On June 20, 1970, two brothers from Minnesota walked out of Waseca with an extraordinary plan: to circle the Earth on foot. David Kunst, 30, and his younger brother John, 22, set out with maps, a small amount of money and a mule named Willie Makeit, carrying their supplies. More than four years later, David returned to his hometown after completing what Guinness World Records recognised as the first independently verified circumnavigation of the globe on foot.
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According to Smithsonian Magazine, the journey covered about 14,450 miles across four continents and 13 countries. It began with the brothers walking from Minnesota to New York, after which they crossed the Atlantic by plane to Portugal and continued eastwards on foot. Their route took them through Europe, Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan before the expedition was transformed by a violent encounter in the Afghan mountains.
From Minnesota to the edge of Asia
The idea had grown from a conversation David had with a friend in Waseca. Looking for a new direction, he persuaded John to join him. Their departure became a local spectacle, with thousands of people gathering to watch the brothers leave town. Willie Makeit, the mule carrying their camping equipment, became part of the travelling team.
The brothers relied heavily on the kindness of strangers as they travelled through unfamiliar countries. They also received much media coverage during their travels. This Journey also gave them an opportunity to meet Princess Grace of Monaco and Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl; however, it was not always easy. They planned to traverse the Soviet Union, but they were denied permission. In August 1972, when the brothers reached Afghanistan, they were halfway into their journey.
According to David Kunst, the Afghan landscape presented extreme heat, long stretches without water and concerns about banditry. The brothers had also become the subject of a damaging misunderstanding. An Afghan newspaper reportedly said they were collecting money for UNICEF rather than asking people to donate to the organisation. This error made it seem that the travellers were carrying a large amount of money.
A night that ended one brother's journey
On October 21, 1972, David and John were walking near a secluded road when armed men approached them. David said in retrospect that he believed the attackers thought that the two brothers had money on them. A shot hit David in the chest. John was shot to death. Seriously injured and fearing the attackers might shoot again, David pretended to be dead while they searched their belongings. He was later picked up by soldiers and taken to Kabul, where medical reports showed that the bullet had hit his left lung.
John's death marked the end of the initial mission in tragedy. David returned to Minnesota to recuperate, yet the hike was far from over. Four months later, he decided to continue what he and John had begun. In March 1973, David returned to Afghanistan with another brother, Peter. The two continued walking towards Pakistan and India. David then walked from New Delhi to Calcutta on foot in 44 days.
Four years, 21 pairs of shoes and a finish
Political barriers also influenced the route choice. Unable to travel through the Soviet Union or China, David and Peter flew from India to Australia. Later, Peter had to leave the expedition, while David crossed Australia alone. David's supply cart became difficult to manage in Australia, and he had to drag it alone. Help arrived when Australian schoolteacher Jenni Samuel met him and used her car to help pull his cart.
As per Guinness World Records , David Kunst completed his journey on October 5, 1974, after walking 23,250 kilometres (14,450 miles) across four continents. His own account records that the four-year, three-month and 16-day journey cost him 21 pairs of shoes. Guinness World Records recognises Kunst's achievement as the first verified circumnavigation of the world on foot. What began as a brothers' adventure ended as a solo achievement shaped by tragedy, politics, fatigue and acts of goodwill. While John did not return to his homeland, David managed to finish what they both started, thereby making one of the strangest walks of the 20th century known in writing.
