Torbjørn C. Pedersen (prefers to be called Thor) is on a mission to visit every country in the world in one go. He’s been at it since 2013. But here’s the catch: he’s doing it without hopping onto a single flight. With only seven countries to go (Pederson is currently en route New Zealand from Australia via a cargo ship), he talks to Travel + Leisure India & South Asia about his herculean world tour and experiences along the way. By Bayar Jain
T+L India: You said your project kickstarted at 10:10 am on 10/10 in 2013. Tell us about it.
Thor: I got interested in the idea of reaching every country without flying, in early 2013. At the time, my wife and I were training for the Berlin marathon which took place on September 29, and I wanted to finish that before leaving. So I looked for a date close after. 10/10 had a nice ring to it, and by adding 10:10 am we had 10101010.
T+L India: Why did you choose to travel without taking any flights?
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Thor: Less than 300 people have reached every country in the world and all of them chose to fly at some point. In 2013, I realised I had the chance of becoming the first in history to reach every country without flying. I have always been fascinated by great tales of adventurers creating the world’s firsts: North Pole, South Pole, circumnavigating the planet, reaching the moon etc. For me, it was a chance to carve out a piece of history for myself.
T+L India: Do you remember your first holiday? Do you feel you’ve evolved as a traveller since?
Thor: No, not really. I was born in Denmark to parents from Denmark and Finland. And soon after my birth, we moved to Canada and then the USA. We returned to Denmark when I was nearly seven. So travel to see family in Denmark and Finland from an early age became indistinguishable from having a holiday. I would sometimes run away from home as a child and go on day-long adventures. So, I suppose I had a sensation for adventure travel early on. Later, I got to work in countries such as Libya, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Greenland and more. These destinations gave me a good opportunity to explore locally.
T+L India: How do you think travel has changed since you started your journey in 2013?
Thor: There is much more information online relating to visas, border crossings, tips, tricks, recommendations etc. Internet has become better with faster and cheaper connections. Back in 2013, there wasn’t much focus on flying being bad for the environment. But today some try to avoid flying for environmental reasons. Some hard-to-enter countries now offer easy online visas. And some countries with armed conflict have become safer to visit while new conflicts have risen elsewhere. Also, I have found that several ferry connections have disappeared.
T+L India: Tell us about some of the works you’ve undertaken as part of Red Cross while travelling.
Thor: As a goodwill Ambassador of the Danish Red Cross, I have paid a visit to the movement in 191 countries symbolically connecting them within one journey. I have also raised awareness for humanitarian work of the years and helped to raise funds.
T+L India: How does being a Danish Red Cross Goodwill Ambassador impact your travels?
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Thor: I try not to take advantage of the Red Cross in any regard as I want the name and image to stay pure. But overall I can say that my affiliation with the movement has added credibility to the project. Some doors may have opened due to the affiliation which would have been an advantage. And it has also been an advantage to keep humanitarian work as a motivation for me not to give up in tough times. There is no clear disadvantage for me in travelling as a Danish Red Cross Goodwill Ambassador. None other than that I would need to stay at my best behaviour, which I would hope to do regardless!
T+L India: You’ve vowed to not return home to Denmark until you complete your journey. How do you cope being away from friends and family all this while?
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Thor: It has definitely not been easy. Especially when the pandemic closed down much of the world, it would have been nice to return home. Instead I was stuck in Hong Kong for two years. Bureaucratically, there have also been several countries which would not issue visas unless I was a resident. And without returning home to Denmark, applying for such visas became complicated. Mentally, it has gotten tougher as more and more time passes. It helps to have a clear goal and to see progress within the project. Emotionally it has been hard when I have felt a lack of support or if something has happened to someone I’m close to, like when my grandmother passed away.
T+L India: What have been your biggest hurdles as a flightless traveller?
Thor: It can be put into three different areas: logistics, bureaucracy, and mental struggle. Logistically, it can be hard to navigate armed conflicts or to reach faraway island nations. Bureaucratically, it can be a nightmare to achieve certain visas, permits, and access to commercial vessels. And mentally, it can be a struggle to not give up. Overall I have, so far, overcome these hurdles in a variety of different ways. But they all tie into making connections, being ingenious, being persistent, and staying focussed.
T+L India: You were in Hong Kong when Covid-19 first struck. What was the experience like and how did you cope with it?
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Thor: Yes, and as a result I have become very passionate about Hong Kong which is a special place on this planet. In the beginning, I tried to get away but when that proved to be impossible I figured I had to make the best of my time. I began to hike a lot, initiated collaborations, collaborated a lot with Hong Kong Tourism Board, made online speaking engagements, got a job, networked to great extent, and explored Hong Kong. I set a lot of smaller goals and challenges for myself which I could focus on to cope with a situation I had no control over. One of them was to reach to the peaks of Hong Kong’s 20 highest mountains; another was to take 5,00,000 steps within a week.
T+L India: You spent New Year’s in India in 2018. How did that go?
Thor: 2018 was a great one! My wife had flown in to join me in Amritsar. We headed to the Golden Temple to celebrate with the thousands that were there and see the fireworks above the temple. In 2019, I was in Marshall Islands waiting for a ship. In the capital, Majuro, the main road had been closed off and there were two bands playing—one at each end of the road. The mood was good and so was all the street food. At one point I stood on one of the stages as a young band played a cover of Radiohead’s song Creep. We all sang along the verse ‘what the hell am I doing here? I don’t belong here. I don’t belong here.‘
T+L India: What are some of your fondest memories from India?
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Thor: It was certainly nice to spend time in Amritsar with my wife. And I had the chance to meet up with my friend in Mumbai, who is also a project member. We have known each other for many years and he showed me around the university where he studied. I liked travelling by train and meeting people. And I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the country and the distinct culture in the North Eastern states. What can I say, Incredible India!
T+L India: How do you ensure you’re being a sustainable and conscious traveller?
Thor: First of all, my carbon footprint is incredibly small as I travel without flying and mostly by public transportation. I also often eat locally. I always try to keep in mind that I am a guest in every country I visit and show respect towards the cultures I encounter. A core part of Once Upon A Saga is to make a positive promotion of every country in the world. So I am always on the outlook for the good.
T+L India: Any tips on being more mindful when interacting with locals?
Thor: People need to be aware they are visitors or guests. It is good to stay polite, listen more than speak, try to remember people’s names, learn and use bits of local language, be thankful, show respect, and smile. In some cultures it can be impolite to look people in the eye or to smile showing your teeth—so do your research before going somewhere new.
T+L India: What are your plans after completing the journey?
Thor: I will sleep for one month! When I wake up, I will have a shower and shave. I may remarry my wife as our marriage is not valid in Denmark and we will try to start a family. I will see all my friends and family as soon as possible—and all the children they have had while I’ve been away! I plan to write at least one book and pursue a life as a motivational speaker. Regarding social media, I hope to keep it alive and grow [with] it.
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