Over the course of the next five years, De Bruyn Joubert is attempting to cycle coast to coast through all seven continents and 70 countries. The 29-year-old South African started last August, and he's already made it through Australia and much of Europe.
"At the beginning of 2013 I didn't have any big commitments, so it was the perfect time to pursue something that would make me happy," he told Business Insider. "I was doing some travel research and couldn't find anyone who had ever tried to cycle all seven of the continents before."
Joubert had held jobs in manufacturing and distribution before. He didn't consider himself a cycling enthusiast, but he had a simple goal for this trip: "to cycle coast to coast through all the continents."
So he sold "basically everything [he] had back home," and started planning. He budgeted for food and water, accommodations, visas, medical insurance, and set aside a small marketing budget. His budget is currently $15,000 per year, but varies from continent to continent.
So far on the journey, two things have really stood out for him: the Nullarbor Plain, a flat arid region in southern Australia, and the charming towns in the Netherlands. He says that he's most looking forward to cycling through Antarctica.
Joubert shared some photos of his journey. We've included them here, along with his original captions. To learn more about the undertaking, follow Around 7 Continents on Facebook and Twitter.
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Australia was up first. By the third day, I already needed a quick nap on the side of the road before tackling Macquarie Pass. Not exercising much before I left made it difficult for the first two months, but I got into cycling long distances very quickly. I always believed that you have to be stronger mentally than physically.
The first part of Australia from Sydney to Adelaide was beautiful and filled with rivers. The sceneries surprised me everyday.
The small village of Jugiong in Australia had a population of only 234 people. They had one coffee shop and a small grocery store where you can buy some basics.
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