Although it took 9 years (not 80 days) for Paweł Strzelecki to travel around the world, he could definitely serve as a blueprint for Julius Verne’s fearless protagonists.He was born on July 20, 1797.During his trip through various continents he examined the lands never before touched by a European foot.Wherever he arrived, he described those lands, discovered deposits of coal, oil, and gold.It wasn’t the adventurer’s drive for personal gain that motivated him, it was a truly scientific vocation and an endless curiosity of the world around him.He ventured through both Americas, Africa, and Polynesia, but the discoveries he made in Australia were the ones that made him immortally famous.Although he felt good anywhere, he never forgot about his homeland.The memories of his native landscapes made him name the highest summit of Australia Mount Kosciuszko.

The journey of his life, that he dreamt of ever since he was a child, earned him international recognition and nobility from the hands of the Queen of England.In the history of world’s science, he will be remembered as the author of the first scientific study about the geography of Australia.

Strzelecki’s travels excited the imagination of his contemporaries and built interest in journeys through the world.We hope they will also serve as an inspiration to the participants of our competition for the best reportage about migration.