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Gunnar Garfors: The Youngest Person to Visit Every Country on Earth Without Being Rich
Gunnar Garfors set foot in his first country, Greece, at the tender age of one. At 17, he began traveling solo across 13 European countries with an InterRail pass. Since then, travel has become his passion.
Garfors achieved his goal of visiting every country in the world before the age of 40 while maintaining a full-time job in Norway. He explains: “In Norway, we have 5 weeks of paid vacation and about 2 weeks off for national holidays. I travel whenever possible, almost every day off, every holiday, and weekends.”
When asked how he affords to travel extensively, Garfors simply replied: “Determination and thriftiness.”
He notes that many people say they can't travel because they don't have money, but the key is knowing priorities and passions. Garfors also advises leaving the suitcase at home: “It's more convenient, and you don't have to pay extra for checked baggage. Just bring the essentials. I've traveled for 5 weeks with just a carry-on bag.”
On May 8th, 2013, Garfors reached his final destination – Cape Verde, accompanied by siblings and friends. He then set a record by visiting 19 countries in just one day. These countries include Greece, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Despite visiting 198 countries, Garfors still holds his greatest love for his homeland, Norway.
One of Garfors' top secrets while traveling the world is his smile: “You'll find yourself invited to a party, dinner, or mountain climb. I smile more than before. I guess it works. Lately, people say I resemble a happiness postcard.”
Source: Zing News
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Reference: Travel Handbook by Mytour
MytourAugust 17, 2015
