World Walk Interview #4
Post-New Zealand
interview with Irish adventurer Tony Mangan who has just walked the
20,000th kilometer of his world walk. In this extended questions and
answers interview, we ask some of the questions you may have wondered
about. February 27th will be the second anniversary of the start of his
global march for cancer awareness. This is his third lap of the world.
When he was younger he cycled it. Then between 2010 and 2014, he completed
a four-year, 50,000-kilometre world run.
Questions compiled by Scott Richards, Florida, USA.
EXTRA WALKING
SR: You walked New Zealand without your pushcart which you call Karma. Why did you choose to carry your gear in a backpack instead of
using Karma? Did it work out like you figured?
TM: I ran on those same roads on my world run five years ago. On that run I also didn't use my cart as in the south island, in particular, there are so many narrow roads and especially narrow bridges which I found to be extremely dangerous without the added danger of pushing a
cart. In addition to all of this, I noticed a definite increase in traffic in those five years. Widening the roads is going to be a major problem for New Zealand as in many places there is just not enough room. A friend of mine (Kevin Carr) ran with his cart a few years ago.
I suspect that he took more back roads than I did. I could have done that also but as I have so many special friends there I would have had
to take a different route from my world run and away from them. I didn't want to do that, I wanted to meet up with them again. So, I guess it worked for Kevin and though it was an extra effort, it worked well for me too. I researched this well, I made my decision and don't regret it. There were times on narrow sections when I wondered how I would have managed to push Karma. I also wondered about the safety and even without the cart I still had my safety issues with some tight roads that had little or no shoulder and I also had some moments with the police!
SR: Did you have to explain to the police at any point what you were doing and please tell us some of the run-ins with them?
TM: Yes, several times. Though it was mostly 'a welfare check' as American cops sometimes call it! However, a couple of months ago I was
pulled off a bridge while crossing the the Ashley River by an arrogant cop who wouldn't let me run the last 120 meters. When I asked if I could run in front of his patrol car. He screamed, "Get into my car NOW or I will lock you up." I did, but as soon as I got across I asked him to take me back to the far side of the bridge from where I had just come so I could wade across the river. He took me back and left me while still shaking his head. Interestingly, years earlier on my world run, I ran through Tongariro National Park and I was enjoying the stunning views of the active Tongariro and Ruapehu volcanoes. When I got to Waiouru a cop car pulled up on the hard shoulder. A police officer got out and he was followed by a television cameraman. The cop asked me questions about what I was doing while the cameraman continued to film. Then I realized that I as filmed for a police television show similar to the tv show Cops. Later, I got an email asking me for my permission to use the segment in their New Zealand show called: Highway Cops. Years later I still get messages from my friends back in Ireland and in many other countries to say they have seen the episode which is still being repeated! I believe it's in the first season of the show. The filmmakers wouldn't give me a link to use, so I'm on the lookout for someone to record it for me!
SR: From your Facebook posts, you seemed to have met up with a lot of your old friends from when you ran there in 2013. But also in New
Zealand, you seemed to be meeting people every day along the roads who offered you help, a place to stay, food, and even transporting your
backpack forward, etc. Why do you think this was?
TM: People all over the world are friendly and hospitable. It's not just in New Zealand. I only feel comfortable accepting such help in
the richer countries. In the poorer countries all I need is shelter, company and when I can do it without offending I use my own food and
offer stuff like a jar of coffee, sardines or some small money. Yes, it was wonderful meeting up with so many of my Kiwi friends again. Some others have moved on to other places and others I lost contact with them as I didn't do as much Facebook back then. That was a shame, that's part of travelling. You are right that so many people, including strangers, just came up to me and offered all kinds of help and assistance. I guess us Irish are popular! Seriously it wouldn't have mattered where I was from as Kiwis are such a friendly race. Frankly, I'm not surprised that the country was recently voted 'the best place in the world to live in.' That was the result of a huge survey by the Legatum Institute.
SR: Why are you walking with a cancer awareness message and how receptive were Kiwis towards this message?
