Hey now, I am your host Ric Gazarian on the 10th update for the Extraordinary Travel Festival.  We have a lot of news to share with you today.  So grab that coffee of if in Thailand, grab a chamanow and please listen in. The event is now about a month and a half a way.  But still time to join, use code BANGKOK to save at . Some quick updates ... we have added three new speakers, Luisa Yu, Matt Bowles and Sabbatical Tommy.  Luisa is well known in the community for her determination and her multi-decade quest to visit every country in the world.  She finished at age 79! So impressive.  Matt is the host of the super entertaining the , where he speaks with amazing travelers from around the world.  He will be speaking on his 10 plus years of being a digital nomad.  Tommy is a travel content creator on and also a polyglot!  That's cool. Are you scared of ghosts?  Did you know that ghosts play a cental role in Thai culture?  We have partnered with Bangkok Haunts to provide you with an introduction to ghosts and spirits in Thailand.  We offer a half day tour on November 14 and 18.  Check it out! First, I speak with Professor JP.  I think so many of us love lists and rankings.  So I am excited to share a new travel index will be premiered at the ETF.  The index is called the ETF/ABS Magellan Traveller Index.  This will rank the top 100 travelers in the world.  We will be sharing this list and announcing the top 3 ranked at ETF.  I want to thank both Most Traveled People and NomadMania for partnering with us and sharing their data. I also speak to 2 great individuals and partners of ETF.  These two people are sponsors of ETF and deserve a special thank you for supporting our event.  First up is Baba the founder of   Baba has been welcoming and introducing travelers to this amazing Saharan country.  Many members of the extreme travel community know and have traveled with Baba.  Please consider Baba if you are travelling to Mauritania.  Baba will be exhibiting at ETF as well as moderating a session on Mauritania to answer all of your questions. I also speak with Ahmed, the founder of Aknaf Alsawary.  Ahmed was my guide when I visited Iraq the other year.  Ahmed is a virtual sponsor of ETF.  Ahmed offers fixed date group tours to Iraq, and he is raffling a 50% off coupon to one of these trips at ETF.  In addition, ETF is pleased to announce that we can offer a $150 off these fixed date trips.  Contact me to get your $150 off his tour.  ric @ globalgaz.com And after I speak with Ahmed, I will do a little recap on the ETF and the ! Up first is Baba, please listen in and enjoy.