There's one instance when I was travelling through northern Kenya, and the journey on this sort of, it's basically a truck that had been converted into a bus, so it wasn't particularly comfortable anyway, the road was really rocky, and the journey lasted 24 hours, and the driver didn't stop once.

So at the end of it, he'd been driving for 24 hours without any sort of rest.

And that, you know, you just have to almost put it to the back of your mind I'm your host, Mason, but today is a throwback Thursday episode. We're going to have new episodes for you soon, just building up some interviews now.

But I wanted to throw it back to this episode with Ian, hosted by Travis back in the day,

of a 13-month 25,000 mile trip around Africa, encircling Africa via public transportation. That is a heck of an adventure.

I've done some public transportation in Africa and it is, it is an experience. It was awesome. I loved it. I can't imagine doing it for over a year of my life. That is insane. Very much looking forward to this one.

So without further ado, let's go ahead and jump in.

Welcome back to another Adventure Sports podcast episode. This is Travis. Ian Packham is a medical researcher turned adventurer. He decided to circumnavigate the African continent by means of public transportation. The trip was the first time anyone had done this solo and unsupported. During his 13-month, 25,000-mile trip, Ian was mistaken for an undercover

U.N. official during Liberia's presidential election and was denied access to the Democratic

Republic of Congo. He was a 2013 runner-up for the National Geographic Traveler Writing Competition

in his new book, Encircle Africa, Around Africa by Public Transport, chronicles his crazy adventure.

So, Ian, welcome to the Adventure Sports podcast from England.

Thank you. It's good to be here.

Yeah, good to have you. So, man, we have a lot to dig into. You've been a busy guy.

Let's start with your Encircle Africa.

I know it's one of the first things you really took on.

What made you go from medical researcher to deciding to hop on public transportation and travel 25,000 miles around Africa?

You know, that's possibly the hardest question I ever get asked.

There's no real answer to that other than the fact I just, I guess I wanted to get away from everything I knew and do some traveling.

And this idea of a certain navigating Africa by public transport just came to me.

And once it was in my head, I just couldn't get rid of it.

And I knew even if I failed, I just had to try this thing.

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