{"podcast":{"title":"Counting Countries","slug":"counting-countries-515125","podcast_index_feed_id":515125,"rss_url":"https://countingcountries.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://globalgaz.com/counting-countries/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/5/4/1/b/541badb3b384277dd959afa2a1bf1c87/countingcountries_1400x1400.jpg","author":"Ric Gazarian","episode_count":173,"summary":"Chasing 193, one of the most exclusive clubs on Earth. In fact, more people have been to outer space than have earned their way into this, the ultimate travel club. According to the United Nations there are 193 sovereign nations in the world. Welcome to the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who've spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to them all. Welcome, to Counting Countries. With your host, Ric Gazarian.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-31T22:20:16.852224+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/counting-countries-515125"},"episode":{"title":"Michael Angelo Zervos … A Happy Moment","slug":"michael-angelo-zervos-a-happy-moment","published_at":"2025-06-15T10:48:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/counting-countries-515125/michael-angelo-zervos-a-happy-moment","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/counting-countries-515125","url":"https://globalgaz.com/michael-zervos-counting-countries/","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/countingcountries/micheal_zervos__bonus_episode.mp3?dest-id=389581","summary":"Michael Zervos has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. This is a bonus episode with Michael Zervos. I interviewed Michael back in December of 2023, before he had started his quest. His quest? To travel to every country in the world in the quickest possible time. We have heard this before … someone who wants to break the GWR. And many in the community would ask what is the point? This is not a race. What will the traveler gain from spending just a day or two in each country? And once the record is broken, it will be broken again. First it was Cassie de Pecol, and then Taylor Demonbreun, who currently holds the GWR for quickest at 554 days to every country in the world. The current male GWR holder is Robson Jesus at 772 days. On a random note, I met Robson in Phuket, his second country on his quest. Former guest, Indy Nelson claimed 539 days to every country. Anderson Dias traveled 543 days to every country in the world, also claiming a record, both unverified by GWR. Michael just completed his journey in 499 days to every country in the world … overcoming potential challenges such as DPRK and Sudan. But Michael put his own spin on his journey. He wanted to create a library of the world's \"what is the happiest moment of your life?\" As he traveled to every country in the world, he would meet locals and pose this question to them, and create videos. On another random note, I organized a meetup in Bangkok when he visited, introducing him to two local Thai friends who were interviewed at the event. Remember to keep up to date with the Extraordinary Travel Festival by joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter on our. ETF will be sometime, somewhere in 2026 around October/November, destination unknown.…","meta_description":"Michael Zervos has been to every country in the world Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. This is a bonus episode with Michael Zervos. I interviewed Mi…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3663,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/counting-countries-515125/episodes/michael-angelo-zervos-a-happy-moment/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/counting-countries-515125/michael-angelo-zervos-a-happy-moment.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}