Itchy Feet: An Amazing Adventure to 195 Countries

On July 2nd, Lai Ngau Chan (the nickname of Noah Nguyen, born in Hai Phong) announced that he had fulfilled his "lifelong dream" of becoming the first Vietnamese person to visit all 193 member states of the United Nations, plus two observer states: Vatican City and Palestine.

My feet itched again in front of the statue of Genghis Khan in Mongolia at the end of June 2025.

Sharing his joy with Dong Nai this weekend, Lai Ngua Chan/Noah Nguyen said he had just returned to Hai Phong after a trip to Mongolia from June 19th to July 1st. Mongolia is the 195th country Lai Ngua Chan has visited in the world . In addition, he has also visited many small island nations in the Pacific and Caribbean… Typically, he travels for about 3 or 4 months before returning to Vietnam “just to eat water spinach with crab paste – a local specialty.”

Nearly 20 years of adventure and exploration.

“Since my first trip abroad in 2006 to China with friends, followed by studying languages ​​and philosophy in Germany and then working there, I’ve dreamed of traveling around the world. My goal is to visit all 193 member states of the United Nations, along with two permanent observers: the Vatican and the State of Palestine,” Lai Ngau Chan recounted.

"I feel relieved, a euphoric state of happiness, having fulfilled my dream of visiting all 195 countries," said Lai Ngua Chan.

Noah's experiences on his travels around the world are incredibly diverse. He has wandered deep into the vast slums of India, explored a deserted island with dragon's blood trees in Yemen, tasted a "coconut-tomato hybrid" in Colombia, witnessed many tribes and ancient customs across the African continent, and met a kind Vietnamese woman who stayed in the war zone of Ukraine to cook for the poor…

In early 2025, when the Democratic People's Republic of Korea reopened to international tourists after the Covid-19 pandemic, Noah entered the country via the Chinese border. He said, "My most interesting feeling about North Korea is its mystery. This country is one of my favorite places and I want to return again to visit the capital, Pyongyang."

Itchy Feet Again in North Korea, March 2025.

In early June 2025, Noah arrived in his 194th country, Sudan, after more than two months of waiting for an entry visa. "It was an incredibly difficult and dangerous journey because Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for over two years. I was only allowed to stay for four days and three nights for personal safety, even though my visa permitted a one-month tourist stay. After all the hardships, I finally set foot in all the countries in Africa," Noah said.

As a typical Vietnamese YouTuber passionate about exploring the world through relatable and inspiring adventure stories for young people, Lai Ngua Chan revealed to Dong Nai Weekend his secret to traveling around the world: 1. Work hard, save, and accumulate finances to hit the road whenever you feel like it; 2. Maintain a positive and curious spirit, and practice good physical fitness and health; 3. Develop the ability to learn, integrate, and adapt to all circumstances and environments. The more you travel, the better your skills will become.

The secret to "wandering to the ends of the earth"

2025 is a very auspicious year for Lai Ngau Chan as he becomes a father and travels to Mongolia to officially complete his "195 countries" milestone. He happily said: "I breathe a sigh of relief because I no longer feel the pressure I had before. From now on, I will continue to travel and explore, like returning to South America or taking a trip to Antarctica. I also want to return to many of my favorite countries such as Ethiopia, Bhutan, Brazil, Myanmar, Indonesia, India… These are countries with diverse cultures and ethnicities, and there is so much to discover."

Itchy Feet will arrive in Sudan in June 2025.

Noah is fortunate to have a talent for learning and is fluent in many foreign languages ​​thanks to his "passion and interests." Not only does he know English, "a global language, so speaking it fluently offers many advantages," but Noah also knows French, considering it "the most beautiful language, especially its pronunciation." He learned Russian "from childhood through Russian fairy tales" and is a former student of the Russian Department at Hanoi University. When he moved to Europe, German became "the language I speak most often later in my career, even though it's very difficult to learn and pronounce." In addition, he can speak Polish, Chinese, and other languages.

"Neither Google nor AI can completely replace the human brain. Therefore, learning a foreign language has never lost its meaning. The most effective way to learn a foreign language is to love it. This can be applied to almost everything you do. If you are passionate about what you do, you will do it very well," Noah shared.

Join the children on a journey of discovery across Africa.

Lại Ngứa Chân believes that "the more clearly one knows and understands their purpose in life, the easier it is to make decisions. The important thing is to live with and accept all the consequences of those decisions." He concludes: "No one can foresee the future, so I always want to do what I am capable of doing. Exploring and experiencing is like a delicious piece of cake. If you don't eat it today, it might spoil tomorrow."

Trung Nghia

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202507/lai-ngua-chan-phieu-luu-ky-thu-den-195-quoc-gia-fc6132a/