Η 21χρονη που γύρισε τον κόσμο και κατέρριψε το ρεκόρ Guinness

Το νεότερο άτομο που επισκέφτηκε 196 κυρίαρχα κράτη

Μπορεί να είναι μόλις 21 ετών αλλά έχει καταφέρει να κάνει όσα η πλειοψηφία των ανθρώπων δε θα καταφέρει να πραγματοποιήσει σε δύο ζωές.

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Where would you go if you weren’t afraid? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📸 @fearlessandfar

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 3 Δεκ, 2018 στις 8:23 πμ PST

Ο λόγος για τη Λέξι Άλφορντ, η οποία κατάφερε να καταρρίψει το παγκόσμιο ρεκόρ Guinness, ως το νεότερο άτομο που επισκέφθηκε και τα 196 κυρίαρχα κράτη στον κόσμο.

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A genuine smile goes a long way😆 I got made fun of in school for having big teeth but now (since I’ve grown into them😂) I’ve learned to love my smile. I can't even count how many life altering things have happened to me after flashing a simple sign of kindness. Smiles are powerful, contagious. I love smiling at grumpy people and seeing their whole expression change. Never underestimate the power of positive expression✨ 📸 @fearlessandfar

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 7 Ιαν, 2019 στις 7:26 μμ PST

Στις 31 Μαϊου η 21χρονη Λέξι πάτησε το πόδι της στη Βόρεια Κορέα και κατέρριψε το ρεκόρ που κατείχε μέχρι τώρα ο 24χρονος Βρετανός, Τζέιμς Άσκουιθ.

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Hey everyone! A few days ago I asked you guys if you already knew that I’m currently breaking the Guinness World Record for the Youngest Person to Travel to Every Country. I’m stoked that you had tons of questions!! My life has completely revolved around this record for the past 2 years and I’m feeling especially passionate about it because I’m so close to finishing!😅 I’m excited to talk about all this finally so I’ll be posting my answers for the next few days. Here goes: ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - How many countries have you been to & what countries do you have left? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As of January 2019, I have traveled to 186/196 countries. The 196 comes from the UN member states including Taiwan, Vatican City and Palestine which is what is required by Guinness World Records (GWR). The ten countries I have left are Libya, Eritrea, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Syria and North Korea. The hardest visas I have left are Syria, Pakistan and Turkmenistan. These 10 are the only countries I have plans to visit right now. My current plan is 4 countries in Africa in Feb/March, then hopefully Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (if the Turk visa comes through). ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ -Do you ever feel scared traveling alone as a young woman? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I usually only get freaked out by things I’ve made up in my head (anxiety) rather than whats actually happening around me. I traveled to 72 countries with my family and friends by the time I was 18 so when I started traveling solo I was already experienced. What I recommend to other women is to gradually transition into solo travel- start traveling with your friends (if possible) and start in places with infrastructure for tourism like Europe or South East Asia. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s too dangerous because all you need to navigate the world safely is common sense. Bad things can happen anywhere at any time so you shouldn’t let fear dictate what you do with your time. Also, when I’m alone I always have hotels booked ahead of time so I don’t end up on the street without a place to stay. Having a plan is really important, especially in lesser visited countries- can’t stress that enough.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📸 @fearlessandfar

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 29 Ιαν, 2019 στις 7:16 μμ PST

Η Άλφορντ μεγάλωσε σε οικογένεια που έχει στην ιδιοκτησία της ταξιδιωτικό γραφείο στην Καλιφόρνια. «Το ταξίδι αποτελεί μέρος της ζωής μου από πάντα» ανέφερε η 21χρονη, η οποία περιγράφει τον εαυτό της ως @LexieLimitless στο Instagram.

