Guinness World Records confirmed that a British man set the record for the fastest time visiting all seven Wonders of the World. According to this week’s announcement, Jamie “Adventureman” McDonald completed his trip in six days, 16 hours, and 14 minutes.
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Although he’s completed a number of adventures — such as solo running across the U.S., biking from Asia to Europe, and setting the world record for longest treadmill run — McDonald called traveling the world wonders his “most complex, complicated trip yet.”
“With travel, there are just so many variables – weather, restrictions, delays, customs, traffic, cancellations, you name it,” McDonald said. “When you’re attempting to set a world record, speed and agility are absolutely key.”
In order to qualify for the record, Guinness had a list of rules. For instance, McDonald could only use public transportation, needed to keep receipts, wear a GPS tracking device, and obtain official and photographic evidence of his travel.
By the numbers, McDonald had to take 13 flights, 16 taxis, four trains, and one toboggan to cover 22,856 miles traveling through nine countries across four continents.
The Seven Wonders of the World, or the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, are a list of notable man-made structures that have survived the test of time. They include:
- The Great Wall of China, a 5,500-mile-long wall through China
- The Taj Mahal, one of the most iconic monuments, in India
- Petra, an ancient city in Jordan carved out of a sandstone mountain
- The Colosseum, where gladiators fought in ancient Rome
- Christ the Redeemer, a huge statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro
- Machu Picchu, an Incan site high in the Andes Mountains in Peru
- And, Chichén Itzá, a Mayan city in Mexico
According to the announcement, McDonald’s Seven Wonders Challenge was sponsored by the travel agency Travelport and helped raise money for the children’s charity the Superhero Fund.
