He’s got one hell of a step count.
Luke Deakin, an adventurous Brit with a backpack and a dream, is walking from his home in the United Kingdom to Southeast Asia, a journey of more than 8,000 miles — and he’s just revealed his exact route.
The globetrotting trekker has been vlogging the wild journey on Instagram and TikTok for months, walking alongside fellow Brit Sophie. The daring journey recently went viral after a clip caught fire on a popular Reddit group.
“Right now I’m walking from England to Vietnam and this is the route that I’ve taken so far and the route I’m going to take,” Deakin explained in the video, originally posted Feb. 28.
“On the 16th of September 2024 I started walking from Stratford-upon-Avon to France and then into Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. I then headed into Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria.”
At the time, Deakin was hoofing it through Greece — with Turkey on deck.
Along the way, he’s been filming everything: chats with locals, snack reviews, and run-ins with roadside cows.
“It’s going to take me about two months to cross Turkey where I’ll then head into Georgia, Azerbaijan and then take a ferry to Kazakhstan,” he said.
“This is where I’ll face logistical nightmares going hundreds of kilometers without food and water. The long stretch of Uzbekistan crossing over into Afghanistan, Pakistan and then over India.”
“Why am I doing this? To prove that normal people can do great things and to have the adventure of a lifetime. I’ll then cross into Bangladesh, Myanmar and down through Thailand. Navigating 40 degree heat and rainy season I’ll then cross into Cambodia, then Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi where I’ll finish my journey.”
On June 3, Deakin posted an updated video about how he stays online during the trip. “How I stay connected while walking from the UK to Vietnam! No SIM card hunting, no overpriced plans, just instant data anywhere in the world,” he wrote, plugging the app Saily. “It’s something I use every day on my trip!”
He doubled down in the clip: “Staying connected on my phone is important… imagine how difficult this journey would be without the internet.”
His route? “UK, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam.”
He’s already racked up 570K followers on Instagram and 236.4K on TikTok — but not everyone’s a fan. On Reddit, skeptics questioned his odds.
“People spend 5-7 months walking the Appalachian Trail… this guy stands no chance,” one hater griped.
Another shot back: “He’s already walked UK to Eastern Turkey… much further than the Appalachian Trail.”
Some argued the real challenge wasn’t the mileage — but the map. “More politically challenging than physical,” one wrote. “Walking through like 2 or 3 countries dealing with civil war or straight up war lol.”
Others on Instagram cheered him on: “Love following your journey. So f–king cool,” one fan wrote.
In his June 1 YouTube update, Deakin revealed a visa dilemma: he had six days left in Turkey with 750 kilometers still to go. “I want to overstay the visa for about two to three weeks and pay the fine,” he said.
“We’re in Turkey. We’ve walked through 11 countries.” And they’re “in for another year on this trip.”
From Stratford-upon-Avon to Southeast Asia? He’s not just walking the walk — he’s living the long-haul dream.
Read the full article here