Pick My Adventure Show

Rauli Virtanen: The Incredible Journey Of The First Person To Visit Every Country In The World

No one else has a “traveler” story quite like Rauli Virtanen.
While reluctant to claim the title of “the first person to visit every country”, Rauli says that no one has challenged the assertion since NomadMania began proclaiming him as the first person to ever visit every country in the world.
The organization says that many who had previous claims incorrectly counted visits to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that sits between North Korea and South Korea as having visited North Korea.
What is undisputed is that Rauli is one of the few to have visited almost all of the countries for work – as a foreign correspondent, specifically.
In Rauli’s comprehensive interview, you’ll hear about…
His fascinating career that has led him to high-profile interviews with Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Pelé, and Kofi Annan, amongst others
How he has been on the ground, reporting, at almost every major world conflict over the last 50 years, including the Angolan Civil War, Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge, Lebanon, Romanian Revolution, Tiananmen Square in China, and Afghanistan with the Taliban, amongst others
Why Mongolia, Ecuador, and Oman were some of the mores surprising countries he visited
How and why he took his kids on different types of “vacations” as they were growing up
How Finland is teaching their youth to decipher real and fake news
What he carries with him, emotionally, from covering conflicts for over 50 years…
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. (Although, Rauli’s pictures from covering the world as a journalist are so incredible, video format is recommended!)👇More interviews with the world's most traveled people here: https://pickmyadventure.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/pickmyadventuretraveler/ 

How Did Harry Mitsidis Visit Every Country Twice On A Teacher's Salary? (Audio Only)

While Harry Mitsidis, the founder of NomadMania, is probably too humble to admit it, he’s most likely the most knowledgeable person on everything to do with visiting every country in the world – including all the people who have accomplished the remarkable feat!
As one of only three people who have visited every country twice – on top of being one of only 300+ overall to visit once – he adds to his knowledge base as the founder of NomadMania, a non-profit dedicated to helping and connecting the world’s most passionate travelers.
Harry’s comprehensive interview offers us layers of travel tidbits, including:
His favorite countries on each continent – including a European country previously named as a favorite by one of the other 300+ travelers who have visited every country
How he accomplished traveling the world (the first time around) on a teacher’s salary
How and why NomadMania has divided the world into 1301 regions to help travelers explore countries more deeply
The most interesting and inspiring travelers he has ever met, including the first person believed to have traveled to every country in the world
His worst travel moments, including spending a night in a Yemeni jail
What does someone do for an encore after visiting every country twice
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇https://pickmyadventure.com/

Harry Mitsidis Is The Most Knowledgeable Man On Traveling To Every Country In The World (Video)

While Harry Mitsidis, the founder of NomadMania, is probably too humble to admit it, he’s most likely the most knowledgeable person on everything to do with visiting every country in the world – including all the people who have accomplished the remarkable feat!
As one of only three people who have visited every country twice – on top of being one of only 300+ overall to visit once – he adds to his knowledge base as the founder of NomadMania, a non-profit dedicated to helping and connecting the world’s most passionate travelers.
Harry’s comprehensive interview offers us layers of travel tidbits, including:
His favorite countries on each continent – including a European country previously named as a favorite by one of the other 300+ travelers who have visited every country
How he accomplished traveling the world (the first time around) on a teacher’s salary
How and why NomadMania has divided the world into 1301 regions to help travelers explore countries more deeply
The most interesting and inspiring travelers he has ever met, including the first person believed to have traveled to every country in the world
His worst travel moments, including spending a night in a Yemeni jail
What does someone do for an encore after visiting every country twice
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇https://pickmyadventure.com/

Gina Morello Became The First Person To Visit Every Country Following The Pandemic (Audio Only)

