Thor Pedersen – a Danish traveller – has fulfilled his dream of visiting every country in the world without flying. It took the 44-year-old a whole decade to complete his mission – he left his home in 2013 after saying goodbye to his wife, BBC reported.
“I got wind that no one in history has gone to every country in the world completely without flying, and I was caught up in the idea that I might have my shot at doing something remarkable,” Pedersen told Kennedy News.
Pedersen’s journey took him to 203 countries, including several disputed territories that the United Nations does not recognise. India was the 168th country on his list - he was in the country towards the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019.
To complete his mission of travelling the world without taking any flights, he had to take 351 buses, 158 trains, 43 tuk-tuks, 37 container ships, 33 boats, nine trucks, three sailboats, two cruise ships, one police car, one yacht – and even a horse carriage.
His longest train journey spanned five days in Russia, while his longest bus ride lasted 54 hours in Brazil.
“There was no way to be comfortable on the bus ride,” said Pedersen, who was delayed for two years in Hong Kong because of the pandemic. During his nearly-a-decade-long voyage, he was able to meet his wife only 27 times.
He did encounter plenty of civil unrest, bureaucratic red tape, logistical issues and unforeseen circumstances like the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. But Pedersen told ABC News he can’t remember visiting a country where he “did not receive some sort of kindness or support from people.”
The 3,512-day voyage was made possible through corporate sponsorships, personal savings, crowdfunding and a strict budget – the Danish adventurer did not spend more than $20 a day anywhere. He also spent a minimum of 24 hours in each country he visited.
Pedersen entered the last country on his list, Maldives, in May this year. He plans to return to Denmark by July, also without flying.
“Every time I look at a world map or a spinning globe, I'll think, there's a kind and helpful person in every single one of those countries, and I've met them – and what are the odds of that?” Pedersen told ABC News. He documented his travels on his blog called 'Once Upon a Saga.'
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