A woman has told her story of how she walked the Earth for 6 years, a journey that she undertook almost entirely alone.
Angela Maxwell left her home in 2014 after overhearing a conversation about a man who had walked the world in her art class. She had not previously had any great ambition to travel extensively and decided to start the journey on a short notice.
She wasn't escaping any terrible tragedy or a hard life either. She was a successful career woman and had a partner. But she was in her early 30s and knew that if she did not travel now, she may never get the chance again.
She told the BBC:
"I thought I was happy. But in retrospect, I realised that I was searching for more… for a deeper connection with nature and people – by living on less and connecting with the world around me."
Maxwell chose to walk as not only was it an eco-friendly way to travel, but it also allowed her to meet people and immerse herself in local cultures.
As she began her journey, she read books about and by others who had undertaken similar adventures. These included Robyn Davidson, who travelled across the whole of Australia on camels, Ffyona Campbell, who was a long-distance walker, and Rosie Swale-Pope, who hitchhiked from Europe to Nepal.
Maxwell said of these inspirational travellers:
"I read their books in hopes of finding encouragement – and I did – by learning about their challenges and struggles as well as their triumphs. Each woman's story was vastly different and it gave me the confidence to give my walk a try."
After selling all her belongings and packing a 50kg rucksack, Maxwell set off. By June 2018, she had crossed 12,500 miles and 12 countries.
At no time was the walk planned. Maxwell decided to travel based on gut instinct, never knowing what the next day would bring. It was never easy, suffering heatstroke, exotic diseases and was attacked on more than one occasion by bandits. Regardless, she pressed on.
By December 2020, and in the midst of the pandemic, Maxwell found herself back where she had started, at home in the United States where her huge journey has now ended.
Maxwell now speaks out on female issues and on female empowerment.
[h/t: BBC]
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