Having recently seen lots of documentaries (listed below) about people taking up extraordinary challenges I have decided to begin planning and preparing for a trip of my own. But I can't decide exactly what I would like to do.
I have pretty much narrowed down my idea to a long distance hike of some sort. But where should I go? What should I do?
Here are a some examples that have lead to my inspiration:
Ed Wardle's
Alone in the Wild
Ed Stafford's
Walking the Amazon
Mark Beaumont's
Cycling the Americas
I have considered the Appalachian Trail or other similar trails, but I want to follow a path less trodden.
Can anybody suggest an epic task for me to undertake?
Reply to this How about making your own? Perhaps you could make your own quest up - I wanted to dive seven seas, run through seven jungles and climb seven mountains......which i did (no one said how high the mountains had to be!) - 7 hikes in 7 countries??...I just liked the number 7. Even though it mattered nothing to anyone I felt quite a sense of accomplishment when I did stand at the top of the seventh mountain.
I also like to find things..before I leave I have a list of things to find..8 weeks and counting and I'm off to find a pangolin, a mousedeer, a cave where turtles go to die, a backwards charging elephant, a monkey with a scrotum on its face, a fossil beach and a golden pot of pepper.
I also bury treasure and make treasure maps complete with clues and the standard X marks the spot.
Hey - how about you find 7 hikes and bury 7 items of treasure and make treasure maps and then......I can go find your treasure!!!!
Or - (I did this once too) find 5 people to marry in 5 places where the marriage is not legally recognised..silly bigamy laws!
Reply to this There are some stables in Greece that probably need cleaning again. Do you know much about civil engineering?
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Do you have any limitations of time, money or physical issues?
The Appalachian Trail has been attempted by many and completed by few. It takes about 7 months.
(Cindy, it has a 7 in it, maybe you should consider it)
Less trodden---- do something in Antarctica Oh, I know, maybe you should go to both the North and South Poles
Maybe you should canoe or raft rivers around the world.
Reply to this These all sound like great ideas (except for the stables).
I am flexible in terms of time restrictions, a benefit of being young and adventurous. Cost wise I would obviously like to keep as low as possible, an adventure where I can fend for myself and live off the land would be excellent. But I am planning way ahead right now (possible two years in advance) and there is a lot of time for me to save so the limits on this are also broad. I have no physical issues to worry about.
I should mention that I picked up my passion for hiking in South America where I hiked Colca Canyon, The Inca Trail and a seven day excursion in the Jungle. Since I have hiked The West Highland Way and have taken regular day hikes around Britain. I love walking as an exercise so much that I even walk home from work most evenings (about 4-5 miles) so my legs are always raring to go.
I have been asking my friends and here are a couple of other suggestions that I have had:
Middle East March - Walk from Turkey to Kazakhstan.
Walk the Great Wall of China - Self explanatory.
Reply to this Hehe, sorry about that. Your post title just made me think so much of the Odyssey that I couldn't help it!
Reply to this Hey...would walking the silk route be possible? Anyone ever done it?
Reply to this I'm guessing that the Silk Route would be possible, after all they did it in the past albeit more likely on horse/camel back. That's my favourite suggestion so far too. I'm going to look into it.
Reply to this Hey Alan, You may already know some people who have done this. There is a 1000 year old pilgrimage in Europe, which travels from various points towards Santiago in Northern Spain. I did the Camino Frances last year from St Jean Pied du Port, over the Pyrenees and then westward. The trail was more than 800kms given the extra wanderings around the towns and villages. It is a simple life. You carry very little and find an albergue for the night. You can start at any point. I have a map attached to my blog
Camino - The Spanish Plan. I took my time and spent average 20 - 25 Euro per day including all meals, drinks, albergue accommodation for the night. 54 Days in all including extra days spent in larger cities to explore. (hint-you don't need to eat the Pilgrims meal each night, that can save you up to 10 euro per day.) You can turn this into an epic journey once you've completed the first leg to Santiago de Compostela, you can then head south on the trail to Sevilla or the southern point in Lagos Portugal (I'm seriously considering this one). That would add over 1000kms. Others have returned on the Frances trail and even some have gone all the way to Rome. It is a road well travelled but... the journey is an unforgettable experience.
