Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days" itinerary really exists: here are the stages visited by the adventurers Fogg and Passepartout in the most incredible journey ever.
Have you ever dreamed of wearing Phileas Fogg's shoes and embarking on the most spectacular tour around the world? Jules Verne, in his famous novel "Around the World in Eighty Days", leaves us with one of the most romanticized itineraries ever: fromLondon to Toast, passing through Calcutta, Yokohama andNew York, to then return to the English city…. only using railways, elephants, steamers and sledges! But are we sure it's just a novel?
AROUND THE WORLD: THE VERNE ITINERARY
As stated in the Insider, the “Around the world in 80 days” itinerary really exists… even if it can be reduced to just 31 days. Since 1873, in fact, decades have passed and technology has come to meet travelers and adventurers in a surprising way.
Without prejudice to the starting point of the journey, the beautiful and eclectic London, the sea routes can easily be replaced by air ones as well as railway ones.
Obviously, everything is at the discretion of the traveler who can choose to circumnavigate the globe looking at it from a porthole or remain faithful to Phileas Fogg and embark on an adventure that truly has no equal.
AROUND THE WORLD: THE STAGES
Writer Jules Verne's original itinerary begins in London, UK. It is right there, in fact, thatPhileas Foggand his French valetPassepartoutthey begin their journey.
SUEZ
The first stop on Verne's World Tour is Suez. To arrive in the city of Egypt, the two protagonists use a train that passes byParis and Turinand then, once you get toToast, a steamer that plows through the Mediterranean Sea and lands in Egypt.
BOMBAY
From Suez to Bombay, inIndia, the journey is simple. The only means used by Fogg and his companion is in fact the steamer… which today could easily be replaced with the plane.
CALCUTTA
The capital of the federal state of West Bengal, on the bank of the Hoohgly River, is the third stop on Verne's World Tour. To reach one of the oldest ports in India, the two adventurers rely on elephants and their feet. The crossing from the then British colony toKolkatain fact, it takes place overland and has intermediate stagesAllahbad and Benares.
VICTORIA CITY
Fogg's World Tour follows an itinerary that also passes throughHong Kong. To reach Victoria City, the two protagonists cross the South China Sea on a steamer (also in this case the route could be replaced with an air flight).
YOKOHAMA
Located on the largest island ofJapan, Yokohama was the last Asian stop on the Round the World itinerary. In the 1800s, the only ways to reach the Japanese city from Hong Kong were by schooner and steamer across the East China Sea.Shanghaiand the Pacific Ocean.
SAN FRANCISCO
Today a flight of about 10 hours would be enough to reach San Francisco from Japan but, at the time, Fogg and his traveling companion took days and days of navigation, aboard a steamer.
NEW YORK
Whatever itinerary around the world it is, stage aNew Yorkhowever, it is essential. The American Big Apple was the penultimate stop for the protagonists before returning to London. The spectacular crossing of America, from San Francisco to New York City, is told by Verne with particular enthusiasm. Rail and sled alternate on this journey that passes byKearney, Omaha and Chicago.
LONDON
Final stage of the Verne World Tour itinerary,Londonwelcomes Fogg and Passepartout after exactly eighty days of travel, making them win the bet from which it all originated. A merchant ship plying the Atlantic Ocean and stopping atDublin and Liverpoolit is the means that the writer chooses to move his travellers... even if today an intercontinental flight of not too many hours would be enough.
CONCLUSIONS
The itinerary ofWorld TourVerne's story can be followed without too much difficulty if one chooses to replace all steamers and ships with faster aircraft, as well as all intermediate passages such as elephants, feet and sledges, with automobiles. And yet I wonder: would adrenaline and emotions be the same? As I always love to repeat: it is never the destination, but the journey…
In collaboration with BetWay
