Exploration
Anyone can dream of upping sticks and walking around the world, but what does it take to actually do it – and could you manage it? Meet the people who've done just that.
Karl Bushby has been walking around the world for 18 years. He's one of many who have chosen to escape the grind of everyday life to spend months or years exploring the huge variety of cultures, climates and landscapes the world has to offer.
This month, Bushby and some of the world's most notable long-distance travellers joined the start of a three-year, 12,000km adventure Steppes To The West from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to London, England, set up by Mongolian adventurer Baigalmaa Norjmaa.
The team – who are looking for people to join short sections on the route – is co-led by Bushby and for the next few months will include Angela Maxwell, who traversed three continents in three years, and Jamie Ramsay, who's covered 22,000km of solo miles in 24 countries.
We sat down with the trio to define what inspired them to quit the day job and what they've learned in the process.
What made you want to start travelling like this?
Jamie Ramsay: Having been in my financial PR job for 12 years, I realised I was unfulfilled and not excited about where my life was heading. So I formulated what I wanted my future to be and then reset my direction.
Angela Maxwell: I was seeking a way to find out what I was truly capable of and discover what it would feel like to be on a grand adventure where I could feel free and excited about what the day would bring.
Karl Bushby: I had a basic wanderlust and a craving for distant horizons, and this was a significant and worthy challenge.
How did you make the switch from thinking to doing?
JR: I quit my job and bought a plane ticket to Vancouver, Canada. I've learned that the best way to move forward with an adventure is to jump in. The longer you take to make a decision, the more excuses you'll come up with not to do it.
AM: The thought of being retired and talking about the ideas I'd had, but never acted upon felt worse than taking the risk to follow my dreams and see what happens.
KB: Mentally committing to this came naturally for me, but one memorable tipping point came in a birthday card from my father. I'd been thinking about doing a long-term trip and he wrote about some SAS guys who talked about walking from London to New York over the Bering Land Bridge – the ice sheet between Siberia and Alaska. I had a world map on my wall and I drew a line from the UK, across Asia and over the Bering Strait to the Americas. But I thought why stop at New York? So I continued the line down the map to the very bottom of the Americas. I stepped back and a cold shiver ran down my spine. I'd found what I'd been looking for.
What's so good about travelling by foot?
JR: You truly experience the environment you're in – by bus, car or bike you miss the smells and sounds so you're not fully submerged in the experience. It's not all beautiful, but it’s real.
AM: It's the ultimate slow travel and the magic of who you may encounter, which sometimes can change your life.
What do you need to do to make it happen?
JR: It's hard not to sound clichéd, but you need to dream, and plan. Then just get out there and do it, but don't over think the plan or you're just following an itinerary. An adventure is a journey into the unknown.
AM: I live by the motto 'go big or go home'. People say start small, but I've always dived fully into everything, even with little experience. I learn as I go. You also need unwavering commitment – my route and my initial ideas have changed, but I'm still fully committed – and you need to compromise. Success comes from listening as much as doing.
KB: Self-confidence is handy, especially when you need to look 'experts' in the eye tell and them you know better. As is an unwavering determination.
Wha’s the most inspiring moment you've had?
AM: Near the top of Vietnam's Hai Van Pass I saw a woman jumping and clapping. She grabbed a handle of my cart and helped me push to the top and then gave me food and a place to sleep. That was authentic generosity.
KB: In 18 years there have been many – the world is a better place than people believe and 99 percent of those you meet on the road are good.
What makes an amazing experience?
AM: Wild landscapes and solitude. Australia was the first continent I walked and although the desert burnt me to a crisp, finishing showed me that perhaps I was born to do this.
KB: When you reach both ends of the emotional spectrum. In Chile, I had little funding so lived off the land and ate trash, but at the same time I was living the 'boy's adventure' dream. In Colombia, the Darién Gap was one of the hardest things I did, but I also fell in love.
What sacrifices have you made and were they worth it?
JR: I gave up a permanent home, well paid job, pubs, cinema, time with friends – but I now realise I've gained a lot more than I ever gave up.
AM: I sacrificed a great life. I lost touch with friends and left a business I loved, but I've found out so much about myself and how I interact with the world. It was worth the sacrifice.
KB: Missing members of my family and other significant relationships. The rest of it is just toenails and bits of skin!
What's the best advice you have received?
JR: When I told my father my plans he just said, 'You've got to do what you've got to do'. That simplicity made me realise the worries in my head meant nothing.
AM: I planned my route in straight lines on a map like a mission, but a friend of mine said, "A straight line doesn't sound as exciting as an adventure where you get lost," It took me a year and her death from cancer to realise just how right she was.
KB: My father warned me not to do this with my Paratrooper head on: pace yourself and think long term. I was also advised to reverse my journey. That was smart. The original plan was to start walking away from home, but doing it the other way around means every step takes you closer to home.
What's biggest thing you've learned?
JR: Every day you become stronger. While there may be scenarios ahead you couldn’t tackle on day one, in time you’ll be able to. Every day is a training day for the next.
AM: Even if you love exploring and appreciate solitude, wherever you are it's always more enjoyable to share experiences with people you love.
KB: Believe in humanity, we’re pretty cool.
Follow the Steppes to the West journey on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter #STTWest