TM: Pretty much so. It seems that almost everyone I speak to these days is touched by it. I had a lot of roadside conversations, in cafes
and in people’s homes. It's a tough message to share as so many people have a harrowing story. During my world run, my mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer. We didn't have a history of cancer in our family. Mam was healthy. She was also active, ate a good diet which included lots of fruit and veg. She didn't smoke or drink alcohol. Perhaps with an early diagnosis and early screening things could have been
different. When I decided to hit the road again it seemed like a good way not only to honor her but hopefully for others listen to my message and that they may be more fortunate than her. My message is that: Life is precious and early cancer screening saves lives.
SR: I understand that there is little or none ozone layer in New Zealand? Is cancer a much-discussed topic down there?
TM: Yes, it's in the media so much and there are information signs up in many places encouraging people to watch out for the symptoms of
breast and prostate cancer. As in Australia people also get home testing kits free of charge from the government once they turn fifty. Yes, you are correct about the ozone layer and whereas Kiwis are pretty outdoorsy types, many people I met just flaunt the sun, others cover up or use a good sunscreen.
Questions compiled by Scott Richards, Florida, USA.
EXTRA WALKING
SR: You walked New Zealand without your pushcart which you call Karma. Why did you choose to carry your gear in a backpack instead of
using Karma? Did it work out like you figured?
TM: I ran on those same roads on my world run five years ago. On that run I also didn't use my cart as in the south island, in particular, there are so many narrow roads and especially narrow bridges which I found to be extremely dangerous without the added danger of pushing a
cart. In addition to all of this, I noticed a definite increase in traffic in those five years. Widening the roads is going to be a major problem for New Zealand as in many places there is just not enough room. A friend of mine (Kevin Carr) ran with his cart a few years ago.
I suspect that he took more back roads than I did. I could have done that also but as I have so many special friends there I would have had
to take a different route from my world run and away from them. I didn't want to do that, I wanted to meet up with them again. So, I guess it worked for Kevin and though it was an extra effort, it worked well for me too. I researched this well, I made my decision and don't regret it. There were times on narrow sections when I wondered how I would have managed to push Karma. I also wondered about the safety and even without the cart I still had my safety issues with some tight roads that had little or no shoulder and I also had some moments with the police!
SR: Did you have to explain to the police at any point what you were doing and please tell us some of the run-ins with them?
TM: Yes, several times. Though it was mostly 'a welfare check' as American cops sometimes call it! However, a couple of months ago I was
pulled off a bridge while crossing the the Ashley River by an arrogant cop who wouldn't let me run the last 120 meters. When I asked if I could run in front of his patrol car. He screamed, "Get into my car NOW or I will lock you up." I did, but as soon as I got across I asked him to take me back to the far side of the bridge from where I had just come so I could wade across the river. He took me back and left me while still shaking his head. Interestingly, years earlier on my world run, I ran through Tongariro National Park and I was enjoying the stunning views of the active Tongariro and Ruapehu volcanoes. When I got to Waiouru a cop car pulled up on the hard shoulder. A police officer got out and he was followed by a television cameraman. The cop asked me questions about what I was doing while the cameraman continued to film. Then I realized that I as filmed for a police television show similar to the tv show Cops. Later, I got an email asking me for my permission to use the segment in their New Zealand show called: Highway Cops. Years later I still get messages from my friends back in Ireland and in many other countries to say they have seen the episode which is still being repeated! I believe it's in the first season of the show. The filmmakers wouldn't give me a link to use, so I'm on the lookout for someone to record it for me!
SR: From your Facebook posts, you seemed to have met up with a lot of your old friends from when you ran there in 2013. But also in New
Zealand, you seemed to be meeting people every day along the roads who offered you help, a place to stay, food, and even transporting your
backpack forward, etc. Why do you think this was?
TM: People all over the world are friendly and hospitable. It's not just in New Zealand. I only feel comfortable accepting such help in
the richer countries. In the poorer countries all I need is shelter, company and when I can do it without offending I use my own food and
offer stuff like a jar of coffee, sardines or some small money. Yes, it was wonderful meeting up with so many of my Kiwi friends again. Some others have moved on to other places and others I lost contact with them as I didn't do as much Facebook back then. That was a shame, that's part of travelling. You are right that so many people, including strangers, just came up to me and offered all kinds of help and assistance. I guess us Irish are popular! Seriously it wouldn't have mattered where I was from as Kiwis are such a friendly race. Frankly, I'm not surprised that the country was recently voted 'the best place in the world to live in.' That was the result of a huge survey by the Legatum Institute.
