Meet the man who’s walking around the world.
In February 2023, Alexander Campbell waved goodbye to his friends and family in Sydney and set off on a 40,000km (24,854-mile) walk.
He plans to circumnavigate the globe in four years, crossing over 30 countries and four continents.
At the time of writing, he’s covered 10,239km (6,362 miles) and is posting updates to his Instagram account – @alexander_campbell. In one post he reveals how he’s ‘burnt through six pairs of shoes’ and experienced ‘constant’ kindness along the way, with locals giving him home-cooked meals, beer, lemonade, a bed for the night and even inviting him to weddings.
Here Alexander reveals the places he’s fallen in love with, some big surprises and a terrifying occasion when he had to fill his water bottle in crocodile-infested waters.
Alexander Campbell is currently on a 40,000km (24,854-mile) walk around the world. Over the next four years, he plans to cross over 30 countries and four continents. He’s pictured above in New South Wales, Australia
On his journey, Alexander said he’s ‘burnt through six pairs of shoes’ and experienced ‘constant’ kindness. He’s pictured arriving in Darwin after walking 6,200km (3,852 miles) across Australia
Alexander concocted the idea over a beer with his best friend. The 27-year-old told MailOnline Travel: ‘I spent a lot of time looking at maps and dreaming up possible ideas. And then it somehow snowballed into, “Why don’t I go all the way around the world?”‘
He added: ‘It’s definitely been the most eventful year of my life.’
Alexander began the adventure at Sydney Opera House and spent six months walking across Australia, covering up to 50km (31 miles) a day, enduring scorching heat and going days without seeing another person.
After that, he took a boat from Darwin to Indonesia, where he visited islands including Bali, Flores, Lombok and Gilli Trawangan.
Alexander began his journey at the Sydney Opera House, where his friends and family came to wave him off
He spent the first six months walking across Australia, covering up to 50km (31 miles) a day. Here he’s pictured in Australia’s Blue Mountains
‘It’s definitely been the most eventful year of my life,’ he told MailOnline. Alexander is shown above in the Blue Mountains
Alexander said hiking through Australia ‘was a great way to get to know better the country I call home’. This image shows his tent pitched before a beautiful sunset in Australia’s Northern Territory
Then, he walked through Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. He has avoided flying when possible, but jumped on a plane from Thailand to Bangladesh.
He’s been funding the trip primarily from his savings, and with the help of an adventure grant from Australian Geographic. Throughout the journey, he’s been staying in cheap accommodation and with local people – and pitching a tent where possible.
Alexander told MailOnline that there have been several memorable highlights, one being hiking the National Trail in Australia, from Queensland to Victoria.
He said: ‘It was a great way to get to know better the country I call home, and it was so nice being out in the bush and enjoying the solitude.’
Out of the various countries he’s visited so far, Indonesia – which comprises 17,000 islands – is Alexander’s favourite.
Alexander has been staying in cheap accommodation, pitching a tent, and staying with local people throughout his trip. Here, he’s pictured with a family who hosted him in Southern Thailand
Alexander was even invited to a wedding on his journey. He’s pictured above with a bride and groom in Flores, Indonesia
LEFT: Alexander is pictured at a village meeting in Flores, Indonesia. RIGHT: He’s shown with a family in Indonesia
He explained: ‘The people were incredibly friendly, and the food was great. Each island was unique and there are so many volcanoes to climb.’
Alexander claimed he was most surprised by Bangladesh.
While he admitted he was a ‘little nervous’ to visit due to the lack of tourists, he said ‘it ended up being amazing’.
He explained: ‘The people were incredible and greeted me with such warmth. And because of their love of cricket, everyone was particularly excited to learn I was from Australia.’
While he hasn’t hated anywhere, he said walking through a monsoon in Malaysia ‘definitely stands out as one of the least enjoyable times’.
However, he said: ‘The food was great and the people were lovely, so it was still enjoyable.’
Alexander is pictured in Bangladesh, where he said ‘the people were incredible and greeted me with such warmth’
Alexander is pictured above with a group of workers who’d been mending a railway bridge in Bangladesh
Alexander hasn’t hated any of the countries he’s visited, but he said trekking through a monsoon in Malaysia ‘definitely stands out as one of the least enjoyable times’. He’s pictured above in the country
He’s also encountered his fair share of obstacles on the trip and has dodged his way around various dangerous animals, including scorpions, snakes and wolves, plus the aforementioned crocodiles.
The nail-biting water-bottle-filling incident occurred in Australia’s Northern Territory.
Alexander said: ‘I saw a crocodile jump from the bank into the river as I approached. It was another 60km [37 miles] until my next water source, so I had no choice other than to fill up my water there.
‘It was possibly the most scared I’ve been on the trip. I spent the next 30 minutes just watching for crocodiles. I eventually found a spot with some water visibility and worked up the courage to quickly fill up my water bottles and get out of there.’
Alexander is currently in Nepal and will spend the next few months crossing the Himalayas.
Alexander is currently making his way through India. He’s shown above in the Indian state of Meghalaya
Alexander is shown above in West Bengal in India receiving roses from locals
While there’s a long journey ahead of him, he claimed he’s never considered giving up.
‘There are challenges and unpleasant aspects at times,’ he said. ‘But the reason I went on this journey was to challenge myself and hopefully grow from these experiences.’
He’s also motivated by raising money for the Fred Hollows Foundation, an organisation working towards ending avoidable blindness and visual impairments. So far, he’s raised AUD $16,710 (£8,627) for the cause.
What will he do once he’s done trekking? He said: ‘I’m looking forward to hanging out with my friends and family.
‘But in terms of my life path, I’m not too sure. I’ve got a lot of walking left to do and time to think it over between now and then.’
To follow Alexander’s journey head to his website, www.worldwalkexpedition.com/about, or Instagram account -www.instagram.com/alexander_campbell/. To donate to the Fred Hollows Foundation, visit fundraise.hollows.org/.
On his journey Alexander is raising money for the Fred Hollows Foundation, an organisation working towards ending avoidable blindness and visual impairments
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