Youngest Woman to Visit Every Country in the World Including North Korea
A 21-year-old YouTuber from California achieved an unlikely dream, beyond most of us. She became the youngest woman to visit every country in the world. And this includes the forbidding Hermit Kingdom aka North Korea. Lexie Alford managed to set the Guinness World Record in her quest. She traversed a total of 195 sovereign countries before reaching 22. Through her channel, Leslie Limitless publicized about her vacations. Even though she came from a wealthy family, Lexie Alford self-financed most of her vacations. Let us now look at how this young woman managed to cover more than 400,000 miles within such a brief period and her experiences.
Youngest Woman to Visit Every Country
Lexie Alford’s journey into the world of travel began at an early age. Born on April 10, 1998, in Nevada City, California, she was exposed to travel through her family. Her parents owned a travel agency, which allowed her to see different parts of the world from a young age. Alford stated in an interview, “I’ve been traveling since before I could walk. My mom would take me to wherever she could while running her business.”
Her family was wealthy. While she was growing up, Alford says that her family traveled everywhere from the floating villages of Cambodia to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, from Ushuaia at the tip of Argentina to the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
By the age of 18, Lexie had already visited 72 countries. Lexie originally wasn’t trying to break a record; she was just an intrepid traveler. Yet, it wasn’t until October 2016, when she realized that visiting every country in the world was within her reach, that she set her sights on the ambitious goal. “I realized that traveling to every country was something completely possible,” she explained in a video with Drew Binsky.
“I never set out to break a world record, but once I realized it was within reach, I took it as a challenge.”
Lexie Alford to Drew Binskey
Breaking the Record
Lexie’s journey to visiting every country in the world culminated on May 31, 2019, when she arrived in North Korea, marking her 196th country. At 21 years old, she officially broke the Guinness World Record for the youngest person to travel to every sovereign country, previously held by James Asquith. She shared the moment on her Instagram with the caption, “OFFICIALLY visited every country in the world! This has been a goal of mine since I was a little girl and it took an insane amount of hard work and determination.”
Alford did not rush through her travels. In many cases, she spent weeks in certain countries, immersing herself in local cultures.
“I wanted to experience each country as deeply as I could. It wasn’t about checking countries off a list; it was about understanding the culture and people.”
She highlighted the importance of slow travel, explaining in an interview with Forbes.
Overcoming Challenges by the Youngest Woman to Visit Every Country
Traveling to every country comes with a unique set of challenges, both logistical and political. Lexie had to navigate visa issues, complex border crossings, and at times, countries with unstable governments. “There were certain countries that were definitely more difficult to get into,” she explained in an interview. She specifically pointed to places like North Korea and Venezuela, where political tensions made entry difficult.
Yet, she persevered, finding ways to secure the necessary documentation. She also faced issues when traveling Central African Republic (CAR), amidst political instability verging on a civil war. She struggled the most in West and Central Africa, due to tricky visas, little infrastructure for tourism, language barriers, and the high cost of traveling safely.
One of the more daunting aspects of her journey was traveling alone, especially as a young woman. In an interview with Forbes, she acknowledged the risks, stating, “As a solo female traveler, you have to be aware of your surroundings and be cautious.” Despite these risks, Lexie maintained that the world is generally a safer place than most people think. “The world isn’t as scary as the media makes it out to be,” she added in her blog. “Yes, you need to be careful, but I never let fear stop me.”
Financial Hurdles
Funding her travels was another challenge Alford faced. While she came from a family involved in the travel business, Lexie largely financed her own trips. She worked as a travel consultant, saved diligently, and invested in a travel blog where she partnered with brands. “People think you need a lot of money to travel, but that’s not true,” she shared in a video. “I worked hard and saved for years. I also took advantage of cheap flights and budget accommodations.”The money she saved helped her for the first year and a half of her travels.
In many countries, Lexie found ways to reduce costs by staying with locals or taking on temporary work assignments. She shared travel tips on how to visit expensive destinations on a shoestring budget, often through her blog and social media. Her ability to balance limited finances with a grand travel goal was a testament to her resourcefulness and planning. “I do a lot of research in advance to find the best deals, utilize points and miles for my flights, stay in cheap accommodation like hostels or create content for hotels in exchange for accommodation,”
Visiting North Korea
One of the most intriguing aspects of Lexie’s journey was her visit to North Korea, a country notoriously difficult to enter for most travelers, especially Americans. There was a lurking danger too. In the past, the reclusive Stalinist dictatorship imprisoned Western journalists and travelers. Often on trumped-up charges. Alford’s trip to North Korea marked the final step in her record-breaking journey.
She traveled as part of an organized tour, the only legal way for tourists to visit the country. There was no way the US government would allow its citizens to actually visit the totalitarian country. There was a travel ban in place. However, She found a loophole. According to Guinness World Record’s guidelines, visiting the North Korean side of the conference rooms in the legendary “blue house” in the Joint Security Area on the DMZ qualifies as a visit to North Korea. hence this fulfilled her goal.
“I’m honestly very disappointed that I didn’t get to visit the country properly because of political issues,” she said. “But I’ll be visiting again as soon as the U.S. travel ban is lifted.”
Lexie Alford
She also shared her thoughts on the importance of seeing such places firsthand. “It’s important to understand that there’s a big difference between a country’s government and its people,” she said. “I wanted to see it with my own eyes, and I’m glad I did.”
“I’m honestly very disappointed that I didn’t get to visit the country properly because of political issues. But I’ll be visiting again as soon as the U.S. travel ban is lifted.”
Lexie Alford
The Impact of Her Journey
Beyond the record, Lexie Alford’s journey has had a broader impact on the travel community and young women around the world. She emphasized that travel is not just for the wealthy or privileged, but can be accessible to anyone willing to work for it. “I hope my story inspires others to pursue their dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem,” she shared in an interview.
Alford also used her platform to advocate for responsible and sustainable travel. “I think it’s important for travelers to be mindful of the impact they have on the places they visit,” she said in an interview with Forbes. “We have to be conscious of how we’re affecting the environment and local communities.”
Her journey has also highlighted the power of solo female travelers, breaking stereotypes and encouraging women to take risks and explore the world on their own terms. Alford continues to share her travel experiences and advice through her blog, social media, and public speaking engagements.
What’s Next for Lexie Alford?
After visiting every country, many might wonder what comes next for Lexie Alford. In her own words, “I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. There’s still so much of the world I want to explore.” She has expressed interest in revisiting countries to dive deeper into their cultures and histories, as well as exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations. Alford has also discussed plans to expand her work as a travel consultant and writer, helping others achieve their travel goals.
Conclusion
Lexie Alford’s journey to becoming the youngest woman to visit every country in the world is nothing short of remarkable. Her determination, resourcefulness, and passion for exploring the world are evident in every step she took along the way. From navigating visa challenges to financing her travels, she showed that with enough grit and dedication, even the most ambitious goals are achievable. As Lexie herself said, “Travel is the greatest teacher, and the world is full of lessons waiting to be learned.”
Her story will continue to inspire future generations of travelers, proving that no goal is too big and no destination too far when driven by passion and perseverance.
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