An interview with Lee Abbamonte, the recent US Every country in the world
How did you get to travel? She worked before in the fields of finance, law?
Yes, I worked in finance for eight years out of school. My goal was to make a lot of money on Wall Street, but a funny thing happened on the way. I studied abroad my junior year in college. This was the first time I ever left in the United States. I went to London, England, and it's changed my life completely. It was the best decision I ever made. It changed my view of the world and on my goals in life in general.
So with this experience in my pocket, I always knew I wanted to travel more. But like everyone, I needed money to finance the trip, I wanted to, so I have a real job Wall Street has worked really hard and did pretty well. Wall Street was a means to an end.
So, in travel work was not always your goal?
Right. Aside from making money in finance and other businesses, I am / was involved with, the goal was to travel just for fun and enjoy my life to the fullest. Working in the travel just sort of happened. I had written a a few stories over the years just for fun for various travel sites. I started in 06 my blog again to keep basically friends and family up to date with what I was doing. Without ever thinking I would do things travel-oriented full-time, it developed only one way I do, more and more things in various facets of the economy, travel and media started.
How did you go about leaving Wall Street for the journey?
Back in the summer of 08 I joined simply my position at a large company Wall Street. Ironically happened right in front of the major declines of several major companies, so it made me look smart, but it was purely coincidental.
My "claim to fame" is that you are the youngest American to travel in any country. Was that the original goal or at some point were you like, "Hey, I was at 100. What is 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 through Asia, the Middle East and Europe again. At this point I realized I had visited some 50 countries. Knowing I would be a ton of work, my goal is 100 countries by the time I was 30. Anyway what reasons was visiting, I thought it sounded cool. I ended up with about 25 in order to achieve this goal
In 06, I got an email from a friend that there is a record of the most recent was in fact every country to visit in the world. I judged basically how long I had to beat the record and where I needed to go, and thought I would try it. Although I did not get the record, it would still be fun and I would get to see the whole world. It turned out, it was a big decision, and I have so much to the world.
done 
What made you decide to pursue this goal? Did you leave your job to do it?
To be honest, actually doing the challenge, it has to decide to pursue the goal. It's not easy, of course, but at this point in my life and in traveling, I was now or never, because I was there more than half already. I am also very competitive and goal-oriented. Not to mention, I thought it was pretty cool!
Although I have not left my job to pursue the goal. I left the job because I had had it with corporate life at this time in my life, and I needed a break after eight years.
Have you hit this record? At what age did you have to every country in the world?
Yes, I was the youngest American to visit in 2011, each country when I was 32 visit sure to Libya. Technically, because of the addition of South Sudan as a sovereign nation, I am the youngest person in the world to visit each country. However, there is a bit of a gray area, and there are a lot of red tape that goes with the world record-forces in this title claim be, so for now, I go to the "recent American" title, which I still think Pretty cool! Depending on where you look, there are from 25 to 50 people alive and 0 people total known or believed to have on each country. I know that just about all of them
Have you ever picture yourself sedentary
I think I'm calm.? - Although some people will have a different definition of sedentary. I have a great apartment in New York City, have good friends and family, and really am pretty happy. I can do anything basically what I want and work from anywhere. Every day is exciting because I never know what will happen. I love to wake up every day, check my emails and see what is for the day on the agenda, week, month, etc. I see it as money I'm playing with the house, because it was never my intention ,
They were in Libya when they were Gaddafi's overthrow. Tell us about it!
Libya was the last country I visit had in the world to visit finalize each country. I was originally scheduled for March 2011 in operation, but had begun the Revolution, and it was a no-fly zone, so I had no chance in. Just as the rebels took away as the Arab Spring, I kept an eye on things. I have word that eastern Libya was fully opened by the rebels and the remote eastern border with Egypt was controlled -. Type
I have also heard that, because there was no government in place that they had dropped the visa restrictions and that it may be possible to get in above this limit. So, without really thinking about it, I flew to Cairo and then to a small coastal town called Mersa Mutra that. About 250 miles from the Libyan border
I had no idea what I wanted to do from Mersa Mutra. On the plane I noticed an educated-looking man wearing a suit and a rebel flag pin on his lapel. I asked if he spoke English and when he did, I asked if he could help me translate a taxi or car at the border to arrange; I was willing to pay what it took.
It turned out that this man is a Libyan dissident was who returned for the first time in 40 years to Libya. He came to work for the United Nations and had a UN pass. He told me that he would give me a ride all the way to Tubruk, Libya, in Minivan his brother and obviously to help me cross the border process. I could not believe what I heard and was obviously grateful
Not only did he do just that, but he told me to stay a place in Tubruk, dinner with his family -., Which he not seen had, in 40 years old - and the transport with his friend all the way back to Cairo - this is a 12-hour trip - a few days later. He refused to take a penny. It was amazing how beautiful her family was to me, and I am eternally grateful.
There also was a small thing between some Chinese smugglers and the Libyan rebels on the border caught in a firefight. We had to duck all and fire, the car in reverse, to not shoot. That was pretty scary, and after three hours, we made it through!
What travel advice would you give someone who has never traveled?
My advice would go to someone who has never traveled to Europe. Get a Eurail pass and hit the big cities. to feel get comfortable and see how cool to experience it is another country, language, food, culture, and so on, each time you make a move - all so close together. That should whet their appetite to less developed nations to travel. Also working the beaten routes of Southeast Asia and Australia, but I think take the history of Europe is a little more difficult at home, as they get more than just party on the backpacker circuit.
You are a sports type. Where was your most memorable sports experience in the world?
Sports are my passion. Play or watch; it does not matter - I like them all. I'm happy just to have been to all the major sporting event in the world, such as the Super Bowl, Olympics, Champions League, World Cup, Rugby World Cup, so I'm planning a lot of my trips around sporting events. It is difficult, only one to pick up, but I will say the 01 World Series.
This was the World Series between the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks, held the place 6 weeks after September 11th. I am a persistent, lifelong Yankees fan, a New Yorker, and I also worked in the World Trade Center, as emotions ran high. The middle three games of this series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx were amazing, exciting and emotional. The Yankees won all three games in dramatic fashion late inning. They went to the Series in seven games to lose, but that did not matter. to be a part of this group in New York, is something that I will never forget.
as much as an American traveling, you have your friends have a hard time understanding your lifestyle?
I have to be lucky, very good group of friends, many of whom love to travel and have traveled a lot with me. Those who travel not only know that it is a part of me and love my stories on my website to read, but it is even better hearing the uncut, no-protect Stories in person! I make time for my friends always. I was going to visit, wherever they live, welcome at any time to New York, and I never miss big events. If you lose sight of your friends and family, what will you have left?
If you want to read more of Lee's stories, read his blog, visit his Facebook, or watch Fox and Friends on Monday morning, as he does a travel segment.
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