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20,000km, 22 Countries, 24 Pairs of Shoes

The amazing tale of one man’s incredible journey by foot from Estonia to Indonesia. Meigo Märk, now 29, left his home of Tallinn, Estonia in 2014 with only his backpack, his dreams and €8 in his pocket. His journey would take him through 22 countries and over 20,000km (12,427 miles), but that isn’t his final goal…

The Walk Of Life

Meigo’s incredible journey began on 11th May 2014, where he left his home just outside the Estonian capital of Tallinn. Under no illusions that he would be winning any races, the 20,000 km journey took him 4 years and three months, arriving in Indonesia, August 2018. His actual goal is to walk the entire distance of the equator. A staggering 40,075km/ 24,901 miles!

I asked Meigo what his motivations were for doing something so unthinkable to many of us:

“In early 2014 I saw a TED Talk of Jean Béliveau who walked around the world for 11 years over 75 000 kilometres.

I was very very impressed by his crazy achievement and stories! Before hearing his talk I could have never even imagined that it would be possible for a human body to walk continuously so much!?!

Something changed inside me”.

You can watch the inspirational video via the link in ‘TED talk of Jean Beliveau’.

After being inspired by the words of Jean Béliveau, he decided to research other people who had taken on similar, seemingly impossible tasks. Meigo shared with me 10 other incredible humans who had all ran or walked incredible distances during their lives.

This inspiration began to bubble up inside him;

“This idea and feeling started to grow and grow and grow until it became really really big and a true dream of mine to walk in as many different countries as much as I can!”

Meigo’s dream

His dream is to walk through different countries for at least another 20,000 kilometres or 12,427 miles. This would allow him to compete walking the total distance of the planet Earth’s Equator. All 40,075 kilometres/ 24,901 miles.

The unthinkable journey has so far taken him through;

• Estonia
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Poland
• Slovakia
• Hungary
• Romania
• Serbia
• Bulgaria
• Greece
• Turkey
• Iran
• India
• Nepal
• Myanmar
• Thailand
• Cambodia
• Laos
• Vietnam
• Singapore
• Malaysia
• Indonesia

Click any of the countries in the list to see some of the amazing destinations and memories he has acquired so far on his epic journey.

Start as you mean to go on…

With the unthinkable amount of €8 running out very soon into his journey, Meigo used the last of his funds on bread. He already had to begin to rely on the kindness of others from a very early stage. He even began to wash edible leaves… all of this before he had left his homeland. However, he realised that he could not get far on just hopes and dreams. No matter how strong his will may have been, he realised he had a major decision to make. After 1 year of renting his house out, he was to sell his home in the forest to fund his future dreams and endeavours. Being very particular, he found his house a new home with people who he knew would take great care and who would take great enjoyment of his former pride and joy.

Now it seemed that ties were cut with an ‘escape’ of just heading home. Something that would surely have played a huge psychological boost to achieving his goal. With no where to go ‘back’ to… it was forwards from here on in, one step at a time.

Reliance on the goodwill of mankind would be something that came in abundance over the next 51 months. From sharing one room windowless family huts to living for two weeks in the Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Monastery in Vietnam. He has even kept a record of each act of kindness that has been bestowed on him by others. Meigo told me a staggering 2,200 people have individually helped him in some way. A real show of his own character to remember each and every one of them.

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He has camped out in the snow in -17oC in northern Turkey; walked in the 42oC heat of India and hiked through knee-high monsoon waters in Cambodia. Whatever life has thrown at him, he has pushed through.

The Budget

So you may be thinking, how can someone possibly leave their life behind and sustain themselves with barely any income? Meigo realised a budget lifestyle was the only way he was going to live his dream. He told me;

“All my travel expenses for 1 FULL YEAR (foods, drinks, accommodations, some new shoes, clothes, travel and hiking equipment, few new mobile phones and cameras that broke on the way, all the visas and tickets for popular touristic places and all the other stuff) were average 3,000-3,600 euros which is 3,245 – 3,785 US dollars $ for 1 full year”.

Is this something we can all think about when spending so much on material possessions that we don’t really need?

However, this did not mean that nearly every week his was looking at the last of his coins in his pocket. Writing the odd article and featuring in different international interviews helped add pennies to the pot. Along with selling some of his travel photos and funding via his YouTube page and videos, Meigo managed to make ends meet. It really is a measure of the world we live in today. Do material possessions actually just fill a void in our lives as we subconsciously crave true freedom.

Another wise man also seems to share the same view;

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Footprints For The Future

During the epic journey, Meigo has been invited to 45 different schools and universities. Sometimes to speak about some of his experiences on the road. Other times to give inspirational and motivational speeches to the students with their whole lives ahead of them. He has also had the opportunity to share pictures and slideshows of some of his destinations. Setting up the mindset of our future generations is fundamental. Meigo has jumped at the opportunity to share his wisdom and incredible way of thinking to the students he has visited. Here are some of his words of wisdom;

• In your life you will meet many challenges – both inner and outer challenges but always try have positive attitudes.
• try to be grateful for the challenges because the challenges are great opportunities that can really help you to become stronger and better.
• As young people you are the future – not only the future of your own country but the future of humanity. With your hearts, minds and hands you are creating the future. Try to have long term visions about the future and long term feelings but at the same time live fully in the present moment, cherish the moment and never forget where are you coming from.

