In this episode of Wild Chats, host Ben Southall speaks with Thor Pedersen, the first person EVER to visit every country in the world without flying. Thor shares his unique journey, starting from his early life in Denmark, through military service, and into his ambitious project called 'Once Upon a Saga.' He discusses the challenges he faced while traveling across continents, the importance of cultural exchange, and the lessons learned from his experiences. The conversation highlights the beauty of travel, the connections made along the way, and the significance of storytelling in sharing these adventures.

THOR PEDERSEN is the only person in history to have

reached every country in the world completely without

flying. The project, named Once Upon A Saga, was initially

planned to take just four years but ended up taking nearly

a decade due to unforeseen challenges such as visa issues,

political unrest, and the COVID-19 pandemic. On May

23rd, 2023, Pedersen reached the final country, Maldives,

completing the project and claiming world history.

@onceuponasaga | Thorpedersen.dk

For all press enquiries please contact:

[email protected]

Keywords: 

travel, adventure, exploration, Thor Pedersen, Once Upon a Saga, military service, United Nations, global travel, storytelling, cultural exchange, wild earth, best life adventures

Dr Geoff Wilson and his crew at @projectzero_earth have voyaged across oceans on their first leg of Project Zero - a carbon-neutral expedition to explore the impacts of climate change in the most remote corners of the planet. 

Listen to Geoff recount the rough seas, polar hurricanes, crossing the Southern Icefields of Patagonia and the wonders of Antarctica. 

Find out more about Project Zero here: https://www.projectzero.earth/

Listen to @heykiera_ and @floriano_esse share the learnings from their first European bikepacking tour 1,900km along the Marco Polo trail. They biked all the way from Venice (ALMOST) to Athens!

David King aka @dingo_darbo on Instagram joins Ben Southall to share his passion for country, his knowledge of Aboriginal culture and land management along with tips on how to adventure respectfully in the wild!

Find out more about him here: https://davidkingbluemountains.com/about

This week Sarah shares some serious ultra-running inspiration from her one-million-acre station in far North West Queensland! We apologise for the tech issues as this one did drop in and out a few times but hang in there it’s worth it!

Sarah is a Wild Earth Ambassador and Athlete. Follow her on Instagram at @sarahloufoster14

Jackson Groves is an Aussie adventure traveller who has been on the road for six years creating adventure travel guides featuring hikes, waterfalls, beaches, mountains & adrenaline activities. ⁠He shares his tips on solo adventure travel, how to plan a trip as well as how to get into travel blogging with Ben Southall.
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He's currently on a 1.5-month backpacking and hiking trip around the Philippines, carrying only what he can fit into two bags attached to his bike.⁠

Follow more of his adventures on Instagram @jackson.groves
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JacksonGroves
Website:  https://www.journeyera.com/
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#WildChats with Aaron Shanks from Diaries of the Wild Ones podcast.

This week Aaron shares some serious travel inspiration and wild adventures from trekking South America, a close call mountaineering and surfing in the arctic of Iceland to hitchhiking on a Yacht with Sage Jeffries in the Percy Islands.

You can find his podcast Diaries Of The Wild Ones on @spotify and his recent adventures on YouTube www.youtube.com/c/TheMerTheMan

Adventurer Henk Morgans joins Ben Southall to share his passion for the outdoors and how to get started taking wild adventures off the beaten path. Henk is an adventure athlete who loves to suffer & push the limits of endurance! He’s into climbing, mountaineering, kayaking, bike packing & long-distance running - you name it.⁠
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“I just love being outside, exploring new and uncharted territory. The sense of freedom, risk and the challenges is what drives me to explore or do more! Making memories with mates is what ultimately matters to me🙂” - Henk⁠

Episode 1 of Wild Chats with Polar Explorer Geoff Wilson tuning in from above the arctic circle in the Lofoten Islands, Norway! 

Geoff shares his story about how he got into outdoor exploration, his knowledge on how to survive and much more!

Follow Geoff on Instagram at @drgeoffwilson