Has anyone gone all the way around the world?

Has anyone ever gone all the way around the world?

Wow, someone walked the entire world? On foot?

• David Kunst, Smithsonian said.
• October 5, 1974: The day it finished. That’s… a while ago.

Fifty years… Time flies. He started way before my dad was even born.

• Met Princess Grace. Fancy.
• UNICEF? Good cause.
• Bandits, though… His brother? That’s awful. I can’t even imagine.

Walking through 13 countries! I get tired just walking to the freakin’ mailbox, lol. He must have had some serious endurance. Imagine the blisters!

He started on June 20, 1970, as the Smithsonian article writes. What motivated him, I wonder? It had to be more than just, “Hey, let’s walk around the world.” Did he see all 13 nations like a tourist or something?

Has anyone travelled the whole world?

It’s tricky declaring someone’s seen the entire world.

• Definitional issues: What counts as a country anyway? Borders shift. New nations pop up. It’s all rather fluid, isn’t it.

• Access denied: North Korea comes to mind. Some places are just…uninviting. Perhaps that’s the point.

• The “been there, done that” problem: Did they really experience it? Quick snapshots don’t cut it for true understanding, do they? Like my trip to Brussels where I only had fries.

People say they’ve been everywhere, but it’s always a subjective claim at best. Honestly, it’s the journey that matters, not some arbitrary checklist of countries, right?

• Logistics are a nightmare. Visas, flights, safety… ugh.

• Personal funds are a thing. Even I had to think about the Brussels budget!

It’s more about the spirit of exploration, isn’t it. Who needs every single border stamp?

What is the maximum luggage size allowed on international flights?

Ugh, luggage. Always a nightmare. Sixty-two linear inches? Is that a joke? My last trip, I swear my bag was smaller than that, and they still charged me extra. Ripoff.

Seriously, who measures their bags with a ruler before a flight? I just shove everything in, hoping for the best. Last time I checked, my Samsonite is probably 65 or something. Am I going to get stung again? What if they make me check it? Hate paying extra fees.

Airlines are thieves! I’m thinking about that tiny backpack I have. Maybe that’ll work this time. It’s definitely under the limit. But then again, what about my shoes? And my camera? And my 15 pounds of books? Books I don’t even want to give up. Ugh. This is stressing me out already.

62 linear inches is a guideline. A total lie. I’ve seen way bigger bags on planes. They seem to focus on weight more these days. But still. I need to research weight limits too. This is ridiculous! I need a bigger bag, but also a smaller one… Do airlines really check meticulously? It’s more important that my stuff fits in the overhead bins anyway.

• Weight limits are more important than the dimensions, really.
• Airlines are inconsistent.
• Always check with your specific airline before you fly. They are never the same.
• My last flight was with Delta, and the guy just waved me through.
• Packing cubes are my new best friend; totally a life hack.

It’s 2024, right? I need to find the latest weight limits for Delta for my trip in November. Maybe I should invest in a luggage scale. Seriously considering it. My 2023 trip to Italy was such a mess.

What is the #1 country to visit?

France. C’est la vie. Numbers lie.

France sees 100 million, roughly. Receipts: $68.6 billion USD. So?

Spain follows. 85.17 million. $92 billion USD. I prefer tapas.

US boasts 66.48 million. Biggest earner. $175.9 billion USD. Hmm.

Italy, Turkey, Mexico, UK, Germany round it out. The usual suspects. Who cares?

Has anyone sailed all the way around the world?

Ok, round the world…alone? Gosh. Let’s see…

Francis Joyon did it. Twice, I think. 2004, then 2008. 72 days, then way faster at 57. Wild!

• Francis Joyon : 2004, 2008.

Then there’s Ellen MacArthur! 2005! What a legend. 71 days. Cool, she did better than Joyon’s first time, I wonder what her boat was like?

• Ellen MacArthur : 2005.

And… oh yeah, Thomas Coville. He did it a lot. Like three times! 2008, 2011, 2016. He really whacked the time down: 59 days, 61 days, then BAM! 49 days. That’s just… crazy fast. Coville really wanted that record.

• Thomas Coville: 2008, 2011, 2016.

All single-handed, multihull, no stops, no help. Makes my solo trip to the grocery store look pathetic! Did anyone else do it?

Is it that hard? Imagine just the sleep schedule. Yikes. Wait, was it only those specific parameters?

• No stopovers.
• No assistance.
• Single-handed.
• Multihull.

Important: all of them used multihulls. I bet some other people did it with monohulls. Also, what even is a multihull? Is that like a catamaran? I should Google it. Maybe my cousin Bob knows, he’s a boat guy.

Note: This list represents only sailors using multihulls. Single-handed round-the-world sailing has also been achieved in monohulls by other sailors.

Multihull Definition: A boat with more than one hull. Catamarans and trimarans are examples of multihulls.

Bob’s Number: I should call him later. 555-1212. Oh wait, that’s from a movie, haha! His real number is… well I shouldn’t put that here.