Our Top Insanely Mad Adventures from the Year.
Despite the global pandemic, our insanely mad adventurers have found time to get up to some mischief.
Man Walking the coastline of the UK with his dog
Setting off in 2017 from Swansea, Christian Lewis decided to take on the challenge of walking the entire coastline of the British Isles. He estimated the trip would take him over four years with a distance of 8,700 miles.
Christian and his dog jet.
A Slight Hick Up
As you can tell with him setting off in 2017 and it last 5 years to do, he still hasnt finished. In March the UK government enacted social distancing measures which has had to put a halt to his adventure. When this came into force he was in a remote part of Scotland and the locals made sure he had somewhere to stay, which was on a remote part of Scotland.
What Supplies Has He Taken With Him
He prefers to keep his backpack as light as possible. So he only carries a tent, sleeping bag, a few items of clothing and a phone charger.
Setting up for the night.
Further emphasised with him only taking £10 and two days worth of rations with him as he set off. He looks whereever possible to live off the land. He has become an expert in detecting limpets and other food sources near the coast.
The Generosity Of People
With his facebook page gathering more followers every day, he has created quite the storm. So much so in fact that local businesses have done their upmost to help out with donations.
A local fisherman that brings Christain items every week.
Even during the lockdown, he has been stationed in shetlands staying in a cabin. Donated to Christian after a couple had been aware he had nowhere to go during lockdown.
Cycling And Camping On The Largest Salt Slat In The World.
Our friend Nano enjoyed a trip cyling around South America earlier in the year. His highlight was the Utunyi salt flat in Bolivia. The extroidinary sunsents, mesmerising mirages and star spangled nights were what he enjoyed the most.
It’s pretty easy to do, just make sure you are prepared. Even in the summer, nightly temperatures fall below zero and with winds blustering across the flats that will shake your tent ceaselessly, makes for the conditions to be really tough.
There won’t be anything for miles around, so whether its clothing or bike equipment make sure you have what you need!
What’s Cool About It?
The clear nights sky and the unique landscape of the salt flats are major reasons why people come to enjoy the salt flats. During some points of the year, pools of water appear on the salts surface creating a shimmering effect across the flats.
Travel Across The Atlantic On A Cargo Ship
For those of you travelling on the cheap, this is the one for you. Cargo boats are an ever present on our world’s oceans, but did you know you can travel on them.
A ship to himself
What’s It Like On Board?
There is no wifi, so be sure to bring enough movies, books and music to keep your occupied. You are free to go anywhere you want on the ship anytime, just be sure to check in with the captain and crew every so often.
Activites include sunbathing (lots), boardgames and theres even a gym to tone up during the long voyage. The shipping containers are massive and they go so slowly that motion sickness shouldn’t really be an issue.
Up on the bridge
How Do You Do It?
You can either pay for your own room (check our the article for more information on that) or you can try your luck. Head down to the harbour and see if you can make contact with the captain of the ship. Just remember to offer something in return like sharing them on your social media or something like that.
For a full run down of shipping lanes and people to contact, please have a look at our page.
Spending a night in the Aussie bush
Getting away for the night to make camp in an Australian riverbed was perfect for Erik. If there is one thing you need to think about when staying in the bush are the abundance of dangerous animals. Long socks for protection from snake bites are a must and being especially aware of spider webs is insanely important.
Setting up for the night
Funnel web spiders are common in the bush and one bite from those certainly won’t be welcome as they are the most venomous spiders in Australia.
Setting up the camp
A hammock provides perfect protection from the creepy crawlies, just make sure the trees you attach the hammock to are level. Otherwise you’ll roll out during the night.
Dinner is served
It has always been Erik’s dream to eat manual rotissiere chicken in the wild. Here’s how he did it.
Collect wood to make a tripod. I completely failed at tying the timber in place using the chords i had brought with me, but I managed to find two v-shaped logs and a long straight piece to go over the fire. This piece would be inserted through the chicken.
Season the chicken with thyme, rosemary and sage, and coat with butter and lemon juice.
Next, I attached the chicken to the long piece of wood. This needed to be tight enough to be able to spin with the wood as I turned it.
Then, I got the fire going.
For advice to make the perfect fire please check Erik’s story.
Quarantine Horror In Vietnam
After a resident of the city Ho chi Minh (in Vietnam) went out to a bar for the evening, she recevied an unwelcome knock at her apartments door a few days later.
Being taken away
It transpired that during the course of the night, she had drunk at the same bar as a pilot who had tested positive for Coronavirus. The govt acted with such thoroughness everyone who went to the bar that night was to be tracked down and placed into quarantine. And when i say quarantine I mean locked up alone in abandoned buildings with no a.c.
Freaking out…..
With next to no communication, the 100 or so foreigners placed there didn’t have a glue what was going on. Somewhere in between the not knowing how long they would be there for and no one speaking English, they had to find a way of getting through the ordeal.
Getting tested
Severe bordom
The best way to make the days shorter was by sleeping. With the lack of stimulation, it really has tendency to make someone drowsy. With people allowed to socialise after the second day, foreigners just had each other. They thought up inventive games with plastic bottles, missed their families, and yearned for normal food. This was repeated every day.
Passing the time
Finally leaving
After 15 days they were finally allowed, the feeling of emancipation was palpable on the car ride home. The sense of accomplishment they all shared was something that will stay with them forever.
Thanks to everyone for sharing their insanely mad adventures with us. We hope everyone can get back adventuring very soon. Stay safe.
