Man travels to 198 countries in 1.5 years asking locals, 'What is your happiest memory?'

Michael Zervos relied on his experience as a film director to plan the trip meticulously. (Image credit: Michael Zervos/Guinness World Records)

For 498 days, Michael Zervos woke up in a new country almost every morning, chasing not just a world record but a deeper understanding of human joy.

The 35-year-old American, who also holds Greek citizenship, set out to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to visit all sovereign countries—198 in total. He completed the journey in just 498 days, earning two titles: fastest time to visit all sovereign countries (overall) and fastest time to visit all sovereign countries (male).

But Zervos wasn’t just travelling for the sake of speed. His mission, born during the isolation of the Covid pandemic, was to ask one simple question to people across cultures: “What is the happiest moment of your life?” The result was Project Kosmos, a global video archive of intimate, emotional stories—from reuniting with loved ones to quiet moments with pets, from receiving house keys to seeing a parent after years apart.

“I wanted to explore happiness from a global perspective,” Zervos told the Guinness World Records, reflecting on his own struggles with depression during the pandemic. “What if I collected these stories and shared them with others around the world as I travelled?”

His journey began on January 17, 2024, with a flight to Russia via Paris, and ended recently on May 30 in Detroit, US. Along the way, he documented his travels in a logbook, noting cultural insights and personal reflections. In Africa, he was “greeted like an old friend” and described local markets as a “marathon of flavour.” In the Middle East, he found “equal parts joy and resilience.” Asia offered “wild terrain” and “unassuming roadside spots where the flavours exploded.”

Zervos relied on his experience as a film director to plan the trip meticulously. He kept parts of the project secret until he secured support from sponsors and past record holders. His storytelling instincts helped him build trust with strangers, who opened up about their most cherished memories.

From ancient cities to remote villages, Zervos found that joy transcends borders. In South Sudan, he wrote, “Every interaction felt like a lesson in the rhythms of a culture I was only just beginning to understand.” In Vietnam, he described the experience as “a perfect mix of travel, history, and community.”

Now back home, Zervos is writing a book about his journey, continuing the spirit of Project Kosmos—a celebration of humanity, one memory at a time.