Top 10 unbelievable tales of travel

Every travel experience is an adventure, but there are a few travel tales that seem to stand out from the rest. We took a stab at tracking down some of the wildest, most exciting and flat-out craziest travel experiences
out there – ones that have inspired the rest of us to see the world differently.


Rob Gauntlett and James Hooper’s 180-degree expedition
At 19 years old, Rob Gauntlett and James Hooper set out on a 26,000-mile journey, traveling from geomagnetic pole to geomagnetic pole using nothing but human and natural power. They managed to dog sled and ski across Greenland, board a sailboat to New York, bike 11,000 miles to the tip of South America, then sail in the middle of winter to Antarctica. With little funding and a lot of heart, they were able to accomplish the incredible travel feat in a little over a year.


Steven Shoppman and Stephen Bouey’s drive around the world
In two and a half years, Stephen Bouey and Steven Shoppman managed to reach 69 countries while driving more than 77,000 miles. Their journey, “The World by Road,” started in Denver, Colorado. From there the trip involved driving the length of North and South America between Alaska to Argentina; driving through Europe, between the northern tip of Scandinavia and the southern tip of Spain; hitting up almost the entire west coast of Africa; a lengthy drive through Asia; and even clocking mileage in Australia and New Zealand.

Rory Stewart’s walk across Afghanistan
In 2002, shortly after the War in Afghanistan began, British politician and author Rory Stewart set out on foot across the north-central part of the country. During the dead of winter, Stewart faced mountainous regions, following the Hari River from Herat to Kabul through some of the most treacherous and isolated parts of the country. He finished his journey in 32 days, and has since published a critically acclaimed book about his journey, The Places in Between.



Nellie Bly’s unescorted tour of the world in under 80 days
Women can accomplish anything today, but in 1889, the thought of a woman traveling unescorted was nothing short of scandalous. Leaving New York, where she worked for the New York World, Nellie Bly boarded a steamboat for Europe with the goal of making a 25,000-mile journey in less than 80 days. Famously, Bly is known for leaving with nothing but the dress she was wearing, a winter coat, underwear and her most necessary toiletries. She arrived back in Hoboken 72 days later.



Frank Muldowney’s walk across Australia with an empty wheelchair
Seeing a man walk down the street pushing a bright orange empty wheelchair might make a few heads turn, but that didn’t stop Frank Muldowney from completing his 4,000-mile journey from Perth to Sydney on foot. The wheelchair was supposed to be carrying Muldowney’s friend “Harvey,” an invisible symbol for peace. Muldowney deemed his Pilgrimage for Peace “Believing in Harvey,” lasting from April 2006 until September 2007.



Kinga Freespirit’s hitchhike around the world
In 1998, Kinga Freespirit and her partner Chopin set out on a five-year hitchhiking trip around the world, covering North America, South America, Australia, Asia and Europe. In her book Led by Destiny, she tells stories of hitching a ride on a plane in Alaska, getting a lift on a yacht in New Zealand and meeting new, kind and interesting people all over the world.



Michael Hodson’s train adventure from Lisbon to Saigon
After circumnavigating the globe for 16 months, Hodson decided to take a train trip from Lisbon, Portugal to Saigon, Vietnam – in less than 30 days. After covering almost 15,000 miles, Hodson decided more people needed to experience the amazing adventure, and so he created the Ultimate Train Challenge. Part scavenger hunt, part adventure, part competition, the Ultimate Train Challenge requires that participants log in as much mileage as they can from Lisbon to Saigon, in less than 30 days.



Manon Ossevoort’s tractor ride from Europe to South Africa
Biking, hiking, sailing – or just walking – might seem like great ways to get around. But Manon Ossevoort saw no better way than by tractor. Traveling from the Netherlands to the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa took two and a half years, as she rode through the Balkans, down Egypt all the way to South Africa. Along the way, she wrote down dreams of the people she met along the way and carried them with her. Ossevoort left her tractor at the Cape of Good Hope, and continued onto Antarctica by boat, with the hope of burying the dreams of the world there.



Dave Kunst’s expedition around the world on foot
The first verified man to walk around the globe, Dave Kunst, set out from Minnesota in June 1970 with his brother, John. With the help of several mules, the entire expedition took more than four years. Sadly, John was killed in a shooting in Afghanistan. Dave continued on after recovering from gunshot wounds suffered in the same incident, and later met his future wife Jenni, who drove alongside him in Australia while carrying his supplies. Kunst finished in 1974, and has since given inspirational speeches, even carrying the Olympic torch in the run-up to the 1996 Atlanta Games.


The Vogels’ bike ride along the Pan-American Highway
Sure it’s rare, but there are couples out there who are adventurous enough to take on the 17,300 miles trek from Alaska to Argentina. But to do it with two young boys is another feat altogether. John and Nancy Vogel took off in June 2008 with their 10-year-old twin boys, Davy and Daryl, on an experience of a lifetime. Biking from the northern tip of Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina, Davy and Daryl became the youngest people to bike the Pan-American Highway, completing it in two and a half years.
(Images: Rory Stewart, Devin Murphy; Rob Gauntlett & James Hopper, robgauntlett.com; Frank Muldowney, kickasstrips.com; Kinga Freespirit, Wikimedia Commons; Manon Ossevoort, tractortractor.org; Nellie Bly, Wikimedia Commons; Michael Hodson, goseewrite.com) Source Article