying about my journey, individuals can be impressed to comply with their targets. We’ve to battle onerous for the issues we maintain expensive and battle more durable for the issues we imagine in. Whether or not you need to end an training, study a language, excel in taking part in an instrument, or one million different issues, keep in mind to battle for it. In case you’re unable to acquire it by yourself, then develop your circle.

Now, my spouse and I’ve a daughter. We simply did a 40-day RV journey throughout the nation, touring via 18 states and greater than 6,500 miles. Hopefully, she may also study to pursue her targets with some willpower—and I hope she’s going to journey. Really, I hope everybody will journey and cross extra borders to fulfill extra individuals.