Woman who travelled to 196 countries puts Pakistan in her top 5

It took 18 months and 26 days for American traveler Cassie De Pecol to visit every country in the world; less than half the time it took the previous Guinness World Record holder. De Pecol was only 23-years-old when she began planning her journey which was budgeted at around $198,000. After succeeding in her mission, De Pecol became the first documented woman to step foot in all 196 nations on Earth.



Here is a list of 10 countries everyone should visit, according to the woman who has seen them all:

1. Mongolia 

"To be immersed in the remote wilderness and to ride the wild horses."



2. Bhutan 

"To learn the ethics of peaceful living."



3. Maldives 

"To see some of the bluest water, whitest sand and most stunning sand banks in the world."



4. Vanuatu 

"To experience the process of how Kava is made and to meet some of the kindest people."



5. Pakistan 

"To get a true sense of raw, authentic Asian culture, and for the food."



6. Oman 

"To immerse yourself in the desert and mountains, while learning from locals who live in the mountains, it's a whole different lifestyle."



7. Tunisia

"To experience northern African culture with a Middle Eastern feel and an immense amount of archaeological history."



8. Peru 

"For the Amazon rainforest and Aguas Calientes [gateway to Machu Picchu]."



9. Costa Rica 

"Monkeys, fresh fruit, good music and volcanoes. Need I say more?"



10. USA

"Fall in New England is something everyone should experience."



This story and photographs originally appeared on The Telegraph