Meet the man addicted to travelling to the world’s most DANGEROUS countries
ANDY McKinley believes that he is the UK’s most fearless traveller after holidaying in North Korea, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.
A selfie with danger, Andy McKinley in the heart of an uprising in Bangkok, Thailand in 2010
Extreme Adventurer Andy McGinlay believes he is the world’s most fearless traveller
The 34 year old Scotsman has survived military interrogations, kidnappings and witnessed American Blackhawk helicopters being shot at in Middle Eastern war zones.
Andy said: "I never feel more alive than I do when I step off the plane into some far-flung war zone or despotic country.
"It's a dangerous cocktail of adrenaline and the sense that I'm going somewhere nobody else has the balls to, I live for this feeling.
The daredevil first came to media attention after he was dubbed Emirates “best customer” after he tattooed the airline’s logo on his arm for free travel updagrades.
Andy witnessed the political uprisings in Bangkok first hand
Andy in the Sudanese desert
Even being kidnapped and held captive for 10 days in New Delhi when he was 20 years old did nothing to deter him from the adrenaline rush.
His main challenge; however came when former President George W. Bush delivered his the famous ‘axis of evil’ speech which condemned Iran, Iraq, and North Korea in 2002.
He said: “I knew right then I had to visit every one of those countries; Iran, Iraq and North Korea and I did."
In Afghanistan, Andy drove past Osama Bin Laden's old house and even filmed American Blackhawk helicopters being shot at while he climbed Kabul's mountains.
Looking back, Andy experienced his first taste of danger when he visited Fiji during a military coup
Andy said that he had no plans to give up his hazardous hobby.
He said: "After getting hooked on the buzz of travelling to these abandoned, war-torn or tyrannical outposts, I made it my goal in life to visit 100 countries which I am very nearly finished doing.
He has travelled to 91 of the countries on his list.
Andy added: ”I’ve invested so much of my life into travelling and there's nothing else I would rather be doing, so I expect to continue my journey long after the big 100 and well into the future."