But American Tom Turcich has completed his project and had a valuable ally by his side, his little dog Savannah.
He is only the tenth person to make it around the world, and Savannah is the first four-legged friend.
On March 21 this year, Turcich arrived in New Jersey, his last stop, and was greeted with cheers and applause from family members, friends and people watching his adventures.
It had been seven years since the journey began and the traveler had walked 48.000 kilometres to reach his goal.
The occasion
"It was surreal," Turcich told CNN from his parents' home. "I had imagined what the ending would be like. And when it happened, there were people on the streets walking with me."
The overriding emotion was relief. He had accomplished a goal he had been striving for for 15 years. At 17, a friend had been killed in an accident and he had since decided that life was short. "I started to re-evaluate everything."
He decided he wanted to travel and saw walking as the perfect way to experience as many places as possible.
The inspiration
The inspiration came from Guinness World Record holder Steven Newman, the first man to walk around the world.
He was planning and saving and after 9 years it was time to embark on his great adventure. He thought it would take at least 5 years, but coronavirus and an illness he developed along the way set him back two years.
Initially he hadn't even considered getting a dog, but the nights proved difficult and Savannah seemed like the perfect solution to "quell" his fears.
"She was amazing. It's great to have someone to share those moments with," he said."
He's working on a book
Every part of the trip was documented and posted on Instagram and his personal blog The World Walk. There were times when he considered giving up. "I was thinking 'what am I doing here? I could be with my family and friends. But, I'm walking in the cold rain in Germany."
However, he didn't give up and kept going strong. On an average day he walked between 29 and 38 kilometers.
Since the end of the adventure, he has focused on writing a memoir about his journey while Savannah adjusts to being in one place all the time.
Source: in.gr
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
