Says attaining the milestone at age 21 came right down to a few simple existence classes’.When you switch to 21, it is ordinary to start reflecting on your dreams and what you need to attain in your existence.
Lexie Alford but decided she’d get cracking on her goals at a far younger age. And the 21-12 months-antique now says she lately emerge as the youngest individual to go to every united state of America. Though she’s still having her documents accepted using the Guinness Book of World Records to make her accomplishment professional, Alford says she’s ticked off 196 countries. This would put her 3 years ahead of the reliable document holder, 24-year-old Taylor Demonbreun. Alford told INSIDER that accomplishing her magnificent feat has come all the way down to learning “some easy existence instructions.”
‘Never take no for an answer.’
Alford instructed INSIDER the three maximum crucial classes that helped her have been, “Never take no for a solution, have the braveness to pursue what you’re maximum passionate about, and trouble-resolve like it is no one’s commercial enterprise due to the fact where there is a will, there may be a manner.”
“There were so many limitations to triumph over whilst journeying to each u. S. And I found out the maximum from the real moments of conflict,” she said. While her adventures can also have seemed glamorous and interesting on her Instagram account, Alford, in reality, encountered a fair proportion of obstacles. “Having visas denied, jogging out of money, having fitness problems like malaria and food poisoning, becoming exhausted and looking to move domestic after three months on the street, just to call some,” she stated.
“When it got here to visas or impossible itineraries or human beings, in reality, telling me that I wasn’t able to do something, by no means giving up and no longer taking no for an answer got me via so many difficult conditions,” she brought. Alford said that she had to get approximately 30 visas earlier. It becomes especially tough for counties in West Africa and Central Africa wherein the tourism infrastructure is much less developed.
“Surprisingly enough, it is also the least visited international locations within the world that are the maximum expensive to go to due to the fact they don’t have many transportation and accommodation alternatives for that reason the operators can rate something they need,” she said.
“I now agree that every hassle has a solution in case you work difficult sufficient. There also are a variety of sacrifices you have to make in case you want to journey the sector, but if it is something you’re captivated with, it simplest takes courage to pursue it.”
‘Hard paintings, constant saving, clever spending.’
For the majority, the barrier to seeing the world is, properly, a loss of cash. However, Alford says she managed to fund her travels in large part on her very own. “I commenced running a couple of jobs and saving the entirety I’ve earned considering I became 12 years antique,” Alford said. “I’ve labored in the whole thing from industrial painting to freelance images and blogging to dealing with at my mom’s journey organization. I’m fortunate to structure my paintings agenda in a manner that contains my travels because my bosses are bendy, and I also paintings for myself.”
Through a mixture of working while she travels and saving everything for her adventures, Alford has managed to fund her manner worldwide. She’s prioritized. “I rarely purchase nonessential material possessions,” she said. “I do not invest in fancy garments or footwear — I nevertheless wear clothes I’ve had on account that excessive school. I’m additionally fortunate sufficient to nonetheless living at domestic, so my month-to-month costs are meager.”
Alford acknowledges that the fact her mother owns a tour employer has allowed her to discover gives. “I always look for the exceptional offers and book beforehand of time,” she said. “As I mentioned, my extraordinary mother has a tour corporation she’s owned for over 30 years. So I’m capable of seizing superb financial savings on flights and motels because my mother has worked in the journey enterprise to seeing you later.”
Growing up in a circle of relatives who liked to journey also supposed Alford had already visited about 70 nations via 18.
Staying safe while touring solo
More recently, Alford traveled on her very own, and as a young woman, she had to take protection precautions. Alongside finances and private interest, now and then, safety could play an element in how long Alford might spend in a rustic, whether or not 3 days or 3 weeks.
“I’ve spent over a month in Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Indonesia, Switzerland, and greater due to the fact I even have so much I have usually wanted to do in the one’s countries, and there are methods do make those journeys extra affordable financially,” Alford stated.
“Then there are some countries like Mali, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Somalia which I might have loved to spend several days exploring, but lamentably, I didn’t have the budget to take the proper protection precautions important to travel all through those countries appropriately.” Traveling solo also intended Alford every so often felt “severe loneliness,” however she nevertheless recommends people go on adventures with the aid of themselves.
“I spent over seven months traveling alone via 50 or so countries which changed into a completely enriching yet isolating revel in,” she stated. “I ultimately learned how to be alone without being lonely, and I think that solo travel is something that anyone must experience at least as soon as in their lives.” After her travels, Alford now has had the pleasure of meeting various people and gaining knowledge of unique cultures.