SR: Why are you walking with a cancer awareness message and how receptive were Kiwis towards this message?
TM: Pretty much so. It seems that almost everyone I speak to these days is touched by it. I had a lot of roadside conversations, in cafes
and in people’s homes. It's a tough message to share as so many people have a harrowing story. During my world run, my mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer. We didn't have a history of cancer in our family. Mam was healthy. She was also active, ate a good diet which included lots of fruit and veg. She didn't smoke or drink alcohol. Perhaps with an early diagnosis and early screening things could have been
different. When I decided to hit the road again it seemed like a good way not only to honor her but hopefully for others listen to my message and that they may be more fortunate than her. My message is that: Life is precious and early cancer screening saves lives.
SR: I understand that there is little or none ozone layer in New Zealand? Is cancer a much-discussed topic down there?
TM: Yes, it's in the media so much and there are information signs up in many places encouraging people to watch out for the symptoms of
breast and prostate cancer. As in Australia people also get home testing kits free of charge from the government once they turn fifty. Yes, you are correct about the ozone layer and whereas Kiwis are pretty outdoorsy types, many people I met just flaunt the sun, others cover up or use a good sunscreen.
SR: How
was the weather in New Zealand for your walk?
TM: Though NZ is not as hot as Australia but it was a lot warmer than I expected. Many people mentioned that I could expect a lot of rain.
Coming from Ireland I am well trained in that regard, lol! Still, there was not as much rain as I was prepared for as they seem to be going through a semi-drought in much of the country. It's definitely not as green as Ireland is now, or even as New Zealand once was,
perhaps a sign of global warming? (NZ route see map3)
SR: I understand you are now going to walk more in Australia! Why are you walking this extra distance when you have technically walked the
continent already? Can you give us a rough idea of all of your 'extra distance?' What was the idea of your NZ timeout? Did you plan it so it would be that? Sorry for being so long-winded!
TM: That's okay Scott! Initially, I only planned to walk in the region of 4,300 kilometers from Perth to Sydney. (Map 2) I'm not interested in
any speed records. After enjoying Australia so much I decided to walk this extra leg. Another factor was that I had such a positive interaction with people regarding my cancer awareness message that I decided that I would continue the Australian leg of my world walk up to Darwin. There was one problem though! The heat in Queensland and also in the Northern Territories. That was the reason I took a summer timeout from Australia. I wish I could have walked for another month in New Zealand, but I had to return when I did to get another six months on my Australian multi-entry visa. Going to NZ for the Aussie timeout was the logical thing to do because of the milder weather there and that way I can return to my exact location in Toowoomba City, Queensland. Crucially, I wouldn't have any gaps in my route. My extra walking route from Sydney to Toowoomba City was about 900kms and from Toowoomba to Mt Isa to Darwin is going to be about 3,600 kilometers (see map 4.) So I guess I am walking twice the minimum distance required to complete the continent from Perth to Sydney. As much as my Kiwi mates hate hearing it, my 1,600 there was also extra as I could easily have ticked off the continent in Sydney! There was no way I was going to miss out on an amazing country like New Zealand.
TM: Though NZ is not as hot as Australia but it was a lot warmer than I expected. Many people mentioned that I could expect a lot of rain.
Coming from Ireland I am well trained in that regard, lol! Still, there was not as much rain as I was prepared for as they seem to be going through a semi-drought in much of the country. It's definitely not as green as Ireland is now, or even as New Zealand once was,
perhaps a sign of global warming? (NZ route see map3)
SR: I understand you are now going to walk more in Australia! Why are you walking this extra distance when you have technically walked the
continent already? Can you give us a rough idea of all of your 'extra distance?' What was the idea of your NZ timeout? Did you plan it so it would be that? Sorry for being so long-winded!
