About Me
A bit of a travel addict, I’ve visited all 196 countries and usually can be found spending New Years Eve in places most people think are a bit nuts. Last five years were Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, and Libya. Completed my goal of visiting all 196 countries in September, 2016 and had a big celebration in Iceland with a large group of the best family and friends a guy could ask for. When not traveling, I can usually be found playing hockey, scuba diving, as well as breaking all the rules of what being a responsible adult means!
I love seeing places by doing – things like climbing a mountain, running a marathon, and really getting a feel for a place is what life is all about to me. Museums, “must see” monuments and guidebook attractions are all nice, and I fit in as many as I can, but I’d really rather just get “into” a place and see what it’s all about. Some of my best trips have been when I just walked out the door of the hotel in the morning, and wandered until the sun set. No better way to get into the feel of a place than by walking around.
Instagram: @JasonUmDieWelt
50 Responses to “About Me”
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Jason,
So cool! Did you quit the Bank? Finally fed up with all the *****. How long are you going to be gone?
Dara
Dara – Nope, just took a very long leave! Was gone just over five weeks.
Fascinating blog…!! Good luck on your ‘visit all Countries’ quest. Just a bit freaky that my name’s Jason too and I’m a marathon runner and I travel the world as well..
Is this the same bunjee operation you used in Zambia? Don’t push your “seven lives”
http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c3#/video/world/2012/01/08/dnt-woman-survives-bungee-fall.nine-network
Lovely blog.
Hi Jason
I just found your blog and added it to the large list of thebesttravelled.com’s links. I have done all the countries in the world and know exactly where you are coming from – Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, that’s the kind of place to be. Tuva, Dagestan, choice places too 🙂
I do hope you have a look at thebesttravelled and decide to join, the site is for people like us 🙂
Happy travels
What is it you do for a living that allows you this kind of flexibility?
I’m curious too, I’m looking for a job or something that let me travel without worry about having enough money to live… How can you do it? pleas tell Us the secret!!
Happy travel!
I think most people are curious. This is always one of the things people like to hold close for some reason
AWESOME! jason i live in guyana south america i was googling pics of Kaiteur falls and i saw this white guy lol so i found this page and i just have to say wat you’re doing just totally rocks!!!!! living life to the fullest bro keep it up! when i grow up i wanna be just like you!
Awesome! My wife and I have a more modest goal of visiting 100 countries and we’re about half way! Keep it up!
Found this via FlyerTalk, the thread on traveling to Iran. I like to travel, but am not as ambitious, though I do plan on hitting my 50th state before my 50th Birthday and my 50th country this year. I like your criteria, as I struggled with a few.
So I visited the GDR in 1984 way before the wall came down, so that counts, right?
Of course – the beautiful thing about counting is that you can make up your own rules!
Hi, I am Woong from South Korea!
I am planning to leave for a trip all around the world in June and your blog has given me some ideas and inspirations! Hope someday you take your time to travel in Korea. It is such a beautiful country!
“The picture above was taken in Tiraspol, Transdniester (try and find that on a map)”
Not only can I find it on the map. I’ve eaten at that same Andy’s Pizza too. 🙂
Dear Jason,
We are doing a piece on Congo Brazzaville and would like you to talk about it
Sunita
Sunita, I’d be happy to talk – drop me an email at jason@jasonaroundtheworld.com
I randomly got here… great travels, lists, and countries!!! you’re so cosmopolitan…. hey but why not Mongolia was singled out there 🙁 our country is great!!!
Mongolia will be this summer for the Namdan festival I hope!
Great blog and so glad to find others who are trying to visit every country in the world. Though I’m a bit behind you…63 countries at age 31. Got a few more to catch up on.
63 at 31 is still extremely darn impressive, and definitely ahead of where I was at 31. Keep at it!
I subscribe to many travel blogs and I must say you are the Best! I enjoy your unbiased opinions and truthfulness. Your accompanying photos with your travel tales are very entertaining. Hope your wanderlust never diminishes.
I LOVE your blog – It’s my go to whenever I’m bored and wanna read something interesting. It’s amazing all the places you’ve been; the small countries, the underreported countries, the countries where people assume only absence and danger live. You’re also a really funny writer 🙂
Hi Jason,
my name is David. I am an aviation and travel enthusiast with 100+ countries visited worldwide. I live in Iceland and I have here a small tour company. Please let me kow if you have plans to visit Iceland – I can show you some off-the-beaten-track sights.
One of my new favorite travel blogs now!!!
