Counting Countries

Mike Spencer Bown - 193 countries Mike is a true traveler and explorer, who over a twenty plus year time period has traveled to every country in the world. Mike shared with me some incredible travel tales, including a road trip with a nun in a war-torn, African country.   Mike has been on the road for over twenty years, exploring and discovering the remote corners of our planet.  He travels slow and espouses a simpler lifestyle with all of his belongings in one bag.     More about Mike Spencer Bown:   Born in: Canada Passports from: Canada Favorite travel book:  I like old Jack Vance fantasy travel books such as and .  Also, early travel accounts such as the .   Favorite travel site:   I’m kinda old school, not a big user of the internet. I don’t travel with electronics, not even a phone or camera. Must carry: Mosquito net, a Swiss Army knife, Flagyl (for ) and Coartem ( for ).  I bring a collared shirt for embassy visits.  I also bring an outfit similar to what an NGO or U.N. inspector would wear, including clipboard for impersonating officials to get past roadblocks. And finally a journals for writing in. Favorite food: Any kind of exotic fruit or fish. Favorite drink:  .  Chinese whisky with ‘special’ herbs. Favorite Airline:  The cheaper the better. For example, I liked those old flying in Iran. Favorite Hotel:  I like to find one that used to be the best hotel in the city, but say, in the 1920s, and nothing has been done to upgrade or refurbish it, so it's a charming semi-ruin, in the $5 to $10 a night range. Facebook          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 . About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Century Club states that there are . The Most Traveled Person states that there are . The Best Traveled states that there are . 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. Disclaimer: I will earn a fee if you order from Amazon/Agoda.