TM: That's okay Scott! Initially, I only planned to walk in the region of 4,300 kilometers from Perth to Sydney. (Map 2) I'm not interested in
any speed records. After enjoying Australia so much I decided to walk this extra leg. Another factor was that I had such a positive interaction with people regarding my cancer awareness message that I decided that I would continue the Australian leg of my world walk up to Darwin. There was one problem though! The heat in Queensland and also in the Northern Territories. That was the reason I took a summer timeout from Australia. I wish I could have walked for another month in New Zealand, but I had to return when I did to get another six months on my Australian multi-entry visa. Going to NZ for the Aussie timeout was the logical thing to do because of the milder weather there and that way I can return to my exact location in Toowoomba City, Queensland. Crucially, I wouldn't have any gaps in my route. My extra walking route from Sydney to Toowoomba City was about 900kms and from Toowoomba to Mt Isa to Darwin is going to be about 3,600 kilometers (see map 4.) So I guess I am walking twice the minimum distance required to complete the continent from Perth to Sydney. As much as my Kiwi mates hate hearing it, my 1,600 there was also extra as I could easily have ticked off the continent in Sydney! There was no way I was going to miss out on an amazing country like New Zealand.
SR: Did
you see many other people running, walking or cycling the country?
TM: I didn't come across any other journey runners or walkers but as the country is so beautiful cyclists were pretty much 'ten-a-penny' in New Zealand. I probably came across more cyclists there than the rest of my world walk combined.
SR: Were accommodation and food easy to come by?
TM: Pretty much. Because smaller towns are not as far apart in New Zealand I was never far from a supermarket or even a fish and chip
shop. Though still expensive they were also much cheaper than in Australia. If you look hard enough you can find bargains and many
small towns and cities have 5 dollar pizza specials as the popular pizza chains are having a price war. Fish and chips cost about seven dollars (five Euro) and many restaurants have a takeaway section and don't mind you sitting there. The result is you can eat a twenty dollar meal for a fraction of that, you just need to use your imagination.
Re: Accommodations
I have a lot of friends there and they helped me enormously and then they sometimes kindly set me up with their friends. I was also grateful to at least eight hotels that generously gave me complimentary accommodation. In addition, there were places where I asked to camp and I was often invited inside and given a bed, or at least a plate of food. So-called freedom camping is pretty much forbidden in New Zealand. I probably camped in about three campsites and as I hate paying about 15 dollars for a patch of grass, so I usually try to secured a discount or a complimentary night by presenting my mission card which I use to promote my global walk.
TM: I didn't come across any other journey runners or walkers but as the country is so beautiful cyclists were pretty much 'ten-a-penny' in New Zealand. I probably came across more cyclists there than the rest of my world walk combined.
SR: Were accommodation and food easy to come by?
TM: Pretty much. Because smaller towns are not as far apart in New Zealand I was never far from a supermarket or even a fish and chip
shop. Though still expensive they were also much cheaper than in Australia. If you look hard enough you can find bargains and many
small towns and cities have 5 dollar pizza specials as the popular pizza chains are having a price war. Fish and chips cost about seven dollars (five Euro) and many restaurants have a takeaway section and don't mind you sitting there. The result is you can eat a twenty dollar meal for a fraction of that, you just need to use your imagination.
Re: Accommodations
I have a lot of friends there and they helped me enormously and then they sometimes kindly set me up with their friends. I was also grateful to at least eight hotels that generously gave me complimentary accommodation. In addition, there were places where I asked to camp and I was often invited inside and given a bed, or at least a plate of food. So-called freedom camping is pretty much forbidden in New Zealand. I probably camped in about three campsites and as I hate paying about 15 dollars for a patch of grass, so I usually try to secured a discount or a complimentary night by presenting my mission card which I use to promote my global walk.
About four times I hid
in forests and another few times I asked for permission at farms or houses
with some land attached. People were 100
percent obliging. My experience is that people respect what I'm doing and are delighted to help. Others may not want to do what I'm doing
but in a strange way, they see in me someone living out their dream and are incredibly supportive.
SR: What kind of tent did you use there as I imagine weight was an issue?
TM: I pretty much planned to rough NZ without a tent. But the day after I arrived I saw a Macpac, Microlite 1.3 kilogramme tent in a camping shop. I purchased it for 200 NZ dollars ( originally 400 NZ dollars ) as I was offered a 50% discount to help out with my mission. So I kinda wimped out and bought it as I wondered about roughing it! I love the tent as there is a huge vestibule (outside storage area under canvas) where I can store my smelly boots and pack.
SR: What about a backpack, other equipment, your cooking gear and how heavy was your backpack when it was fully loaded?
