Woman in Search of Deeper Connection with the World Travels 20,000 Miles over 6 Years

Angela Marie Maxwell set out on a solo journey to connect with the world on a deeper level. It took her more than six years and 20,000 miles to make that connection with her.

Throughout the span of over six years, Angela Marie Maxwell found her courage, strength, and conviction after traveling across four continents, more than 20,000 miles, 14 countries, and multiple islands.

Maxwell climbed snow-capped mountains, walked in deserts, and explored ancient cities alone. With twelve pairs of shoes and innumerable cups of noodles, she nearly walked the entire Earth.

Initially, Maxwell was an amateur adventurer. Despite this, she survived a physical attack in Mongolia, the Australian outback, dengue fever in Vietnam, and the sheer difficulty of sleeping in a tent anywhere she could.

Her journey did not arise out of a place of misery, failure, or crisis. At the time she decided to walk long distances, she was a successful entrepreneur in her early 30s and in a relationship.

"I thought I was happy," Maxwell said, "but in retrospect, I realized that I was searching for more… for a deeper connection with nature and people – by living on less and connecting with the world around me."

As she had answered the call to start the journey, she knew it was the right time to end it.

In May 2014, Maxwell left her hometown of Bend, Oregon, and set out on an adventure so out of the ordinary that it probably wasn't best for her to know what she would face along the way.

Her journey was filled with donations for organizations dedicated to supporting young women and girls, such as World Pulse and Her Future Coalition. The total amount she raised was about $30,000.

On December 16, 2020, Maxwell returned home to Bend to finish the trip at Elyse's house, where it all begun. As she had answered the call to start the journey, she knew it was the right time to end it.

Maxwell's walks have shown the importance of listening more, paying more attention, and giving more than others receive along the way, regardless of the distance.

In related news, in honor of pilot William, who died in Dubai in 2019, Emma Blackburn and her friend Maddie Landels completed the 100-mile coastal walk. Blackburn expressed her pride in completing the trip.

Meanwhile, through his global, multi-year "Out of Eden Walk," Paul Salopek documented the world. Since January 2013, Salopek has walked along ancient pathways of human migration starting from Africa.