It’s apparent that Markus Pukonen, the Founding Director and Lead Explorer of Routes of Change, loves movement, primarily through his own muscle power and in nature. He loves it so much that he went around the entire world over the last eight years without the use of motorized vehicles.
And now that he’s completed his travels and returned to Canada, we caught him for a short conversation, in which he tells us about:
🚴♂️what motivated him to travel eight years ago
🏄♂️the charitable causes he supported along the way
⛵️a windless (and then stormy) passage across the Indian Ocean
🎿and much more!
Organizations, places, and content mentioned in this episode include:
-Markus’ nonprofit organization Routes of Change: https://routesofchange.org/
-a video of his arrival back in Toronto: https://www.instagram.com/p/CunFyVmAdOV/
-surfing in Tofino, British Columbia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2M84IJ71Ko&ab_channel=HighOnLife
-OAR Northwest’s rowing expedition around Vancouver Island : https://oarnorthwest.com/expeditions/salish-expedition-2012/
-toronto.com’s account of Markus and his friends rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in 2013: https://www.toronto.com/news/markus-pukonen-recounts-crossing-the-atlantic-ocean/article_72c8458e-b4fa-5210-82e6-5df1980adb2a.html?
-Markus’ YouTube channel with episodes documenting his journey: https://www.youtube.com/@Routesofchange
-Tim Harvey and Colin Angus, who circumnavigated the planet through human power: https://thetyee.ca/Books/2007/04/02/ColinAngus/
-Adam Kreek, Estonian-Canadian rower, business coach, and a friend of Markus: https://www.valuesdrivenachievement.com/
-Markus’ circumnavigation route map between 2015 and 2023: https://findpenguins.com/routesofchange
-a comparison of trimarans vs catamarans: https://www.windward-islands.net/blog/trimaran-vs-catamaran-what-are-the-differences/
-the first part of Markus’ trip down the Mekong River: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9LgVai4FIQ&ab_channel=RoutesofChange
-Prevent Cancer Now, one of the charities that Markus has supported: https://preventcancernow.ca/
-support Markus’ film and book projects and sign up to his updates through these links: https://routesofchange.org/give-change
https://routesofchange.org/signup
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