I’ve visited every country in the world — and these are the best two | Travel

Jessica Nabongo, 38, is the first black woman to travel to every country in the world. A self-confessed “extreme traveller”, she has clocked up more than a million air miles.

“Ever since I can remember I’d always wanted to travel,” she says. “And in 2017 I decided it would be cool to tick off every country before my 35th birthday — so, all 193 United Nation member countries and two non-member serving states.”

She had visited 60 countries when she set herself her ambitious target. “I had two years to do the other 135.” Jessica, whose book Catch Me if You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World is just out, wasn’t always a writer. She started out living in New York, climbing the corporate ladder at the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, but “knew the nine to five wasn’t for me”. At 23 she moved to Japan to work, and later moved on to London. Around that time she started documenting her experiences in her blog, The Catch Me if You Can.

Nabongo in Antigua

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She caught the bug, paying for her travels with savings. As her platform grew she launched a GoFundMe page and began collaborating with brands to sponsor parts of her trip. By this time she had her own business as a luxury travel agent so could be flexible with her time.

While she persuaded friends and family to join her on many of her trips, she visited 89 countries by herself. “Solo travel is great because it forces you to interact with people,” she says. Travelling on her own was not without its challenges. “Someone tried to steal my phone in Paris, and in Rome a taxi driver tried to kiss me,” she says. She maintains she didn’t experience racism, though. “I think it was more specifically about being an African-appearing person and using my dual passports [Ugandan and American], which meant I had a lot of issues with immigration. I didn’t have many experiences where I felt, like, ‘Oh my God, I would tell black people not to come to this country.’ ”

Now she has finished her world tour, what stands out as her most memorable experience? “It’s impossible to choose. Swimming with humpback whales in Tonga, visiting pyramids in Jordan, hot-air balloons in Bhutan . . . For my book I narrowed it down to 100.”

The two countries that surprised her the most were Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. “Before I went there I would have never thought they’d be such great places to visit, but they were so beautiful and the people were so nice.” The Silk Road star destination Uzbekistan is famous for its ancient archaeology and majestic Islamic architecture, and is home to five Unesco world heritage sites. Neighbouring Kyrgyzstan is similarly off the beaten track, a remote, high-altitude country with jaw-dropping mountain ranges and lakes.

In Afghanistan

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Of all the countries she’s visited, which would she recommend people visit? “Definitely Japan. I lived in Kusatsu [a town famous for its hot springs], but make sure you go to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuyama and Hiroshima. I really love countries that hold on to their cultural identity, and I think Japan really does that. When I lived there I developed a love for the outdoors that I never had before, which I think comes from being around their Buddhist heritage.

“I loved being there in March, when the hanami — cherry blossom festivals — were on, and people would go and have picnics just to sit under the trees. It’s an incredible sight.

“The other country I would suggest is Uganda. It’s an amazing country, although I might be biased as most of my family lives there! But the people are really kind and the food is great.” The country’s national dish is matoke, local green bananas cooked over a fire until soft and eaten with a vegetable or peanut sauce, or goat.

In Petra, Jordan

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“Also, it’s got a ton of amazing wildlife and natural attractions — Lake Victoria, which has some of the best sunsets in the world, plus Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is famous for its volcanic features and crater lakes. Plus Uganda is one of three countries in the world where you can still go trekking to see mountain gorillas — that’s still on my bucket list.”

Having visited so many countries, what advice does she have for travellers wanting to see the world? “Be fluid. When I went to Trinidad and Tobago I did plan my trip to happen around carnival time in February, but for the most part I’m a very open-minded traveller. I’ll talk to drivers at the airport or a concierge at the hotel and ask them what I should see.

“I really try to keep my itinerary open so that I can be open to spontaneity and then just let whatever happens happen. That way I get a far more authentic experience.”

Catch Me if You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in The World is published by National Geographic

Which countries that you have visited have you liked the most? Let us know in the comments below