Written by Sadie Whitelocks, Dailymail.com
19:51 03 May 2024, 20:22 03 Updated May 2024
- Lucy Hsu, a schoolteacher from San Francisco, has visited all 195 countries.
- She got her passport at 23, but said she had “never imagined” where it would lead her.
- The last country she marked was Syria in May 2023
Read on to learn how to see the world on a budget.
Lucy Hsu, a schoolteacher from San Francisco, has officially visited all 195 countries recognized by the United Nations, with Syria being her last stop in May 2023.
To achieve her goal, the 42-year-old implemented a number of cost-cutting measures. She revealed that she was able to save thousands of dollars by doing volunteer exchange programs and homestays.
She told NBC she took advantage of WorkAway. Workaway is a subscription-based website that matches volunteers with carefully selected hosts, who provide accommodation in exchange for their services.
Lucy explained that if she needs to pay for accommodation while traveling, she searches for affordable hostels through HostelWorld instead of checking into a hotel.
And when it came to transportation, buses and trains were her preferred mode of transportation, rather than booking expensive flights to cross borders or transit within the country.
Over time, she was also able to save on travel rewards and earn more loyalty points with certain airlines through credit cards.
She hopes her wallet-friendly travel inspires others to have their own adventures.
A world traveler explained: “There are still a lot of misconceptions that travel is unaffordable…or that it is very dangerous or unaffordable.
“Traveling is possible if you learn budget-conscious methods. And those methods exist if you’re willing to research them.”
Lucy, the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, got her first passport when she was 23 years old.
Her first journey was backpacking across Europe before returning to the United States to earn her master’s degree.
In a Facebook post, she said she “never imagined” that she would end up visiting every country in the world.
Reflecting on what she’s learned from her 19-year journey, which has taken her to everywhere from the wilds of Antarctica to the ancient sands of Sudan, she added: “I am so grateful for this journey that has taught me life’s greatest lessons”: patience, gratitude, perseverance, love, acceptance, kindness, and balance.
“It can best be described as picking up a book, being captivated by every page, and never wanting to put it down.
“And now that I’ve finished the last page, I want to reread my favorite parts and go back to sections I may have missed or skimmed too much.”
The California native says some of her most memorable trips include Mongolia.It’s Kenya for “uncharted adventures” and hospitable locals.
Meanwhile, she also met the Dalai Lama in India in April this year, which she said was a day she would “never forget”.
Lucy said that when she decided to visit her last country, Syria, she had to wait until she was accepted by Americans again. When the time finally came, she was “excited” to accomplish her mission.
Syria is currently on the U.S. State Department’s “no travel” list, but Lucy said she never had any problems while there.
She detailed her trip to Syria on Facebook, writing, “Aleppo is a must-see. Once the largest city in the Syrian region, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its famous citadel and souq… Walking around When you do it, you feel like you’ve traveled back in time.”Arabs, Mongolians, Ottomans.
“Following Hama, we visited the famous ancient wooden water wheel. Finally, Homs, once a major industrial center, still stands in the rubble of a civil war more than a decade ago. ”
Other dangerous places Lucy has visited on the map include Afghanistan and North Korea. However, thanks to her careful planning, she was able to have a smooth experience in both countries.
Lucy offers advice to others who want to visit all the countries, encouraging them to plan wisely, see the countries ‘bundled’ and check out several places on the same trip. is recommended.
She also recommends joining a network of international travelers. Networking can be a great resource for finding guides, translators, etc., and learning local rules.