Q&A with Lee Abbamonte: The youngest American to visit every country in the world

As part of our goal to make life easier for bus travelers, we keep in touch with travelers who have had firsthand experiences wandering the world. Last time, we featured Clemens Sehi from Anekdotique. Today, we’re happy to feature Lee Abbamonte.

When Lee Abbamonte left his corporate job on Wall Street in 2008 to travel, he never dreamed that he’d make a successful career out of it. After reaching his coveted milestone of visiting every inch of the globe, he is now regularly featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Condé Nast Traveler, The Huffington Post – and the list goes on! Lucky for us, Lee takes a moment to chat with us on the cities he loves and the people he’s met along the way.

1. Where are you now and where does someone who’s been to every country in the world go next?
I am currently at home in New York and I am headed to Dewey Beach, Delaware with a group of buddies for our annual trip this weekend! I cannot wait!

2. You went from working on Wall Street to becoming the youngest American to visit every country in the world. How did you make the jump and what advice would you give travelers who would like to achieve a similar milestone?
I literally just resigned from my job in 2008. I knew I wanted to visit every country in the world but wasn’t sure I was ever going to turn it into a career, so I also got an MBA to hedge my bets, finished visiting all the countries, and have managed to sustain a real business out of travel! My advice to others is to seek other means of employment. It is very difficult to make it in travel as a business…true story! However, if you just want to travel the world, just do it! Don’t think too much as it’s something you will never forget and never regret!

3. Many of your travel stories center around the great people you’ve crossed paths with. What valuable lessons have you learned along the way and what is the one trait that connects people, no matter where they’re from?
All people around the world are pretty much the same and have similar core values, likes, and desires. Everyone loves their friends, family, and spending time with people they care about. People all over the world love sports and what I call, the International language of beer!

4. You’ve listed Montreal in your blog post, “The 30 Best Cities in the World.” What do you think of our city? And what’s your take: Montreal or New York bagels?
I do love Montreal and have been coming there since 1999! However, the bagels in New York CRUSH Montreal bagels, corned beef, and deli sandwiches! However, Montreal poutine is the best in the world!

5. At Busbud, our mission is to make bus travel information easy to find so that travelers can make better travel decisions. What do you think about this mission and do you think this type of service would benefit the travel community?
I think it’s a great idea because everyone knows how to find air info, and even trains are pretty simple, especially in North America. Buses can be confusing so I think it definitely adds some value as it’s a means of transportation that many people seek because it saves money, but few people know much about. Just finding names of bus companies in different cities is a chore in and of itself!

6. Finally, do you have a memorable bus story to share with our readers?
I have had many experiences on buses throughout the world – good, bad, and ugly!  However, I like to concentrate on the good, and I honestly love taking scenic bus rides through a beautiful place like New Zealand and just staring out the window and losing track of time. Just looking out the big clear window staring at beautiful scenery…I love that.

Thanks, Lee!

You can follow Lee’s adventures on his blog, as well as on Facebook & Twitter.

Photos by Lee Abbamonte