Gina Morello had four countries left in her quest to visit every country when the pandemic struck in 2020. However, that only delayed her goal, as she was able to get to her final country of Mozambique in December of 2020 – becoming the first person to finish seeing every country post-pandemic!
You might think that would be the end of her major travels – as she had taken a year off work to complete the 20+ year journey – but it was only the beginning! Her marriage of 10 years took an amicable split, as Gina’s travel desires were different than her ex-husband, and her home base became Georgia (the country) and now Portugal.
In Gina’s interview, you’ll hear about her international career working for the airlines, consulting out of places like Rome and Pakistan. But you’ll also hear about the struggles maintaining a relationship and friendships when you’re constantly on the road.
Other things you’ll hear in the Gina’s interview:
Her travel tips learned from consulting for airlines and analyzing data
What she did during the pandemic while waiting for her four remaining countries to open up
Smaller travel goals, including visiting the Top 50 Bars in the world
Her favorite (and least favorite) countries
Why she’s still considering going back to her least favorite countries
Why she chose Portugal to live
Countries she felt harassed in for what she was wearing
What female travelers should look out for when traveling solo
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

Gina Morello's Career Took Her Around The World Before She Decided To Visit Every Country (Video)

Gina Morello had four countries left in her quest to visit every country when the pandemic struck in 2020. However, that only delayed her goal, as she was able to get to her final country of Mozambique in December of 2020 – becoming the first person to finish seeing every country post-pandemic!
You might think that would be the end of her major travels – as she had taken a year off work to complete the 20+ year journey – but it was only the beginning! Her marriage of 10 years took an amicable split, as Gina’s travel desires were different than her ex-husband, and her home base became Georgia (the country) and now Portugal.
In Gina’s interview, you’ll hear about her international career working for the airlines, consulting out of places like Rome and Pakistan. But you’ll also hear about the struggles maintaining a relationship and friendships when you’re constantly on the road.
Other things you’ll hear in the Gina’s interview:
Her travel tips learned from consulting for airlines and analyzing data
What she did during the pandemic while waiting for her four remaining countries to open up
Smaller travel goals, including visiting the Top 50 Bars in the world
Her favorite (and least favorite) countries
Why she’s still considering going back to her least favorite countries
Why she chose Portugal to live
Countries she felt harassed in for what she was wearing
What female travelers should look out for when traveling solo
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

Woni Spotts' Incredible Journey To Become The First Black Woman To Travel To Every Country (Audio Only)

Woni Spotts has one of the more unique travel journeys you’ll hear. She traveled to 160 countries before the age of 19 as the host of a travel documentary shot from 1979 to 1982. However, the documentary lost funding for the final year of shooting and Woni didn’t travel much for the next 30 years.
That is until 2014 when Woni decided to finish the journey she started as a teenager, completing all 195 countries in 2018.
Not seeking any sort of fame or attention, Woni decided to bring her story to light upon hearing of another black female traveler marketing herself as the first black woman to visit every country in the world in 2019.
Listen to the full interview to hear why she decided to come forward with her story, plus:
How followers of Jessica Nabongo, who claimed to be the first black woman to travel to every country, attacked her online
Why she refused to talk to Jessica Nabongo
Her experiences traveling as a black woman and whether she has experienced any racism
Why she prefers the southern regions, including Patagonia, South Africa, and Antarctica
Growing up the child of professional musicians who traveled the world
Why it took her over 30 years to start really traveling again
The countries she would consider moving to…
And, her travel goals now
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 

Woni Spotts Is The First Black Woman To Visit Every Country In The World (Video)

Woni Spotts has one of the more unique travel journeys you’ll hear. She traveled to 160 countries before the age of 19 as the host of a travel documentary shot from 1979 to 1982. However, the documentary lost funding for the final year of shooting and Woni didn’t travel much for the next 30 years.
That is until 2014 when Woni decided to finish the journey she started as a teenager, completing all 195 countries in 2018.
Not seeking any sort of fame or attention, Woni decided to bring her story to light upon hearing of another black female traveler marketing herself as the first black woman to visit every country in the world in 2019.
Listen to the full interview to hear why she decided to come forward with her story, plus:
How followers of Jessica Nabongo, who claimed to be the first black woman to travel to every country, attacked her online
Why she refused to talk to Jessica Nabongo
Her experiences traveling as a black woman and whether she has experienced any racism
Why she prefers the southern regions, including Patagonia, South Africa, and Antarctica
Growing up the child of professional musicians who traveled the world
Why it took her over 30 years to start really traveling again
The countries she would consider moving to…
And, her travel goals now
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

79-Year-Old Luisa Yu Visits Every Country And Unwittingly Becomes Social Media Sensation (Audio Only)

