This Man Visited Every Country in the World Without Using a Plane

Thor Pedersen traveled the entire world, visiting every country, and he did it all without a plane. This is his incredible story of how he spent nearly a decade seeing the world by bus, ship, and foot.

Born Too Late

Torbjørn Pedersen loved to pretend he was Indiana Jones as a kid. The Danish native always desired to see and explore the world. He thought that he was born too late, though, for something like this.

He told The Guardian, "I had a profound feeling that everything had been done. The great adventures took place in the past. It was all over." However, he was wrong. He would end up going on the adventure of a lifetime and travel the world continuously without using a plane.

Before He Traveled the World

Before Pedersen took on this epic task of traveling the world without flying to any destination, he was a young kid with a big dream. As a child, he moved around a lot with his family, who lived in Denmark, Canada, and the United States. When it was time to decide what to study, he enrolled in business school.

After graduating, Pedersen was drafted into the military. He continued his role as a soldier for the UN and spent time in Ethiopia and Eritrea. He eventually landed a job in shipping and logistics and traversed the globe for work. It's easy to see where he got his passion for travel from.

The Life-Changing Email

Life was progressing as expected. Pedersen was 34, had a successful career, met a girl, and just purchased himself an apartment. Then, an email from his dad changed everything. His dad sent him an article about people who traveled to every country in the world, and they did it by walking, cycling, and hitchhiking.

A lightbulb went off in Pedersen's head. He told The Guardian, "I discovered that no one had ever gone to every country in the world completely without flying" in one continuous journey. Pedersen started to get serious about becoming the first man to visit every country without a plane in a single trip. 

Preparating for the Voyage

The Dane spent the next ten months planning his big trip. Many factors were in play. Pedersen had to map out the best route to take, figure out what was essential to pack in his backpack, and plan out a budget to stick to. This expedition of visiting 203 countries went from a far-off dream to his immediate reality.

Additionally, he had to secure himself funding for his voyage. While he did use a lot of savings, Pedersen also got financial support from donations and sponsorships. He wasn't just doing it for himself, either. Pedersen would be working as a goodwill ambassador for the Danish Red Cross.

Setting the Rules

In his preparations for his history-making journey, Pedersen also set himself a few ground rules to live by. He had three big ones. He had to spend at least 24 hours in each country, he wasn't allowed to visit home, and there was no flying under any circumstance.

He also set himself a daily budget. He wanted to keep his expenses low and lived off of a budget of around 20 dollars a day. The Dane also made it his personal mission to share something positive about every single country. Even if they are typically shed in a bad light in the media, Pedersen wanted to stick to the positives.

Only Four Years

Pedersen mapped out an entire timeline for his quest. He predicted that it would take him approximately four years to complete. Spoiler alert: It ended up taking him over double that amount of time to achieve his mission. Holy moly! That's a lot of extra time on the road.

While most things went to plan, some unforeseen circumstances ended up delaying his voyage at certain points. They included things like bad weather conditions, bouts of illness, bureaucracy with visas, and a little something that everyone is familiar with - the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saying His Goodbyes

When it came to Pedersen's expedition, his father was nervous that he was throwing away a good, solid career path. Pedersen revealed to The Guardian that he had to convince his dad that this wasn't some gap year where he would be "sitting on a beach with long hair, playing a guitar and smoking something I shouldn't."

On the other hand, his mother took things more lightheartedly. She welcomed her son's idea. He told Daily Mail, "Telling my mum I was going was like telling her I'm going to the dentist. She's very proud." With his parents on board, Pedersen had one last goodbye to say, and this one would be harder than the rest...

Long-Distance Relationship

Pedersen had to say goodbye to his girlfriend, Le. They hadn't yet made it to their first anniversary when he told her he wanted to embark on this incredible voyage. They would have to enter a long-distance relationship, and the end was way off in the distant future.

It would be years before they would live in the same country again. Pedersen told The Guardian, "I have had previous experience with long-distance relationships and it's hard. I was trying to warn her against it while wanting her to stay." In the end, they decided to give long-distance a try. 

Once Upon a Saga

To keep his friends, family, and supporters from afar updated on his travels, Pedersen started a blog. He called it Once Upon a Saga. He also created social media accounts like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. This way, no matter how far away he was from home, everyone would be able to feel like they were with him.

Pedersen constantly updated new friends, old friends, family, and those simply interested in his journey through these platforms. He stuck with the blog and his social media accounts to the very end. He documented everything from his personal struggles to the amazing landmarks he visited.

Bon Voyage

After months of preparation and hard goodbyes, it was finally time to begin his historic voyage. Pedersen left his home country, Denmark, on October 10, 2013, and headed to his first destination, Germany. Little did the Danish man know, it would be almost a decade before he would return to his native country.

At the time that he left, the world looked a lot different. Lorde's Royals was one of the most popular songs on the radio. Captain Phillips, which starred Tom Hanks, was released in theaters the day after he departed. Vine was still a platform, and everybody was doing the Harlem Shake.

