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CO U R T E S Y O F J E S S I C A N A B O N G O MY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS ver the span of 11 years, Jessica Nabongo, a former pharmaceutical sales rep, traveled the globe on a mission to visit every sovereign country in the world. She was the first Black woman to do so, and has amassed a following for her travel chronicles @thecatchmeifyoucan. Last year, she turned those globe-trotting adventures into a book, "The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World." Here, she shares some of her travel hacks, most trusted experts, and sound advice. What's your go-to travel outfit? My go-to outfit is by Diarrablu, a Senegalese brand. It's a kimono and pants, and I love the way it feels on my skin; I don't want to have denim on for 20 hours. It comes in a variety of prints so you can still look good and be comfortable. I grew up with parents from Uganda who didn't own sweatpants. Single best packing hack? Never, ever pack without checking the weather. I use a to-do list, with the highs and lows and the number of days, and I lay out my outfits. I am a chronic over-packer. How far have you made it with carry-on only? Three weeks, and I'd never do it again. It was jumping around the Caribbean, and it was only made possible by the warm weather. Recommend us a connected travel agent. Claire Soares, who runs a company called Up in the Air Life. I am reassured by how anal she is. Not everyone gets luxury, but she does. What's your on-plane ritual? I've had the situation where my feet are so swollen you can't put on certain shoes after a flight, so now it's compression socks if it's over three hours. I like the Vim & Vigr, which are really cute, and not your grandmother's compression socks. The best shopping find from your travels? Brass rings that I fell in love with at the Maasai Market in Nairobi. I like statement pieces that spark a conversation. The most indulgent splurge you've made while traveling. On Roatán in Honduras, after we'd arrived at a crappy hotel with no hot water and I had zero patience left. It was 2009, so we were using the Yellow Pages to find something, and we got a ferry to the Henry Morgan Resort, and it was this super beautiful, magical place that we spent two nights at. Who's the most stylish traveler you know? Sai de Silva, aka @scoutthecity. She is so chic, my favorite travel girl. To me, chic means timeless, and that's what the colors and silhouettes she chooses are. What hotel would you own if you could? Amangiri in Canyon Point, Utah. To get there, it's a two-lane highway, then you drive for a mile or two and it opens up into this gorgeous concrete place in the desert. It's the most impactful entrance. Recommend a general manager you'd trust to organize anything. John O'Sullivan from the Four Seasons, who's now Regional Vice President and GM for Punta Mita, Mexico. He knows everyone, everywhere around the world. Your first private plane ride? From New York to Miami. To me, it was about spending less time in the airport; the fact that you can just show up close to take-off and not worry about security. It unlocks your schedule and gives back your time. What destination would you recommend ahead of all others? Bhutan is one of the few countries where they've managed to avoid Westernization. They didn't get TV until 1990. When you breathe the air, it's so clean, and it makes you think, "What the hell am I breathing everywhere else?" Good CONNECTION JESSICA NABONGO HAS QUITE LITERALLY TRAVELED THE WORLD. MARK ELLWOOD CATCHES UP WITH HER FOR OUR NEW TRAVEL COLUMN. O 134 BAL HARBOUR

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