Michael Ballard of Chattanooga is arguably the most well-traveled person in the world in 2025. And his wife Angela is not far behind.
Michael and Angela Ballard, mid-lifers who are fueled by wanderlust, this year completed a trip from the southern tip of Africa to the northernmost point in Norway, over 13,000 miles, without ever getting on an airplane. They traced the coast of West Africa and then took a winding path up through Europe. All told, they touched 41 countries.
It was fascinating to watch cultures and climates change, Angela Ballard said in an interview.
The transcontinental trip was the centerpiece of a year of travel that has taken the Ballards to more than 50 countries. They are part of a worldwide travel organization called NomadMania, which has more than 25,000 travel-obsessed members.