So far this season, 4 climbers have died on Mt. Everest. 

I got the news from Johnny Ward, who is resting at Base Camp after having climbed to Camp 2. 

Johnny Ward has a degree in International Economics. He's also traveled to over 205 countries. 

How does his academic instruction compare to the reality on the ground?

Watch him answer on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0b6n7SDpNw 

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Irishman Johnny Ward shares what it's like to have grown up in Northern Ireland when a mini-war dragged on for decades.

What lessons did he glean from his childhood that he can apply to current conflict zones?

Watch it on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q2PLloZ_3s

At 7:10, we jump to his April 29, 2023 update from Mt. Everest.

He explains why it pays to enjoy modest luxuries on Everest.

Subscribe to get updates on Johnny's progress up the world's highest hill!

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In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

We begin this WanderLearn Show with Johnny Ward's update. Afterward, he tries to answer the troublesome question of "How many countries exist?"

Watch it on YouTube!

On April 25, 2023, after 6 days of acclimatization on Mt Everest's base camp, Johnny is starting the climb in earnest!

Climbing to Everest's summit is like a yo-yo hike. You go up and down the mountain many times to spur your body to produce the red blood cells you need to survive above 8,000 meters.

Johnny is starting the first of several yo-yo hikes. He'll go to Camp 1 and 2 and then back down to base camp to recover. 

On April 24, 2023, Johnny wrote:

After weeks and months of nerves, I feel ready. Confident and keen to try my best. We're hoping to take on the infamous Khumbu icefall tomorrow night as we make our way to Camp 1 and Camp 2, but it’s weather dependent.

6 days at our @furtenbachadventures base camp has our acclimatisation going well, and @luckydavewatson has us all feeling like we can do it. The mental game is such a big part of these huge undertakings and it feels like we are in a good place. We’ll know what’s up in the next 4 weeks, one way or another

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=542UIhQcmC0 

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In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

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For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Today (April 19, 2023), Johnny Ward is on Mt. Everest, aiming to summit by the end of May!

Between now and his summit day, the WanderLearn Show will cover Johnny's climb up Earth's highest mountain!

I'll begin each episode with an update on Ward's Everest climb, and then we'll feature an excerpt from my interview with him when we were together in  Chinguetti, Mauritania.

I interviewed him when I dropped in on one of his guided Mauritanian adventure trips. Later, we reunited in his adopted hometown, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Johnny Ward had no rowing experience, yet he rowed across the Atlantic Ocean with three men he had never met!

Learn about his adventure!

Watch it on YouTube, which features 3-minutes of BBC footage of his row!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8EQ4W0rmpg 

2 weeks into our Everest expedition and sh*t is starting to get real.

Follow Johnny Ward on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.

Visit his OneStep4Ward.com website.

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 

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In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

I've sold my WanderLearn podcast to Palle Bo, who is the host of the Radio Vagabond podcast!

That's right I've given up podcasting!

Most importantly, I've proven that I can be bought!

In this case, I sold it for $350,000! 

All that talk about doing podcasts for the love of it was BS! 

It was always about the money!

Yes, it's April 1, 2023! You admit that you believed me for a minute!

Although that was a joke, this episode is unique because I'm airing a Radio Vagabond episode where I appeared in the first half.

In the second half is my friend Daniel Shachory, who is trying to hitchhike in every country.

Palle and I are airing an episode from each other's podcast to introduce our audiences to a new podcast.

If you liked this episode, encourage you to search for The Radio Vagabond podcast in your podcast player and subscribe!

Read my Forbes article about the Top 10 Hitchhiking Tips.

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

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In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

This is the final episode of my 4-part series featuring Eastern Europe Expert Richard DeLong. He's lived most of his life in Eastern Europe & the Caucasus among Slavs, especially Ukrainians and Russians. This is episode 230!

Sorry that the audio quality is mediocre. I was in Georgia without my normal mic.

I ask him:

• 00:00 Living Abroad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yimmo76A0pY

Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.

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If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

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In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Welcome to a 4-part series featuring Eastern Europe Expert Richard DeLong. He's lived most of his life in Eastern Europe & the Caucasus among Slavs, especially Ukrainians and Russians.

In this episode, Richard Delong talks about the Transcaucasian Trail. He's an ultralight backpacker who has explored most of Eastern Europe's mountains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1TSP1fnd4Y

Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

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My Patrons sponsored this show!

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Rewards start at just $2/month!

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In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Welcome to a 4-part series featuring Eastern Europe Expert Richard DeLong. He's lived most of his life in Eastern Europe & the Caucasus among Slavs, especially Ukrainians and Russians.

I ask him to evaluate this analogy: Ukrainians are like Canadians and Russians are Yanks.

He says a better analogy is that Russians are like Canadians and Ukrainians are like the Quebecois. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZPHzyUlmpw

Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

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My Patrons sponsored this show!

Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon

Rewards start at just $2/month!

Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Welcome to a 4-part series featuring Eastern Europe Expert Richard DeLong. He's lived most of his life in Eastern Europe & the Caucasus among Slavs, especially Ukrainians and Russians.

Sorry that the audio quality is mediocre. I was in Georgia without my normal mic.

I ask him:

Richard DeLong explains the two most likely scenarios.

Richard believes scenario 1 is more likely than scenario 2.

• 00:00 Who is Richard DeLong?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL7f_aXcJfA

Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

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My Patrons sponsored this show!

Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon

Rewards start at just $2/month!

Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

On the first anniversary of the Russo-Ukrainian War, I discuss the present and future of the war with War Analyst Nejc Trušnovec.

Watch it on YouTube.

Technically, it's not the first anniversary since the war started in 2014 when Russia took over Crimea. This is the anniversary of Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Nejc was a contrarian when the war broke out.

When everyone predicted a quick Russian victory, Nejc was confident the war would go badly for Russia. Nejc was right.

On the first anniversary of the Ukraine War, I ask Nejc to reflect on the war. 

00:00 Nejc was right

01:12 Where Nejc was wrong

08:30 Could the Western consensus be wrong?

13:00 A conspiracy theory

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If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

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My Patrons sponsored this show!

Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon

Rewards start at just $2/month!

Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken. 

Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.