Visiting Every Country On Earth

by Kraig Becker on

Most travelers have a “life list”. That is to say, a list of travel destinations that are amongst their “must see”, such as the Great Pyramids or Machu Picchu. Others set goals to visit certain countries, selecting ones that appeal to them on some level.

That’s exactly what Chris Guillebeau did when he was 22 and working in Africa for an international charity group. At the time, Guillebeau says, that he was traveling a lot within Africa itself, and making frequent trips back to Europe as well. He was visiting a lot of unique and interesting places, and remained fascinated with the cultures that he saw.

Then, in 2006, at the age of 28, he set a goal for himself to visit 100 countries before he turned 30, somehting he accomplished last year. But in this interview for the New York Times, he admits that about halfway through his quest to reach triple digits, he began to realize that he was setting his sights too low, and has now set a new goal for himself – to visit every country on the planet before he turns 35.
Guillebeau admits that things are starting to get tougher, as he is running out of countries that offer easy access. He mentions that he’ll have to start focusing on making arrangements to get to Chad, the South Pacific, or Central Asia soon, but he makes no mention of visiting such places as North Korea or Somalia, which aren’t exactly welcoming to foreigners.

Of course, with all of this travel, Guillebeau knows all the tricks to make things as easy as possible. He generally has upgrades to first class on domestic flights, many of which he trades away to other passengers, and he recently talked his way onto a flight to Karachi, without the proper paperwork or visas to enter the country. He also knows how to play the system to get as many frequent flier miles as possible, something he shared with us a few months back.

I have to hand it to Chris. When he creates a life list, he doesn’t think small. My question is, what do you do when you hit age 35 and you’ve already visited everywhere? He better hope Virgin Galactic expands its routes, and quickly.

How great is the Great Wall of China? Very!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I bet you thought the name said it all. A recent survey by of this World Heritage site – billed as “technologically advanced” – puts the original length of the wall at 5,500 miles, much further than the previous estimate of 3,700 miles. That’s a difference of almost 50 percent!

This effort took more than two years of surveying with GPS tools, infrared technology and other mapping techniques, and the outcome is the most complete view of the wall ever seen. Since perfectly restored pieces comprise no more than 20 percent of the original wall, this new perspective will help with efforts at conservation.

Erosion and war impeded protection in the past, but the current threat is construction, as China embraces (parts of) a capitalist economy. In some cases, roads exist in places once occupied by the Great Wall of China. Almost a third of the structure has disappeared completely.

More research is on the agenda, with completion expected to come in 2010.

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A dozen lucky people are going to Afghanistan!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Bored with the usual travel fare? Get in touch with Poland-based Logos Travel, and you could find yourself in Afghanistan for two weeks. All 12 spots have been purchased – at prices of up to $3,700 each. Poland’s Foreign Ministry doesn’t think this is a bright idea, though, and issued a travel warning … as if one were necessary.

In case you didn’t know, people are fighting over there. With guns and bombs and grenades and everything else they can find. In fact, a shipment of cigars for U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan was delayed because of the intensity of the fighting.

Currently, 1,600 Polish troops are among the NATO forces fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

According to Marek Sliwka, owner of Logos Travel, security measures are being taken, including armed guards. The trip starts on May 2, but it could be scrapped if the fighting becomes too intense. Stops include Kabul, Herat, and the site of the two giant Buddha statues that were destroyed at the turn of the century. The Tora Bora caves were once considered a possibility, but this was cut from the itinerary for safety reasons.

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Through the Gadling Lens: the most overrated photography-related items take on a trip

by Karen Walrond on

Every now and then, while I’m out in public, I’ll see someone who clearly was seduced by the “coolness” of a camera-related item or gadget, but who clearly has no idea what it does. (A most recent case in point: at my daughter’s Christmas recital, a man with an expensive SLR camera, a 300mm lens and a flash that was worth more than my car. Umm, excuse me, sir? You’re focusing on something that is about a GYMNASIUM LENGTH AWAY. Your flash is doing absolutely nothing to help you with that shot. Really. It’s not.) Similarly, while on a trip, I’ll occasionally notice fellow tourists traveling with items that seem … well, let’s just say … overkill for the purposes of a leisurely family vacation. So lest you get seduced by all the bells and whistles of various photography gadgets out there, I thought I’d share with you some of the items which, in my opinion, are completely useless when coming to photography when traveling on leisure (although, admittedly, there might be some uses for them in other photography applications. MIGHT be.)
1. A photographer’s vest. I know, I know — when you watch a television adventure reality show, and you see the intrepid traveler on safari wearing his elaborate photographer’s vest, there is just something about him that looks tragically hip and incredibly cool, right? And perhaps, if you happen to be a photographer for National Geographic, you’ll be able to pull it off that look with aplomb. The thing is? Very few of us are National Geographic photographers. Furthermore, if you’re walking around the beach at the resort in your laden photographer’s vest, while the rest of us are sitting in our swimsuits drinking fruity drinks with little paper umbrellas floating in them, no one is going to believe you’re a National Geographic photographer. Besides, those vests are heavy and sweaty. And often unintentionally broadcast the message “Mug me — I’m carrying expensive camera gear, and God knows what else.” Go ahead and leave them at home.

“But, Karen!” I hear some of you protesting, “I have to carry … things! I need those pockets!”

Really, you don’t. You can take a daypack like the rest of us. Or better still, just stick the lens cap in your swimsuit, shorts or cover-up pocket while you shoot. It’ll be fine. Trust me.