Not Always riding solo

As the saying goes, ‘Not all who wander are lost’. Meigo also hasn’t always been totally alone during this exhibition. From his sister meeting him and hiking the mountain of the Gods in Greece, Mount Olympus to being joined by total strangers who have been so inspired by his teachings and his journey.

One group in Vietnam shared his walk and joined him for 5 whole days! Thus showing again how much of an inspiration he has been to people during his expedition.

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He was also able to share some incredible experiences with his mother who visited him on numerous occasions to share in some of his incredible life experiences.

“Some of the highlights have been surely travelling together with my mother. She came to meet me and to travel together with me in Greece, Turkey, Nepal and Vietnam. In Vietnam, we bought a bicycle, put our bags on the bike. My mother started to cycle and I, free from a backpack, started not to walk but to run nearby her. Together we covered a distance of over 220 kilometres/136 miles together. That was a really memorable time for me”

Meigo on travelling with his Mother in Vietnam.

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Meigo’s Most Memorable Moments

In such a journey, I asked Meigo what some of his absolute highlights were so far. While walking through Hungary, he had a very special companion. After sharing some food and water with one very hungry and thirsty young dog, she decided to tag along.

They walked together for an incredible 10 whole days. Being weak, and alone she was unable to walk properly and Meigo almost witnessed a tragedy.

‘Happy’, as he named her, was almost hit by a passing vehicle. weak from malnutrition, his newfound fourlegged friend struggled to walk in a straight line or even hold herself up at times. Meigo helped Happy learn to walk again and they even crossed the border together over into Romania. Meigo continued to walk with his newfound friend until he was able to find her a brand new home.

You can watch the heartwarming video right here!  

This was not the only time Meigo was able to help a four-legged friend. In numerous different countries, he has so far helped four homeless dogs and three cats in remote roadside locations, from what would most probably have been a very short life without his help.

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It must have been destiny

After walking 13,000 kilometres Meigo had arrived in Hanoi, Vietnams Capital (you can read more about this place in my ‘Goodmorning Vietnam‘ post). Here Meigo met a very special person, a Vietnamese girl named Sâm. Like a true fairytale, the two fell in love. However, not even true love could get in the way of Meigo’s quest.

12 months on Sâm came to meet Meigo on 10 different occasions. By bus and plane, the pair met up in 5 different countries. In October 2018 the happy couple tied the knot. However, that’s not all to this amazing story.

In March 2019 they welcomed into the world a beautiful baby girl, Maria Mai!

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Bump In The Road

Walking for so long and so far began to take its toll on Meigo. After four years and three months of walking with a backpack across half the world, Meigo had health complications.

In August 2018, after walking exactly 20,000 kilometres / 12,427 miles in 22 countries Meigo arrived in Indonesia.
There he started to experience the health issues resulting in days in the hospital. Carrying a heavy backpack for over 4 years had damaged his backbone and caused heart complications. A much-needed break was required!

However, he may be down but definitely is not out. With a smile always on his face, he vows to continue his epic journey to walk the entire distance of the Earth’s equator.

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The Next Steps

His journey is far from over! Meigo is defiant to continue his dream. However, now he will never walk alone. He told me that now he plans to continue with his family by his side!

Slightly held up by the Coronavirus worldwide pandemic, as we all have, they are now making preparations to continue travelling around the world. While Meigo will continue to walk, Sam and Mia won’t be far away in a small camping car on the same route.

During my time speaking with Meigo, I asked him if he could mention any particular low moments of his journey. I thought he may mention loneliness on the road or the fact that he literally walked himself to the point of health issues. However, this is the incredible answer he had for me.

“I never felt like quitting yet! Even in tough times. The more I critically analyse my journey the more I want to continue.

But I feel that the most difficult challenges are always the inner challenges of how to overcome inner negative and selfish emotions and to increase the positive ones.

Also, I always try to have an attitude and sure conviction that all the challenges are actually very great opportunities that can really help us to become wiser, better and stronger!“

An incredible attitude to life challenges

Follow His Footsteps

With the world looking like it is about to reopen its doors after the devastating global pandemic, Meigo’s journey, like many of us, is set to continue! If you would like to follow his footsteps; ‘like’, ‘subscribe’ and ‘follow’ him and maybe you will be as inspired as I have been.

As many of you know, my own hopes of starting a journey is still on the cards should the world settle in the near future. With South East Asia, Australia and a potential more long term stay in New Zealand on the horizon, I have found Meigo’s tale specifically heart warming and inspiring.

I can only hope that our paths cross in the not too distant future!

Follow the incredible guy below:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/meigomark

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meigomark/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meigomark/

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