The feat of Nacho Dean, the man who circumnavigated the world on foot
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step". This famous quote by Lao-Tse has proved to be a great inspiration to millions of people who wish to achieve their dreams, however big they may seem.
This is the case of a man from Malaga, Nacho Dean, who decided to break any paradigm to pursue his dream, and set out on a journey of more than 33,000 kilometres to walk around the world, passing through 31 countries and crossing 4 continents.
In Travesía Pirenaica we tell you about this great feat that shows how determination and the desire to fulfil a dream can overcome any obstacle.
Nacho Dean Mouliaá
Nacho Dean Mouliaá (Malaga, 1980), is the first Spaniard to walk around the world (2013-2016) and the first person to swim across 5 continents (2008-2019).
His impressive feat has led him to win important awards, but more so, the satisfaction of fulfilling a dream and sending a message of awareness about the importance of caring for our planet, the purpose for which he undertakes these journeys.
The seed that started this adventure began in February 2011, when he was walking the Camino de Santiago. It was then, after two weeks of walking alone, that the idea of leaving everything behind and embarking on a journey around the world began to take shape.
A year and three months after thinking about this idea he had on the Camino de Santiago, in the summer of 2012 he decided to undertake his feat, which would begin on 21 March 2013.
This decision would mean leaving the job he had at the time as a lifeguard, a salary and his house in Madrid. In short, leaving absolutely everything behind and starting from scratch.
Perhaps it was his earlier personal experiences that allowed him to consider this decision. The son of a merchant seaman, his life moved from place to place. So much so that before he was 20 years old, he had lived in more than 40 places.
Talking about himself, Nacho Dean says that he is a person prone to travel and that he has an intuitive facility to live with less, his main virtue being that he is not too attached to material things.
A journey full of obstacles and beautiful experiences.
On the trip he went alone, or rather, with Jimmy, a small 12-kilo cart that allowed him to carry the things he needed during the trip, including the tent, mat, sleeping bag, first aid kit, a computer, camera, phone and some clothes among other things. Of course, he didn't have a lot of resources, but he didn't need much either, he just needed his curiosity, his desire to get to know the planet and his desire to conserve the environment.
A journey of such magnitude certainly does not come without its difficulties, and after crossing four continents on foot, unassisted and uninterrupted, the anecdotes and experiences are innumerable.
One of the main mishaps he suffered during the trip was a mugging in Lima (Peru), when five men pounced on him to take his belongings and he had to flee with torn trousers.
On the other hand, in Australia he also had several nights where he had dingoes around his tent. Dingoes are wild dogs (not very friendly by the way), and surely having them howling around the tent is not the best way to spend the night.
It also experienced a tense situation in El Salvador, a country known for the maras, which are very dangerous criminal gangs.
But of course, most of the trip was a good experience. One of the ones he remembers most fondly was in the Atacama Desert in Chile, between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. Watching a starry night is one of the most beautiful experiences in this world, looking up at the sky and contemplating the breathtaking nature.
He also remembers the beautiful sunsets over the sea in Bali, or finding himself in front of a wild rhinoceros in Nepal, just 20 metres away. He also says that feeling at home in countries such as Costa Rica, Slovenia, Malaysia and Australia was one of the most rewarding experiences of the trip.
After 33,000 kilometres on foot, Nacho Dean drew this conclusion at the end of his journey, which leaves a huge door open for reflection. Most of humanity is good, our planet is not as big as it seems, which is all the more reason to conserve and care for it.
But, just when we thought that this feat was enough...
Nacho Dean does it again.
That's right, just when we thought that going around the world on foot was already unrepeatable, Nacho Dean set himself a new personal challenge to unite the five continents in an expedition he called Expedition Nemo, in 2017.
In his words, 70% of the planet is water, and although he had walked the world to document climate change, he felt he owed a debt to the oceans. With this expedition, Nacho Dean would swim across five continents to send a clear message about the importance of conserving the oceans.
Unlike the round-the-world walk, this challenge had an extra ingredient - physical preparation. Since swimming was not Dean's strong suit, and his knowledge of climbing or hiking was of no use in the water, he had to train and learn the techniques needed to swim long distances. This training lasted a year and two months.
In the words of Nacho Dean, "At the beginning I didn't have much stamina, but I focused all my efforts on improving my technique. Once I had perfected my technique, I practised in rivers, reservoirs and of course in the sea.".
This new experience allowed him to get to know the planet even better. He is currently writing a new book and making a documentary about this expedition. After the book "Free and wild", which talks about his round-the-world walk, he will record in his new publication all the experiences and anecdotes of a new feat that makes him an example of endurance, perseverance and perseverance.
Parinacota Volcano in the Andes / Photo: Nacho Dean
