Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 18) – Torbjørn "Thor" Pedersen, a man who visited 203 countries in nearly a decade without boarding a plane, has now returned to his family in Denmark.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Final Word on Friday, Pedersen said he initially thought he could finish his journey in four years.

He also shared that his longing for adventure was his inspiration behind his historic journey.

"It was something which I had never done before," Pedersen said. "I stumbled upon that in 2013 and I was intrigued. I just wanted to sit down, meet people, and see the world."

The Philippines was among the last countries the 44-year-old Danish visited in 2019 and where he stayed for about three weeks.

Through a ferry, Pedersen went to Zamboanga and travelled up to Cebu and Manila. He was also able to visit Marinduque and Siquijor.

When the pandemic broke out, Pedersen said he was on board a ship in the North Pacific to do four days of transit in Hong Kong — where he ended up staying for two years due to travel restrictions.

He also disclosed that during his journey, he faced numerous issues with visa issuance and travel documentation.

"I have been to every country in the world that has armed conflict.," related Pedersen, who returned to Denmark by ship. "I have been at gunpoint a few times… and I had cerebral malaria."