US woman breaks record travelling the world in 18 months, 26 days

NEW YORK: A US woman has made a world record by travelling to all the world’s 196 sovereign nations in 18 months and 26 days.

The 27-year-old traveller Cassie De Pecol made the trip in less than half the time it took the previous Guinness World Record holder.

She planned for the world tour from the age of 23 years for which she gathered some money herself and the remaining was provided by sponsors.

De Pecol, who majored in environmental studies in college, said she felt she couldn’t travel the world without having a larger purpose. She embarked on her world tour in July 2015, promoting sustainable tourism everywhere she went as an ambassador for the International Institute of Peace Through Tourism.

During her journey, she planted trees in 50 countries, met with 16000 students and arranged meetings with dignitaries.

She recalled telling the North Korean guard about her mission: She was there to show that, even if their governments couldn’t be friends, the two of them didn’t have to be enemies. “I just like to show that we can be friends and we can kind of coexist,” De Pecol said.

Having flown over 255 times on her expedition, De Pecol says she’s been called hypocritical for boasting a sustainable mission.

Though Americans can travel freely in many parts of the world, obtaining visas for the countries that require them proved to be one of the biggest challenges, she said — and geopolitical tensions came into play.

Travellers are not allowed to enter North Korea alone, and Americans who wish to visit are charged a hefty price.

She has plans to write a book about her journey and finish an educational documentary when she returns from Antarctica.