There's another pilgrimage in Japan. On the island of Shikoku. It is a Buddhist pilgrimage where you visit 88 temples in a particular order. It is around 1200kms for the entire journey. You don't have to be religious to enjoy these walks. Just be prepared for the freedom of epic walking!
Regards to the Silk Route, I hosted a couchsurfer when I was living in China who cycled from Istanbul to Shanghai. It took him 5 months.
Reply to this An epic task? You should go to New Zealand and hike the path to Mordor.
But in all seriousness I think a hike across some part of New Zealand or one of the islands would be pretty exciting. There's so much natural beauty there.
I also really like MJ's idea of something in Antarctica. But it's up to you!
Reply to this there is a new Trans-Nepal route that, as a former AT thru-hiker and one-time visitor to Nepal where I fell in love with the Annapurna trek and the lovely people of Nepal, I thought would be a fabulous adventure were I 20 years old and free to drift with my whims once again. I think I saw something about it in a National Geographic Adventure magazine, just a tiny blurb. If I can track it down I'll post the info about it.
Reply to this Alan, why not make it around south america then up central to mexico. That's what I've got planned. It started that I wanted to leave for one year, it soon became 2 years, because one was not long enough for all I wanted to see. Starting in Peru, going down to Chile, Argentina, then back up to Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, back in Peru, then Ecuador, Colombia and up central America going through every country to mexico. What a trip it will be.
Come see my blog. it might give you ideas. And if you have any for me feel free to let me know.
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Have funn on your adventures and enjoy every moment of it.
Normz
Reply to this Latin America was the first place that came to mind because I have been there before and love it! I also speak a reasonable amount of Spanish too, and I am still taking Spanish lessons back in England. But after thinking some more I decided that I would rather see some different cultures and parts of the world...before I return to South America that is.
Your trip sounds amazing and I am certain that you will have a great time.
Reply to this Walking the Great Wall would be epic........that would be my number one choice.
My wife and i were planning on travelling around the world without flying as our epic journey, but after getting closer to having to take our first cargo ship from Singapore to Australia, we've decided that the money (about £150 a day per person on cargo ships) would be better spent on other travel projects.................
................so this summer, my wife and i have decided to walk from Lands End to John O'Groats for charity instead. It doesn't sound as appealing as what others have mentioned, and you have already done the West Highland Way, but it's cheap (we are going to camp and wild camp the whole way) and could be a taster and practice for something bigger further down the line.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Reply to this Adrian,
Your walk sounds fantastic. I hope you will blog about your journey.
Reply to this Well, I can share my dream.. I want to go to Savanna or Tian Shan mountains in kind of siberia.. I read from several, there is some special spirit in nature, like some unexplainable presence of something. I am looking myself for such places, probably should start new forum theme on that. Good luck on your decision and hope to read blog about it
Reply to this Don't do the Appalachian Trail. It is very long, and very boring, you won't meet many people and most of what you will see is just an endless forest on either side of you. The AT is great for a week at a time (what I do around my home along the AT in Maryland), not good for 7 months. Check out the continental divide trail from Glacier National Park in Montana through the rockies, that would be much better.
Reply to this as an AT thru-hiker I have to wonder if postponingadulthood is talking about the same trail. i live in Colorado now but the walk from Georgia to Maine is anything but boring with soaring ridgelines to green tunnels and an amazing thing to do for 6 months. it is an incredibly social trail and the number of wonderful people you would meet would be countless. it is probably not the adventure for you as it sounds like you're looking for something off the beaten path but it is a worthy challenge for anyone - only 10% make it end to end. Glacier NP is amazing, one of the most gorgeous places on earth (the parts of Earth I've seen anyway) - I can't disagree with that. Whatever you choose, we all look forward to reading about it. Cheers!
Alisa
Reply to this Alan,
Have you come any closer to making a decision about your epic journey?
When will you leave?
We hope you will blog about this adventure.
Reply to this I think I have settled on the silk route walk or an extended or altered route. I'm still looking into if it is feasable or not. Weather, money and visa restrictions seem to apply quite heavily through the region. It may be that I will get a plan together but I will not be able to leave until the following year due to a season timing issues or cost.
If it is possible then I will need to prepare physically also so it won't be undertaken for a long time. As soon as I have a plan and I can give more detail about the trip I will blog about it on the site.
Thanks o everyone for showing interest. Suggestions are still welcome. Even if I don't take them on then others could use them for inspiration.
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