February 8, 2017

"A Canadian man who has been missing for five years has been found more than 6,500 miles away in the Amazon jungle."

"Anton Pilipa trekked across two continents, walking mostly barefoot with just the clothes on his back, after he disappeared from his Vancouver home in 2012."
Anton... traveled through at least ten countries from Canada, including the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil - all without a passport and with little more than the clothes in his back.

His brother said he had one bizarre mission; to get to the National Library of Buenos Aires in Argentina.  Tragically, when he finally made it to the library, after walking thousands of miles, he was turned away because he didn't have any identification. So he turned around and began his trek into Brazil where he would eventually be found....

[W]hile he met some 'bad people' on his incredible 10,000 mile journey, he said he had 'received more generosity, especially in recent times. I've never felt alone,' he said. 'It's been a lot of thinking for years, sleeping in the open. It's very simple to live, we do not need many things.'

35 comments:

Goldenpause said...

This guy needs to see a mental health professional -- and an agent who can sell the rights to his story.

Etienne said...

He's an illegal alien, and he will deported. Brazil will ask for compensation for the deportation costs.

The US should fine him for travel without a passport, or health records.

He should be put in a state prison for all the people who are dead now, due to his contact with them, and not having any immunizations.

American soldiers can't *even* go to war without proper immunizations.

He's a terrorist.

M Jordan said...

its easier to sneak into a country than to borrow a book. Sad.

Apply to voting. Sadder.

Rob said...

Without ID, he couldn't get into the National Library of Buenos Aires, but he was able to vote in seven precincts in California.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Mental illness is tough for everyone involved.

Drago said...

This is a much better outcome than the man who was missing for 6,500 years and found 5 miles away.

gspencer said...

". . . and with little more than the clothes in his back," and with NO common sense, or NO concern for others who might be concerned for him.

Probably a Democrat (if he even bothered to register).

Sprezzatura said...

"he met some 'bad people' on his incredible 10,000 mile journey"

Dummy.

As if crossing paths w/ em' in these threads isn't good enough.


Carry on, bad people.

Drago said...

LyinPB: "As if crossing paths w/ em' in these threads isn't good enough.
Carry on, bad people."

Things are difficult enough without you attacking Terrie and the rest of the lefty posters here.

Dr Weevil said...

Why Buenos Aires? I'm going to guess he's a Borges fan and wanted to see where the great man worked and read for much of his life.

Anonymous said...

An entirely different sort of person, but this story reminded me of the Winter Pilgirm, a Catholic woman who, after retirement from her professional career, has walked the pilgrim roads of the planet in their thousands of miles, both the traditional ones, and some pretty much blazed by the wanderer herself. Her archives are fascinating. (E.g., a pilgrimage from Santiago de Compostela to Jerusalem across North Africa, during the "Arab Spring"). Useful advice on hiking boots, at any rate.

Anonymous said...

Pilgrim. Not pilgirm.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Or that Italian woman who walked East... Oh wait, she got raped and murdered in Turkey. This is my shocked face.

bagoh20 said...

"It's very simple to live, we do not need many things."

He's right. I sure don't need to see that museum, and I sure don't need to walk 6500 miles if I did. I do need a drink though, and his trek reminded me of that. Thanks walking man.

MacMacConnell said...

Now they just have to de-worm him. Who in their right mind walks barefoot through Central and South america?

mandrewa said...

Yes, it's crazy. But still an amazing, remarkable journey, and even achievement.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

His brother said he had one bizarre mission; to get to the National Library of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Tragically, when he finally made it to the library, after walking thousands of miles, he was turned away because he didn't have any identification.

Racist.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

One of the best How Did This Get Made episodes, on Winter's Tale (originally here but behind the Earwolf paywall now) features Jason Mantzoukas in utter disbelief reacting to the revelation that a character in the movie had been alive for over 100 years as an amnesiac in NYC without ID and only ran into a problem when he went to a library archive. Very, very funny.

madAsHell said...