TM: About eight kilos total. I could have gotten the weight down more had I not bothered with such luxuries as a blow-up airbed! These days
my poor aching body needs to be pampered a bit more than it did when I was tough! The backpack I initially planned to walk the country with
got damaged and besides, I doubt if it would have been big enough. Thankfully the manufacturer, Oz Trail gave me a great replacement. It's a 40-litre capacity which was perfect for the job! I particularly liked the yellow rain cover which not only made it high-viz, but it meant I could also write my cancer awareness message on it. I also used a 500-gram summer sleeping bag. I didn't bother with cooking gear but I picked up
two thermos mugs from op (charity) shops. I just added the boiling water, after presenting my Mission Card and asking permission, that I obtained from petrol stations, cafes, houses etc. to add hot water to noodles or porridge and most important of all, for my coffee in the morning. I also carried sardines, raisins and peanuts. I charged my phone up wherever I stopped to snack or sleep. I also carried two spare battery packs which I charged whenever I could, more weight! It's also important to keep everything dry so I have a few dry-packs for my clothes, electronics and other important items.
SR: Between your world run and now this world walk you must have tried every shoe brand. How many have you worn out and which is the best shoe?
TM: On the world run I used 50 pairs (50,000 kilometers) On the walk I'm on my 16th pair. Regarding the best shoes; that's always the easiest question of all to answer. Free shoes!
SR: In New Zealand were there any long, looming stretches or desolate roads like in the Australian outback?
TM: Not really. There was one stretch of about 65 kilometers between Waiouri and Turangi which is called the Desert Road. As the name suggests there was nothing there. I just did a commute back and forth from Turangi to my route and stayed in a backpackers hostel for two nights. In comparison to Australia, New Zealand is the ultimate in luxury!
SR: As you prepare for your return to Australia-part two what are you going to miss about New Zealand?
TM: The first thing I'm going to miss is the security of being able to walk worry free on grass. New Zealand has no snakes or venomous spiders etc. So, I'm obviously going to have to watch every step I take as there are a lot where I'm going. I can't leave my backpack and shoes outside my tent and I will have to zip it up fully. Aussies are equally hospitable as their neighboring brothers and sisters but because I'm going a lot more remote I will be having fewer people contacts. I will miss that but I still expect to have a blast there. I have no doubt I will soon be missing the cooler Kiwi weather when I hit Queensland!
SR: What are you particularly looking forward to on your return to Australia?
TM: I'm looking forward to the outback adventure again. There is something uniquely special about Australia and camping under the stars
in the bush. I look forward to being able to cook my meals over a campfire and as strange as it sounds I miss the kangaroos. I never got bored looking at them hop through fields and across the road right in front of me.
SR: Where are you going to after your extra walking in New Zealand and Australia?
TM: I have also walked Asia, but I want to go back there for extra walking, lol :) Extra walking might make a good title for me someday! Seriously, I have always wanted to walk in Japan and before Perth when I walked south from Russia to Mongolia to China to Vietnam, (see map 1) Japan was not on my route at that time. So, that's why I'm going back to Asia. As I'm a purist I am particular about keeping my route continuous I will be starting back there in Asia from an ocean location in China which was near my route when I previously walked through. So I will be reconnecting my route back up.
SR: Are there rules regarding an attempt to run or walk around the world and if so what are the main rules?
TM: Yes. The World Runners Association ( WRA )drew up some guidelines based on the experience of previous around-the-world runners. Though intended for runners walkers are also encouraged to register and follow these rules. Following a successful attempt in which the adventurer will have been observed he/she will be invited to submit their logbook and other proof, they may have. Currently, the WRA has
six members, of which I’m one of them. The most important rules are: Minimum distance on foot is 26,232 Kilometers, 3,000 km minimum per continent. Four continents coast to coast with no gaps. You must Start/Finish in the same location. You have to cross and then recross the equator. Lastly, while crossing the globe you must visit two antipodes. Antipodes are complete opposite locations in the world (Click the link for a map to find antipodes https://www.antipodesmap.com/ ). In other words, if you dug a hole dead straight through the earth, it’s the exact spot that you will come out at! Mine are at my friend's house in Hamilton, NZ and also at a location in a field just outside of Cordoba Spain. Because they’re harder to find than you think, there is an allowable tolerance, but as I say I prefer the purist way and will touch the exact spot.
For more info on the WRA rules please see: https://worldrunnersassociation.org/constitution/
SR: When are going to finish your world walk?
