Cassandra De Pecol, a native of Connecticut (United States), became the 1st person to visit all countries in the world in record time: 18 months and 26 days. Her adventure began in 2012 when De Pecol was 23 years old. At that time, their objective was to collect funds to participate in the ‘Expedition 196’, which consisted of traveling to the 196 countries recognized by the United Nations (UN).
Thanks to part-time jobs in clothing stores and babysitting, she managed to save US$ 10 thousand, plus another US$ 198 thousand sponsor brands and hotels around the world that needed advertising. Thus, on July 24th, 2015 until February 2nd, 2017, the American woman managed to break a Guinness record, surpassing the Asian Yili Liu, who in 2010 visited 194 countries in 39 months and 6 days.
Her story seems to be taken from a fiction movie. During her trip he got on more than 255 planes, stayed 2 to 5 days in each country and completed 4 passports with stamps from around the world. In the course of her trip, she had to trust strangers and try to understand the variety of languages she found.
De Pecol took advantage of his trip to plant 48 trees in 15 different nations. She taught environmental classes in several Asian schools and became the ambassador of the International Institute of Peace through Tourism of the Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation organization.
“The trip was compiled in hundreds of USB memories, which later will serve to make a documentary of her experience”, she says on her official website. While the proper production is done, De Pecol shared her top 10 countries with her fans.
Next, her 10th to 1st place of the best countries in the world:
10. United States – It had to be on the list because it was the host country. However, their arguments are summarized in biodiversity, large natural reserves, and the sense of belonging for her country. “They say that home is where the heart is. And with my
9. Costa Rica – It is the only country in Central America that is on the list. De Pecol fell in love with the combination of fauna, flora, music and dormant volcanoes.
8. Peru –The only South American country on the list. The American emphasizes that Peru stayed one week to visit its virgin forests and Aguas Calientes, a town next to the ruins of Machu Picchu.
7. Tunez – This country is a combination of Africa and the East. “Here you can enjoy an immense amount of archeology, next to the coastal village ‘Sidi Bou Said’, which caused me to be transported to another world”.
6. Oman –Although the country is permeated by the cutting-edge technology brought by the Arab sheiks with oil money, the city retains a charm of yesteryear. “It is a place to dive into the desert, the mountains, home architecture and, of course, the lifestyle of its inhabitants”.
5. Pakistan –“Despite being a country in constant wars and political conflicts, I liked it because it is a place where you appreciate the true meaning of Asian culture and its gastronomy”, says De Pecol and adds: “To enter the country I had to wait 4 months to get my visa approved, but it was worth it”.
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3. Maldivian Islands – These islands are in the Laquedivas Sea, in the south of India. “This place is a paradise of white sand, dunes, and blue waters”.
2. Butan – Located in the Himalayas, South Asia, it can be one of the best countries to live thanks to its philosophy of life. “The peaceful life of the country is seen on the streets and in the temples. To see the pilgrimage to Taktsang, a temple that sits on the foothills of the mountain of Bhutan at 3,120 meters above sea level, is like walking through the clouds with the prospect that a fall from there to the abyss would be heartbreaking”.
1. Mongolia –Bordered by China, Russia, and Kazakhstan, it has the most beautiful landscape in the world for its simplicity. “Far from the technologies and skyscrapers, Mongolia has large esplanades, deserts, and majestic wild horses. What more can I ask for?”.
