I had graduated early from high school, and got my associates degree by But one of my biggest dreams, from being 12 years old, was that I wanted to experience what it was like to live for one year of my life with no school and no work. So I saved up, a crazy amount, so I could take this gap year and travel the world.
I wanted to see as much as I could, and learn as much as I could. It was during that gap year that it dawned on me: how many countries are there? I was only 18, I knew I had some time to do it. My project was entirely self-funded. I was really lucky because I was not only earning money, but I was learning so much about travel - specifically how I could do it on a shoestring budget.
I managed to stretch out those savings for a year and a half. And during that time I picked up my camera, started doing blogs, and learnt about social media. I was starting to meet people from the industry and built up a network. I have a list, I have a top five. But this is like having to choose a favourite child. The places are my favourites for different reasons. I love Indonesia because of the diving. Venezuela, because of its natural beauty, and the kindness of the people. Pakistan was the most hospitable place and people I visited.
It has an incredible mountain landscape as well. American Express Savings review. Average bank interest rates. Average k balance.
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After waiting outside the Iranian embassy for a considerable amount of time, Garfors had to convince the Iranian ambassador that he was visiting Afghanistan as a tourist and not a spy.
Eventually it worked, and the border police pictured here let him back into Iran. This picture of an old man was taken in Herat, Afghanistan. One of Garfors' friends whom he was traveling with took this photo of Garfors trying on a burqa in Afghanistan. The photo later appeared on the front page of a French newspaper with the caption, "Close-up of Afghan woman.
While traveling through Antarctica by carrier, Garfors and his guide got stuck in the ice, prompting his guide to pull out an ancient Nokia phone to call for help. According to Garfors, "penguins in their real environment are a must-see. They are incredible swimmers and posers. Garfors never travels without a suit jacket, even in Antarctica.
He says the inner pockets help him keep his essentials — passport, phone, and wallet — safe and with him at all times, and a suit ensures he gets better service in most places. While in Benin, a French-speaking country on Africa's west coast, Garfors tried several types of Obama beer — none of which he liked —and sampled some delicious street food.
Archery competitions are common among locals in Bhutan. These are the fellow travellers you meet who seem like everyday people until you hear their stories and realise they're actually incredibly brave, adventurous, inspiring. I met a couple of Swiss retirees in Botswana a few years ago and discovered they'd driven there — from Switzerland. I skied with a guy in New Zealand who'd been one of the first responders to the Mount Erebus air disaster in Antarctica.
I travelled with an Austrian couple who had cycled around the world. Normal people who do amazing things. Which seems an appropriate time to introduce Martina Sebova and Rachel Davey, two women who appear fairly normal, until you find out they're currently attempting to visit every country in the world. Every country.
The pair are up to , and they've already ticked off Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Somalia. They're well on their way to proving you can go to absolutely any place in the world and be welcomed; you can do amazing things if you just decide to.
So, we were like, OK, let's just do it. And so Martina and Rachel, a Slovakian tour guide and an Australian chef, decided to visit all countries in the world, plus the 10 disputed territories.
They're hoping to complete their task by the end of next year. In order to do that, they're going to need a lot more of the persistence they've already required to get into countries that are officially closed. By submitting your email you are agreeing to Fairfax Media's terms and conditions and privacy policy.
They need to be applied for in your country of residency, so most embassies keep turning us down. Gaining access to Saudi Arabia, she adds, was the pair's crowning achievement so far.
So we decided we'd just give it a go at every embassy, and see. On the second day we got into the embassy, so that was a step forward. From there it was just the right circumstances — I don't think it could be repeated — and they issued us a 'special visa', and we were in. It turns out the secret to conquering the world is persistence. That, and visiting a lot of embassies, and begging. And we will fly to a different country just to try to get a visa.
There have been some scary moments in the pair's adventures. While Somaliland was surprisingly peaceful and welcoming, and North Korea relatively benign, Afghanistan was a worry.
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