“Adventurer” is an unconventional job title. It frequently encompasses long arduous, journeys, painful injuries and momentary lapses of good judgment. Combined with the fury of Mother Nature, these elements definitely take a toll on the everyday adventurer. As evidence, here are five modern days Indiana Joneses, before and after a typical day on the job.
1. Sean Conway
Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, Sean Conway is an extreme endurance adventurer, most known for being the first and only man in history to swim the length of Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats (900 miles) back in 2013. In an effort to complete the first ever Great Britain Triathlon, he previously cycled the length (1300 miles) and recently attempted to run it, until a sprained ankle forced him to end his journey early.
2. Bear Grylls
You’ve most likely have seen Bear on TV as the daring survivalist and host of the massively popular show “Man Vs. Wild.” Since his television depute, he has easily become one of the most recognized faces of adventure, with a fan base of over 1.2 billion viewers who tune in to watch him eat larvae and climbing trees.
3. Alastair Humphreys
Alastair Humphreys is an avid English cyclist and motivational speaker. He earned the title of National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and completed a massive four-year bicycle journey around the world in August 2001. Starting from his Yorkshire home, he passed through Europe, Africa, South America, the Americas, Russia, Japan and then across Asia, before heading back home to Europe, 46,000 miles later.
4. Adrian Hayes
In 2007, Adrian Hayes set the Guinness World Record by reaching the Earth’s “3 Poles.” He walked all the way to the North Pole, South Pole and then summited Mt. Everest in the shortest amount of time. In doing so, he is one of only 18 people in history to have ever accomplished such a feat.
5. Ed Stafford
Ed Stafford is another adventurer to make history. He holds the Guinness World Record for being the first man to walk the length of the Amazon River. As such, it comes as no surprise that he was nominated as National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year in 2010 and named the “European Adventurer of the Year 2011” in Stockholm.