A European Adventure

From Germany, Pedersen continued to travel through European countries. Just to name a few, he went to Belgium, France, England, Ireland, Spain, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, and many more. He told The Guardian it was "very easy in terms of logistics and bureaucracy."

However, there was one aspect of Europe that made things tricky for Pedersen. He had trouble sticking to his allotted budget. He ended up traveling as quickly as possible through the continent. He said, "I lost about 10 kilos in the first month. I was skipping meals, I didn't get a lot of sleep. I was so exhausted."

Off to the Americas

Next up on the itinerary was North and South America. He made his way from Greenland to Canada and began his journey on the other side of the world. During his travels, Pedersen got the nickname Thor. After spending a few days traveling through Canada, he headed south toward the United States and Mexico.

He continued down through Central and South America. One of his longest bus rides was in Brazil; Thor was on the bus for 54 hours, with the sun setting on him twice! He made his way north toward the Caribbean and hit the tropical islands, where he saw breathtaking sights while taking on extraordinary experiences.

Difficult Moments

Though he was living out his dream, he's admitted it wasn't always a walk in the park. Pedersen had many difficult moments that he had to battle with. While traveling through Central and South America, he received terrible news from home. He told The Guardian, "My grandmother died and I couldn't come back for her funeral." 

There were many life moments that he was missing out on. Additionally, balancing a long-distance relationship wasn't easy. Thor revealed, "We had some rough patches and came pretty close to breaking up. But we found a way to fix it." It seemed there was always a light at the end of the tunnel...

Making Waves

Five years after beginning his mission, Pedersen was making impressive progress. In 2017, he had already traveled to 121 countries. He also covered a distance of 94,106 miles. That's equal to 33 trips across the continental United States. At this point, Pedersen had 82 countries left on his voyage.

Partially through his journey, Pedersen told Daily Mail, "It's hard work. But it's also like life intensified. The joy, the excitement, the discoveries, the sorrow, the sadness, the stress, the friendships, the education, the pride - everything!" There was still so much of the world left to see and explore! 

Overcoming Obstacles

When Thor spoke with the Daily Mail in 2017, he expected to finish his travels by 2019. However, things did not turn out that way - there were a few bumps along the path that ended up diverting his travels. He spent four months trying to acquire a visa to Equatorial Guinea! 

He also had other visa issues getting into Syria, Iran, Nauru, and Angola, which took months to overcome. He also had to backtrack 7,500 miles to Pakistan when he couldn't secure a visa to China. There was one delay that not only put Pedersen's journey to a complete stop but also the entire world…

An Unexpected Delay

At the start of 2020, Thor was in Hong Kong when the entire world was brought to a standstill by COVID-19. He had no choice but to stay put for the first time since he embarked on this journey. He told Euronews, "When it was declared a global pandemic, I knew it was game over, at least for a little while."

Thor planned to spend four days in Hong Kong. He ended up spending two years in the city. With only nine countries left and a global pandemic around him, Pedersen debated if he should abandon his project altogether or stick to the goal he was so close to completing.

Looking at the Bright Side

Despite being stuck, Thor made the best of his situation. He told CNN, "I had to ask myself: how much of my life will I give to this? But while waiting for the world to open, I made a life in Hong Kong and forged so many special relationships." He was able to gain residency and an employment visa.

Thor also got married to his long-term girlfriend, Le. They got her residency, and she came to Hong Kong. "We spent 100 days together, which was wonderful," he said to CNN. The couple hiked trails, spent time with Thor's friends, and enjoyed their time together. 

Continuing the Journey

Two years of waiting went by, and on January 5, 2022, Thor secured passage on a container ship to continue his voyage. The next stop was Palau: it took him six months of negotiating with their government, 15 days at sea, and an eight-day quarantine to experience the island country.

He crisscrossed the ocean and got to go to Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga. When trying to get to Tonga, he got personal permission from their prime minister! Thor told CNN, "Finally, one night, I got an email from the prime minister that simply said, 'It's okay, let him in.'"

Saying "I Do"

His next destination was an extra special one. Pedersen arrived in Vanuatu, and Le joined him. They were going to get married again! This time, though, it was going to be in person. Per CNN, their wedding planner made decorations using palm leaves and created hearts in the sand with seashells.

Pedersen told the news outlet, "It was just beautiful - the staff were sweet and giddy, and they made it really special." While it wasn't what they originally planned, the happy couple was stoked to have the time together and celebrate their union in person.

The Final Countdown

There were only three countries left on Thor's list. He was nearing the end after literally years of traveling, but there was still a lot of work left to do. He had to reach Tuvalu, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Only then would he be able to go back to Denmark.

He was forced to stay in Tuvalu for two months. He explained to CNN, "The ships kept breaking down. One of them had a leaking hole in the hull. I tried to get on another ship, but it just never set off." He finally got a ride to Fiji and, from there, continued the remaining leg.

