The rest of the FAQ is great reading as well:
You don’t say…
Added 2025-05-20T08:40: I realized what happened, double negations ruined the comment. I'm very much aware that DPRK has serious human rights problem and economic issues (after all, I am South Korean), and it also makes use of a western curiosity for business, but they are often exaggerated to the completely impossible extent.
A functioning country is the bare minimum requirement. The recount of experience here does not mean that somehow the country isn’t horribly repressed and poverty-stricken.
It's not those westerners who are clueless...
NK capital: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongyang
SK county where Olympics were held: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyeongchang_County
Speedrunning tip for future contenders: Be born inside a plane
I have been led to believe that it is:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133405977-an-overland-jo...
which arguably should be contrasted with:
https://goodreads.com/book/show/5144131-a-woman-s-journey-ro...
The history of circumnavigations (esp. solo), and the books about it are an interesting set:
- sailing (solo): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/881902.Sailing_Alone_aro...
- bicycle (solo): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/301255.Around_the_World_... (all the more remarkable since it was a penny farthing rather than the essentially contemporary "safety bicycle" invented shortly after his departure
Those are in the public domain, and I recommend them highly as a view of what the world was once like, and how people are still much the same.
Been meaning to read newer accounts, but still need to track down copies and decide which are worth reading:
- amphibious landing vehicle (husband and wife): https://goodreads.com/book/show/17208213-half-safe
- walking (solo): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/436398.Letters_From_Stev...
- human power (solo): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5215427
- air (military unit): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23167711-first-flight-ar...
- submarine (submerged, military vessel): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1018686.Around_the_World...
and of course, one would presumably include the obvious records of Magellan and arguably the _H.M.S. Beagle_ and Darwin.
(obviously, this is something of an interest of mine, having been delighted by: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54479.Around_the_World_i... when I was younger)
Some countries I cross off my 'worth visiting' list simply because they have a Byzantine and expensive visa process which is going to use at least a week of time and effort to navigate whilst I was only planning to visit the place for a week in the first place!
And some countries have a 'not allowed if you've ever been to this other country' rule, making it very hard to visit them all.
Danes have visa-free entry to 189/195 countries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henley_Passport_Index
So I guess that he had to do about 6 visa interviews.
https://www.onceuponasaga.dk/blog/259-saudi-s-in-audi-s-and-...
In Holland this was a valid reason to request two passports, like if you frequently travel to both Israel and Egypt. They are mutually exclusive.
And it's easy to find out which countries a person has been to, because passenger lists on planes are pretty much public knowledge so it would be an easy lie to detect.
Not a problem for this guy
No idea about now.
Some countries (Syria etc) will not only not let you in with an Israeli stamp, but also any sign of visiting Israel - money, snacks, etc.
The main problem nowadays though is the US - they won't let you in without a Visa if you've been to places like Iraq or Libya since 2011. A colleague went to Syria a couple of months ago, I asked "are you happy you'll never be eligible for an esta again". It's fine for now as work will pay for a US visa, but in 20 years time when he's retired?
That's a fair bit of hypocrisy considering how many of their own soldiers they sent to Iraq.
I don't think I'll ever visit the US again though. So I wouldn't care about an ESTA. It's turning into a conservative religious place. I avoid those, like all of the middle east.
I'm trying to get an X in my passport so the US will simply deny me entrance. That way I can just say no to work if they want to send me there for a meeting or a tradeshow. I'm kinda genderqueer anyway (though not full non-binary) so that would be a good match. And if the US ever gets a sane government again I'm sure they will reverse this stuff right back.
Unfortunately my own government is also turning radical right conservative so they are making this harder :(
Reverse it? This was Obama's idea.
https://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Journey-incredible-through... (not an affiliate link)
And there's a documentary apparently coming out soon.
I followed his journey live on https://www.onceuponasaga.dk/ and it was a weird mix of inspirational and very sad. He was clearly struggling with severe depression towards the end of it, but he could not bring himself to stop, so there he was, squatting in a filthy boat for weeks on end with cockroaches crawling over his toothbrush, while he waited for the country's sole oceangoing cargo ship to be repaired so he could get the hell out of there.
https://www.onceuponasaga.dk/blog/489-most-definitely-possib...
The full Odysseus experience. Minus starting it with ten other years away at war, I guess.
Not sure if I feel honoured or guilty by being able to set his plans back a day or 2 by introducing him to the local nightlife...
I visited every country in the world without flying. Here are eight things I learned
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/apr/21/i-visit...
gabrielsroka•8mo ago