{"id":317,"date":"2009-11-03T11:56:10","date_gmt":"2009-11-03T16:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/?p=317"},"modified":"2015-10-15T10:21:58","modified_gmt":"2015-10-15T14:21:58","slug":"1960s-world-traveler-says-expedition-cant-succeed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/?p=317","title":{"rendered":"1960’s world traveler says expedition can’t succeed"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Albert
Albert Podell and Nicolas Rapp meet at AP headquarter in NY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was lucky enough yesterday to receive the visit of Al Podell, a New Yorker and veteran traveler who has visited 178 out of 192 countries in the world. Back in the mid-1960s, Al and his friend Harold Stephens circumnavigated the world in a Toyota Land Cruiser. They drove across 42,000 miles and crossed more than 30 countries at a time where it wasprobably more difficult than today. They wrote a book when they came back, which I bought few years ago. It was a major inspiration for my trip, and I was incredibly surprised when Al, through a common acquaintance, agreed to meet with me. He was doubtful I could succeed in my journey, but he gave me valuable advice about my safety, and finally offered to recruit and pay thewages of a 3-women-with-machine-gun team who would protect me through Colombia. I had to decline, but the fact that he cared went straight to my heart. Al, you are the best.<\/p>\n

I recommend the book “Who Needs a Road?” which describes their trip, and hope I will prove the authors wrong when they they asserted, back in the nineties that “it was a motor trip that cannot be repeated in our modern day and age.”<\/p>\n

On another note, I was really busy in the past days wrapping up everything at work, and didn’t have much time to work on the trip preparation. I am also busy answering hundreds of supportive emails I received in the last week, as my story became popular across the U.S. If you wrote to me, please be patient, you will eventually hear something.<\/div>\n
I received numerous donations, and I can’t thank enough all the people who want to be part of the adventure. Thanks also to all of you who invited me to their house, I will see you guys soon.<\/div>\n
Lastly, i can’t thank enough the people who were on my side for many years at the Associated Press. I will have time in later posts to go back and reflect on my career and the wonderful people I met there.<\/div>\n

Yesterday was my last day at work, and now, I really should work full time on the car and on packing up my apartment. I will post more updates soon.<\/p>\n

Here’s a link to the book:
\nWho Needs a Road?: The Story of the Longest and Last Motor Journey Around the World<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was lucky enough yesterday to receive the visit of Al Podell, a New Yorker and veteran traveler who has visited 178 out of 192 countries in the world. Back in the mid-1960s, Al and his friend Harold Stephens circumnavigated the world in a Toyota Land Cruiser. They drove across 42,000 miles and crossed more … <\/p>\n

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