One Last Stop

At last, he made it to the final country on his list. When he arrived at the port in the capital city of the Maldives, Malé, a group was waiting for him. Some of his sponsors, a fellow traveler Gunnar Garfors, and others were waving Danish flags as a greeting.

Pedersen told CNN, "When I was in the Maldives, it was enormously hectic, and I had no real time for reflection. I was mentally exhausted - it has been a roller-coaster of emotions." With every country in the world checked off, there was only one thing left to do...

The Voyage Home

The time had come for him to make his trip home. Although he could have taken a plane home and stayed true to the rules he set up for himself, he decided to take a ship home. Pedersen said to CNN, "There's a historical sense of returning home by ship..."

He continued, "People can see it on the horizon and stand and wave as I come down the gangway. And that seems like an appropriate way to complete the project." His final sail was on a container ship, the MV Milan Maersk. He spent 33 days on board, waiting to see Denmark on the horizon.

Welcome Back

On May 24, 2023, around 150 people were waiting at the Port of Aarhus, which is located on the eastern coast of Denmark, for Pedersen to return home. His father, siblings, supporters, friends, partners, and wife were among those ready to welcome him back.

As Pedersen walked down the gangway, it signaled an end to his remarkable adventure. After ten long years of traveling the world without stepping on a plane once or coming back home, he did it! The crowd cheered him on as he finally made it back to Denmark.

Adjusting to Life

Getting back into the swing of things won't happen for Thor overnight. The Dane explained to Mirror, "I have essentially been a nomad for a decade. It's a bit like being in a coma. My life is upside down." He was constantly on the move for ten years and now has to adjust to a normal routine.

There's a lot of life that he missed out on, too. He told CNN, "We have a lot of things to celebrate. While I was traveling, [Le] accomplished so many things - she completed a medical degree, finished her PhD..." She also completed two Ironmans. While it may take some time, Pedersen is already making progress. 

Beating the Odds

While seeing the world can be an eye-opening and wonderful experience, it also can be dangerous and terrifying. Things can go awry quickly if one isn't careful about their actions. Pedersen admitted to The Guardian, "I was living a nightmare at times." 

He continued, "There were hundreds of difficult checkpoints; I had to recover from cerebral malaria; I was held up at gunpoint many times. I should have been dead. I should've quit even more times." Yet, despite the challenges he faced, he continued to push forward and persevere.

Being the First

The adventurer made his mark. He became the first to visit every country in the world in one single journey without getting on a plane. Is Thor the Marco Polo for the modern era? He may as well be! The entire time he was on this adventure, he knew what he was doing was special.

He told Daily Mail in 2017, "No one has ever been to every country completely without flying. So I am potentially making world history." He continued, "This is an attempt to push that barrier and inspire people in the process." He can give himself a round of applause because Thor did it. He accomplished his mission.

A Documentary in the Works

Since 2019, filmmaker Mike Douglas has been meeting up with Thor and joining him for parts of his journey. The two are working on a documentary film about Thor's inspiring achievement. Douglas wrote, "Like many, I was intrigued by Thor's story when I first heard about it."

He continued later on, "The more time I've spent with Thor, the more impressed I am by what he has accomplished. It is one of the most challenging adventures of our time... Nobody has heard the real story. My intention is to bring it to light." The Impossible Journey is expected to be released in 2024. 

The Distance of the Moon

The statistics behind his trip are astounding to think about. According to CNN, Pedersen was on the road for 3,576 days straight. He took 37 container ships, 158 trains, 351 buses, 219 taxis, 33 boats, and 43 rickshaws as transportation during that time. There were, of course, zero planes.

He traveled through approximately 223,000 miles. Thor told Mirror, "It equaled the distance of the moon. This was an education beyond anything else." Through it all, he gathered unforgettable memories, made wonderful friends, and learned countless lessons.

Lessons Learned

For Thor, it wasn't about gaining statistics. He told CNN, "I set out on this journey with a motto, 'A stranger is a friend you've never met before,' and I have been shown time and time again that this is true. If you engage with people, they're usually all in."

When Pedersen wasn't traversing the oceans on ships or crossing borders on buses, it was the people he spent his time with. They were the ones who welcomed him into their homes, shared meals with him, and helped him on his journey. He told Adventure.com, "I quickly realized that it's the people that makes countries so special." 

His Advice to Travelers

Pedersen lived a lifetime in the near decade that he spent traveling the world. What is his advice to other travelers? He simply said to Mirror, "Go out there and rub shoulders with people and see what you come back with." There is so much to do and explore, so why not go ahead and take the opportunity to do it?!

Thor hopes to inspire everyone. Not just those who want to see the world. He told CNN, "I had the craziest of goals. And if I could do this, you can lose weight or learn to play an instrument, learn a language, get an education, get a job... whatever you want." What an inspiring man and adventure!