Ian Boudreault - Globetrotter: From Pioneer Digital Nomad to World’s Most Traveled Man

Globetrotter Copyright 2021 Ian Boudreault

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on behalf of the consumer or reader of this material. Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. These are my memories, from my perspective, and I have tried to represent events as faithfully as possible.

Credits - Author: Ian Boudreault - Editing: Michelle Omari, Nikki Cotterhill, Enda Murphy, Ian Boudreault

For more information and inquiries, visit: www.thedigitalglobetrotter.com/contact-me

ISBN: 978-9962-13-319-3

to my father, my eternal inspiration

T HE WORLD? CHECK!

It feels phenomenal to finally be able to make this statement. In fact, I got goosebumps while writing it down for the first time. But sharing the fact that I have traveled to every single one of the 195 countries of the world recognized by the United Nations isn't the ultimate goal of this book. If it was, I would have certainly waited until the very last sentence of the closing chapter to deliver that invaluable punch line. Instead, I decided to get it out of the way as soon as possibleat the very beginning of the first paragraph. Thats just my way of breaking the ice on this topic. Quite the conversation starter, right?

Reaching the count of 195 countries hasn't been an end to my adventures but rather a mere milestone in a never-ending, lifelong commitment to nomadism. So why did I even count how many countries Ive been to if it isn't that significant to me? Solely on the grounds that it provides a means of measurement, just as the meter is to the metric system. This isnt one of those stories of so-called "country counters'' stepping foot in every airport only to jump to the next as fast as they can, aiming to score a precious Guinness World Record. If that had been my goal, my exploration of every nation wouldn't have been slow-paced over almost twenty years, circling the globe non-stop and enjoying the process of not only seeing, but experiencing different cultures and sharing valuable time with people from all ways of life. The real "filet mignon" of this whole story lies in the journey itself, from the life-changing decisions that took me from being just an ordinary Canadian boy following the typical pre-molded trajectory in life to being someone who suddenly refused to take the easy way and rather attempts to carve new routes off the beaten track. That dramatic moment propelled me towards countless new horizons, which ultimately forged the person I introduce to you today.

This might all sound exciting to hear, but unfortunately for me, it hasnt always been smooth sailing. Fortunately for my readers, these road bumps and unexpected obstacles have produced an exhaustive collection of dramatic and exciting episodes along the way that are sure to make your heart skip a beator two! In fact, this book will mostly read like fiction, although I can guarantee it is nothing but the truth.

When I first created my blog, The Digital Globetrotter, I wanted to discuss with my readers two key notions that I specialize in and which characterize who I am, both of which I echo in this book. Firstly, I wanted to talk about the concept of the digital nomad. Back in 2005, pioneering this concept was a pure gamble when I first left as a full-time digital nomad, during a period when there were still very few opportunities to make a living online, especially while being location-free and traveling indefinitely. My choice wasnt as easy as following in the tracks of a favorite mentor on YouTube... The platform didn't even exist back then! It was about deliberately choosing to be a guinea pig in a brand-new career field, learning by trial and error, and risking a promising engineering vocation for the uncertainties of life on the open road.

Secondly, The Digital Globetrotter was about the world traveler that I am. By having the financial foundations of sustainable travel secured by passive online income, my newfound freedom of movement gave me the means to undertake a childhood dream: a dream to reach the most distant lands, to explore in-depth every single country of our beautiful planet, and to eventually reach every corner of the world. I am still living that dream, filling more than ten passports in the process and crossing over 2000 international borders, with the sole objective to introduce as many exciting experiences as I can to my day-to-day life. A true routine-killer lifestyle, one exciting adventure after the other, or how I like to call it, my endless summer.

Rest assured, this book has not been written as a series of bullet points showcasing every country Ive been to. Instead, it is intended to address several delicate lifestyle choices with my audience, starting with how choosing an alternative path in life can be fruitful in creating a unique and out-of-the-ordinary existence. After all, you've only got one chance at life... better take your best shot! This book is definitely not a self-help guide but includes my notorious coaching narrative I have engaged in for so many yearswhether it be in person or through my blogto help people make the jump to this amazing lifestyle. Since the very beginning, I have made myself the subject of experiments on navigating the obstacles this style of living has brought me. I am finally ready to spoon-feed them back to my audience through the accounts of this incredible journey.

What can one learn from almost twenty years living on the road, in a pure minimalist setup, living out of a single suitcase? This story will demonstrate how keeping things simple and focusing on the human aspect of life can create fascinating encounters on a daily basis, no matter where you may find yourself in the world.

THE AUTHOR.

Rio de Janeiro, 2021

(2013)

T HIS IS AFRICA, the bush taxi driver shouted at me as if that was a sufficient answer to explain why there was no service running to the Guinean border that day. Those three words generated a surge of dj vu to course through me. Having already crossed twenty-eight countries on the African continent alone, every single one of them had a habit of constantly using the same expression. Such a simple phrase, yet such a powerful one. It seemed to have the ability to solve any problem, brushing away issues of any sort, reducing them to insignificance. By then, I had already learned that when the mighty this is Africa, was used, one must immediately accept it as a legitimate solution to any problem, answer accordingly with a simple, Ah, right, and move along. This is what I loved about this continent: the perpetual challenges and persistent problem-solving.

As an engineer, I have been duly trained by my university in Canada to solve any sort of problem, regardless of the circumstance. A skill that helped me make my way through already more than seventy percent of the countries in the world at this point. Those well-traveled would agree that no university degree can prepare you for intercity public transport in Africa. You must endure it to fully understand. Especially since fewer than fifty percent of their countries are expecting to receive travelers, thus having very little infrastructure for them, if any at all. Most are only adapted to U.N soldiers and NGO workers, which I had always been assumed to be as well. Many Africans Ive met on my way always had a difficult time understanding exactly why a traveler like me would ever desire to visit their country. Little did they know, overcoming challenges like these was the essence of what made my African ventures compelling to me.