Key Takeaways
- I first met Lee a couple of years ago when he stumbled on my blog, bought my blogging course, and fired off crazy emails to me. Since then, we’ve beco
- How did you get into traveling? You worked in finance before, right? Yes, I worked in finance out of college for eight years. My objective was to make
- So with that experience in my back pocket, I always knew I wanted to travel more. But like everyone, I needed to make money to fund the travel I wante
Updated: 10/23/19 | October 23rd, 2019
I first met Lee a couple of years ago when he discovered Route for Less, purchased our travel blogging course, and sent enthusiastic follow-up messages. Since then, we’ve become friends (he’s the one snapping the selfie when my United flight made an emergency landing). Today, we’re sharing his remarkable story — Lee is the youngest American to have visited every internationally recognized country in the world, and his journey is packed with unforgettable moments.
How did you get into traveling? You worked in finance before, right?
Yes, I worked in finance out of college for eight years. My objective was to make a lot of money on Wall Street, but a funny thing happened along the way. I studied abroad my junior year in college. This was the first time I ever left the United States. I went to London, and it completely changed my life. It was easily the best decision I ever made. It changed my view on the world and on my life goals in general.
So with that experience in my back pocket, I always knew I wanted to travel more. But like everyone, I needed to make money to fund the travel I wanted, so I got a proper Wall Street job, worked really hard, and did pretty well. Wall Street was a means to an end.
So, working in travel wasn’t always your goal?
Right. Aside from making money in finance and other businesses I am/was involved with, the goal was just to travel for fun and enjoy my life to the fullest. Working in travel just sort of happened.
I had written a few stories over the years for various travel websites just for fun. I started my blog back in 2006 to basically keep friends and family updated on what I was up to. Without ever thinking I would do travel-related things full-time, it just kind of evolved as I started doing more and more things in different facets of business, travel, and media.
How did you go about leaving Wall Street for travel?
Back in the summer of 2008, I simply resigned my position at a major Wall Street firm. Ironically, it happened right before the major collapse of several major firms, so it made me look smart, but it was pure coincidence.
Your “claim to fame” is that you are the youngest American to travel to every country. Was that the original goal or at some point were you like, “Hey, I’ve been to 100. What’s a 100 more!”
During my time abroad in college, I traveled to 15 countries in Europe. During school breaks and immediately after graduation, I took three other long backpacking trips around Asia, the Middle East, and Europe again. At that point, I realized I had visited some 50 countries. Knowing I would be working a ton, my goal was to visit 100 countries by the time I was 30. For whatever reason, I thought that sounded cool. I ended up achieving that goal at about 25.
Back in 2006, I got an email from a friend that there was actually a record of the youngest to visit every country in the world. I basically assessed how long I had to beat the record and where I had to go, and figured I’d give it a go. Even if I didn’t get the record, it’d still be fun and I’d get to see the whole world. Turns out it was a great decision, and I have done so much around the world.
What made you decide to pursue this goal? Did you leave your job to do it?
To be honest, the challenge of actually doing it made me decide to pursue the goal. It is not easy, obviously, but at that point in my life and in travel, I figured it was now or never, because I was more than halfway there already. I am also very competitive and goal-oriented. Not to mention, I thought it was pretty cool!
I didn’t specifically leave my job to pursue the goal. I left the job because I had had it with corporate life at that time in my life, and I needed a break after eight years.
Did you hit that record? At what age did you get to every country in the world?
Yes, I became the youngest American to visit every country in 2011 when I was 32 after safely visiting Libya. Technically, because of the addition of South Sudan as a sovereign nation, I am the youngest person to visit every country in the world. However, it is a bit of a grey area, and there is a lot of bureaucracy and red tape that goes into that title claim with the world-record powers that be, so for now, I go with the “youngest American” title, which I think is still pretty cool!
Depending on where you look, there are 25–50 people alive and 90 people total known or believed to have been to every country. I know just about all of them.
Do you ever picture yourself settling down?
I think I am settled down — although some people will have another definition of settled down. I own a great apartment in New York City, have great friends and family, and really am pretty happy. I can basically do whatever I want and work from anywhere. Every day is exciting because I never know what will happen.
I love waking up every morning, checking my emails, and seeing what’s on the agenda for the day, week, month, etc. I look at it like I’m playing with house money because this was never my intention.
You were in Libya when they were overthrowing Gaddafi. Tell us about that!
Libya was the last country I needed to visit to complet