TM: I love this so much, so obviously my answer has to be 'whenever!'
SR: I'm sure there are many people wondering how you fund this world walk!
TM: As you can see from my posts this is a pretty low budget expedition. I do the odd paid talk and when they happen I put that towards hefty expenses like travel insurance. It would be nice to do a few more but they are difficult to organize. In the western world, I also get a lot of offers of places to stay and so many people are extraordinarily generous. I have absolutely no financial sponsors other than readers that chose to sponsor a day or whatever on the Paypal link. ( found here… http://www.theworldjog.com/blog/ ) In a good year that covers my travel insurance and the odd flight at the end of a continent. Please see the link on my website www.myworldwalk.com
My main source of income is the rent differential between what I get for renting out my house. After I have paid my mortgage repayments, insurance, repairs, expenses and tax. It works out at about ten Euro a day, which isn't that much and can go quickly if one's not careful. Next I rely on donations from friends and readers to my PayPal account ( found on my web page ) to supplement the help I get on the walk because normally if I don't stay in a dirt cheap hotel or hostel ( which I usually only do when I need to do laundry or it's going to be bad weather for a day or so ), I camp. Other times I cook and or get invited to a meal with someone who I met earlier in the day That I gave one of Mission Cards to! Believe it or not, there have been only a few flights, that I've had to take to get this far in the trip in 2 years. I live a pretty Minimalist existence and not in the materialistic world. So, obviously unlike most people I am not paying to put children through university, I sold my car, so I don't have those other associated expenses. Nor do I pay rent, pay 100 dollars a month for Sky Sports or pay electricity. My only water and gas charges are when I buy a rare bottle of water instead of filling it up at a tap and buy a camping gas container for cooking! Most people are astonished at how little is needed to do a trip like this. Sometimes I sense that their mindset is still set on their own wild and expensive holiday in Bali or the Costa del Sol and multiplying that by two years rather than the reality of how I'm actually doing it! I'm aware that if you are on a long backpacking journey and paying for buses, hostels, restaurants, beer etc. it costs a fortune. But when you slow it down and elect for one of the three best ways to travel: Journey run, walk or cycle then it's a whole different ballgame. The sky is your limit and I believe the slower one travels and the longer it takes the self-sufficient traveler to get from one place to the next that the experience is multiplied and the monthly cost is diminished.
SR: Why do you think you have no sponsors?
TM: Perhaps because I'm always acknowledging even the smallest help that I get that people might think that I don't need sponsorship. I could do a lot more and even have the odd steak dinner if I had sponsors. I also don't like talking about myself and hate interviews. I know I have a conflict there with spreading my cancer awareness message, but I believe that I have a better effect when I meet people one-to-one. Every interview I do its because I'm approached. I honestly can't remember the last time I sought out an interview. Even at the end of my world run, I had no interest in doing the whole media circus. Perhaps that is the reason that I don't fare well with sponsors is that I never make such lists as ' the 50 most daring adventurers.' That said, a big highlight was when I was picked up by the BBC and interviewed for their Outlook programs '50 most inspiring people of the last 50 years' It was a special moment to make the shortlist!
SR: Finally, do cynics ever accuse you of being just on a prolonged holiday and if so what is your response?
TM: I get the occasional snide remark along those lines. Almost as if I'm a bum who is too lazy to work! Then after speaking to me for a while, they realize just how passionate I am about my walk and most importantly about my cancer awareness message. Sometimes I mentioned that people have actually listened to my message, gone to their doctors and discovered tumors. I ask the cynics one simple question. "What have you done for cancer awareness in the last two years?" That is usually followed by silence.
SR: Thank you, Tony, for your honest and interesting responses. Good luck with the Australia Part 2.
TM: Thank you, Scott, so much for your time and interest in my cancer awareness world walk. Life is precious and early cancer screening
saves lives.
percent obliging. My experience is that people respect what I'm doing and are delighted to help. Others may not want to do what I'm doing
but in a strange way, they see in me someone living out their dream and are incredibly supportive.
SR: What kind of tent did you use there as I imagine weight was an issue?
TM: I pretty much planned to rough NZ without a tent. But the day after I arrived I saw a Macpac, Microlite 1.3 kilogramme tent in a camping shop. I purchased it for 200 NZ dollars ( originally 400 NZ dollars ) as I was offered a 50% discount to help out with my mission. So I kinda wimped out and bought it as I wondered about roughing it! I love the tent as there is a huge vestibule (outside storage area under canvas) where I can store my smelly boots and pack.
