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Key Links video Thank you to my Patrons\u2026Phillip Jones, , Thor Pedersen, Steph Rowe, Adam Hickman, Bisa Myles & Ted Nims. \xa0You can purchase them today on Amazon. And now, you can listen to ! And Alexa! And write a review! Check out our friend: .\xa0 They organize international rallies around the world, including Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines, and the Amazon.\xa0 And watch my full-length when I traveled with Large Minority.\xa0\xa0 Ben made a brief appearance as the guest announcer for the January episode of Gina Morello.\xa0 After a bit of research, I pieced together who Ben was, pulling on a long thread and realizing that he was connected to many previous guests on this podcast.\xa0 Ben has a very, very deep travel resume.\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 \xa0 Do not be thrown off by the length of this podcast, it is really a twofer.\xa0 You will hear from Ben first and you will hear from Dave Seminara during the second half of the podcast.\xa0 Dave is an avid traveler himself and also the author of Mad Travelers: A Tale Of Wanderlust, Greed, And The Quest To Reach The Ends Of The Earth. \xa0You can buy this on Amazon and wherever else you buy books these days.\xa0 I read the book and do recommend it. The main focal point of this book is William Baekeland, a former guest of the podcast, who is alleged to have conned fellow extreme travelers of nearly a million dollars.\xa0 If you don\u2019t know the back story listen to William\u2019s podcast as well as the William Baekeland Controversy episode.\xa0\xa0\xa0 \xa0 My patrons who support the show, will hear more content from Ben, over 33 minutes, which only they will hear. Thanks to Phillip Jones, , Steph Rowe, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, and Adam Hickman for supporting Counting Countries. They help pay for the production of this podcast.\xa0 You can support this podcast by going to .\xa0 \xa0 Ben is an \u201cold school\u201d traveler.\xa0 Ben forges his own path, and constantly bears left when all of his friends turn right.\xa0 This is a very candid conversation sharing the magic of travel and also some of the challenges that those of us who are obsessed with extreme travel confront.\xa0 I feel like I only scratched the surface of Ben\u2019s 30 year plus travel career as he chased 193 and so much more.\xa0 Ben was in Jakarta while I was recording in the home of the New England Patriots.\xa0 Please listen in and enjoy.\xa0\xa0 More About Ben: Where were you born: Born in Newark, UK. Grew up in a small village south of Nottingham What passport do you hold: British Favorite Travel Book: No idea. Maybe Michael Runkel's "Meine Reisen an der Enden der Welt" as he is mate of mine! I remember enjoying Heinrich Harrer's "Seven Years in Tibet". Bill Bryson can be quite funny. My folks want me to write a book. If I do, I'm sure it will be my favourite. Favorite travel app or website: Kayak and NomadMania Must carry item when traveling (like flashlight, Kindle, deck of cards etc.): Olight flashlight. Bivvy bag. Hydrapak collapsible water bottle. Used to carry mini ipad, but no need now, as iphone pretty much does everything. Same goes for camera. Favorite drink: Ice-cold beer. Pocari Sweat. Red Bull. Fresh mango juice. Banana milk shake. Water. Coffee. Each has its specific time and place. Favorite airline: Emirates for comfort, SQ, for style, Turkish or Ethiopian for network About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who\u2019ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Fewer people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter\u2019s Dance, written, performed, and provided by . About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .\xa0 He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .\xa0 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 . Well\u2026that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are. The Traveler\u2019s Century Club states that there are. The Most Traveled Person states that there are. The Nomad Mania SISO says 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. Or book a trip through G Adventures.\xa0 PS\xa0 Thanks!\xa0\xa0 ----- Produced by