Against All Odds: Woman with One of the World's 'Worst' Passports Visits 100+ Countries

Against All Odds: Woman with One of the World's 'Worst' Passports Visits 100+ Countries - The Struggles of an Impossible Dream

For most people, visiting 100+ countries would seem like an impossible dream. After all, the average American visits just 12 countries over their entire lifetime. But for one woman with a South Sudanese passport - consistently ranked as one of the world's worst for visa-free travel access - this lofty goal seemed downright unachievable.

Yet she was determined to prove that your life circumstances don't have to define what you can accomplish. So she set out on a mission to visit every corner of the globe, no matter how hard it would be.

With a South Sudanese passport, she faced visa restrictions and denials at many borders. Some countries wouldn't even allow her plane to land, let alone visit as a tourist. She was used to having doors slammed in her face over and over again. But she persisted.

Rather than giving up on blocked destinations, she got creative about backdoor routes in. She'd transit through neighboring countries and arrive overland. She mastered the art of visa runs. And she took advantage of obscure loopholes, like specific visa exemptions during sporting events.

When airlines denied her boarding, she'd route through accessible hubs in Turkey, Ethiopia or Kenya instead. She embraced the notion that there's always an alternate way, if you look hard enough. With flexibility and ingenuity, she found a path forward.

Budgeting for the world's most expensive destinations like Switzerland, Singapore and Norway was an enormous hurdle. She crisscrossed the globe on a shoestring, couchsurfing with locals and volunteering at eco-farms for free room and board. She tapped into travel hacking techniques to maximize miles and points.

Connecting with welcoming locals was the secret sauce that allowed her to access restricted places. Through forging human connections, she gained trust and insider access. Locals wanted to help her achieve the impossible. She found that people are fundamentally good at heart.

At every turn, she had to get creative and view limitations as opportunities in disguise. Each "no" made her more determined to find an alternate "yes." Her impossible dream ended up teaching her resourcefulness and resilience.

Against All Odds: Woman with One of the World's 'Worst' Passports Visits 100+ Countries - Navigating Visa Challenges and Restrictions

For a passport holder from South Sudan or other developing nations, acquiring travel visas can be one of the biggest obstacles to seeing the world. Citizens from wealthy Western countries often take visa-free access for granted, not realizing what a privilege it is. But for those with limited passport power, visa restrictions can make international travel seem downright impossible.

Visa denials are frustratingly common for passport holders from developing countries. According to the Visa Restrictions Index, a German passport holder gains easy access to 189 destinations around the world while a South Sudanese passport holder can enter just 53. This enormous mobility gap is understandably demoralizing.

Yet perseverant travelers find ways to navigate around visa roadblocks creatively. With flexibility and determination, they chip away at the most restrictive categories little by little. Here are some of the most useful strategies for tackling visa challenges:

Leverage Visa Exemptions - Some countries offer short-term visa exemptions for major sporting events like the World Cup or Olympics. Travelers can take advantage of these temporary loopholes to access ordinarily restricted destinations. Similarly, many places provide exemptions for religious pilgrimages, charitable work and transit passengers. Savvy travelers maximize these opportunities.

Get a Residency Permit - Securing a residency permit in an open country in Europe, the Americas or Asia exponentially expands mobility. A residence permit in Panama, for example, allows access to over 130 countries visa-free. These residency visas aren't quick or easy to obtain, but provide a worthwhile long-term workaround.

Enroll in University - Many countries provide student visas much more readily than tourist visas, enabling enrollment in a language immersion program or Bachelor's degree abroad. This allows travelers to bypass typical visa procedures in places like Germany, Korea, Japan or China.

Volunteer or Intern - Similar to student visas, countries are often eager to attract volunteer labor and permit unpaid internships. Programs like WWOOF provide food and lodging at organic farms in exchange for voluntary work. International volunteer organizations open doors too.

Master the Art of Visa Runs - Visa runs involve leaving a country briefly before your status expires in order to reset the clock. Regular visa runs enable staying in places long-term that only provide single-entry or short validity visas. Popular visa run routes connect places like Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, UAE and India.

Against All Odds: Woman with One of the World's 'Worst' Passports Visits 100+ Countries - Finding Airline Loopholes to Access Restricted Destinations

With a passport that faced endless visa rejections, securing airline tickets to blocked destinations proved to be yet another hurdle. But where there's a will, there's usually a workaround. Our intrepid traveler became a master at identifying obscure airline loopholes that cracked open access to restricted countries.

While some airlines straight up deny boarding if you lack an entry visa, others are surprisingly flexible. Airlines care mostly about liability and revenue, not immigration rules. So if you book a fully refundable ticket and agree to take full responsibility if denied entry, you can sometimes board flights to countries where you don't have a visa.

