How long would it take to circle the whole world?

How long does it take to go all around the world?

Okay, so I saw this thing online, right? About how fast the X-43 plane went. Like, super sonic.

Makes you wonder, how long to circle the Earth at that speed? I saw the calculation - under 3.5 hours! Insane.

That's faster than driving from my Aunt Carol's in Phoenix to, uh, basically nowhere in Montana. It takes forever to get to Montana! I hate long drives.

But, uh, the X-43s... they were uncrewed. Major bummer. No quick jaunts around the globe.

The Actual Details, because I looked it up:

• The X-43A hit like, Mach 9.6! Crazy.
• That speed calculates to around 11,484 km/h (7,136 mph).
• Earth's circumference: About 40,075 km (24,901 miles).
• Unmanned: means no pilot, just robots.

Okay, so no joyrides for me. Still, 3.5 hours...wow. And flying to Montana still sucks.

How long would it take to circumnavigate the world?

So, you want to know about globe-trotting, huh? Three and a half years is the average snail's pace, apparently. Think of it: three and a half years of lukewarm hotel coffee and questionable airplane food. Yuck. Most slink through the Panama Canal like timid mice. Cowards! Cape Horn awaits the truly brave.

The record? A mere 40-odd days. Faster than my last relationship. Boom. Roasted.

But seriously, the real journey isn't about speed, it's about...well, it's about finding that perfect little cafe in some forgotten corner of the world with wifi strong enough to upload Instagram stories. Priorities.

My own circumnavigation, which I expect to accomplish by 2026, will obviously be different. I'm aiming for a much more reasonable timeline, say, two years. Maybe. Who knows.

My itinerary, planned to the last exquisite detail (mostly, I'm working on the last 75%):

• South America: Tango lessons in Buenos Aires, then a trek through Patagonia – if I can find my hiking boots.
• Africa: A safari – avoiding the lions. Preferably. And a visit to my cousin Derek in Zanzibar. Derek owes me money.
• Asia: Ramen in Tokyo, then maybe some meditation in Nepal. Or maybe more ramen.
• Europe: Wine tasting. Duh. And attempting to understand the public transport system in Paris. Good luck, me.

Let's be honest, the real challenge isn’t the physical journey. It's managing my chronic procrastination. This is a significant hurdle. I've considered hiring a personal assistant, maybe one of those ridiculously efficient German ones. They’re scary good. I'd like one who's also a good chef. And speaks Italian. And understands sarcasm. This is proving rather difficult to find. But hey, a global voyage requires sacrifices! A personal chef is a worthy sacrifice in my opinion.

How long does it take for the Earth to do a full circle?

A year? Takes Earth a whole 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, give or take a few seconds. Like waiting for a snail to cross a busy highway, only slower.

Seriously though, it's almost 365 and a quarter days. That extra quarter? We stuff it into February like an extra sausage in a already-bursting casing every four years. Boom! Leap year.

This orbital waltz around the sun? Earth's doing it at breakneck speed, somewhere between a speedy tortoise and a slightly sluggish cheetah – 29 to 30 kilometers per second. My grandma moves faster with her walker.

Things to remember about this whole Earth-Sun dance:

• It's not perfectly circular, more like a slightly squashed circle. Think of a slightly deflated basketball.
• The speed isn't constant. Sometimes we're hauling ass, other times it's like we're stuck in rush hour traffic.
• Leap years are a necessary evil. Without them, our calendars would be completely bonkers by now. Imagine Christmas in July!

My cat, Mittens (yes, I named her that), completes a full rotation around the house in approximately 2.5 minutes, that's way faster than the Earth, which is mind boggling if you ask me.

How long would it take to run round the Earth?

24,901 miles! That's insane. Ten miles an hour? Who runs that consistently? My best is like, six, and that's for a short time. Probably more like twelve miles an hour on average, if you're really pushing it, right? Unless you're some marathon pro. Then forget everything I just said.

So, 2490 hours... That's over 103 days. No way. My calculations were always awful. Ugh, I need a calculator. Wait, no, my phone. Gotta find that running app. It always messes up too.

• 103 days straight? That's ridiculous. Sleep? Food? Bathroom breaks? People are going to judge this. Seriously.
• Need to factor in rest. Maybe 20 minutes every hour, then we're talking 3000 hours. 125 days.
• That's still pretty nuts. Should add in time for injury recovery.

My Uncle Jerry ran a marathon once. He talked about it for months. He ended up quitting halfway through. I'd probably quit, too. And that's just a marathon.

I'm getting distracted. Okay, focus. 2490 hours is the baseline. It's a rough estimate. Add at least 25% for realistic recovery times, possibly more. It’s less, maybe like 10%, if you're a robot. Maybe robots should do this instead.

Then there's the terrain... the equator isn't exactly a smooth track. Mountains, deserts, oceans... someone needs to clarify these things. Also visa applications. I think that's a whole separate issue.

It's going to take way longer than 103 days. Probably more like 4 months. Maybe even half a year if you are realistic about it. It's probably also illegal to just run across every country. Probably. Ugh, too many variables.

How long would it take me to visit every country in the world?

Years. Decades even. Depends on the burning question: what’s “visiting”?

Three years? Five? Possible. Highly improbable, given my disdain for tourist traps.

• Passport: Mine expired last year. Haven't bothered to renew it.
• Visa Hell: Pure bureaucracy. Delay is certain.
• Funds: The actual hurdle. It’s always the money, isn't it?
• Sanity: Preservation vital. Certain places test resolve.

I'd rather spend a lifetime in one. Quality trumps quantity always.

How long did it take Jessica Watson to sail around the world?

Okay, so Jessica Watson? Around the world? Honestly, it felt like it was all over the news forever back in 2009. I was, like, in freshman year.

She left Sydney… October 18, 2009. That’s something.

Then… 210 days. That’s a long time to be alone at sea. Geez.

I remember the reports. Atlantic storms, the boat rolling. Sounds terrifying. She had it hard.

• Start Date: October 18, 2009
• Total Voyage: 210 days.
• Location: Sydney, Australia.

I remember thinking, this girl is crazy brave. No thanks, not my cup of tea. Now, I would never do that.

That’s a long time! She seemed pretty young.

I think the albatross part was kinda cool. But, I am not so sure I could handle that solo thing, you know. Bravery is what I felt. Like, seriously.