The first person to walk around the world

Inspired by the landing of humans on the Moon, an American man was determined to circumnavigate the Earth… on his own two feet.

arduous journey

Dave Kunst recorded his amazing journey in the book The Man Who Walked Around the World published in 1979. In addition, his journey was also included in the book The Man Who Walked Around the World.

Born on July 16, 1939, Dave Kunst lives what he says is a boring life in Waseca, Minnesota, USA.

To escape the boring atmosphere, Dave contemplated traveling to the tip of South America or driving through the Australian outback.

After watching astronauts land on the Moon in 1969, Dave Kunst yearned for adventure and his boss’s suggestion further motivated him.

“John and I had never traveled far and had no experience with this,” Kunst told the Star Tribune.

The Los Angeles Times reports that thousands of curious onlookers gathered at Waseca to watch the Kunst brothers depart, and the high school band played “King of the Road” as they took their first steps in

From Minnesota, they traveled on foot with a mule pulling a baggage cart east to New York City, before crossing into Europe and Asia.

Although Dave had moments of joy and joy in the sights and people he had never seen before, he also had to face many dangers during his four-year trip.

They first walked to New York City, then crossed the Atlantic to Lisbon, Portugal.

In Italy, they came across Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl and his future wife.

Until October 21, 1972, tragedy struck.

As the Orange County Register reported, six robbers attacked Dave and John at a location 145 km south of Kabul, Afghanistan.

Miraculously escaping death, Dave returned to Minnesota for treatment and recovery.

Fulfill your wish

On March 1, 1973, Dave Kunst returned to Afghanistan, to the exact spot where John was killed.

The two brothers traveled through the Khyber Pass in Pakistan and crossed into India.

But halfway through, things seemed to go wrong.

From Australia, Dave crossed the Pacific back to the United States.

Not long after returning home, Dave Kunst divorced his wife and flew to Australia to be with Jenni Samuel.

To date, Dave Kunst still holds the record for being the first person to walk around the world, although history indicates that George Schilling made a similar trip, and Arthur Blessitt holds the record for the longest distance