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Hey guys! I wanted to share a super simple life hack that’s already helped me a lot. If you want to spend less time on your phone try switching it to grayscale! Naturally humans are drawn to vibrant colors and I think that has a lot to do with why we get so addicted to social media. On an iPhone it’s easy: General -> Accessibility -> Accessibility shortcut -> Color filters (ON) and if you click the home button three times it will switch the color back and forth. I also put all my social media apps in a folder so it’s not the first thing I see. I've been trying to use my spare time on my phone to read the news or write notes if I don't have a pen & paper. These little habits have totally altered the way I use my phone, you should try it. If you guys have any other ones I’d love to hear about them.

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 15 Φεβ, 2019 στις 3:08 μμ PST

«Οι γονείς μου με έπαιρναν από το σχολείο για εβδομάδες ή και μήνες κάθε χρόνο και παρακολουθούσα μαθήματα εκεί που ταξιδεύαμε» ανέφερε σε συνέντευξή της στο περιοδικό Forbes.

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I’ve been coming to a really important realization: your interpretation of a country has nothing to do with the country itself. Its your mindset that defines whether or not you enjoy the time you spend in a place. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Since September I’ve been reflecting on the experiences I’ve had in Africa. To be honest, spending almost 3 months last summer in 20+ countries throughout West & Central Africa was really rough on my mental health. The language barriers, intense cultural differences, constant movements... it can be really depressing and lonely at times. I had never thought about giving up & going home until I started seriously traveling in this area of the world. But that’s when I was reminded of the quote, “I didn’t come this far to only come this far”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m so happy that after this last fantastic trip to 5 countries throughout Africa I had a total shift in perspective! The places I traveled to were somewhat similar to where I was before but this time something was different. I’m starting to slow down. My mind is more open and prepared to absorb everything, even the frustrating bits, with patience & gratitude. It’s crazy that I’ve traveled to 189 countries now and somehow I still feel like I’m just beginning to understand the ways of the world. There’s so much left to learn!!

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 9 Μάρ, 2019 στις 6:18 πμ PST

Η Λέξι Άλφορντ αναφερόμενη στις προκλήσεις που αντιμετώπισε, τόνισε ότι έδωσε αγώνα που κράτησε μήνες και χρόνια για να καταφέρει να επισκεφθεί τη Βόρεια Κορέα με δεδομένη την ταξιδιωτική απαγόρευση από τις ΗΠΑ. Τελικά βρήκε την ευκαιρία να επισκεφθεί τη Βόρεια Κορέα τον περασμένο Μάιο, χάρη σε ένα «παραθυράκι» που της επέτρεψε να κάνει ένα βήμα εντός της χώρας.

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World’s largest indoor Ferris wheel or intergalactic teleportation station?🧐 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ashgabat is possibly the strangest city in the world. It’s full of sterile white marble buildings and bizarre gold monuments like this one. And there’s literally no one around to see it. I was left thinking “This is sooo not what I expected this place to look like.” Stay tuned for a blog about this particularly odd & beautiful country✌🏼 Photo by @fearlessandfar

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 23 Μάρ, 2019 στις 7:19 μμ PDT

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Roasting marshmallows over the DOOR TO HELL 🔥 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Last week I was camping in the middle of nowhere with @fearlessandfar & a bunch of drunk Russian speaking men. Being fed way too much food from the kindest locals and running around this pit of fire was definitely one of the most epic & memorable nights of my life. No one really knows how Darvaza Crater was created but it’s been burning for over 40 years. Its such a fitting addition to this otherwise mysterious landscape. Have you ever seen anything like this before?? 🤯 #Turkmenistan

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 26 Μάρ, 2019 στις 2:00 μμ PDT

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Visiting Mauritius was a dream of mine for so long that I was worried maybe the real place wouldn’t match the story in my head. Not sure if I just got really lucky in this country but it was as if I was in a movie where everything has this surreal cinematic quality. Also couldn’t believe how warm & full of life the ocean was just right off the beach! Feeling nostalgic ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What’s a country you’ve always dreamed of going to?

