Traveling around the world is a lifelong dream for many and 79-year-old Filipino-American Luisa Yu has proven that age is no barrier to fulfilling one’s travel aspirations. Yu’s passion for exploration started in her 20s when she travelled to nearly all 45 states in the US. For the next 50 years, she decided to cover as many countries as possible. Born in the Philippines, Yu’s path led her to St. Louis as an exchange student before settling in Miami for its warmer climate. She initially started exploring the United States, but she decided to expand her adventure and made her first international journey in 1970, beginning with Japan and since then, she has explored numerous countries. At 79, Yu finally concluded her world tour as she visited her 193rd destination, which was Serbia.
In a conversation with Good Morning America, the woman told, “When I went to the movies, I saw this beautiful backdrop about the scenery, the nature, the rivers, the mountains and that fascinated me. That’s why I always thought someday I will go to these places and travel. I started in the U.S. first because of my status. I couldn’t go out of the country. So I decided to take a Greyhound bus and tour the United States. Greyhound was the best because you just hop in. Then the next day, you’re in another state.”
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Luisa Yu started her career in the medical field, but she later became a travel agent. Over the past five decades, she has travelled to European nations like Italy, Asian destinations including Thailand, and even reached African countries like Libya and Middle Eastern territories like Iran. Due to her curiosity for history and culture, Yu set a goal for herself to visit all 193 member states of the United Nations. Determined to visit even certain dangerous regions, she expressed a wish to witness the world’s various landscapes firsthand, as she wanted to learn about them more closely.
After crossing multiple borders for years, many of Yu’s friends pushed her to conclude her global adventure in Serbia. Listening to their suggestion, on November 9, 2023, she fulfilled her goal and her friends organized a special party to celebrate the occasion. As Yu left the airport, she was greeted by a crowd clapping and cheering for her. Offering advice to aspiring travellers, Yu provided a straightforward message, she said, “Don’t be afraid, just go. Don’t wait for anybody, because if you wait, it will never happen.”
In 2022, the woman secured two prestigious awards, including the Nomad Mania Award and she also received the Global Explorer award from the Philippines, specifically the Most Adventure Explorer Award. Despite visiting every country in the world, she finds it challenging to pick a favorite country, but Italy, Philippines and Thailand hold special places in her heart.
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