Journey of a Lifetime: First Woman to Conquer All 196 Countries

A Historic Journey Around the Globe

A year ago, American traveler Cassandra De Pecol etched her name in history as the first woman to visit all 196 sovereign nations, documenting her incredible journey along the way. She also set a Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe. Her expedition lasted 18 months and cost $198,000, most of which she raised through sponsors she found during her travels. Thanks to her sponsors, Cassie was able to produce a documentary film about her amazing adventures.

Traveling as a Peace Ambassador

Cassie’s journey was not just about setting records; she traveled the world as a Peace Ambassador, meeting with students and professors of tourism universities. Her journey was fraught with challenges. In Peru, she was robbed in a taxi; in Grenada, she was mistaken for a drug courier; and in Libya and Bahrain, she was suspected of having ties with the CIA. In an interview, Cassie shared her story, including how she decided to embark on this global journey, what she discovered about herself and the world, and what she is doing now.

From Nanny to World Traveler

Before Expedition 196, Cassie worked as a nanny for 85 hours a week, struggling to make ends meet. At 25, she experienced what many call a ‘quarter-life crisis.’ It was then that she decided to pursue her dream of visiting every country in the world. Preparing for the trip took a year and a half and required immense determination, persistence, and drive.

Cassie had to drop out of college because she couldn’t afford it. She realized that her lack of education made it difficult to participate in nonprofit campaigns and secure grants and funding. This led her to create her own nonprofit organization to help women get funding for their projects, regardless of their educational background.

Building Connections and Overcoming Challenges

From her job as a nanny, Cassie had to transition to engaging with leaders who would invest in her organization. She developed her communication skills to establish valuable connections. Initially, this was exciting. She had to find sponsors, supporters, build a social media presence, and prepare for filming an educational documentary about her journey. Additionally, she needed to obtain visas, plan her route, and schedule meetings with students, mayors, and tourism ministers.

This was the most challenging experience of her life, but Cassie was determined to do everything herself to learn from her successes and failures as an independent woman. During the expedition, it was difficult to continue securing funding, organizing meetings, changing routes, and obtaining visas.

Lessons Learned and Favorite Destinations

Due to Guinness World Record rules, Cassie couldn’t stay in one country for more than 14 days, which was tough when she was exhausted. Once, she went 68 hours without sleep, and everything around her seemed surreal. She wished she could relax for a couple of weeks to refresh her mind and body. Although she could have saved a few weeks of time, she simply didn’t have the money.

There were times when she wanted to stay longer to connect with local students and tourism ministers and better understand the country, especially in Mexico, Guatemala, Taiwan, and Mauritius.

Cassie’s favorite country is the United States. She loves the diverse landscapes: deserts, beaches, rainforests, mountains, waterfalls, and volcanoes. Argentina is another favorite, and she would love to return to New Zealand and Jordan.

Discovering the World’s Kindness

Without a doubt, Cassie learned that the world is not as dangerous as we think, and people are kind and welcoming wherever you go. She believes that we are all the same, with the same basic needs. Regardless of religion, political views, gender, or ethnic groups, we all want hot food, a roof over our heads, access to clean water, and a loving family.

Cassie embarked on this expedition with an open mind, leaving all preconceptions behind. By doing so, she was able to better accept cultures and people from all walks of life and form her own opinions.

Advice for Aspiring Travelers

The most challenging part of the trip was managing all aspects of the expedition herself. It was difficult because sometimes she would go online to communicate with family and friends and see many negative comments about herself and her journey. This, combined with loneliness in countries where she didn’t speak the local language, being 24 hours away from home, and sleep deprivation, made the journey even more challenging.

As a child, Cassie didn’t enjoy being outdoors. As she grew older, she began to appreciate the silence. When she travels, she tries to get as far off the beaten path as possible. Her favorite part of traveling is finding small towns with few tourists, where she can truly immerse herself in the culture, heritage, and language.

Often, she would seek out a local who would invite her into their home, where their mother or grandmother would cook traditional food. These moments mean everything to her: they are experiences unique to her and memories she shares with strangers who eventually become lifelong friends.

For those who want to embark on a similar journey, Cassie advises saving as much as possible, selling unnecessary items, finding an interesting way to document the trip (Instagram, blog, vlogging, etc.), and finding a way to benefit from it. She also emphasizes the importance of keeping an open mind throughout the process.

Future Endeavors

Recently, Cassie’s application for a space trip with Virgin Galactic was accepted, which she is very excited about. She is also involved in developing a line of travel products and apps, working on obtaining her pilot’s license to attempt a second Guinness World Record for endurance-related travel, writing a book about Expedition 196, completing her educational film, and managing her nonprofit organization.

Since her expedition, Cassie has been happily communicating with women and helping them achieve their ambitions. She wants to continue inspiring women to follow their dreams.

For more information on saving for your dream trip, you can refer to this guide.