Hi! I'm Ian
I’m from Quebec City in Canada, and at a very young age, I had dreams to discover the world. I imagined a life of endless travel, off the grid, out of the ordinary… In 2002 I designed a system to make it possible through online income. Little did I know, this new form of lifestyle would later become widespread with thousands of new adepts, known as digital nomads.
Fast forward today, more than 17 years on the road, non-stop and counting, I how visited 230 countries, including every one of the 195 recognized by the United Nations. I’ve circled the globe more than 6 times and filled 11 passports on the way… My digital nomad lifestyle is now deeply encrusted in me and I pride myself every day to have inspired travelers from around the world to grab their backpacks, and embark on their own journey on the open road!
Countries I've Been: 230, including 195/195 U.N. Countries
Latest Articles
The Absolute KiteSurfing Paradise in the Lencois Maranhenses in Brazil
A desert of sand, flooded by fresh water and brushed with constant trade winds; the Lencois Maranhenses have long been my dream to KiteSurf. This was the perfect time to experience it, and after landing in Atins after my 400km Kitesurfering Iron Macho expedition, I had 2 weeks to go all-in on KiteSurfing this paradise on earth located at the edge of the world! Paradise on Earth for Kitesurfers I had the chance to visit the Lençóis Maranhenses back in 2011, and have ever since referred to it as one of the most beautiful natural marvels in the world. Saying that even after having been to 99% of the countries of the world is definitely a great title to receive. The weird thing is that so few people have heard about it. It’s definitely undervalued and once it picks up into the tourism radar, it […]
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Iron Macho Challenge – The “Iron Man of the Seas” – 400 km KiteSurfing Expedition across 3 Brazilian States
After a nice warm–up a month prior, KiteSurfing 350 km from Fortaleza to Camocim with the Lagartixa expedition, this was the ultimate challenge: KiteSurfing more than 400km from Jericoacoara (known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world) to Atins in the desert of the Lençóis Maranhenses; an intense 5 day challenge in a true paradise on earth. A once in a lifetime journey which I will never forget… The Iron Macho kitesurfing trip As described in my previous post The “Marathon of the Seas” Expedition: KiteSurfing 350 km of Ocean Stretch Off the Brazilian Coast, I had previously taken part in an amazing KiteSurf expedition from Fortaleza to Camocim, surfing a total of 350km back in August 2020. The amount of hours spent on the oceans had been an incredibly good training for the ultimate adventure I had signed up for with […]
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The “Marathon of the Seas” Expedition: KiteSurfing 350 km of Ocean Stretch Off the Brazilian Coast
Just imagine for a second undertaking the challenge of traveling on the ocean on a surfboard for an average of 90 km per day for 4 days in a row, reaching some of the most beautiful scenery available in Brazil, sleeping in small fishing village to recharge your batteries before hitting the waves again and again for over 6 hours daily. This is what I’ve been signing in for on this incredible journey of downwinder KiteSurf trip that took me on an adventure of more than 350 km of surfing in August 2020. The prospect of such a challenge seemed overwhelming at first when a friend invited me to take part in Lagartixa kite trip, but it undoubtedly turned out one of the most amazing experience I have done in the past years! KiteSurf Downwinders The beauty of KiteSurfing lies in it’s astonishing freedom and […]
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Surfing the Pandemic in Paradise… Life in a North-Eastern Brazilian town during Covid-19 times
The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the tourism industry around the world and digital nomads have been particularly affected by the events. In an instant, people living on the road had to find shelter and morph into a sedentary lifestyle. In my case, I chose to spend these hard times in my favorite country, even though it was one of the hardest hit by the virus. To keep my moral high, I needed to be near the ocean, connect with nature and surf my days away while waiting for the world to fix itself. What else could I do? I was asked to stay home… Might as well isolate in the ocean on a surfboard riding the waves! Stuck in South America with borders closed Living on the road during Covid was definitely challenging. Many digital nomads chose to go back home. Others […]
Read More...196 or 195 Countries in the world? Why I readjusted my count
For as long as I could remember, I had been counting the world as 196 countries. This number is usually considered one of the most popular counts by the travel community as a means of measurements. It amounts to the 193 countries recognized by the United Nations, plus 2 observer countries (Vatican and Palestine) and Kosovo which s part of the IMF and World Bank. Some even include Taiwan as a 197th. But once I got closer to finishing the world, I decided to backtrack and use another popular count: 195. This comprises the 193 and the two observers, but not Kosovo. It is not recognized as an observer and thus, not really qualifies as a full country. This seems to be the most accepted convention as of 2021. I have been twice to Kosovo and really enjoyed my time there. But I have decided […]
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