The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World by Jessica Nabongo

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

In this inspiring travelogue, celebrated traveler and photographer Jessica Nabongo—the first Black woman on record to visit all 195 countries in the world—shares her journey around the globe with fascinating stories of adventure, culture, travel musts, and human connections. 

It was a daunting task, but Jessica Nabongo, the beloved voice behind the popular website The Catch Me if You Can, made it happen, completing her journey to all 195 UN-recognized countries in the world in October 2019. Now, in this one-of-a-kind memoir, she reveals her top 100 destinations from her global adventure. 

Beautifully illustrated with many of Nabongo's own photographs, the book documents her remarkable experiences in each country, including: 

A harrowing scooter accident in Nauru, the world’s least visited country,
Seeing the life and community swarming around the Hazrat Ali Mazar mosque in Afghanistan,
Horseback riding and learning to lasso with Black cowboys in Oklahoma,
Playing dominoes with men on the streets of Havana,
Learning to make traditional takoyaki (octopus balls) from locals in Japan,
Dog sledding in Norway and swimming with humpback whales in Tonga,
A late night adventure with strangers to cross a border in Guinea Bissau,
And sunbathing on the sandy shores of Los Roques in Venezuela.

Along with beloved destinations like Peru and South Africa, you'll also find tales from far-flung corners and seldom visited destinations, including Tuvalu, North Korea, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Nabongo's stories are love letters to diversity, beauty, and culture—and most of all, to the people she meets along the way. Throughout, she offers bucket-list experiences for other travel-lovers looking to follow in her footsteps. 

For armchair travelers or readers planning a trip around the globe, this arresting collection will awe and inspire!

my thoughts:

Wow! What an awesome book! The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to  Every Country in the World by Jessica Nabongo is absolutely a MUST-READ!! Chock full of personal photographs, travel experiences, a bucket list, and so much more - this book is the PERFECT way to see the world from the comfort from your own home. It is an AMAZING read that you won't be able to stop reading. I LOVED it to bits!!

Jessica is the first Black woman to travel the world and visit all 195 UN-recognized countries in the world. Her journey ended in 2019. This book documents 100 countries that she visited and it is fantastic. You get to know Jessica and her penchant for traveling and how she made this dream to see the world come true. And then, you get to go along with her as she visits all the places you've heard about or dreamt about seeing. It is such a delight to read and peruse her photographs. This book is just such a feast for travelers - not only will you be inspired to add more cities to your own private bucket list, but you won't be able to help smile at the excitement and experiences that Jessica shares about. Such a wonderful read!

I would happily recommend The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World to anyone and everyone looking for their next great summer read - you will fall in deep with this one. Check it out!!

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!