SR: What about a backpack, other equipment, your cooking gear and how heavy was your backpack when it was fully loaded?
TM: About eight kilos total. I could have gotten the weight down more had I not bothered with such luxuries as a blow-up airbed! These days
my poor aching body needs to be pampered a bit more than it did when I was tough! The backpack I initially planned to walk the country with
got damaged and besides, I doubt if it would have been big enough. Thankfully the manufacturer, Oz Trail gave me a great replacement. It's a 40-litre capacity which was perfect for the job! I particularly liked the yellow rain cover which not only made it high-viz, but it meant I could also write my cancer awareness message on it. I also used a 500-gram summer sleeping bag. I didn't bother with cooking gear but I picked up
two thermos mugs from op (charity) shops. I just added the boiling water, after presenting my Mission Card and asking permission, that I obtained from petrol stations, cafes, houses etc. to add hot water to noodles or porridge and most important of all, for my coffee in the morning. I also carried sardines, raisins and peanuts. I charged my phone up wherever I stopped to snack or sleep. I also carried two spare battery packs which I charged whenever I could, more weight! It's also important to keep everything dry so I have a few dry-packs for my clothes, electronics and other important items.
SR: Between your world run and now this world walk you must have tried every shoe brand. How many have you worn out and which is the best shoe?
TM: On the world run I used 50 pairs (50,000 kilometers) On the walk I'm on my 16th pair. Regarding the best shoes; that's always the easiest question of all to answer. Free shoes!
SR: In New Zealand were there any long, looming stretches or desolate roads like in the Australian outback?
TM: Not really. There was one stretch of about 65 kilometers between Waiouri and Turangi which is called the Desert Road. As the name suggests there was nothing there. I just did a commute back and forth from Turangi to my route and stayed in a backpackers hostel for two nights. In comparison to Australia, New Zealand is the ultimate in luxury!
SR: As you prepare for your return to Australia-part two what are you going to miss about New Zealand?
TM: The first thing I'm going to miss is the security of being able to walk worry free on grass. New Zealand has no snakes or venomous spiders etc. So, I'm obviously going to have to watch every step I take as there are a lot where I'm going. I can't leave my backpack and shoes outside my tent and I will have to zip it up fully. Aussies are equally hospitable as their neighboring brothers and sisters but because I'm going a lot more remote I will be having fewer people contacts. I will miss that but I still expect to have a blast there. I have no doubt I will soon be missing the cooler Kiwi weather when I hit Queensland!
SR: What are you particularly looking forward to on your return to Australia?
TM: I'm looking forward to the outback adventure again. There is something uniquely special about Australia and camping under the stars
in the bush. I look forward to being able to cook my meals over a campfire and as strange as it sounds I miss the kangaroos. I never got bored looking at them hop through fields and across the road right in front of me.
SR: Where are you going to after your extra walking in New Zealand and Australia?
TM: I have also walked Asia, but I want to go back there for extra walking, lol :) Extra walking might make a good title for me someday! Seriously, I have always wanted to walk in Japan and before Perth when I walked south from Russia to Mongolia to China to Vietnam, (see map 1) Japan was not on my route at that time. So, that's why I'm going back to Asia. As I'm a purist I am particular about keeping my route continuous I will be starting back there in Asia from an ocean location in China which was near my route when I previously walked through. So I will be reconnecting my route back up.
SR: Are there rules regarding an attempt to run or walk around the world and if so what are the main rules?
TM: Yes. The World Runners Association ( WRA )drew up some guidelines based on the experience of previous around-the-world runners. Though intended for runners walkers are also encouraged to register and follow these rules. Following a successful attempt in which the adventurer will have been observed he/she will be invited to submit their logbook and other proof, they may have. Currently, the WRA has
six members, of which I’m one of them. The most important rules are: Minimum distance on foot is 26,232 Kilometers, 3,000 km minimum per continent. Four continents coast to coast with no gaps. You must Start/Finish in the same location. You have to cross and then recross the equator. Lastly, while crossing the globe you must visit two antipodes. Antipodes are complete opposite locations in the world (Click the link for a map to find antipodes https://www.antipodesmap.com/ ). In other words, if you dug a hole dead straight through the earth, it’s the exact spot that you will come out at! Mine are at my friend's house in Hamilton, NZ and also at a location in a field just outside of Cordoba Spain. Because they’re harder to find than you think, there is an allowable tolerance, but as I say I prefer the purist way and will touch the exact spot.
