An adventurer and his loyal furry companion has finally returned home after a seven year tour around the globe.
It was probably the homecoming event of the year. After a long seven years away from home, covering more than 46,000 kilometres across 38 countries, Tom Turcich has finally returned home with his faithful Australian Shepherd named Savannah by his side.
Turcich and Savannah left his home in Haddon Township, New Jersey, in April 2015 and haven’t stopped travelling since. They managed to walk across every continent except Australia, before finally returning to his starting point on May 21st 2022.
By doing so, Savannah officially became the first dog to ever circumnavigate the world on foot. Similarly, Turcich became the 10th man to accomplish the same feat.
Turcich and his dog Savannah circumnavigated the world on foot. Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald.
They crossed the Benjamin Franklin Bridge from Philadelphia to New Jersey, marking the end of their incredible journey. The 46,000 kilometre journey has taken them across the rugged mountains of the Andes in South America, the lava rock ridges of Iceland, and the vast ice plains of Antarctica.
After seven years wandering the planet, Turcich is looking forward to finally having a roof over his head and not walking for hours every day.
The Start Of An Incredible Journey
Turcich left his Haddon Township home on the eve of his 26th birthday in order to chase after a dream. Following the death of two of his childhood friends, he came to the realisation that life is short. Thus, he set out to live everyday as though it is his greatest adventure yet.
Savannah is the first dog to have circumnavigated the world on foot. Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald.
Turcich adopted Savannah in Austin, Texas, in 2015, soon after the start of his journey. The pair passed through some spectacular scenery and landscapes including the walnut forests of Kyrgyzstan and the pristine coastline of Turkey.
On their journey, the pair also experienced the kindness and support of strangers. A mosque in Uzbekistan let Turcich use their electricity to charge his items, while an Algerian family provided him a bed to rest on.
Just after 6pm, Turcich and Savannah arrived at the Taproom and Grill pub in New Jersey where their homecoming party was held. Hundreds of people gathered at the pub to welcome back their local hero, including Turcich’s family and friends, local government officials, and supporters from all over the US.
Turcich and Savannah finally back home after 7 years and more than 46,000 kms. Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald.
Turcich’s parents, Tom and Catherine, were the first people to welcome Turcich and Savannah home. Catherine admitted that it was difficult in the beginning to watch her son leave and not knowing when he was going to be back.
Back to Reality
It’s going to take time for Turcich and Savannah to adjust to a ‘normal’ life. This is especially true for Savannah, who he adopted as a rescue pup at the beginning of his journey. Thus, life on the road is the only life she knows.
Regardless of what is in store for Turcich in the future, he’s happy to return to a normal life for now. However, a book about his incredible travels is currently in the works.
Whatever happens, Turcich is definitely planning for more travels in the future, and recommends others to do the same. After all, there’s always something new to experience in this world.
Dogs just love to walk, don’t they? For Savannah (and Turcich), it was a journey around the world. But for this poor puppy, it was a journey to stay with her owner.