Life is like a box of chocolates.

madAsHell said...

I have been assured that the 49th parallel is closely watched with high technology video, infra-red and audio sensors.

Years ago, I worked in a government classified environment. The room was electro-magnetically shielded. No signals in. No signals out. The walls were covered with grounded sheet metal. You were required to check your cell phone, or pager with the guard at the door.

Everyone bought into the story until the overlooked pager started buzzing within the shielded room.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Angel-Dyne said...
An entirely different sort of person, but this story reminded me of the Winter Pilgirm


Interesting blog. I wanted to visit Tunisia with my son at much the same time she was there but I chickened out. The sensational news reports are never a very reliable guide to what is actually happening in a country.

Josephbleau said...

Obviously the National Library of Buenos Aires in Argentina has built a wall to keep unauthorized immigrant/visitors out, which must benefit said library greatly. Are others allowed to make such walls?

Mark O said...

In my youth, I slept out, under the stars, every summer. There is nothing better. And, to see the Southern Cross? Wow.

Quaestor said...

It's been a lot of thinking for years, sleeping in the open. It's very simple to live, we do not need many things.

Says the man living on charity.

Idiot.

Everybody wants to save the planet, but nobody wants to wash the dishes.

Anonymous said...

ARM: Interesting blog. I wanted to visit Tunisia with my son at much the same time she was there but I chickened out. The sensational news reports are never a very reliable guide to what is actually happening in a country.

She struck me as experienced, prudent, and "street smart", somebody who knows when to back out and find another way (iirc, she did just that, and sailed, rather than hiked, part of the way). Sensationalism or not, it probably would not have been a good idea for a less experienced person to attempt that trip.

Floris said...

Paul Theroux wrote a terrific book, The Old Patagonia Express, about taking a train trip from Chicago (I think) to the tip of South America. As I recall, it is impossible to travel from Panama to Columbia over land, because much of the isthmus is near sea level and is swampy, so it makes me think the "on foot" part was a bit hyperbolic.

Wince said...

Obviously, he watched too many episodes of "Kung Fu."

Jules: Well, that's what I've been sitting here contemplating. First, I'm going to deliver this case to Marsellus, then, basically, I'm just going to walk the Earth.

Vincent: What'cha mean, "walk the Earth"?

Jules: You know, like Caine in Kung Fu: walk from place to place, meet people, get into adventures.

Vincent: And how long do you intend to walk the Earth?

Jules: Until God puts me where he wants me to be.

Vincent: And what if he don't do that?

Jules: If it takes forever, then I'll walk forever.

Vincent: So you decided to be a bum?...

Jules: Look, my friend, this is just where you and I differ.

William said...

A concave Borges story. The pilgrim pursues a library but ends up wandering in a rain forest. Very weird.

MaxedOutMama said...

Wow. Schizophrenia can be hell, and it is not that rare to end up on the streets, but this guy's story just seems ... extreme and extremely odd.

Good luck to him. At least he is back on the schizophrenia meds.

Anonymous said...

When you clean him up, the guy looks like Brad Pitt. Schizophrenia is a such a wasteful disease.

Yancey Ward said...

You are kidding me- a library that keeps out the homeless?

exhelodrvr1 said...

What we need is a world government that would have provided housing, food, and medical care for him on his journey.

Darrell said...

I'd like to teach the world to think in perfect harmony.

Rosa Marie Yoder said...

Another story that strikes fear in the heart of families who have a member that has schizophrenia. Dear God...

Fernandinande said...

Bob Matthews said...
As I recall, it is impossible to travel from Panama to Columbia over land, because much of the isthmus is near sea level and is swampy, so it makes me think the "on foot" part was a bit hyperbolic.


A friend rode a motorcycle from Denver to Tierra Del Fuego and IIRC that was one of two spots he had to take a boat.