Nevada City, California native Lexie Alford recently broke a Guinness World Record by becoming the youngest person to visit every country in the world. Indeed, at just 23 years old, she has already traveled to 196 countries in an effort to challenge herself and push the boundaries of what she believed was possible for a woman traveling solo.
Lexie has primarily used airplanes, boats, and trains to get around. She pointed out that the latter mode of transport was her favorite, especially because you can “look out the window at the ever-changing landscapes”, she said. It took him less than 3 years to visit all the countries and beat the world record. She started traveling at an early age as her mother owned a travel agency in California.
“I grew up accompanying my mother on her business trips around the world, to more than 70 countries, and after saving for more than six years and graduating from university at 18, I decided to start in my own adventures,” she said.
However, not everything was easy and Lexie had to face many obstacles, including obtaining visas to enter certain countries. For countries like Venezuela or Pakistan, it took months to get them.
But fortunately, all these challenges were compensated by memorable moments lived during his solo adventures: “there are so many incredible experiences that one can live while traveling alone, because one is more open to the hospitality and interactions with local people than if you were in a large group of people. For the best preserved history in the world, I love Egypt. For the friendliness of the locals, I had an incredible experience in northern Pakistan. The most unique island in the world, in my opinion, is Iceland: the land of fire and ice. For the most incredible natural beauty, I loved visiting Angel Falls in Venezuela. »
While Lexie mostly traveled by train, she also used the plane a lot, but according to her, it was both a good and a bad experience. “I’ve flown with a huge variety of airlines around the world and most of them all had terrible food,” she joked.
On the other hand, the young adventurer, who usually traveled on airlines like Delta and KLM shared the superior quality of these companies, especially with regard to the comfort of the seats and the cleanliness.
Lexie had the chance and pleasure to meet various people and learn about different cultures during her trip.
But the most valuable experience of all was discovering a new sense of independence and freedom. In any case, this is what transpires from his story. She also learned several life lessons: “when it comes to traveling alone, especially as a woman, it is extremely important to use common sense”. When she travels to countries perceived as dangerous or unstable, she explains that she has learned to remember that things can change at any time and that you have to accept this kind of experience, adding: “the only thing you can controlling is your state of mind. »
For Lexie, as a great travel enthusiast, nothing beats the pleasure of discovering the world. So much so that she describes traveling as her favorite part of life. “But I would be lying if I said that I didn’t appreciate taking time off over the past year to recover from the wear and tear I’ve put on my body over the past few years,” she said . declared.
In any case, one thing is certain, this record has something to dream about!
