Eating rat on a stick, a Taliban encounter and a rescue by soldiers carrying AK-47s. Sue Rogers has completed the challenge and reveals what she learned along the way.
Most travellers dream of ticking a few destinations off their bucket list, but Sue Rogers has gone considerably further. In fact, more people have been to space than have travelled to all the193 countries in the world recognised by the United Nations.
But that is exactly what the 72-year-old has achieved and she shares some of her most unforgettable travel experiences, what motivated her to keep going and why age should never stop you exploring somewhere new.
When I was 46, in 2000, I began working for myself as an educational consultant (I was formerly an Ofsted inspector and school headteacher) which made it easier to manage my time in a way that enabled more travel.
In around 2013, I listed the countries I’d already visited on the Nomadmania website and thought, “Oh my goodness, I’ve done more than I thought”.
From there, my travels became much more checklist oriented. To my UN-recognised list of 193 countries, I added Kosovo, Taiwan and the Vatican, for a total of 196 that I needed to visit.
I thought about what I could do on my own, and what looked a bit scary, which would require a guided tour. I started to go on five or six trips every year, mostly on my own, partly because others weren’t interested, and partly because it’s always a more immersive experience when you’re alone.
People’s reactions are varied when they hear that I’ve travelled to every country in the world. Often there is doubt or confusion – they say, “What, even this one?” – and I say, “Yes, all of them!”
Some people just don’t see the appeal – they think I’m mad or suggest that it’s a waste of money. But mostly, people are curious, they like to hear about what I’ve seen, what I’ve learned.
I think it’s hugely important to have a goal, a challenge, something to work towards, especially since I fully retired in 2020. I’ve done most of it since turning 60, due to having more time, and more money.
Of course, it has been expensive, so I’ve had to make sacrifices. I started off with a three-bedroom flat in London, but I’ve repeatedly downsized to free up funds. Now, I live in a one-bedroom flat in Brighton.
It’s a life choice – I don’t have children, so I spend all my money on travel.
I’ve driven across deserts, communed with thousands of emperor penguins on South Georgia, sampled rat-on-a-stick in Laos (like chicken, but stringy). I went on a camel safari in Kenya and spent the night out in the open, in a sleeping bag, which wasn’t wildly comfortable.
In Nauru, the world’s smallest island nation in Micronesia, the only available accommodation was a half-demolished hotel, so I was woken every morning by a big, vibrating hammer.
There have been many hairy moments. I fell off a waterfall in Venezuela and ended up in plaster. I had my appendix out in Nepal, then met Princess Anne on the same trip.
In Mali, I had to be rescued by the army, clutching AK-47s, after my car broke down. It turned out they shouldn’t have taken me down that road at all, because the militant group Boko Haram had kidnapped people there a few days before.
On Christmas Island I was attacked by a booby, a tropical bird with a very long neck. I got too close to a baby that I didn’t spot nesting in the coral, so its mother lashed out. I fell, gouged my legs, and lost my car keys in the process. There was nobody else around, so I rang the police, who seemed delighted to have something to do. They took me to hospital and hunted down my car keys too.
The next day, I got a flat tyre driving in the jungle, but I was too embarrassed to call them again – I just kept driving, which earned me a good telling off from the man who owned the car.
That wasn’t the only time an incensed animal has caused chaos. On the Cocos Islands, a guy I was travelling with was attacked by a reef shark – they thought he might lose his leg at one point, but they managed to stitch it up.
Some places are really quite spiritual, like Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal. I can always feel this distinctive atmosphere on top of mountains, and beaches are beautifully tranquil, especially if there’s a light breeze.
Once, in the Galapagos islands, I found hammocks on the rooftop of our hotel. I was drinking beer, watching pelicans sweeping over the bay, and it felt so balmy and tropical and lovely. You think: ‘What more could I want?’
North Korea was interesting, but I felt on edge the whole time. It was like being in The Truman Show. You have to visit on an authorised tour. Absolutely nothing is real: they’ve got shops with window displays that are empty inside. They take you to factories – supposedly producing biscuits and bottles – that don’t actually work.
The whole experience felt uncomfortable; the main tourist hotel in Pyongyang is on an island that you can’t leave. There are all those stories about the ninth floor being dedicated to surveillance, because there’s no button for it in the lift.
On May Day, I was taken to a park – as I walked through, people began barbecuing the exact same food, as if on cue.
The final country on my list was Afghanistan, which I visited in October 2023, joined by four friends I’ve met travelling. I’m always in two minds when I go to places like that, as to whether you’re supporting the regime.
I was furious about the Taliban and I just had to sit there, seething, keeping my mouth shut. But it was one of my most memorable trips – starkly beautiful, with glacial blue rivers and dusty mountains, and some of the most hospitable people in the world.
I’ve got lots of favourite countries, like Bolivia and the Soloman Islands, and I’m especially drawn to tropical destinations, like the Caribbean. India always lures me back – I’ve been ten times.
I like to relive and document my travels by writing about them on my blog. And my adventures aren’t just international – I’m also re-visiting every English county.
I’ve had other challenges to navigate, beyond finances. I suffer with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition which causes widespread pain and fatigue.
It comes and goes in fits and starts, but I’ve found ways to ensure that it hasn’t derailed my travels. For example, if I’m not able to walk too far, I’ll hire a car. Sometimes I get tired, so I just have to pace myself.
When plotting an itinerary, I’m still not good enough at building in extra days to dedicate to rest. You also need to consider fundamentals, like when you cross the International Date Line, and suddenly lose a day. You don’t want to risk missing a flight!
You don’t know what is possible until you give things a try, in small, manageable increments. For instance, I used to be terrified of driving in the UK, let alone on the other side of the road while trying to balance the GPS on my knee.
But the more you do something, the less scary it becomes, and your confidence blossoms.
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