When we caught up with him by phone on September 27, he had just arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia. The voice is tired, but welcoming. Again, Torbjorn C. The 43-year-old traveler, who will soon turn another year in December, is waiting to find a means of transport to get to his next destination, Vanuatu, almost 550 kilometers northeast of New Caledonia.
At the time of the call, he is in a dead end. “Maybe I’ll find someone who has a sailboat. But even if this opportunity arises, the person must agree to take me there. You also need to know when the trip will take place, soon or in four or five months. All this is very complicated.” The 40-year-old, originally from Denmark, is considering other solutions to get to Vanuatu, such as shipping companies that can transport him in containers.
It would take several hours by plane to get there. But Thor has another idea: to reach the archipelago by sea. “I’ve searched for cruises, cruises, ferries… and there are no options at this time”, he explains. Because the Dane has set a rule for himself, and not least, to go to every area and country in the world without getting on a plane, with a budget of $20 a day to cover everything (food, accommodation, visas and funds: movement). A challenge that is about to be met. After almost ten years on the roads and seas, she has just four visits left: to Vanuatu, Tuvalu, also in the Pacific, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Shortly after our conversation, he will find a ship to take her to Vanuatu. It will take seven days to complete the transition.
On the road since 2013
But why such a thought? The adventure begins in early 2013, when Thorbjorn C. One day, Pedersen receives a letter that will change his life. “My dad sent me a link and I clicked on it. It was an article about people who have traveled to every country in the world. There were about 200 of them that did, while we sent over 500 people into space.he tells us. “It became an obsession.” Few then (and still today) attempted such a journey without ever being airborne. In this regard, we remember the British Graham Hughes, who tried to visit all member states of the United Nations a few years ago. Thor wants to be one of those pioneers. And besides, his journey will be different. More strict with its rules (no plane, at least 24 hours spent in each country and, above all, the possibility to return home by the end) and in the list of places to visit: . Upon completion of his final destination, he will be the first person to visit every country in the world without boarding a plane.
Quite a program. The ex-soldier, who spent several months on a peacekeeping mission for the United Nations, built the bricks of his project, put aside his savings and surrounded himself with several sponsors. He even became a goodwill ambassador for the Danish Red Cross.
The launch started on October 10, 2013 from Denmark, followed by Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France… until nine years later. Thor knows it. he’s closing in on the goal, 199 countries on the clock. “I still have six or seven months, I think.”, he admits. Before we get there, the challenges are many. Because the Dane is currently in the Pacific Ocean, one of the most difficult parts of the world to travel to, according to him. It is complicated both by the lack of land or sea transport, and by all the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 epidemic. “Some countries still require PCR tests 24 hours before departure. However, others live as if the virus is no longer present. I have to consider these kinds of aspects. Also, some boats no longer want to risk a non-crew member.says Thor.
“Since 2015, I want to go home, but I continue. few people understand it”
Torbjørn C. Pedersen, known as Thor
In addition to negotiating with transport companies, he also has to sometimes convince countries interested in his approach to welcome him. And that’s not all. Although the use of airplanes is increasingly discussed, even contested, because of the pollution it causes, in some parts of the world it is almost impossible to do without it. A paradox of which he is a victim, in spite of himself. “When I left Denmark, I noticed ferry lines in some areas. And then, when I came, those connections were no longer there. Within a year or two they were gone.”, Thor observes. And remember a symbolic joke. “When I wanted to go to Iran, I went to the Iranian embassy in Kuwait to get a visa. At first, my interlocutors did not understand why I did not want to get on the plane. They told me. “By flying, you can easily get a visa at different airports of the country.” I refused. It took me a month to get the precious sesame.
long term work
So many difficulties that gradually destroyed Torbjörn K. Pedersen’s enthusiasm. A traveler who was stuck in Hong Kong for almost two years due to Covid admits it without compromise. his project is difficult to implement, both logistically and morally. “I have been working every day for the past nine years. I don’t have much of a break between country promotion missions and my travel arrangements. I want to go home since 2015, but I continue. few people understand it”, admits. For the past five years, she has not been able to see her mother, nor her two younger sisters. He also misses his wife, who has been able to visit him 26 times in the last nine years. During nearly ten years of travel, Thor never returned home. If he refrains from heightened belligerence in his speech, it seems to radiate from his entire approach.
Because how do you explain such energy despite the amount of despair? For a traveler whose mother is from Finland, part of the answer lies in the Finnish concept of ‘sisu’. Without an equivalent in French, the term can be assimilated to “persistence” and “persistence”. “Patient Relentlessness”, which he reports regularly on his blog “Once Upon a Time Saga” and on his social networks. He shares his progress, his doubts, but also the beautiful encounters and experiences he has had throughout his career. It’s hard for him to pick one in particular because some have counted. So we will decide to keep only one.
“I was in the Republic of Congo. I was looking for a bus or a train to take. But then a referendum should have taken place. And many were afraid that a war would break out. In fact, all buses and trains have been taken away. I managed to get a seat on the roof of a truck, truck style, with maybe 50 or 60 people. We left from Brazzaville. After 20 or 30 minutes it got sore and dusty because we weren’t sitting right. Besides, I was afraid of falling and losing my things. After traveling for three hours, everyone was unhappy and covered in dirt. The sun was setting, and a woman sitting next to me began rhythmically tapping a plastic bottle. He began to sing. Then slowly everyone accompanied him. It was really beautiful. It lasted about ten minutes. Then the silence returned and everyone became unhappy again.Thor recalls with a laugh, before continuing more seriously. “But those ten minutes were a great experience. It is impossible to buy a ticket to attend such a ceremony.
Inspirational approach
From this journey, Thor does not want to learn great lessons about the beauty of the world, but rather about the humanity of those who make it. “It may seem simple. People are just people. And what binds us the most is the environment in which we live, more than the rest. For the most part, we have common priorities, such as family, safety, or even sports. It’s a nice feeling to know that it’s possible to communicate with people from all over the world. Sometimes we tend to forget that.”
He is also aware of what his odyssey represents from an ecological and environmental point of view. Many netizens told him about it. his approach inspires and encourages some to think differently about their journey. But Torbjorn K. Soon, if all goes well, he will see one of his other goals, to (finally) return home after ten years of travel.
To follow Thor’s adventures.
– his blog. Once upon a time saga
– his social networks. Facebook, instagram, Twitter:, Youtube:
Source: Le Figaro
