Ric Gazarian is one of the world’s modern travelers whose adventure bug is constantly pulling him towards the completion of a beautiful dream: to visit every country in the world. Born in America but of Armenian descent, Ric has traveled to places not so easily reached and written about them on his extensive website, GlobalGaz. We caught up with him for an interview (for our website, TukTuk.ro), in which he revealed some interesting facts about his globetrotting life, an inspiration for those who love to travel and write about their journeys:
I am originally from Boston, and these days my home base is split between Bangkok, Boston, and Chicago, with a bit of Yerevan mixed in.
Tell our readers a few words about you. Where are you from? When and how did you get the passion for travel?
I went to Hong Kong in high school with my parents on vacation. It is an amazing city. Seeing that amazing skyline opened my eyes.
Which was the first country you traveled and did you remember any impression from it?
While it was technically not the first country I had traveled to, Hong Kong really made an impact. (I had been to the Caribbean with my parents, but that was just hanging out on the beach.) I went to HK with my parents, rode the Star Ferry, took the tram to Victoria Peak, and marveled at the skyline from Kowloon. This trip motivated me to move to HK after college, and I lived in HK for several months.
What is your plan regarding visiting all the countries in the world? How many so far, and how many remain?
I am 142/193 and have been stuck on that number since March 2020. I plan to start visiting new countries in the fall of 2021 with a trip to Eastern Africa. I plan to see regions of countries I miss, such as another trip to West Africa in 2022 that was canceled mid-trip because of Covid.
Your website, Globalgaz, has plenty of information regarding the places you visited. Do you focus more on the classical touristic part or the off-the-beaten-path zone? Why?
I like to visit them all, but I will most of the time write more about off-the-beaten-path travel.
While Amsterdam is a fantastic city that needs to be visited, there are thousands of posts on what to see there.
On the other hand, there is much less content on Mauritania, for instance, so I can add some value by sharing my experience there.
How do you choose the following country you want to visit? Do you have a plan or a map on the wall and a pair of darts?
I have about 50 countries left, some of which are grouped into regions. So, for instance, there is a festival in Chad this October. The Guérewol Festival looks amazing, so I made this the anchor of my trip, and then I am building around it, looking at nearby countries that I have still not been to, like Libya and Sudan. I maintain a map on GlobalGaz, my website. My Map – GlobalGaz – I always enjoy updating it after a trip.
How do you travel? Sponsorships, deals, your own money, etc. And where do you stay – budget, luxury, medium?
It is all over the place. So, for instance, I have worked with great companies like G Adventures and Untamed Borders (which specializes in Afghanistan), but mostly I pay for my own trips. For hotels, I run the gamut … whether it is a $20 guest house or sometimes using points to stay for free in the Maldives.
Do you get a living from travel, or do you have another job?
The vast majority of my income comes from my real estate investing business. I earn money from sponsored links, affiliate commissions, or from selling my films or books on my blog. As I mentioned, I also partner with tour providers who provide their trips in return for me marketing their companies like I did in the Aral Sea or visiting the Fukushima Disaster Area.
Tell me your top 3 favorite countries you’ve been and please explain your choices.
Uzbekistan. Truly a fantastic country and a great introduction to Central Asia. Uzbekistan has lowered the barrier to visiting here – making the visa easy to get, introducing ATMs, and getting rid of some Soviet rules and regulations. If you are interested in seeing the Silk Road, there are no better places to visit than the historic Bukhara and Samarkand. It is easy to imagine being back in time several centuries ago. And you can check out the country’s far east and visit the Aral Sea, one of the world’s largest ecological disasters but rarely visited.
Thailand. This country is popular for a reason. Bangkok is a truly international city with East and West, old and new. There is genuinely so much to explore here. I spent a year straight in Thailand during Covid. I could visit several additional places I had never had time to see before, like the rural Isan area, mountainous Nan in the north, or the amazing Phuket Vegetarian Festival. And, of course, there are the islands. There are famous ones like Phuket and Koh Samui and so many others that are much quieter, like Koh Mak or Koh Kood. The latter islands are more undeveloped, like I imagine Thailand was 20 or 30 years ago.
Myanmar. Myanmar or Burma is Thailand’s western neighbor, and I have been fortunate to have had multiple visits over the last 15 years. Myanmar has some of the most amazing temples I have seen, like the Temples of Bagan, Shwedagon Pagoda, and the Temples of Mrauk U. Myanmar is very diverse, with some exciting ethnic groups that maintain their traditions, like the Chin people. I plan to go back many times in the future. Tragically, Myanmar is currently in the midst of a civil war, and so much progress has been lost over the last year.
