World’s most-traveled man has been to all 193 countries
The world’s most well-traveled man has been to every country and territory around the globe — and he’s not finished yet.
Don Parrish was officially awarded the title after a recent trip to the remote Conway Reef off the coast of Fiji.
The 73-year-old has dedicated the majority of his life to traveling, having visited places some of us can only dream of.
His long list of visited destinations includes Switzerland, Russia, North Korea, Easter Island, Somalia, Madagascar, Finland, South Africa and Mexico just to name a few.
The Chicago resident started traveling after spending the summer of 1965 in Germany working in a metal factory.
He has since become one of just 23 people to have completed the Travelers’ Century Club, visiting the 325 countries or territories on their list.
He has been to all 193 United Nations countries and more than 1,000 places on the Nomad Mania list.
The proud American has also traveled through all 50 states in his home country.
Now retired, Parrish worked hard in telecommunications and saved his money to be able to take trips around the globe.
He said: “I like to see the real place where things happened and I like making connections.”
He continued: “I travel by myself, with one person, with a few people, in small groups, large groups or with a driver and guide.”
“I live frugally — no smoking, no coffee, I drive old cars and I have spent my life savings.”
But becoming the world’s most traveled man requires extreme dedication and as Parrish himself acknowledges “some suffering,” including sacrificing the chance to marry or have children.
His travels have also left him in some unnerving situations as he ventured into some of the world’s most hostile locations.
For instance, he has been to the narrowest part of the Khyber Pass between Pakistan and Afghanistan and says traveling at night in remote places like this is one of the most dangerous parts of the journey.
He said: “In 2010 I visited Bossaso in Somalia. My travel agent refused to help me because he thought I would get kidnapped.”
“So I requested security from a local guy I used to plan the trip.”
“The word security got translated into four armed guards who stayed in their own room at the hotel and even followed me from my room to the computer room when I did emails at 11pm at night.”
Despite traveling to more places than any other person, Don isn’t finished yet.
He has more than 20 destinations he still wants to see before he’s done with traveling.
Most of the places left on his list to visit are remote islands though – including the Bounty islands, the Scott islands, Paracel islands and Guantanamo Bay.