The First Woman To Travel To Every Country Ranks Pakistan In Her Top 10 List

Cassie de Pecol can boast about having two Guinness records: one that credits her with being the first woman to travel to every sovereign country in the world, and the second for the speed with which she did it, after visiting the 196 nations in 18 months and 26 days.

The 27-year-old globetrotter, originally from Connecticut, USA, recounted her trip in a documentary called ‘Expedition 196’, and for the public to understand the essence of her trip. She has just boiled it down to the countries that left the strongest impressions on her. What countries would stand out for someone who has visited ALL of them? Below is a list of her 10 favourites and her reasons for choosing them.

10. The United States

Home, sweet home: ‘The fall in New England is something that everyone should experience. They say home is where the heart is, and the more I travel, the more that’s becoming more real to me. Home is where my family is, it’s where my safety net is, it’s where everything that I’m familiar with is, and my country is rich in nature, which is important to me.’

9. Costa Rica

The magic formula for happiness: ‘Monkeys, fresh fruit, good music and volcanoes… need I say more?’

8. Peru

De Pecol spent some time in Peru and left the Land of Pisco with fond memories of its unspoilt nature: ‘I loved the Amazon rainforest and Aguas Calientes (the gateway to Machu Picchu’).

7. Tunisia

Where Africa meets the Middle East: ‘A country for experiencing North African culture with a Middle Eastern feel and an immense amount of archaeological history. The town of Sidi Bou Said (20 kilometres from the capital) blew me away’.

6. Oman

To isolate yourself from the world: ‘A place where you can immerse yourself in the desert and mountains, while learning from locals who live in the mountains, it’s a whole different lifestyle’.

5. Pakistan

No fear: ‘I liked it because it is a country where you can get a true sense of raw, authentic Asian culture, and for the food.’ De Pecol says that she was especially looking forward to this destination because she had to wait four months for her visa approval.

4. Republic of Vanuatu (island nation in the South Pacific)

What she liked most about this paradise was its ambrosia: ‘I enjoyed experiencing the process of how Kava is made (a drink that is firstly euphoric and then also thirst-quenching) and meeting some of the kindest people.’

3. Maldives (island nation in the Indian Ocean)

Another picture postcard paradise, only a good deal more touristy: ‘A place where you can see some of the bluest water, whitest sand and most stunning sand banks in the world.’

2. Bhutan (country in South Asia, located in the Himalayas)

They say it is the happiest country in the world. Let’s see what De Pecol says: ‘To learn the ethics of peaceful living. The pilgrimage to Paro Taktsang was something out of Avatar, a dream to trek through low-hanging clouds with a harrowing drop at any given moment on either side.’ And she adds: ‘Prayer flags swayed through the pines, prayer wheels span in the breeze, and tsa-tsas (ashes of the dead) were wedged between crevices of stone.’

1. Mongolia

On the Chinese border, this is one of the world’s most arid countries. And, for this traveller, the most stunning: ‘I’ve chosen this destination because I could be immersed in the remote wilderness and ride the wild horses.’