The key is knowing which airlines have lax boarding policies, honoring tickets even without confirmed entry permission. This allows you to gain access to the destination and request a visa on arrival. Our traveler found that European carriers like Lufthansa, Swiss Air and KLM were generally more flexible than US airlines when it came to boarding without a visa. Budget airlines can be even more relaxed in their policies.

It's an uncertain option that requires assuming full risk. But for many blocked passport holders, it's a gamble worth taking. Fellow travelers report success stories getting to restricted destinations this way, especially when arriving on less packed red-eye flights where immigration officers are more lenient.

Another common workaround is booking a fully refundable ticket with confirmed onward travel. This proves to airlines that you don't plan to overstay illegally. While not foolproof, having a ticket out of the country gives credibility when boarding a flight to a hostile destination.

Our traveler also leveraged airline alliances like Star Alliance and OneWorld creatively. She would book the first leg of a trip on a visa-friendly airline and the second on a restrictive one. As an existing passenger, she found airlines rarely denied her boarding the second leg.

Finally, booking separate one-way tickets through non-banned hubs expanded her options. She'd fly into Dubai or Addis Ababa first, then catch a second flight onward to her target destination. This evaded the red flags dual nationals experience when booking some trips as a single reservation.

Against All Odds: Woman with One of the World's 'Worst' Passports Visits 100+ Countries - Embracing Alternate Routes to Hard-to-Reach Places

When a destination seems completely inaccessible due to visa restrictions or other limitations, most travelers simply sigh and give up on the dream. But for a select few intrepid explorers willing to get creative, nearly any corner of the world can be uncovered through backdoor routes. Embracing alternate and indirect pathways to hard-to-reach places requires flexibility, determination and an openness to adventure.

Rather than viewing blocked borders as dead ends, resourceful wanderers see them as challenges to solve - puzzles with potential solutions if you approach them at the right angle. Places like Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Iraq and Bhutan come to mind as notoriously complicated for tourist access. But travelers who think outside the box keep devising clever workarounds.

The remote kingdom of Bhutan, for example, has long been shrouded in mystery, with very few options for visiting as an independent backpacker. All foreign visitors previously had to book pre-arranged tours with mandated minimum spends per day. But imaginative route hoppers discovered that regional towns across the border in India offered transfection points by bus or car. Likewise, a new Friendship Train launched in 2016 connecting Bhutan's capital Thimphu with neighboring Bangladesh's capital Dhaka. Intrepid travelers have leveraged these gateways to access the long cut-off Himalayan kingdom on the down low.

Similarly creative pathways using stepping stone countries can open up the seemingly blocked likes of Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. American passport holders in particular face limitations, but by starting in visa-friendly nations like Oman, Kuwait or Turkey then crossing overland, these elusive Middle Eastern destinations have proved reachable through stubborn persistence and calculated routing. Parts of Africa too become accessible by island hopping or applying for obscure visas to countries like São Tomé.

Against All Odds: Woman with One of the World's 'Worst' Passports Visits 100+ Countries - Building a Budget for Exploring the World's Most Expensive Cities

Exploring the world’s priciest metropolises like Geneva, Oslo and Tokyo may seem out of reach for budget-minded wanderers. But with savvy planning, packing hacks and a bit of sacrifice, even the most expensive cities can be accessible on a modest daily spend. You just need to get creative and live a little leaner.

Nomadic travelers making their way around the world's costly capitals advise staying in private rooms at hostels instead of hotels. Though dorm beds are cheapest, private hostel rooms often provide the best value and community. Apps like Couchsurfing also connect visitors with free local hospitality. As an alternative, short-term rental platforms like Airbnb offer discounted long term rates on sublets. Extended volunteering at eco-farms through organizations like WWOOF opens up free room and board options too.

Public transportation and walking are economical ways to explore spendy cities. Subway, bus and commuter rail passes allow hopping between sightseeing spots affordably. Travelers suggest using ride shares judiciously as occasional splurges rather than daily habits. Purchasing a used bike off Craigslist during your stay also scores cheap and eco-friendly mobility.

Visiting pricy destinations during their off-season or shoulder seasons slashes costs on lodging and flights. Summer crowds thin out in October through April in Northern Europe, for instance. Savvy travelers stalk sites like Scott's Cheap Flights and Google Flights to snag well-timed getaway deals. Signing up for travel hacking and points optimizing services like Travel Freely can stretch travel budgets through leveraging miles too.

To curtail dining costs, grocery shop at local markets for fresh produce and pantry staples. Grab inexpensive kebabs, falafel and street food on-the-go while sightseeing to sample local flavors affordably. Scope out happy hours for discounted drinks and bar bites. Linger over one glass of Austrian Gruner Veltliner instead of several. Seek out free walking tours to maximize sightseeing on the cheap as well.

Packing light, washing clothes in sinks and recycling outfits creatively helps lower costs by avoiding checked luggage fees and laundry services. Travel bloggers advise packing versatile neutral pieces that mix and match into multiple looks. Light and packable merino wool, nylon and linen help keep luggage under weight limits.