79-year-old Luisa Yu had no intention of becoming famous after completing her nearly 50-year-journey to visit every country in the world. But a Croatian social media travel influencer she met along the way had other plans for her, insisting she make Serbia her final country. So, when Luisa arrived in Serbia, a throng of media awaited to interview her and the influencer (Vanna Bojovic @vannabojovic) released an Instagram reel featuring Luisa that garnered 2.7 million views.
The rest, they say, is history!
Since that day, just last month, Luisa has been featured in news outlets everywhere in the world – in English, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and many more.
However, those interviews feature a quote or two, a favorite country or experience, and little more. As with all interviews on the Pick My Adventure Show (and podcast), we dig a little deeper.
Luisa’s first full interview gives us a glimpse of:
The lives of all the social media influencers she has met on her travels who have adopted her, lovingly calling her “Mama”
How she went to 47 states in the United States while waiting for her green card in the 70s (and which state and city was her favorite)
Why and how she went against her doctor’s orders to skydive last year (at 78 years old!)
Why two of the countries she was most-advised AGAINST going to turned out to be two of her favorites (Afghanistan and Somalia)
Her advice for other “senior”-aged travelers – and travelers of all ages!
How her daughter has attempted to stop her from going to some destinations
Why her travels are far from over and what she wants to do next
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

Luisa Yu Completes Every Country At 79-Years-Old And Unwittingly Becomes Social Media Sensation (Video)

79-year-old Luisa Yu had no intention of becoming famous after completing her nearly 50-year-journey to visit every country in the world. But a Croatian social media travel influencer she met along the way had other plans for her, insisting she make Serbia her final country. So, when Luisa arrived in Serbia, a throng of media awaited to interview her and the influencer (Vanna Bojovic @vannabojovic) released an Instagram reel featuring Luisa that garnered 2.7 million views.
The rest, they say, is history!
Since that day, just last month, Luisa has been featured in news outlets everywhere in the world – in English, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and many more.
However, those interviews feature a quote or two, a favorite country or experience, and little more. As with all interviews on the Pick My Adventure Show (and podcast), we dig a little deeper.
Luisa’s first full interview gives us a glimpse of:
The lives of all the social media influencers she has met on her travels who have adopted her, lovingly calling her “Mama”
How she went to 47 states in the United States while waiting for her green card in the 70s (and which state and city was her favorite)
Why and how she went against her doctor’s orders to skydive last year (at 78 years old!)
Why two of the countries she was most-advised AGAINST going to turned out to be two of her favorites (Afghanistan and Somalia)
Her advice for other “senior”-aged travelers – and travelers of all ages!
How her daughter has attempted to stop her from going to some destinations
Why her travels are far from over and what she wants to do next
Listen on all your favorite apps – including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more – or in video format below on YouTube or Podbean. 👇

How Much Does It Cost To Visit Every Country On One Trip? Indy Nelson Breaks It Down (Audio Only)

You may think you’ve met or heard of every type of traveler out there, but you have NEVER met a traveler like Indy Nelson.
Having just graduated from UC Berkeley, he traveled to every country in the world for the thrill of being able to plan out every part of the trip – including routes, visas, accommodations, and even booking 100 plane tickets BEFORE the trip even started – leaving little room for error!
When Indy Nelson finished his journey, he was the youngest (24 years old) and fastest to visit every country in the world (539 days). Want to know how much it would cost you to see every country in the world on one continuous trip? Because Indy kept detailed notes on how much he spent in those 539 days and shares with us the cost!
Other unique things you’ll hear in the Indy Nelson interview:
The four countries he was detained in for being a suspected spy – including the eight hours of interrogation in a disputed territory in Georgia by the Russians
Of the 197 airlines he has flown on (a record), which would he say are the best in the world
Why Central Asia is one of his favorite regions
How it took 100 hours of research and paper work so that he could spend 25 minutes in Democratic Republic of Congo
Why he spent three weeks in Cambodia, when he only allotted 36 hours for every country (And why it was his favorite country)
How long it took him to pay off his trip cost after maxing out several credit cards
How his travels have helped him in job interviews
How he was able to be on the front line in war zones, including up close and personal with ISIS