Octogenarian Sets World Record

When I was in elementary school, the most popular book in the classroom was the Guinness Book of World Records. My classmates and I spent hours searching through the book for the largest, longest, widest and oldest of anything and everything.

To this day, I enjoy discovering new world records. It’s amazing to see how far someone can jump on a pogo stick (23.22 mi / 37.37 km), what is the lowest temperature recorded on earth (-89.2°C / -128.6°F in Antarctica), and the size of the world’s longest suspension bridge (1.24 mi / 1.99 km, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Japan). That’s why I’ve been fascinated by the trek of 80-year-old Yuichiro Miura, who became the oldest person to reach the summit of Mount Everest last week on May 23.

In a bit of world record drama, Miura’s record is expected to be short-lived. The previous record holder, Nepal’s Min Bahadur Sherchan is anticipated to break Miura’s new record when he reaches the summit sometime this week. Sherchan was 76 when he last climbed the mountain and at 81 plans to scale the mountain again.

This event inspired me to look up additional travel-related world records. From the Guinness Book of World Records, here are a few of my favorites:

• Longest backwards motorcycle ride = 150 km (93.21 miles)
• Longest road trip in one car = 398,369 miles, crossing 162 countries and territories
• Longest journey windsurfing = 8,120 km (5,045 miles)
• Fastest speed clocked by a motorized piece of furniture = a sofa, 148 km/h (92 mph)
• Youngest person to ski on all seven continents = 10 years old

Have you ever attempted a world record? Have you climbed Mount Everest? Tell us in the comments below.

Note: Before you try to break any new world records, we recommend talking to a RoamRight customer service representative to check whether or not your activity will be covered by travel insurance. Call us directly at 800-699-3845.

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.