Man who visited 61 countries insists world's 'most feared' places have one unexpected quality

Visiting every country on Earth may seem out of reach for most — but one traveler is well on his way, with 61 stamps in his passport and counting.

Daniel Björnram, 25, of Sweden, said he’s made it his personal goal to visit every country in the world.

He’s already traveled to countries people only read about or learn about online, from nations in South America to those in the Middle East — including destinations that many others avoid because they’re considered too risky.

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“I’m just in a place right now where I want to experience so much of the world and make the best travel stories and life stories as possible,” Björnram told news agency SWNS.

He admitted there have been unnerving moments for him, such as when a police officer stopped him near the Morocco and Mauritania border just for taking a photo.

The police officer thought Björnram was taking a picture of him and quickly approached the bus on which Björnram was sitting.

“My stomach just sank,” said Björnram.

The officer climbed aboard, took Björnram’s passport and escorted him outside for questioning. After demanding he delete the photo, the officer returned the passport and allowed Björnram to continue on his way. 

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Despite that unsettling experience, Björnram said he hasn’t put off traveling to less familiar or higher-risk destinations.

As part of his latest trip, he spent weeks traveling to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria — countries that many travelers have been warned to avoid.

He said he wanted to understand the daily lives of people in countries often defined by their conflicts. 

Instead, he found an overwhelming sense of pride, community and hospitality, he said.

In several of the countries he’s visited, he said locals even invited travelers into their homes for dinner and sometimes insisted they not pay in shops, offering an unexpected level of generosity.

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“We got invited to [a] lot of people’s houses for dinner,” he said.

“Most people genuinely want to help you.”

Encounters like these gave him a different perspective than what’s generally offered by emergency alerts and warnings attached to dangerous regions.

“I’ve learned that most people genuinely want to help you,” he said. 

After years of exploring, Björnram said he’s learned to balance travel with work. 

He and his girlfriend, Töwe Lindström, live in Australia, SWNS noted. They save enough money to fund their future trips around the world.

He is now hoping to continue his journey through Southeast Asia next year.

“Some of my best memories came from trips where I only planned the basics,” he said. 

“The most interesting side trips, random encounters and real experiences usually happen when you leave space for spontaneity,” he said.

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Björnram said there’s no actual deadline for his goal of seeing every country in the world.

“Just to be rich in memories and stories is what matters most to me,” he said.

The U.S. State Department regularly issues travel advisories to inform U.S. citizens about risks associated with traveling to foreign destinations.

“Some of my best memories came from trips where I only planned the basics.”

Recently, for example, the State Department issued an increased travel advisory pertaining to Tanzania, adding an “unrest” risk indicator. The Level 2 advisory was increased to Level 3 on Oct. 31, following the presidential, Parliament and council elections there.

“Reconsider travel to Tanzania due to unrest, crime, terrorism and targeting of gay and lesbian individuals,” the advisory said. “Some areas [carry] increased risk.”

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The State Department warned that demonstrations there could be unpredictable — and the Tanzanian government increased security presence around protests.

Ashley DiMella of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.