News

11 Days Around the World

23 July 2016

By Joseph

Now for some lighter news (or rather, lighter than air news)!

A Russian hot air balloonist has recently set a new world record for the shortest time taken to fly around the world. After taking off from an airfield in Northam, Australia, Fyodor Konyukhov managed to complete the feat in 11 days and 6 hours – two days less than the previous record of 13 days set by American Steve Fossett in 2002.

The 65-year-old adventurer is taking a direct route around the Southern Hemisphere – a journey that has taken him across the Pacific Ocean, South America, the South of Africa and the Antarctic (Southern) Ocean.

The Russian – who is also an ordained priest in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – is very much a seasoned adventurer, having reached the North Pole three times, climbed Mount Everest twice, sailed around the world four times and rowed across the Atlantic Ocean in a rowing boat.

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