In an inspiring tale of adventure and determination, Petek Philippe, a Swiss man has reached an incredible milestone by visiting 197 countries.
Philippe has been chronicling his travels on his Instagram page, ‘ROAD TO 197’.
In September, he posted a picture of himself in Iceland, the final country on the list of 197 ountries he has travelled to.
From Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America, Philippe has covered almost every country on the continents.
He has over 621 captivating photographs that capture the diverse cultures, stunning landscapes, and unique experiences he has encountered.
The seasoned traveller has shared these with over 27 000 of his followers.
He has been able to travel the world whilst balancing a full-time job exemplifying how effective time management and determination can help individuals pursue their dreams.
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The criteria for counting countries
Philippe’s approach to counting countries is both thoughtful and inclusive.
“I count the 193 UN member states, the two UN observer states, Palestine and Vatican City, plus Kosovo and Taiwan. That makes 197 countries. Whether or not you include those four is up to you, but 197 seems to be the standard among country counters.
“Some people also count Western Sahara as the 198th country or go by the 211 FIFA members (though some of them are not independent nations),” he explained.
Embarking on this ambitious project in 2015, Philippe had already visited around 30 countries before that year.
It took him approximately 10-11 years to complete his journey, with his final stop in Iceland.
He revealed that he has revisited around 20 of the countries he initially explored, allowing him to deepen his understanding of their unique cultures and offerings.
What constitutes a visit?
For Philippe, the definition of a visit is straightforward.
“There is no minimum duration for me. My rule is that I must have officially entered the country. That means airport transits don’t count. I also need to have seen something of the country and done some activity there. Simply driving through or staying in a hotel without leaving it would not count,” he said.
On average, he has spent about six days in each country, with longer stays in larger nations like Australia – where he spent three weeks – and brief visits to smaller countries like Monaco, where he only had an afternoon to explore.
Remarkably, he has visited 40 countries more than once and admits that Japan is his favourite country in the world.
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Self-financed adventures
Philippe’s travels have been entirely self-financed, relying on his earnings from various jobs over the past decade.
“Everything was self-financed. Not once did I get a free hotel, flight, tour, or any other sponsorship,” he said.
In terms of expenses, he estimates that visiting every country in the world costs between 250,000 to 300,000 Swiss franc (CHF).
While it is possible to travel on a budget, he acknowledges that costs can vary significantly depending on individual choices and travel styles.
Balancing work and travel
Despite his full-time job, Philippe has successfully carved out time for his travels.
From 2015 to 2019, he had 29 vacation days, which increased to 30 days from 2019 onward, in addition to 10-15 unpaid vacation days each year.
Along with nine national holidays and 52 weekends annually, Philippe has managed to turn his travel dreams into reality.
Interestingly, while he has visited 197 countries, he has yet to set foot on Antarctica, the only continent he has not explored.
This goal remains on his horizon as he continues to seek new adventures and experiences around the globe.