2. A full-size tripod. I know I’ve mentioned in the past that there are some great uses for a tripod: particularly if you’re shooting in low light, and don’t want to pull out a flash. But have you ever looked at the size of a tripod? They’re big. And they’re somewhat heavy. And while they might actually fit under the seat in front of you (or in the overhead bin above your seat), they may not actually fit in your carry-on, and then you’ll be over the carry-on-bag-number limit, and then where would you be? They’re bulky, and annoying, and really, best left at home. You’re not going to want to pull it out when you’re on site, trust me.

Still, I will admit that there may be an occasion or two where you’d like to have the support of a tripod — like, for example, if you’re taking a photograph in a cave. In this case, I would strongly recommend grabbing a Gorillapod and throwing it into your carry-on bag. They’re light, flexible, and can be used pretty much anywhere. It will definitely be all you need.

3. A GPS adapter for your camera. I’d never actually heard of these little gadgets until my husband clued me in: apparently these handy little systems allow you to “to ‘geotag’ your images with valuable information such as latitude, longitude, altitude and time information.” Which, you know, sounds kind of cool until you look at the price: anywhere from US$ 150-220.

Um… excuse me?

Okay, pardon me for asking, but why would I possibly want to spend this kind of money on a gadget that, in theory, tells me exactly where I was and what time it was when I took the photograph? Wouldn’t I already know that? And besides, most cameras — both SLRs and point-and-shoots — will already time stamp images. All I’d need to do when I got back in front of my computer is pull up Google Earth and input my location, and the application will spit out the associated latitude and longitude … for free.

Again, I suppose it is possible that there are some professional photographers which will find this little tool invaluable — the photographer assistant to Indiana Jones or some other archeologist or geologist, say — but for those of us who are just taking beautiful pictures of picturesque places or stunning faces to remember, I’d say we should just save our money for a cool new lens, instead.

4. A removable flash. An admission before I begin: I am not particularly big on flash photography. I find that, in general, using a flash creates a clearly artificial light effect on the resulting image (undesirable unless you’re sitting in a studio, or shooting a wedding); in addition, in most instances, a comfortable knowledge of ISO, shutter speed and aperture setting obviates the need for a flash altogether, anyway. I own quite a fancy flash, thanks to a generous husband who gave it to me as a Christmas gift several years ago, but the truth is that I can count the number of times on one hand that I ever actually used the thing. And I have never, ever taken it with me on a trip. Ever.

That is not to say, of course, that I haven’t used the flash that is built-in on my camera — in a pinch, I have resorted to popping that baby out. But I’m far more likely to just adjust the settings of my camera. The final result, in my opinion, is far more authentic.

So, there you have it. This of course, is not to say that there aren’t valid reasons why certain specialized photographers wouldn’t find the above gadgets and items useful — or even invaluable — but I do maintain that for the serious amateur who simply likes to take photographs when they travel, all of the above are rather ineffective, or, at the very least, noncritical. Greater minds may differ; and in fact, if you do, I’d love to hear it in the comments below. And as always, if you have any questions, you can always contact me directly at karenDOTwalrondATweblogsincDOTcom – and I’m happy to address them in upcoming Through the Gadling Lens posts.

Karen is a writer and photographer in Houston, Texas. You can see more of her work at her site, Chookooloonks.
Through the Gadling Lens can be found every Thursday right here, at 11 a.m. To read more Through the Gadli
ng Lens, click here.

Sit on an ant hill in Finland, win a prize

by Tom Johansmeyer on

What can’t you do in Finland? If traditional activities don’t scratch your bizarre itch, try to endure sweltering heat or hurling electronic devices. This country is home to the strangest “sporting events” you can imagine … and it’s enough to make me consider going back.

Throughout the year, you’ll find more than 40 weird contests, some titillating and others just plain freakish. I’ll pass on the World Sauna Championships, as sitting in a sweat box isn’t exactly a good time. My wife is probably thinking of trying the World Cell Phone Throwing Championships on my behalf (I can’t put the damned thing down, sometimes). Hay mowing contests don’t interest me, but I’d probably enjoy being a spectator at the topless winter jogging event … hey, at least nobody will need sunblock!

Yeah, there’s more.

Air guitar playing, swamp football and table-tapping challenges are hosted in this Scandinavian wonderland. Depending on your better half’s disposition, you can even try wife-carrying.

Check the calendar of events after the jump.

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Wife-Carrying: This occurs at Sonkajärvi, in eastern Finland. The contest dates back to 1992, though the tradition traces to the 19th century (if you can believe the locals). The world championships are held on July 3 and 4.

Mobile-Phone Throwing: Staged in Punkaharju, also in eastern Finland, show up on August 22 to throw an “official” cell phone as far as you can. In case you were worried, “there will be no doping tests. However the jury can rule out the contestant if his/her mental or physical preparedness is not adequate for full a performance.” I guess that means everyone.

Sauna Bathing Contest: Attend the 11th Sauna World Championships in Heinola, and you’ll get hot. It’s held on August 7 and 8, during which “competitors have to sit in the sauna with buttocks and thighs on the seat.” Wait, it gets better: “Posture must be erect [I bet!]; elbows must stay on the knees and arms have to be in an upright position. The competitor will have to leave the sauna without outside help; otherwise he/she will be disqualified.”

Air Guitar Playing: Your friends used to laugh at you … and they will again if they watch you at this unusual competition. You and other would-be rock stars will converge on Club Teatria in Oulu in northern Finland (where else would you find something like this?). If you aren’t ready for prime time, attend a training session, lecture or demonstration. (No, you can’t make this shit up.) The event runs from August 19 to 21.

Swamp Football: It is what it is. Go to Hyrynsalmi on July 17 and 18 and try to kick a soccer ball in the mud. There’s no offside rule, which clearly solves everything.

In case these aren’t eccentric enough for you, there are other choices: mosquito swatting, milking stool throwing and sitting on an ant’s nest. I really wish I were lying about this last one … I really do.