“A STRANGER is a friend you’ve never met before.” This is the motto of avid traveler and Danish Red Cross goodwill ambassador Torbjørn “Thor” C. Pederson who has taken it upon himself to visit every country in the world without flying, to do what no one has ever done before.
His very first trip since the pandemic struck was to Palau, and on his way there, he sailed past Saipan aboard a ship with other seafarers.
“Unfortunately, I only got to see the beauty of Saipan from the ship I was onboard. It would be very nice to make a proper visit someday,” he said in an interview with Variety on Friday.
Asked what his message is for community members in the CNMI who dream of venturing out, even to just visit the other islands in the Commonwealth, Pederson shared a quote from American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer Helen Keller:
“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”
Pederson, who was born and raised in Denmark, added, “I grew up in a small village with about 1,200 people. Some of my classmates have barely left the village, while others, like me, have explored the world. Perhaps for some, it is about being brave. But I suspect that some people are not made to explore. For me, there is a curiosity which I need to satisfy. I have to get out there and see what those islands hold in store for me. Others will look at those islands and say, ‘It is just more sand and ocean.’ People know who they are. If they lack bravery, then I refer to Helen Keller.”
He attributes his wanderlust to his mother, whom he described as the explorer and dreamer among his Scandinavian parents.
“She was a tour guide on a volcanic island when the two of them met. She sparked my interest in nature, taking me on long walks in the forest and telling me about trolls and other supernatural beings. My mother introduced me to Robinson Crusoe, Robin Hood and Ivanhoe when I was young. She took me traveling and told me that someday, we would travel all the way around the world. She has sparked my imagination and lust for adventure. Yeah — I think we need to credit my mom,” he said with a smile.
Pederson said he has learned of a number of similarities between nearly all of the countries he has visited.
“It’s funny, but nearly every country has some saying or superstition relating to knocking on wood or touching wood. I guess trees are almost magical as they start very small and often grow to surpass most things, yet in a peaceful and quiet way,” he said.
“Another element is hospitality and the desire to share the best with visitors. More often than not, I have found that people all over the world want to leave the best possible impression. As such, a guest will often get the best food, the best treatment and see the best or nicest things. This is so natural to most of us that we wouldn’t be able to imagine the opposite.”
On his journey, Pederson has been representing and promoting the Red Cross, and makes it a point to travel on a low budget.
Prior to arriving in Palau, the 195th country he has visited, he had also been in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands just before the still raging Covid-19 pandemic struck the global community.
He has visited 195 of the 203 countries in the world and will eventually set sail to visit the eight countries remaining on his list: Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
Asked what he plans to do after reaching his goal of visiting every country without flying, Pederson said, “Once I return home, I will fall asleep and rest for a month. Then I will wake up and shave. My wife and I will see to visit friends and families. Also try to start a family of our own. With time I would like to write a book and pursue a career within motivation speaking. And perhaps I will set out to explore more of the world.”
To learn more about Pederson’s journey, visit www.onceuponasaga.dk or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and/or LinkedIn.
Torbjørn “Thor” C. Pederson, a renowned travel blogger, aboard the “Kota Ratna” on his way to Palau last month.
Torbjørn “Thor” C. Pederson, a renowned world traveler, visited Palau last month.
