When Mario Rigby decided to walk from Cape Town, South Africa, to Cairo, Egypt, the first person he told was his mother — and she supported his journey 100 percent.
"She even went as far as saying that if I broke my leg, I should become the first person to cross Africa by wheelchair," Rigby said.
Thank goodness he didn't break his leg.
Last month the Canadian completed a feat that few people have ever attempted — he trekked the continent from tail to tip. This journey, which he appropriately called , took him two years to complete.
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Let's put that in perspective.
Rigby walked roughly 7,456 miles, the equivalent of about 131,225 American football fields. He trekked through eight countries — South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. He even forged a few rivers and lakes (by kayak).
The fitness instructor survived the journey physically intact, but more importantly, with eyes wide open. Rigby, always the adventurer, said he was inspired to walk across Africa because he wanted to show people a more positive side of the continent — not the suffering and poverty that typically dominates the news.
"We only get the extremes when it comes to Africa," said Rigby, who is originally from Turks and Caicos. "We never hear about the everyday life."
