It's a BIG world to travel around!


We’ve been home for a month to rest and do all those pesky things required by modern life such as filing a tax return, going to medical appointments and fixing up the house. During this time, I also researched the countries Khadija and I still have to visit to finish the 193 UN ones.

I’ve been to 153 UN countries, the shaded ones in this map.

I have 40 to go: 2 in Latin America, 4 in the Caribbean, 4 in Europe. 4 in Asia, 6 in Oceania and 20 in Africa.

Khadija’s map looks like this, as she has been to 149 UN countries.

She has 44 to go: 2 in Latin America, 3 in the Caribbean, 12 in Europe, 8 in Asia, 6 in Oceania and 13 in Africa.

However, we've been to different countries and together have 53 to visit. We are projecting 2030 to be finished, inshallah, إن شاء الله. We could do them faster but we usually spend a week or two in every country, so this alone precludes finishing by 2026. Also, we go to relatively few countries at one time, as not to diminish our adventures in each one.

Make sure to follow our progress but, more importantly, all of our unique and interesting experiences!

TRIP PHOTOS

Here are a couple of photos from my recent visit to South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, becoming independent in 2011.

The Mundari are a semi-nomadic ethnic group known for their deep connection with cattle, a primary source of wealth and status.

The Mundari I met were often statuesque and glowing with strength and energy.

UPCOMING TRIPS:

Our next journey starts in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, as I mentioned in my last month’s newsletter. Afterwards we are going halfway around the world to the highlands of Papua New Guinea to attend a series of sing-sings, where tribes perform cultural dances, play ethnic music and share their traditions.

RECENT POST:

Sudan has the friendliest people in the world in my estimation and numerous archaeological sites along the Nile River from Khartoum to the border of Egypt. Many of these are from the Kingdom of Kush, which controlled the region for over a millennium and for almost a century ruled Egypt as the 25th Dynasty. Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt (Meroë is pictured below) and even in the best of times, just a small fraction of the number of visitors.

A conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began on April 15, 2023, just six weeks after we left. It has resulted in widespread displacement, with over 14 million people forced from their homes, and a major humanitarian crisis. At the onset of the conflict, tourism halted abruptly as no sane person would visit a country ravaged by war. Hopefully soon the conflict will resolve itself and the Sudanese can return to a normal life.

SUBWAY PHOTOGRAPHY:

My beautifully printed black and white “Station to Station: Exploring the New York City Subway” coffee table book is still available. Click here or email me for a signed copy, not available anywhere else!

SOCIALS:

My website www.ExploringEd.com with detailed posts on our trips.

FB: @Ed.Hotchkiss.3 and @Exploring Ed Travel | IG: @Exploring.Ed.Travel

RECENT BOOK​:

The Beach (439 pages, 1996) by English author Alex Garland. It’s the story of a young backpacker who searches for and joins a community shut off from the world on a remote Thai island. At first, it seems idyllic but the reader eventually finds that the inhabitants will do anything to keep their location secret. The story describes how the members somehow forgot about their families and past and immersed themselves into their adopted tribe. The book illuminates a strain of the culture of backpackers at the time, as they were more interested in hanging out with each other than with local folks. It’s a classic tale about a bygone era, as now it’s unlikely to happen as every place in the world is identified on Google Maps or elsewhere.

DONATE:

We all want the children of the world to grow and have normal lives. However, some are struck with devastating and rare diseases that threaten normal living or prevent them from becoming adults. Fortunately, quick intervention by qualified medical doctors can sometimes effectively cure these diseases but treatments are usually extremely expensive and families must rely on charities and medical institutions to cover the bulk of the costs. I have just contributed to the following organizations which assist families with children in this dire strait. Please consider also donating to them or similar organizations.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats children with cancer, blood disorders, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and other related life-threatening diseases. They take many of the toughest cases including children who do not respond well to standard treatments.

Shriners Children's hospitals have been providing hope and healing to children for more than 100 years. Their compassionate, prestigious doctors and care teams are committed to excellence in pediatric care.

The HealthWell Foundation is dedicated to improving access to healthcare for America’s underinsured. The HealthWell Pediatric Assistance Fund provides financial assistance to eligible families so their children can start or continue critical, often life-saving medical treatments. The foundation puts 100% of donation to work and covers its own administrative costs.

Happy Traveling 🌏… Exploring Ed

Hi, I’m Exploring Ed! Adventure Enthusiast | Globe Trotter | Lifelong Explorer | NYC Cultural Connoisseur

Read more from Hi, I’m Exploring Ed! Adventure Enthusiast | Globe Trotter | Lifelong Explorer | NYC Cultural Connoisseur

April 2025 Newsletter Within a month, it’s amazing how you can delve into extremely different cultures. That was recently the case as I went to visit tribes in the world’s newest country, South Sudan. Then I visited, along with Khadija and our friends Nick and Monica, the enchanting country of Oman with a long history of maritime trading in the Indian Ocean and beyond. Both were new countries for me; now I've visited 153 of the 193 UN countries. South Sudan became a country in 2001 after 50...

March 2025 Newsletter After an extremely interesting but exhausting three weeks photographing at the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj, India and touring a wide swath of Bangladesh, we had to, alas, start returning home. We had two flight connections in Mumbai and Frankfurt and which gave us an opportunity yo visit those regions. We spent a few days in Mumbai and enjoyably strolled on the Marine Drive Promenade by Back Bay, part of the Arabian Sea. We went before sunset when the light was...

February 2025 Newsletter For ten days, I attended the Kumbh Mela, widely regarded as the world's largest religious gathering, extending 45 days with well over 100 million Hindu pilgrims. Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) hosts the Kumbh Mela every six years, so the next is in 2031. This year was extra special as it was the Maha (Great) Kumbh Mela which occurs every 144 years. For each Kumbh Mela, the city constructs a temporary city. This year it covered 15.5 sq miles / 40 sq kilometers, about...