
The Impossible Journey
An incredible voyage through every country in the world without flying
Thor Pedersen(Author)
Robinson (Publisher)
Published on 24. April 2025
Book
Hardback
320 pages
978-1-4721-4976-3 (ISBN)
Description
'Never less than entertaining ... the book really comes alive' Mail on Sunday
'A fascinating book ... what it means to be human' Independent on Sunday
203 countries. A decade of travel. Not a single plane in sight. This is the story of one man's journey to be the first to visit every country in the world without flight.
When Thor Pedersen set out on the adventure of a lifetime, he couldn't have imagined the people he'd meet and the experiences he'd encounter along the way. But embarking on this epic voyage took him to the brink of his sanity, wiped his funds and tested the relationships he held dear.
Over the years he faced grave danger, from encounters with drunken armed soldiers to life-threatening illness and even traversing the high seas, with wild waves destabilising the cargo ship he'd hitched a ride on. He'd sleep on the street one night and dine in the homes of billionaires the next. He visited countries stricken with war-zones, and once had to take an 11,919 km detour, revisiting seven countries, traversing Balochistan in Pakistan escorted by armed guards because he was denied a visa while in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Life becomes complicated without the luxury of flying.
Yet after years of challenges and milestones, Thor achieved something no other human ever has. The Impossible Journey is a triumphant memoir that invites the world to share in this once in a lifetime adventure, and imparts the lessons, stories and unique perspectives on humanity he learned along the way.
'A fascinating book ... what it means to be human' Independent on Sunday
203 countries. A decade of travel. Not a single plane in sight. This is the story of one man's journey to be the first to visit every country in the world without flight.
When Thor Pedersen set out on the adventure of a lifetime, he couldn't have imagined the people he'd meet and the experiences he'd encounter along the way. But embarking on this epic voyage took him to the brink of his sanity, wiped his funds and tested the relationships he held dear.
Over the years he faced grave danger, from encounters with drunken armed soldiers to life-threatening illness and even traversing the high seas, with wild waves destabilising the cargo ship he'd hitched a ride on. He'd sleep on the street one night and dine in the homes of billionaires the next. He visited countries stricken with war-zones, and once had to take an 11,919 km detour, revisiting seven countries, traversing Balochistan in Pakistan escorted by armed guards because he was denied a visa while in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Life becomes complicated without the luxury of flying.
Yet after years of challenges and milestones, Thor achieved something no other human ever has. The Impossible Journey is a triumphant memoir that invites the world to share in this once in a lifetime adventure, and imparts the lessons, stories and unique perspectives on humanity he learned along the way.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Little, Brown Book Group
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
520 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4721-4976-3 (9781472149763)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Thor Pedersen
The Impossible Journey
An incredible voyage through every country in the world without flying
E-Book
04/2025
Robinson
€3.99
Available for download
Person
Thor Pedersen is the only person in history to have reached every country in the world completely without flying! The project, named Once Upon A Saga, was initially planned to take just four years but ended up taking nearly a decade due to unforeseen challenges such as visa issues, political unrest, and the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 23rd 2023, Pedersen reached the final country, Maldives, completing the project and claiming world history. He now lives in Copenhagen with his wife and daughter. Find out more at: www.thorpedersen.dk