Which was the happiest moment of your traveler’s life?
There is always a push and pull between time and money, between seeing more quickly or slowing down to blend into the community. I stayed in Yerevan and Phuket for extended times, volunteering. Two of my happiest times were longer stays of four months each.
This was an opportunity to give back a little to the community, which is always a good feeling, and to make some genuine friendships and learn about the culture and the people.
And which was the most challenging moment? (or the most dangerous)
I participated in a rally which was organized by Large Minority in Cambodia. Me and my partner drove a tuk-tuk across Cambodia for two weeks and 1400 km. It was a great way to see a great country. Everything was perfect except when I crashed the tuk-tuk, and it ran over me.
Thankfully I was not seriously hurt, but my leg was cut badly. I was brought to a rural clinic where I received stitches on an open veranda with a couple of dogs watching on. Unfortunately, the stitches did not hold, and new stitches were put in when I got home to Bangkok.
You are Armenian. Can you give us three arguments for visiting Armenia from your experiences?
I am, indeed! I was born in the US, but my grandparents come from that region. I have been to Armenia nearly 20 times, one time for four months. So, I can give you many reasons to visit.
First, it is easy to explore whether you rent a car, take a marshrutka (minivan), hop in a GG (their version of Uber), or simply walk around Yerevan. I also like Armenia since it is not expensive; you can have a meal for several dollars or a cold beer for a buck.
Second, there is plenty of history and ancient culture. You can explore Khor Virap Monastery in the shadow of Mt. Ararat, where Christianity was brought to Armenia in the 4th century. Another favorite of mine is Tatev Monastery, which is perfectly perched on a mountain on the edge of a valley. You can drive, hike up there, or take one of the world’s longest cable cars.
Three, Yerevan, the capital, is one of my favorite cities worldwide. There is a great restaurant and café scene. And after that, the city has some very talented musicians with great music. Some excellent museums, such as the Matenadaran, officially the Mesrop Mashtots (the father of the Armenian alphabet) Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, a museum, repository of manuscripts, and research institute. Check out the Cascade with its open-air art museum, which has amazing city views. In short, it is easy to relax here for a week or more and simply stroll around. A suggested great introduction is Yerevan Free Walking Tours, guided by my old friend, Vako.
Does Ric Gazarian have a journal of your flights to date? If yes, how many of them, and which airline company is most frequented?
I love the idea of recordkeeping, but I am sad to say my recordkeeping has only been more comprehensive over the last five years. I use Tripit to manage my reservations, and then that data is exported to App In The Air, which makes cool flight maps, etc.
It looks like my airline leader is United, followed by Thai Air Asia with a total of 378 flights, but I would say I am missing a couple of hundred trips from my records. In 2019, my number one airline was Kam Air, with eight segments. Kam Air is one of Afghanistan’s carriers. Until I had planned my trip, I wasn’t even aware of Kam Air.
Did you get any scary moment (but I mean… scary!) up in the air?
Actually, yes. I was flying from Chicago to Minneapolis, a lazy afternoon flight in a partially empty plane. As we neared Minneapolis, the pilot informed the passengers that we would make an emergency landing. As we descended, the attendants yelled, “brace for crash!”—a little unsettling, to say the least. Thankfully, everyone was safe; just a false indicator in the cockpit.
Have you met any celebrities in your journeys? If yes, who and how come?
I had tea with Prince James and Liam of the Principality of Sealand. They are the grandsons of Prince Michael, the founder of Sealand.
Of course, they are not as well known as Prince Harry or William, but it was a fun experience.
The Principality is considered the smallest country in the world and, in my opinion, one of the most interesting.
Which is your favorite travel book?
So many favorite books!
I try and read at least one book for each country I have visited to learn more about the country. I will say my favorite book is Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts. It is about 5% non-fiction and 95% fiction. It is about a felon who escapes prison and makes his way to Mumbai in the 1980s. It is simply an amazing adventure that will either propel you to India or scare you away.
What is your favorite quote as a traveler?
This one does not exactly roll off the tongue, but Mark Twain sums up one of the great benefits of why we should all endeavor to travel. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
You can read about Ric Gazarian’s journeys on his website, GlobalGaz.