An eco-conscious British family travelled more than 10,000 miles over four months to attend a family wedding ceremony without flying – and now they’re going to have to make the same trip back.
Shannon Coggins, Theo Simon, and their daughter Rosa, 19, arrived in New South Wales after an epic adventure that began in August.
The family attempted a no-flight trip to do their bit to reduce emissions.
They got as far as East Timor over land and sea before a lack of boats forced them to complete the final 300 miles into Australia with a short flight.
They are also planning the same trip in reverse – to ultimately cover a distance of more than 21,000 miles.
Shannon Coggins, Theo Simon, and their daughter Rosa, 19 – pictured in Russia – arrived in New South Wales after an epic adventure that began in August
The family enjoy a scenic view in China. They got as far as East Timor over land and sea before a lack of boats forced them to complete the final 300 miles into Australia with a short flight
The 10,671 mile route the family took from the UK to Australia. They are also planning the same trip in reverse – to ultimately cover a distance of more than 20,000 miles
The eco-conscious trio left their home in south-west England on August 16 to begin the journey from Castle Cary railway station to Sydney, to make it for Shannon’s sister’s wedding on December 28.
They travelled through Europe, Kazakhstan, China, Laos, Thailand and Indonesia, and reached as far as Dili, East Timor, without flying.
They were forced to take a final 300-mile flight to complete the journey as there was no boat option connecting East Timor and the Northern Territories.
Shannon, whose sister Ellie was getting married in Sydney, said: ‘Me and Theo decided to stop flying in 2002 because of its effect on the world’s climate.
‘And then my sister moved to Australia in 2007 and she was getting married on 28th December.
‘Although we live far apart, we’re very close because our mum died when we were young, but I’ve never been to her home, or taken her son to school, or even met the man she was marrying.
Theo Simon on a train in Turkey. The family attempted to not use aircraft at all to do their bit to reduce emissions
Theo, Rosa and Shannon arrive in East Timor. The eco-conscious trio left their home in south-west England on August 16 to begin the journey from Castle Cary railway station to Sydney
Rosa, Shannon and Theo with a Komodo dragon in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia
Shannon and Rosa meet an elephant in Laos. Shannon, whose sister Ellie was getting married in Sydney, said: ‘Me and Theo decided to stop flying in 2002 because of its effect on the world’s climate’
First aid kit, laundry pouch and other essential items the family took for their four-month journey
Theo, Rosa and Shannon in Kazakhstan. The family travelled through Europe, Kazakhstan, China, Laos, Thailand and Indonesia, and reached as far as Dili, East Timor without flying
A panda bear the family saw in China. They saved up for several years to be able to fund the trip – which cost them much more than air tickets would have done
Shannon Coggins in Tbilisi, Georgia. Shannon, Theo and Rosa decided to take on the journey without flying in an attempt to limit their carbon footprint
Rosa in China. The family have kept a blog of their travels for family and friends, with occasional tips for other overland travellers
The bus that took the family into China
Theo and a Kazakh man named Abylaihkan the family befriended on a train across Kazakhastan
‘I wanted us all to be there on her wedding day, but I am also trying to do my bit to reduce my carbon footprint by trying not to fly.’
Because of Rosa’s parents’ decision in 2002, she had never flown either before the family were forced to take a short flight across the water last week.
Shannon admitted: ‘We had hoped to hitch or hire a ride to Darwin with a cargo ship or yacht, but we’d arrived just too late in the season for that.
‘So, sadly for us, we had to take a Quantas flight from Dili to Darwin instead.
‘But from there we were able to take Greyhound buses through Alice to Adelaide and Melbourne, and a relocation rental car to Sydney, NSW.
‘It’s a shame we had to fly at this point, but I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved.
‘It hasn’t been easy, and after a few months in Australia we’ll be trying the same journey in reverse back to England.
‘It’s been a fantastic journey and a really good way to experience so many diverse places and people, before I start my animation degree course in Falmouth next year.’
Flying from the UK to Australia produces roughly 3.5 tonnes of CO2 per economy passenger, meaning a return flight accounts for 60 per cent of an average Brit’s yearly carbon footprint.
To avoid already potentially catastrophic global temperature rises of 2C by 2050, that should be cut to two tonnes for everyone on Earth, by one estimate.
The family calculate that their journey has emitted 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person so far.
The trio also enjoyed a BBQ on the beach on Christmas Day, which is Theo’s birthday.
They were joined by Ellie’s husband Mike, his kids and their dogs, whom the family have never met before.
Three days after Christmas they watched the happy couple tie the knot.
The family have saved up for several years to be able to fund the trip – which has cost them much more than air tickets would have done.
In August, Shannon left her job as a school administrator and Theo finished working at a sports product factory.
Theo and Shannon with their rucksacks at the Georgian border
Rosa, Shannon and Theo with a man they met in China
Theo, Shannon and Rosa meet some elephants in Laos
The Tien-Shan Mountains as seen by the family in central Asia
The train station in Konya, Turkey. The family calculate that their journey has emitted 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person so far
Rosa, 19, in Tbilisi, Georgia, after torrential rainfall. The family said the trip has only made them more aware of the devastating effect the climate crisis has on livelihoods and nature around the world
Theo said: ‘All three of us have campaigned in different ways for action on climate change, so we decided our journey to Australia would have to be as low carbon as practical, which meant travelling by public transport rather than air travel which is obviously faster, but has five to ten times higher greenhouse-gas emissions than train, bus and ferry.
‘But we’re realistic. We know that people can’t necessarily find the time to do this, and unfortunately the world isn’t currently set up to make low-carbon travel easier than flying.
‘We’ve always accepted that we might have to fly at some point.
‘But it has been a fabulous challenge, and the short flight we’ve ended up taking has only been a tiny fraction of the carbon footprint we’d have had otherwise.’
The family said the trip has only made them more aware of the devastating effect the climate crisis has on livelihoods and nature around the world.
Shannon added: ‘The effects of climate change aren’t going away, as we’ve all been starkly reminded since our arrival here, so the demand for low-carbon travel will only increase.
‘It would be really helpful in future if some smart entrepreneur seized the opportunity to set up a regular passenger route across the Timor Sea – preferably before we make our return journey in April.’
The family have kept a blog of their travels for family and friends, with occasional tips for other overland travellers: www.buckleupdorothy.co.uk.