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 22 Απρ, 2019 στις 5:12 πμ PDT

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This is one of my favorite memories from traveling solo. I remember waking up way too early and driving past stunning waterfalls in the lush jungle to get to this place. I climbed down that slippery ladder and at first there was a small old man collecting leaves from the pool with a net. He didn’t say anything but had the best toothless smile. When he finished his work I dove into the crystal clear salt water. The cold was a shock the system but it felt soft like it had been filtered & tamed by the lava rock. Explored the little caves to the sides and discovered one of them lead back to the ocean. I floated and soaked in the silence until it was broken by the sound of rain🌦 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How I got this shot: I hired a taxi driver to take me to this place early in the morning to avoid crowds (typically getting there before 8 or 9 AM is best if it’s somewhere that tour buses might go). Then I befriended the taxi driver on the way and asked him if he could please take a photo for me when we got there. Thankfully he agreed and when we got to this spot, I adjusted the setting on my camera then showed the taxi driver exactly how I wanted him to line up the shot and I asked him to take a few before I ran down & jumped in the water. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is how I get most of the photos where I’m the subject. Whether it’s a stranger or one of my friends taking the photo there’s always a chance that it’s not going to turn out the way you envisioned but it’s always worth a shot😊

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 23 Απρ, 2019 στις 7:53 μμ PDT

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This was one of the top 5 craziest adventures of my life! After riding like maniacs on the top of our 15 passenger van through the Karakoram Mountains for countless hours we arrived at the launching point. We switched into these 4x4 rock crawling land rovers and ascended up the aptly named “most dangerous road in the world”. The local driver swerved recklessly around loose gravel corners with heart pounding 500+ ft. drops to the left. After nearly 3 hours of that, we arrived at the starting point for the hike to Fairy Meadows. Our group quickly fell into different paces which gave us time to feel even more secluded in the deep wilderness of Northern Pakistan. We hiked up roughly 2500 ft. as the sun set on the little Swiss cabins we would sleep in that night. The temperature dropped rapidly. All our bodies were acting funny because of the altitude. The 10 of us huddled around the common room stove sharing stories and stretching our deliciously sore muscles. ‘Twas a day & night that I’ll never forget ✌🏼#pakistandiaries

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 4 Μάι, 2019 στις 6:39 πμ PDT

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What are 3 defining moments in your life? I’ve been thinking about this a lot and thought it would be a fun exercise to do with you guys. As someone that goes through tons of phases, both positive and negative, I get so nostalgic when I think about the things that brought me to where I am today. Here’s a few of my turning points: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1. The day I passed my exams to skip Junior & Senior years of high school. 2. Bungee jumping in Switzerland the summer after I graduated from college.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 3. The very first time I thought about breaking the world record for the youngest person to travel to every country ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’ve got a pretty huge life achievement coming up with visiting my last country (!!) which I already know is going to change so much in my life. This photo may be a hint about the first place I’m going back to after I break the record 😉

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 16 Μάι, 2019 στις 10:00 πμ PDT

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Diving into my wildest dreams💧I’m shocked. Never in a million years did I think that something I’m so passionate about would reach and inspire other people. The outpouring of love I’ve been receiving from around the world has been one of the most crazy and overwhelming feelings I’ve ever felt.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you so much @laurabegleybloom from @forbeswomen for writing such a beautiful story about my journey to becoming the youngest person to travel to every country. This article covers almost all the answers to the questions I’m asked the most. Check it out! Link in my bio🦋

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 4 Ιούν, 2019 στις 8:34 πμ PDT

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OFFICIALLY TRAVELED TO EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD🌍🤯 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ it’s crazy to have years of hard work culminate into one single moment. I’m so grateful to everyone that’s helped me get here. The greatest chapter of my life is coming to a close. Cheers to a new beginning 🎉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Photos by @thomasbrag

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 1 Ιούν, 2019 στις 5:27 μμ PDT

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Ships don’t sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don’t let what’s happening around you get inside you & weigh you down

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Lexie Alford (@lexielimitless) στις 3 Νοέ, 2018 στις 11:16 πμ PDT