When will you do Mauritania? I just booked it for December.
Thanks! I’ll be there in just over a month!
Cannot WAIT to see your take on it. There is very little written online about it, as I’m sure you know!
I’m having a hard time finding NKC-DKR flights..Nouakchott to Dakar. At least for December. Any intel you can bring back would be appreciated.
Hey Jason,
Love your blog. Have you thought of compiling the ultimate Travel Tip article? Out of all your adventures, which airlines/aircrafts do you recommend, things to avoid at all costs, etc?
Definitely something I’ll get around to when I have some free time!
Glad I stumbled upon your blog. Looking forward to following along your adventure of seeing every country in the World! Any idea of where you go from there after that point? Or just focused on visiting every country first?
I’ll figure that out in a few months after Iceland. I have a few really fun trips I want to do and have put off because I’ve been using all my free time/money to finish the countries.
[…] No – not him! Must be a few that are attempting it It was Jason I met in Colombia – great bloke: About Me | Jason Around the World If God needed to fly he would ride in a 787. Reply With […]
Congrats mate – off of ’em nailed down now!
Jason, just found your blog – can’t stop reading (just as impressive as your LinkedIn profile) !! Keep doing what you are doing!! Thumbs up!!
Haha drop me a message – I have no idea who this is!
We haven’t met before; I was just curious what you do for living that allows you to take so many work related trips – now I know thanks to LinkedIn. Once again, your travel stories on this blog and your resume, look very impressive! …btw, when is Iceland?
Labour Day 🙂 About 50 of us are going 🙂
Hi Jason, my name is Sachi and I’m a graduate student at Yale University. I spent the summer in the Pacific islands and am writing an article for school and would love to re-post the picture you took of the road in Kiribati – would it be possible for me to use this picture, with proper attribution of course? If not, it’s not a problem. Thanks a ton and good luck for your next adventure 🙂
Sachi
Absolutely – feel free to use it and attribute it with a blog link. Also – please share the article when done, I’d love to read it!
Jason – Would you be willing to share how much per person you paid for your Turkmenistan tour? Looking at the same company and wanna have a baseline for cost.
Thanks!
It was around $900 I believe, and that included the hotel upgrades.
Hi Jason – I am going to the Guianas in December and would love to know how you confirmed your trip to Kaiteur as none of these tour agencies or air companies were able to confirm anything for me on my said dates.
Also, how much was Trans Guyana charging for a flight back when you were there? Their price is $180+$13 departure tax now.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Mr Jason,
I just found your blog last week and I really enjoyed reading #businessclass entry..really great insight with lovely explanation, pictures for us who can never even dream to board business class or first class seat !
nice to know you have visited Malaysia, my beloved country..
Jason-
You should write this article. At the very least I think you should contribute. I bet some of those Somali airlines should have made this list.
https://www.travelawaits.com/travel-tips/2392851/the-worlds-5-most-dangerous-airlines?utm_term=ta-fbk-m-us-96534f19.qnh09rlb&utm_content=1936&utm_source=fbk&utm_campaign=ta-fbk-m-us-96534f19
David
Thanks for the idea David – I should do more global reviews and such!
Hi Jason,
I don’t know if you care but I ran across an article on a club for people who have visited 100 countries:
https://mentalfloss.com/article/569959/travel-club-for-people-who-have-been-to-100-countries?fbclid=IwAR0IhqKX9J5mZtyTvO4jEJQKVmrz2sNkN4J7GoFIlQwNP70lAAQ0bDCidxA
I’m shy of 50 countries so I’m not too interested myself. I am going to add 3-4 more (Chile, Falkland Islands, Argentina, and Uruguay) in the next month.
I always enjoy your blog! Keep traveling.
Rick
Thanks Rick – yup I’m very familiar with the Travelers Century Club! Check out my “Country List” page for more details! Welcome to the blog, and glad you enjoy it!
Hi Jason,
I recently figured out how to create a private VPN on/to my home router. I will check this capability out in Sept when I go to Portugal to make sure it works correctly. I believe it will let me appear to be using the internet from my home wherever I actually am. If that is so, I think it will allow me to access all of my Comcast channels so that I can watch sports, etc. When I was in South America, Comcast would not let me on.
The only thing you need is a router that has internal VPN capabilities (my Netgear does).
Let me know if you are interested and I’ll email you the instructions in Oct. (or earlier if you want to try before I fully test it).
Rick
You should go to Uruguay!
Your site states it’s Not secure – maybe you would like to fix it?