Extreme travel has always been an exciting journey for brave people. As a real enthusiast, Kari-Matti Valtari has been arrested and detained in war-torn countries, but his love for the subject has led him from St. Eustatius to the Savage Islands.
Get to know Kari-Matti Valtari.
What drove Valtari? He tells the BBC, “It’s to meet people who are like me.” He is tenth on the “Most Traveled People” (MTP) winner board because his big goal is to see the whole world.
Kari-Matti Valtari: The Community of the Most Traveled People
MTP is a safe place online for extreme tourists that brings together about 30,000 fans. The founder, Charles Veley, start this group in 2005 after let down by the Guinness Book of Records. He turned down for the title of world’s most traveled person, which made him want to make a place where other people could share and compare their experiences.
A list of about 573 countries and regions was the first thing that the Expanding World of Extreme Travel MTP looked at. The list grew over the years from 100 to 1,000 and is now at an amazing 1,500 places. Now that the park has grown, even people who thought they’d seen everything have new places to discover.
Kari-Matti Valtari: The Effects of NomadMania
Another travel group, NomadMania, helped with this growth by dividing the world into 1,301 areas based on different criteria. For example, the South Pole is now its own area, making it harder for travelers to get around the whole Antarctic continent.
Concerns for the environment
Of course, extreme travel is exciting, but it’s bad for the earth. About 2.4% of the world’s CO2 emissions come from airplanes, which are a popular way for these adventurers to get around. Valtari and Veley both know about the effects and try to lower pollution by doing things like driving electric cars.
Kari-Matti Valtari: What Role Do Boats Play in Hard Travel?
Boats aren’t just a way to get around for extreme tourists; they can be lifelines. MTP says that the barrier reef in New Caledonia call the Entrecasteaux Reefs is one of the least visited places in the world. Boats necessary to get to these faraway places.
The Unknown Territory
Out of MTP’s 1,500 sites, not even the leader, Michael Runkel from Germany, has been to all of them. People in the community always excited about going to new places because they haven’t explored yet.
Carbon Footprint: A Catch-22
Many people feel the same way Valtari did when she talked about how extreme travel hurts the environment: “I do think about it, but… what can you do?” Wanting to discover and wanting to leave as little of a carbon footprint as possible can sometimes clash.
In conclusion
With more and more places to visit, extreme travel pushes explorers to their limits. The community is still very interested in exploring the world’s hidden places. Even though the effects on the environment can’t be ignored. People who willing to take risks keep the spirit of extreme travel alive. Also well in their hearts by seeking new experiences and meeting people who share their interests.
