Jamie McDonald, better known as Adventureman, has completed some extraordinary feats in his time: cycling from Bangkok to Gloucester; running solo across America; and even a 268-hour world record-breaking static cycle ride.
And now, the Gloucestershire adventurer has broken another official Guinness World Record: this time by visiting the seven wonders of the world in less than seven days, using only public transport and the odd taxi.
The challenge was proposed to Adventureman by the UK-based travel technology company Travelport, with the 'Seven Wonders trip' aimed to put Travelport’s latest technology, Travelport+, to the test.
Greg Webb, CEO at Travelport, explained: 'When we began upgrading our agency partners to Travelport+ in 2021, it was with the intent of making the complicated travel industry easier and faster to navigate…this epic adventure was the ultimate test for our platform – could we take the world’s most complex trip and make it simple?
'Six days, sixteen hours and fourteen minutes later, we had our answer: yes, yes and yes. This trip also proves that, after a few challenging years for the industry, travel is most definitely back and better than ever.'
The Pride of Britain winner and co-founder of the Superhero Foundation, Jamie McDonald, said: 'This was certainly my most complex, complicated trip yet.'
McDonald’s latest tour de force saw him travel over 22,865 miles in just six days, 16 hours and 14 minutes. He travelled from the Great Wall of China, to India’s Taj Mahal, from there he went to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. The Colosseum in Italy was next on the itinerary, before McDonald flew to Brazil to take in the sensational views of Christ the Redeemer. Macha Pichu, which was Adventureman’s personal favourite, took him to Peru, and rounded up this fast-paced feat at the Mayan city of Chichen Itza in Mexico, less than seven days after setting off from the other side of the world.
To complete the Guinness World Record, Adventureman could only take scheduled public transport (no private flights or boats), and taxis limited to 50km. Four continents, nine countries, 13 flights, 16 taxis, nine buses, four trains and one taboggan (yes, really!) later, the record was his.
All the proceeds raised from this extreme endurance and logistical challenge will go to McDonald's Gloucestershire-based charity he co-founded, the Superhero Foundation, with Travelport donating $22,856 to the charity - a dollar for every mile of his journey.
