Montrealer walks around the world in 11 years
lukin2006
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Montrealer walks around the world in 11 years
KINGSTON — A 56-year-old Montreal man looking to shake off a mid-life depression walked around the world in 11 years, returning this week to Canada, looking radiant after realizing a dream.
A bit thinner and with a few more gray hairs, Jean Beliveau was pushing a three-wheel stroller that carried his sleeping bag, clothes and a first aid kit when AFP caught up with him 290 kilometers west of Montreal.
Walking at a brisk pace, he expects to come full circle, arriving in Montreal on October 16 after skirting the north shore of Lake Ontario and passing through the capital, Ottawa.
He stopped only briefly to nibble on some food and described some of his adventures on this trip to curious strangers, radiating a joy and peacefulness he gained from total freedom.
He did not know where he would sleep that night, depending on no-one and with little money in his pocket. But he was not worried in the least — it has been this way for the past 11 years and he is fine with it.
In Montreal, he will reunite with his longtime girlfriend Luce Archambault, who has supported him throughout his extraordinary adventure and even created a website detailing his travels: http://wwwalk.org
Beliveau left Montreal on the day of his 45th birthday, August 18, 2000, after his small sign business went bankrupt. He decided to run around the world to try to escape that painful episode in his life.
Archambault and his two children from a previous marriage did not try to hold him back. "It was cool," said his son Thomas Eric, who was 20-years-old at the time.
Beliveau ran all the way to Atlanta, Georgia before slowing his stride for what would become the longest uninterrupted walk around the world: 75,000 kilometers across 64 countries.
At one point, Archambault encouraged him to use his voyage to promote peace and non-violence for the benefit of children in support of a UNESCO proclamation. Suddenly what started as an escape from his weary life had a purpose.
Over 11 years, he traveled across deserts and mountains. He fell in love for nine days in Mexico, wore a turban and a long beard in Sudan, ate insects in Africa, dog in South Korea and snake in China, and was escorted by armed soldiers in the Philippines.
Beliveau only fell seriously ill once in Algeria, was mugged only once by two young drunks in South Africa, and was detained only once in Ethiopia for no apparent reason (he was released the next day).
It was also in Ethiopia that he was once gripped by despair, which nearly caused him to quit and go home. He said he felt very alone. Archambault back in Montreal egged him on, convincing him to persevere.
"After food and shelter, man needs to feel like he belongs," Beliveau explained.
In the end, he would be enthralled by the sympathy of strangers, the huge number of people he met along the way.
Certainly, Beliveau slept under a few bridges and in shelters for the homeless, and even saw the inside of a rough prison, but much more often he was invited to eat with people intrigued by his adventure and to sleep in their homes.
He left Montreal with CAN$4,000 in his pocket and ended up spending that amount each year (graciously provided to him by Archambault, with whom he kept in constant contact through online telephone service Skype), and also relying on the kindness of strangers to get by.
Today, he is penniless, but insists he is richer for his experiences. "I left with nothing, but I return now with a wealth of knowledge and understanding," he said.
Beliveau said he aims to write a book and give lectures on his experience, and extol "harmony between people, listening to one another and accepting of others' differences."
On a personal level, his is a love story that ends well.
"I'm his Penelope and he is my Ulysses," said Archambault, who flew to join Beliveau wherever he was once a year to spend Christmas together, but is giddy that he is finally almost home.
http://www.windsorstar.com/Montrealer+w ... story.html
KINGSTON — A 56-year-old Montreal man looking to shake off a mid-life depression walked around the world in 11 years, returning this week to Canada, looking radiant after realizing a dream.
A bit thinner and with a few more gray hairs, Jean Beliveau was pushing a three-wheel stroller that carried his sleeping bag, clothes and a first aid kit when AFP caught up with him 290 kilometers west of Montreal.
Walking at a brisk pace, he expects to come full circle, arriving in Montreal on October 16 after skirting the north shore of Lake Ontario and passing through the capital, Ottawa.
He stopped only briefly to nibble on some food and described some of his adventures on this trip to curious strangers, radiating a joy and peacefulness he gained from total freedom.
He did not know where he would sleep that night, depending on no-one and with little money in his pocket. But he was not worried in the least — it has been this way for the past 11 years and he is fine with it.
