Chasing 193: The Quest to Visit Every Country in the World- Ryan Trapp and Lee Abbamonte

Traveling is a huge passion of mine.  In my free time, I love to read travel blogs and plan vacations and adventures, even if they aren’t real.  I’m lucky to come from a family that also loves to travel, and I have been able to visit numerous unique destinations in my lifetime, even exotic countries like Tunisia and Iceland. I have been following travel experts and adventurers for a while now, and travel bloggers like Lee Abbamonte and The Blonde Abroad have inspired  me to pursue my own travel goals someday. As soon as I heard about Ryan Trapp and Lee Abbamonte’s new Q&A book of interviews,  Chasing 193: The Quest to Visit Every Country in the World, I was hooked.

The book contains nearly 34 interviews from some of the world’s most well-traveled people, many of whom have traveled to every country in the world. The travelers come from all over the world; not just the US, but also from countries such as Malaysia, Costa Rica, and Sweden.  All of the travelers are asked how they first discovered their love for travel- sparking answers ranging from never having left the country until later in life to beginning their adventures from childhood.  Many try to travel as much as possible when they have free time, and some even dare to dedicate their entire lives to traveling as either backpackers or full-time travel experts. Each interview contains a unique look into the lives of people who simply love to explore the world and see new places.

Each traveler is asked a wide range of questions about their traveling adventures, ranging from what they consider to be one of the most adventurous trips they have ever taken to what they believe are the best and worst meals they have had while traveling. Each traveler’s vast amount of experience in all parts of the world results in many interesting stories, and all of the travelers have the chance to share some of their favorite stories in their interview.  One of my favorite parts of the book was to have the chance to listen to the experiences of people who are truly passionate about what they do.  For them, expanding their horizons and immersing themselves in various cultures makes the world exciting, and gives their life a purpose.  Hearing from people who appreciate the world we live in and constantly work to live their life to the fullest was truly inspiring and eye-opening.  When asked what their favorite part of traveling is, most travelers stated that experiencing cultures from all different parts of the world expands their view of human life, and gives the world a more fulfilling meaning.

So for anyone who is interested in world travel or simply enjoys reading about interesting stories, I would highly recommend this book.  Reading it has inspired me to accomplish my travel goals, and to pursue a lifetime of travel and adventure!  Hopefully it can also inspire you to embrace the world we live in and get out and explore!