Against All Odds: Woman with One of the World's 'Worst' Passports Visits 100+ Countries - Learning Languages to Open Doors in New Cultures

Mastering languages unlocks deeper engagement and insider access when immersed in different cultures. Travelers fluent in a destination's native tongue open portals to forging more authentic local connections. They gain ability to navigate foreign places more confidently and independently. Language skills empower grasping nuances beyond surface levels. You'll understand not just the words people speak, but the stories behind them.

Backpackers relate eye-opening experiences where language proficiency provided keys to once off-limit communities. A smattering of Arabic unlocked invitations to family meals in remote Berber villages in Morocco. Basic Portuguese skills won over initially skeptical favela residents in Rio de Janeiro, transforming a tour into heartwarming cultural exchange. Just grasping phrases like "hello," "thank you" and "where is the bathroom?" in the local dialect shows goodwill. Locals appreciate the effort and will meet you halfway.

Beyond basic pleasantries, studying some vocabulary ahead related to your interests or hobbies gives conversation starters. A few sailing terms landed onboard invitations from Turkish gulet crews. Memorizing food vocabulary earned inductance into cooking classes in Thailand. Review language apps like Duolingo, watch subtitled movies, and pack pocket phrasebooks to build foundations.

Immersive homestays, language exchanges and tutoring accelerates picking up tongues when surrounded by native sounds. Tutor matching sites connect learners worldwide for affordable virtual lessons. Local chat partners converse via apps like Tandem and HelloTalk. Many languages have MeetUp groups in major cities too for in-person practice.

Just grasping the basics exponentially enhances the travel experience. Comprehending train announcements prevents boarding wrong platforms. Reading street signs, menus and maps prevents embarrassing mixups. Striking up simple dialogue with hotel staff, waiters and taxi drivers leaves lasting impressions. Locals perk up when tourists try their mother tongue, rewarding efforts generously. Thoughtful communication transcends language barriers.

Linguistic agility ultimately allows stepping off the beaten tourist track into intimate encounters. Independent wanderers relying less on guides access alternative experiences. Sidestepping the outstretched hands of touts shouting “Hello!” in English opens doors to sincerer exchanges. Learning just a few key phrases humanizes cross-cultural encounters. Inside jokes and heartfelt conversations emerge. You realize how much common ground all humans share.

Against All Odds: Woman with One of the World's 'Worst' Passports Visits 100+ Countries - Turning Limitations into Opportunities for Creativity

When faced with restrictions and roadblocks, it's easy to get discouraged and give up on your dreams. But limitations can actually spark creativity and inspire outside-the-box solutions. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. Confronting challenges head-on and viewing them from new angles can unlock unexpected possibilities.

Rather than accepting visa and passport limitations as indefinite dead ends, intrepid travelers have devised clever workarounds to access once off-limit destinations. The remote kingdom of Bhutan was long restricted only to luxury tour groups, entirely inaccessible for independent wanderers. But crafty backpackers discovered alternate land routes into Bhutan through border towns in India and Bangladesh, opening the mysterious Himalayan country through persistence and alternate thinking.

Similarly creative circuitous pathways chipped away at the daunting restrictions of countries like Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. American passport holders in particular face limitations, but by routing through visa-friendly nations like Oman, Kuwait or Turkey then crossing overland, these elusive places became reachable. Parts of Africa also become accessible through patient island hopping or securing obscure visas to countries like São Tomé.

Navigating the world's priciest cities and most expensive destinations on a tight budget requires resourcefulness too. Savvy shoestring travelers manage to explore places like Switzerland, Singapore and Japan through travel hacking tricks, avoiding costly hotels and dining out by renting apartments, cooking their own meals and walking or biking. Off-season travel slashes costs further.

Language barriers can isolate visitors and prevent authentic connections from developing in foreign cultures. But committing to learning even just a few handy phrases in the local tongue seeds rewarding relationships. Tourists who try their language skills often find locals eager to reciprocate and meet them halfway. Thoughtful communication transcends vocabulary limitations.

Embracing alternate mindsets transforms obstacles into opportunities. Limitations weed out distractions and provide helpful constraints that spark ingenuity. Facing challenges head-on builds grit and resilience. Restrictions force you to get scrappy and view circumstances through new, creative angles. Innovation flourishes when backed into a corner.

Rather than lamenting limitations, try reframing them as catalysts for growth. Ask yourself, "What opportunities could this difficulty open up if I approached it flexibly?" Barriers filter your focus toward uncoverable solutions. Constraints contain space for breakthrough thinking to sprout and thrive.

Ingenuity emerges when you're forced to make do with less. Restrictions stretch your imagination and resourcefulness. Necessity inspires invention. Hardships build strength and character. Creativity flourishes under pressure and limitations. Challenges are fertile seeds for personal growth and resilience.