In Montreal, he will reunite with his longtime girlfriend Luce Archambault, who has supported him throughout his extraordinary adventure and even created a website detailing his travels: http://wwwalk.org
Beliveau left Montreal on the day of his 45th birthday, August 18, 2000, after his small sign business went bankrupt. He decided to run around the world to try to escape that painful episode in his life.
Archambault and his two children from a previous marriage did not try to hold him back. "It was cool," said his son Thomas Eric, who was 20-years-old at the time.
Beliveau ran all the way to Atlanta, Georgia before slowing his stride for what would become the longest uninterrupted walk around the world: 75,000 kilometers across 64 countries.
At one point, Archambault encouraged him to use his voyage to promote peace and non-violence for the benefit of children in support of a UNESCO proclamation. Suddenly what started as an escape from his weary life had a purpose.
Over 11 years, he traveled across deserts and mountains. He fell in love for nine days in Mexico, wore a turban and a long beard in Sudan, ate insects in Africa, dog in South Korea and snake in China, and was escorted by armed soldiers in the Philippines.
Beliveau only fell seriously ill once in Algeria, was mugged only once by two young drunks in South Africa, and was detained only once in Ethiopia for no apparent reason (he was released the next day).
It was also in Ethiopia that he was once gripped by despair, which nearly caused him to quit and go home. He said he felt very alone. Archambault back in Montreal egged him on, convincing him to persevere.
"After food and shelter, man needs to feel like he belongs," Beliveau explained.
In the end, he would be enthralled by the sympathy of strangers, the huge number of people he met along the way.
Certainly, Beliveau slept under a few bridges and in shelters for the homeless, and even saw the inside of a rough prison, but much more often he was invited to eat with people intrigued by his adventure and to sleep in their homes.
He left Montreal with CAN$4,000 in his pocket and ended up spending that amount each year (graciously provided to him by Archambault, with whom he kept in constant contact through online telephone service Skype), and also relying on the kindness of strangers to get by.
Today, he is penniless, but insists he is richer for his experiences. "I left with nothing, but I return now with a wealth of knowledge and understanding," he said.
Beliveau said he aims to write a book and give lectures on his experience, and extol "harmony between people, listening to one another and accepting of others' differences."
On a personal level, his is a love story that ends well.
"I'm his Penelope and he is my Ulysses," said Archambault, who flew to join Beliveau wherever he was once a year to spend Christmas together, but is giddy that he is finally almost home.
http://www.windsorstar.com/Montrealer+w ... story.html
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
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there are 96,426 hours in 11 years.
if you only spent 8 hours walking per day..that is 32,142 hours
the earth is roughly 24,000 miles around
that's a pace of 0.75 miles per hour
if he would have walked 3 miles per hour, 8 hours per day, he should have done it in 2.75 years.
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
http://atyoursenses.com/2011/06/15/sati ... ory-heros/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Earth-Pilgrim-S ... 1900322579
THis whole story is strange. He decided to walk around the world to get over depression? He has a long time girlfriend yet he fell in love during the trip? Sounds like this guy is insane.
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a) he didn't walk in a straight line
b) didn't forrest gump do the same thing!? ... haha
c) he fell in love for like 11 days ... if i bumped into natalie portman somewhere in egypt ... i would hope for more than 11 days but i'll take it ... haha
have you seen his unibrow? that fucker causes great wind resistance!!
fine....double the distance to 48,000 miles with his zig zagging and you get up to 1.5 miles per hour. still could have done that in 5.5 years at 3 miles per hour.
ever saw and known a mexican lady? holy smokes they are pretty slick. she probably thought he was one amazing dude, so they F'ed around for 9 whole days and nights. he ate tacos, burritos, and and and.
pretty simple and not very strange at all.
Salma Hayek is just terrible. i'd run away from her so fast our heads would spin then explode
and i'd be off and walking around the globe heading for some bullshit place in mexico or poland or something
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
Got to visit 64 countries, doesn't seem like a waste of time at all
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Easy now that's the name of my dog Snoopy would put up a hell of a fight before he would let that happen.
Great feat...sometimes we just do what we have to do I gather.
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)