Poway couple fills passports with stamps from every country

By Emily Sorensen

Talk about an achievement! With a recent visit to Afghanistan, Poway residents Bob and Cathy Parda are now able to boast that they have visited every country on the planet.

“It’s like completing the compulsory [requirements] in Olympic gymnastics,” said Bob Parda. “Now we can focus on serious travel.”

The Pardas, who have owned a tour company since 1991, have combined work and pleasure in traveling. “We both have a long history of love of travel,” said Parda. “It’s a natural marriage to combine work and travel.”

Now that they’ve checked off all the countries, Parda said the couple will probably focus on revisiting China, Russia, India, Ethiopia and the Pacific islands. “There’s nowhere we wouldn’t go back,” said Parda. In December, the Pardas will be traveling to New Zealand to explore some sub-Antarctic islands.

“We’re trying to go back to China next year,” said Parda, “and we’re trying to work out a Trans-Siberian railway trip. I don’t see the pace of our travel abating much.”

The Pardas are also planning on visiting more of the world’s 981 World Heritage Sites, of which they’ve visited 500.

The shifting boundaries and changes of countries has meant the Pardas have made some repeat visits. “We

visited Yugoslavia in 1989, and we’ve been back since to visit the republics and autonomous areas [that emerged after the country’s dissolution],” said Parda.

Parda first began traveling in June of 1967 as a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy. Serving on the USS Essex CVS 9, he visited Norway, Germany, Denmark, England, France, Italy and Spain. “Following that cruise I studied Russian for several weeks in Germany and then traveled by motorcycle across the Riviera to Barcelona and took a train to southwestern Spain to fly back to the academy. My life had forever changed,” said Parda in an email.

Parda met his wife, Cathy, in Vietnam, where she was born. She left Vietnam in 1972 to continue her studies in Canada, and the pair married in 1974. “Our different cultural backgrounds fueled our interest in travel, although my naval career created limitations on when and where we could go,” said Parda. When Parda was stationed for six months on a ship in the Mediterranean in 1976, Cathy followed, living in Naples, Italy, on her own for five months.

One thing that the Pardas have seen a lot of in their travels is change. “We’ve seen a lot of change,” said Parda. “Mostly for the good, some for the bad. Most countries are making amazing progress in infrastructure. I’ve seen more infrastructure development in China than I have the U.S.”

Parda thanked the Poway Sheriff Station’s Senior Volunteer Patrol, who drive by and keep an eye on their house while the Pardas are traveling the world. “We wouldn’t be traveling nearly as worry-free without them,” said Parda.

“Travel is addictive, to the point that we have lost friends because we are never around and always jump at the chance to see new places. Our personal schedule is rarely firm more than a few weeks ahead. Despite all our travels, I am sure everyone has been to places we have yet to see,” said Parda.