A very long walk

Paul Salopek is walking from the Great Rift Valley of Africa, across the Middle East, through Central Asia to the tundra of Siberia, eventually hopping a boat across the Bering Strait to North America, and trudging from there down the entire length of the New World. It's 22,000 miles and it will take him, he estimates, seven years. He is recreating the early days and travels of man from what is considered our birthplace - Ethiopia - to the southern tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego.

He is documenting his trip. Every 100 miles (160 km) he pauses to record a narrative consisting of photographs of the ground and sky, ambient sound at that location, and a brief, standardized interview with the nearest person.

He does have a lot of help from a number of sponsors including National Geographic and KickStarter. They supply more than funds for Paul alone. He is not traveling alone. Guides and translators are to be hired every so often. Transportation includes pack mules and camels. Then, there is, shelter, food, water and the wear and tear on solar-powered equipment used to transmit print stories, photos and videos. His trip is being documented on-line; here is the primary site.