Here’s a good news for the ‘catch flights, not feelings’ crew! Incase you have got over our mainstream globetrotter Bunny from YJHD then this 23-year-old woman can serve as your new inspiration.
Meet Lexie Alford, A Guinness World Record holder for being the youngest person ever to travel to every single country in the world.
She has also travelled to some of the world’s most inaccessible places, such as North Korea, at the age of barely 21.
Lexie, now 23, started travelling when she was a child; her parents owned a travel agency, which might have been the catalyst that triggered her intense passion to visit every corner of the globe!
When she was 18, she had visited about 70 countries and decided to shatter the previous record by doing what she loved most- travelling.
What about India though? Yes, she’s been to Mumbai, New Mangalore, Cochin and Goa during her tour when she was only 14!
With her family, she wandered from the floating villages of Cambodia to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, from Ushuaia at the tip of Argentina to the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
My parents would take me out of school and place me on independent study for weeks and months at a time every year. My parents placed a lot of importance on exposing me to every way of life around the world and that had a very profound impact on the person I am today.
-Alford told Vogue
She was determined to show the world that it isn’t as frightening as the media portrays it to be, and that kindness can be found anywhere. Alford has had a profound impact on others around her, primarily young women.
Her projects were self-funded. What sets her apart is that she not only earned money but also learnt a lot about travel – particularly how to do it on a shoestring budget.
Alford managed to stretch out her savings for a year and a half. During that time she started blogging, and learnt about social media. She began meeting people from the industry and started building a network.
A woman travelling solo is always seen dramatic by patriarchal societies across the globe. Alford’s story breaks all stereotypes and inspiring women to travel more and not be restricted by what others think about them going all solo.
Lexie Alford is truly redefining the term ‘wanderlust’!
Also Read: Countries That Pay You to Move There