For more info on the WRA rules please see: https://worldrunnersassociation.org/constitution/
SR: When are going to finish your world walk?
TM: I love this so much, so obviously my answer has to be 'whenever!'
SR: I'm sure there are many people wondering how you fund this world walk!
TM: As you can see from my posts this is a pretty low budget expedition. I do the odd paid talk and when they happen I put that towards hefty expenses like travel insurance. It would be nice to do a few more but they are difficult to organize. In the western world, I also get a lot of offers of places to stay and so many people are extraordinarily generous. I have absolutely no financial sponsors other than readers that chose to sponsor a day or whatever on the Paypal link. ( found here… http://www.theworldjog.com/blog/ ) In a good year that covers my travel insurance and the odd flight at the end of a continent. Please see the link on my website www.myworldwalk.com
My main source of income is the rent differential between what I get for renting out my house. After I have paid my mortgage repayments, insurance, repairs, expenses and tax. It works out at about ten Euro a day, which isn't that much and can go quickly if one's not careful. Next I rely on donations from friends and readers to my PayPal account ( found on my web page ) to supplement the help I get on the walk because normally if I don't stay in a dirt cheap hotel or hostel ( which I usually only do when I need to do laundry or it's going to be bad weather for a day or so ), I camp. Other times I cook and or get invited to a meal with someone who I met earlier in the day That I gave one of Mission Cards to! Believe it or not, there have been only a few flights, that I've had to take to get this far in the trip in 2 years. I live a pretty Minimalist existence and not in the materialistic world. So, obviously unlike most people I am not paying to put children through university, I sold my car, so I don't have those other associated expenses. Nor do I pay rent, pay 100 dollars a month for Sky Sports or pay electricity. My only water and gas charges are when I buy a rare bottle of water instead of filling it up at a tap and buy a camping gas container for cooking! Most people are astonished at how little is needed to do a trip like this. Sometimes I sense that their mindset is still set on their own wild and expensive holiday in Bali or the Costa del Sol and multiplying that by two years rather than the reality of how I'm actually doing it! I'm aware that if you are on a long backpacking journey and paying for buses, hostels, restaurants, beer etc. it costs a fortune. But when you slow it down and elect for one of the three best ways to travel: Journey run, walk or cycle then it's a whole different ballgame. The sky is your limit and I believe the slower one travels and the longer it takes the self-sufficient traveler to get from one place to the next that the experience is multiplied and the monthly cost is diminished.
SR: Why do you think you have no sponsors?
TM: Perhaps because I'm always acknowledging even the smallest help that I get that people might think that I don't need sponsorship. I could do a lot more and even have the odd steak dinner if I had sponsors. I also don't like talking about myself and hate interviews. I know I have a conflict there with spreading my cancer awareness message, but I believe that I have a better effect when I meet people one-to-one. Every interview I do its because I'm approached. I honestly can't remember the last time I sought out an interview. Even at the end of my world run, I had no interest in doing the whole media circus. Perhaps that is the reason that I don't fare well with sponsors is that I never make such lists as ' the 50 most daring adventurers.' That said, a big highlight was when I was picked up by the BBC and interviewed for their Outlook programs '50 most inspiring people of the last 50 years' It was a special moment to make the shortlist!
SR: Finally, do cynics ever accuse you of being just on a prolonged holiday and if so what is your response?
TM: I get the occasional snide remark along those lines. Almost as if I'm a bum who is too lazy to work! Then after speaking to me for a while, they realize just how passionate I am about my walk and most importantly about my cancer awareness message. Sometimes I mentioned that people have actually listened to my message, gone to their doctors and discovered tumors. I ask the cynics one simple question. "What have you done for cancer awareness in the last two years?" That is usually followed by silence.
SR: Thank you, Tony, for your honest and interesting responses. Good luck with the Australia Part 2.
TM: Thank you, Scott, so much for your time and interest in my cancer awareness world walk. Life is precious and early cancer screening
saves lives.
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