Angela Maxwell set out on an extraordinary six and a half year quest to walk around the globe, departing from Bend, Oregon. Image Credits: Instagram @Angela Maxwell
She spent about $5 a day, which meant camping much of the time and carrying her own food and water. Maxwell reached her destination on December 16, 2020, and returned to Bend, where her journey had begun, to the home of the friend who had helped her set out on the adventure. By then, she had covered more than 20,000 miles and spent six and a half years travelling from one country to another and from one landscape to another.
Later, Maxwell said she had changed after years without belongings, talking to strangers and living with uncertainty. She eventually carried her belongings in a two-wheeled cart, which became a familiar part of her journey. Her meals were often simple, including oatmeal and instant noodles. The cart held her tent, cooking equipment, clothing and other supplies, allowing her to remain largely self-sufficient while travelling. Finishing the trip was not easy. When she returned, walking had taken on a different meaning: an attempt to lead a life based on simplicity, travelling slowly and figuring out how far she could go on her own.
About a year into her journey, Maxwell experienced one of its most frightening moments in Mongolia when a nomad broke into her tent and sexually assaulted her, according to BBC Travel. After the attack, she moved away from the campsite and spent the remaining hours of darkness hiding with her cart before deciding what to do next. Despite the experience, Maxwell continued her journey and eventually completed her walk around the world.
