From guinea pigs to horse stew: Singaporean traveller gets a taste of unique foods during 8-year trip to 197 countries

Discussions around which country has the best food often turn to never-ending debates, the recent uproar regarding Taste Atlas' top 95 cuisines of the world list is proof of that.

But what if you've actually visited most of the countries on the planet?

Surely, that merits you a say, given that you've probably had a taste of every cuisine the world has to offer.

On Dec 22, Basanth Sadasivan landed on the island nation of Tuvalu, completing his eight-year-long journey to explore the "full set of 197 countries". 

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In an interview with AsiaOne on Thursday (Dec 29), the 26-year-old Singaporean shared some of the more unforgettable food items he's tried while on his travels — both good and bad.

His unique food experiences range from roasted guinea pig in Peru, balut (a fertilised egg embryo) in the Philippines to bushmeat in DR Congo.

An adventurous eater would be chomping at the bits upon hearing the names of those dishes, but it's a little different when you don't realise what you're actually eating until it's too late.

That was Basanth's experience in Uzbekistan trying the local stew. 

"They did not tell me it was horse meat and it tasted like really gamey beef," Basanth said.

The fact that he "got very bad food poisoning" thereafter made this food experience one he'd never forget, but for all the wrong reasons.

But when it comes to the ultimate question of "which country has the best food?", Basanth stayed true to his Singaporean roots.

He mentioned how he'd still have to give the medal to Singapore due to the variety of dishes on offer.

"Whether you're a fan of spicy food, bland food, meat, vegetarian food, there is always something in Singapore for you," he exclaimed.

When asked what he'd like his last meal to be, Basanth stayed patriotic and said that he'd opt for a plate of Hainanese chicken rice. 

Apart from trying new foods, he got the chance to meet new people and learn about their cultures during the extraordinary eight-year journey.

He'd always had a wish for travelling to lesser-known destinations and studying politics and international relations has "further fuelled [his] desire" to experience the world, the University of Durham alumnus said.

But to realise his dream, Basanth had to juggle studies and work as a university student.

During summer breaks, he'd get the chance to work full-time for three to four months. Over time, he managed to save up his wages and that helped fund his travels.

The university graduate is currently on the wait to start his new job at Ministry of Foreign Affairs which begins next month.

However, the transition from student to working professional won't be diminish his love for travel one tiny bit.

"I do have the island of Socotra (in Yemen) and a return to Afghanistan in the pipeline for 2023," he said.

With such a wealth of experience, Basanth's tip for someone looking to travel the world is rather straightforward.

"Definitely do your research beforehand and come prepared as much as possible, as it would save you a lot of hassle."

ALSO READ: From Berlin to NYC: Singaporean digital nomad on travelling the world while working remotely

amierul@asiaone.com

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