Marius Johansen: The man who travelled to 210 countries

Marius Johansen, a Norwegian, was in Mauritius last week. He is a wanderlust who has travelled to 210 countries in eight years. Mauritius is his last destination so far. 

35-year old Marius, a navy officer, embarked on a unique journey since 2009. His only dream and passion has been to visit 210 countries in the world. “I am an ardent lover of travelling. The main idea behind travelling is not to remain stagnant or not to visit the same place again and again like other people,” he shares.

His love for travelling has made him see the harsh reality of life. He did not expect to see another facet of life. “It is true that while travelling you discover different cultures, food, people and religions but also certain facts. It is through my adventures that I realised how fortunate I am to be living in Norway. In some countries, people are struggling to earn a living. People should travel to be able to learn.” 

15-20 countries per year

As he works in the navy, he gets long holidays. He takes advantage of it and takes an escape. Each year he can easily visit 15 to 20 countries. The minimum stay in a country ranges from one hour to three weeks. “In Syria, I just crossed the borders and stayed for one hour for safety purposes. Syria has beautiful landscapes to visit but due to its instability, it is not wise to venture there,” he says.

The country he liked the most till now is the Antarctica because of its natural beauty. “It is a blissful place. Its nature has been preserved. There a very few tourists. The animals are not harmful to humans. For instance, the penguins can easily walk to you and play with you. It is another feeling to be there.”   

He is also fan of the Central and Latin America where he has learnt Spanish. “Another amazing experience of travelling is when you can interact with the local people. After learning Spanish, I find it easy to communicate with the people there. Besides, I speak a little French.”  

Something he really remembers is the way he entered Libya. “Going to Libya was a real challenge. I so wanted to be there. They were not issuing Tourist Visa. The only way to enter its jurisdiction was though business visa. As a navy officer, I could not get any business visa. So, I created a company and applied for a visa with the purpose of looking for a business opportunity in the construction sector. I got my Visa but to my surprise, when I reached there, I came to know that the construction sector has been stagnant for the past years. Luckily, no one asked me any question.” 

Mauritius: “I will be back for honeymoon” 

It is the first time he has set foot in Mauritius but obviously not the last, as he has already made up his mind to come back for his honeymoon. “Mauritius is indeed a very beautiful place. I have been around and liking it a lot. The mountains here are really wonderful. It has pointed peaks and seems to be wild. I have been to Le Morne Brabant, Chamarel, Curious Corner, walking around Port Louis and visiting beaches in the North and the East.”