JEssica Nabongo, 38, is the first black woman to travel to any country in the world. A self-confessed “extreme traveler,” she has logged more than a million air miles.
“Ever since I can remember I’ve always wanted to travel,” she says. “And in 2017 I decided it would be nice to tick off every country before my 35th birthday – that is, all 193 member countries of the United Nations and the two non-member states in service.”
She had visited 60 countries when she set her ambitious goal. “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 just came out, he wasn’t always a writer. She began living in New York, climbing the corporate ladder at pharmaceutical company Pfizer, but “I knew the 9-5 wasn’t for me.” At the age of 23 she moved to Japan to work, and later moved to London. Around that time she began documenting her experiences on her blog, The Catch Me if You Can.
Nabongo in Antigua
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She caught the bug, paying for her trips with savings. As her platform grew, she started a GoFundMe page and began partnering with brands to sponsor parts of her journey. At this time she had her own business as a luxury travel agent, so she could be flexible with her time.
While she convinced friends and family to join her on many of her travels, she visited 89 countries alone. “Solo travel is great because it forces you to interact with people,” she says. The journey itself 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. However, she says she has not experienced racism. “I think it was more specifically about being an African-looking person and using my dual passports [Ugandan and American], which meant that I had a lot of problems with immigration. I didn’t have many experiences where I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to tell black people not to come to this country.’ “
Now that she’s finished her world tour, what stands out as her most memorable experience? “It is impossible to choose. Swimming with humpback whales in Tonga, visiting the pyramids in Jordan, hot air balloons in Bhutan. . . For my book I narrowed it down to 100.”
The two countries that surprised him the most were Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. “Before I went there, I never would have thought they would be such wonderful places to visit, but they were so beautiful and the people were so nice.” A star destination of the Silk Road, Uzbekistan is famous for its ancient archeology and magnificent Islamic architecture, and is home to five UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Neighboring Kyrgyzstan is similarly off the beaten track, a remote, high-altitude country with amazing mountain ranges and lakes.
In Afghanistan
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Of all the places you have visited, which would you recommend people visit? “Definitely Japan. I lived in Kusatsu [a town famous for its hot springs], but be sure to go to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuyama and Hiroshima. I really love countries that keep their cultural identity and I think Japan really does that. When I lived there, I developed a love for nature that I had never had before, which I think comes from their Buddhist heritage.
“I loved being there in March when the hanami – the cherry blossom festivals – were on and people would go and have picnics just to sit under the trees. It’s an incredible sight.
“The next country I would suggest is Uganda. It’s an amazing place, although I may be biased as most of my family lives there! But the people are really nice and the food is great.” The country’s national dish is matoke, local green bananas cooked over a fire until soft and eaten with vegetable or peanut or goat sauce.
In Petra, Jordan
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“There’s also 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 only three places in the world where you can still trek to see mountain gorillas – that’s still on my bucket list.”
Having visited so many countries, what advice does she have for travelers who want to see the world? “Be fluid. When I went to Trinidad and Tobago, I planned my trip around Carnival time in February, but for the most part I’m a very open-minded traveler. I’ll talk to the drivers at the airport or a concierge at the hotel and ask them what I need to see.
“I really try to keep my itinerary open so that I’m open to spontaneity and then let whatever happens happen. That way I get a much more authentic experience.”
Catch Me If You Can: One Woman’s Journey Around the World is published by National Geographic
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