What is a Visit - Rules and Webinar

The issue of ‘what is a visit’ has been one of disagreement among travellers for a considerable amount of time. Different organisations have distinct rules, resulting in unclear criteria which can result in very unfair outcomes.

NomadMania has tried to codify the rules for a ‘minimal visit’ based on the results of two polls of our community. Read the rules on what is a visit.

Additionally this Saturday (May 27th) our founder, Harry Mitsidis, is going to conduct a webinar explaining these newly codified rules.

Don't miss. Register here - [WEBINAR] What is a visit. 

And read our updated rules about the 'minimal visit' here.

New UN Masters (yes, two of them!)

Last week our Executive Committee member Lucy Hsu finally visited Syria which became her 193th country, securing her a place among the UN Masters.

It is worth noting that she is only the 4th traveller who completes 193 (that we know of) while being a mother.

Last October we interviewed Lucy about her travels. And there she is...

Here is what Lucy writes about this achievement on her facebook: 

When I got my first passport 19 years ago at the age of 23, I never imagined I would visit every country in the world!

I’m so grateful for this journey that has taught me the greatest lessons in life: patience, gratitude, perseverance, love, acceptance, kindness, balance, and more!

I can best describe it as picking up a book, being captivated by every page and never wanting to put it down…and now that I’ve read the “last page” it only makes me want to reread favorite parts, and go back to sections I may have missed/skimmed too quickly.

I couldn’t have achieved this dream without the support of my amazing family, and the friends both at home and around the world who have come along with me for the ride.

Breaking News

Yesterday, May 23th, history was truly written when Tor Pedersen arrived in the Maldives, his last 193rd visited country (though he counts 203). 

Strangely, mentioning a new UN Master in our weekly newsletter seems to be becoming a tradition as so many people are reaching their respective 193s! But this particular achievement is truly unique and will most probably never be attempted again.

Tor is the first (and obviously the only) human being in history who has visited every UN country completely without flying during a single trip i.e. without going back to Denmark, his home country. 

He started on the 10th of October 2013 and reached his final country yesterday almost ten years later. What a lifetime achievement it is. 

We interviewed Tor in 2018 when he was in the middle of his journey.

You can also learn more about his entire adventure from start to finish on his dedicated website OnceUponaSaga.dk. Huge congratulations to Tor, who in advance of his achievement won NomadMania's Biggest Traveller award, based on your vote, last November.

His saga is not quite over yet however! He must still return to his native Denmark (not by plane!!!) so it may well be a couple of months more until he can get some well-deserved home comforts!

New Interview

Recently we published an interview with, Lourdes Odette Ricasa, one of the (sadly) very few female UN Masters of Asian origin. 

Born and raised in the Philippines, she developed a fascination for geography during high school and college. Despite financial constraints, she dreamed of travelling to far-off lands.

In 1971, she made her dream a reality and moved to the Bronx, New York, where she landed a job at Gimbels Department Store. Her thirst for adventure only grew from there, and she went on to explore nearby states, Canada, Mexico and beyond eventually visiting every country in the world. 

Her journey proves that with determination and perseverance, anything is possible. Read the full interview with Odette here on our blog.

NomadMania in the Media

Landmark Worldwide, a leading personal and professional growth company, recently hosted the annual Conference for Global Transformation. The conference, aiming to inspire participants to make a positive impact in their chosen areas, attracted over 900 attendees for its virtual edition.

Dondon Bales, a member of NomadMania's Executive Committee, participated in the event. Dondon contributed an article "Creating a World of Belonging through Purposeful Travel," featured in the Conference Journal.

The article mentions NomadMania, shares insights from the Extraordinary Travel Festival, and highlights useful resources for sustainable travel.

The Conference Journal is available for free download with Dondon's article located on page 140. 

Alternatively, a printed copy can be purchased from Lulu here.

Additionally, Dondon's purposeful travel video was presented at the end of the conference's Closing Keynote. Watch out for more Sustainable Travel topics this July, when this theme will be NomadMania's theme of the month.

Patreon Relaunch

We are planning to relaunch our Patreon program on the 31st of May. 

This platform enables individuals to provide monthly support to the organizations they value, and it is instrumental in our mission.

Before we set sail, we'd love to hear from you. Your feedback is crucial to shaping our Patreon offering to fit your needs and interests.

So, let's dive right in! Please, give your advice on Patreon here. Thanks.

This is an exceptionally inspiring newsletter, isn't it? :-)

NomadMania

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