Meet the ultimate travel insider
If there’s anyone who knows how to travel well, it’s Jessica Nabongo—the first Black woman to have visited every country in the world, and star of a new Expedia series
There’s something about being on vacation that puts people in the mood for ambitious resolutions. We’re going to read more, work less, get fit. In 2017 while on vacation in Bali, Jessica Nabongo—the host of Expedia’s new Instagram series, Travel Insider—declared that she wanted a remarkable life. Her resolution? To join the tiny club of just 300 people who have traveled to every country in the world—and become the first Black woman to do so.
Vacation resolutions, of course, tend to fade faster than it takes for a suitcase to go back into the closet. Not for Nabongo. A passionate traveler since her first trip aged four (from her hometown of Detroit across the water to Canada), she had taught English in Japan, earned a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, and started a blog (thecatchmeifyoucan.com) documenting her adventures. At the age of 33, Indonesia was already her 60th country. And so, she decided to set herself a deadline—her 35th birthday, allowing just two years to reach the target of 195 countries.
Spoiler alert: She did it, but not quite in the way she expected.
So, how did she tackle seemingly insurmountable hurdles, from budget to the language barrier? Read on to find out…
On the power of thinking positively
“I’ve never used a hotel safe. I don’t assume people are thieves, and I’ve never had anything stolen from a hotel. One of the greatest lessons of visiting every country was learning that most people are good. I believe in traveling with positive energy: You’re always going to find what you’re seeking. A lot of people say, ‘As a woman, how can you travel alone to all these places?’ But why not? Women live in every country of the world—why should I be afraid? And neither do I go round thinking everyone hates me because I’m Black.”
On the luxury of time
“I was working remotely and working for myself—but not 40 hours a week. You could certainly do it over a lifetime working a full-time job. I missed my birthday deadline by five months—I had 25 countries left. It was way too fast! I could have made it, but I was like, I’d rather not die doing this.”
On experiences over milestones
“There are people who have done it the fastest. Kudos to you. There are places in the South Pacific where there aren’t planes every day, and I know a lot of people land, go through immigration and get back on that plane. I would argue that they don’t really have deep cultural experiences. I would say that I’ve had a meaningful experience in 194 countries; Togo is the only country I didn’t have a meal, but I did drive the length of it and back. Of the rest, there are 11 countries where I didn’t spend the night, most of which are microstates, like San Marino and Liechtenstein. And I’ve been to 55 countries more than once.”
On staying safe
“The worst travel experiences I’ve had were not in Africa or the Middle East. In Miami, a police officer pulled a gun on me; in Paris, someone tried to steal my phone; and in Rome, a taxi driver tried to kiss me on the mouth. I had amazing experiences in South Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan. My advice? Find a guide: They will want to keep you safe, and will know more about their country than the internet. And try places like South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Jordan or Oman that have a lot of tourism. Hopefully you’ll get your feet wet, and expand from there.”
A cultural guide to Cape Town
I learned that most people in the world are good—I believe in traveling with a positive energy
On the reason you don’t need a translation app
“I always learn how to greet a person and how to say thank you. It’s so small, and people love it. As native English speakers, we are so privileged, because anywhere in the world, English is the dominant language. If you can’t find an adult who speaks it, find someone who’s about 12 to 15 years old, and they are absolutely learning English in school. And I’ll ask the concierge to recommend a local restaurant with zero tourists. I’m that person.”
On embracing the unknown—to a point
“I like to leave space for adventure, for being surprised. I do Google the best things to do in a city, but really, I rely on locals to tell me what I should do. (And if influencers are going there, I’m definitely not!) But if I’ve been traveling for 20 hours, especially if it’s international, I’m not going to try to figure out a subway system in a foreign language. I just want a sign with my name on it, to get into a car, and go to the hotel I’ve booked.”
Jessica’s top three places…
… any traveler should have on their list
Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Eritrea
… to whet a newbie’s appetite
Mexico, Italy, Kenya
… she wants to go back to
Japan, Iran, Mali
On what she did next
“When I landed in the Seychelles—my final country—on October 6, 2019, it was unreal. I was elated to be there with my mom, my sisters and closest friends. I went on IG Live in immigration to share it with all my followers. It was beautiful. But you know how a thing in motion tends to stay in motion? I barely stopped moving. In the first two months of 2020, I went to Jamaica, Italy, Uganda, New York, Florida—it was Covid that slowed me down.
“People will say, ‘Are you still going to travel?’ But travel has always been part of my life. It’s been incredible to go to places like Libya that don’t make it into the news, and tell the stories. And it’s funny, because my mom wasn’t outwardly proud of me until I was on CNN, and wrote a book. Recently, she said, ‘Are you ready to get a job?’ I’m like, I bought you a car! I’m OK…”
Kate Bussmann is an editor at Expedia Group, covering all aspects of culture and style. She has hosted live and online events, written and edited for titles including The Times, The Telegraph, InStyle, Glamour, and Marie Claire, and appeared on NPR, the BBC and Sky News. She has lived in London, New York and Naples, and one day plans to move to Paris.
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