BACKPACKING CAT GOES GLOBAL

TURN OF THE WORLD

William, Laetitia & "Kitty"
9,000 Miles on Foot

From Miami to Ushuaia

In 2008, William and Laetitia, a couple from France embarked on a long and difficult journey — to travel 9,000 miles by foot from Miami, Florida in North America, through Central and South Americas, to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego in Argentina with only 1 euro each per day.

One month into their trip, the couple was joined by a sweet
little kitten in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The baby cat was abandoned near a road with heavy traffic. Their first instinct was to protect it and give it to a family, but in less than 24 hours they fell in love with Kitty who was then officially part of TurnOfTheWorld.




Now the beloved companion of Guillaume and Laetitia, "Kitty" is perhaps the most adventurous cat in the world.

This lucky cat is often seen resting in Guillaume's backpack while they are hiking down the road. They even set up a little umbrella on the backpack to give her some shade from the sun.

Kitty enjoys the trip as much as the couple. She often climbs on Guillaume's shoulder to get a good look at a new bit of scenery.

 

She does not seem to be at all shy or bashful about meeting unknown people and visiting strange places. Passerbys are amazed, since a globe-trotting cat isn't found on every street corner. Kitty has never been restrained and is free to leave, but she grew up on the backpack and is happy. She has also become a valuable aid in encouraging people to welcome the travelers.  Read this interview using Google Translate: http://wamiz.com/chats/actu/guillaume-et-kitty-le-globe-trotter-nous-dit-tout-0288.html

You can follow the progress of their journey and see more photos at their website. They have reported on their travels online via the following:

Their website: http://enfanceart.free.fr/miami_ushuaia/news.htm

and podcast: http://enfanceart.free.fr/miami_ushuaia/podcast  

and on their blog: http://enfanceart.free.fr/miami_ushuaia 

(Tip: To read about their adventures in English, Google Translate is available.)

In the update September 1, 2009, we learned that Laetitia has returned to France, leaving William and his faithful feline companion, Kitty, to finish the trek on their own.  More news on Facebook: www.facebook.com/turnoftheworld

"Turn of the World"

www.TurnOfTheWorld.com

 

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(Contributed by Gabrielle who lives in Santa Fe, NM)

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
http://enfanceart.free.fr/miami_ushuaia/portfolio/  

NEWS STORIES:
http://enfanceart.free.fr/miami_ushuaia/presse.htm

VIDEO:
http://lovemeow.com/2009/09/backpacker-cat-touring-the-world-with-french-couple

MORE VIDEOS:
http://enfanceart.free.fr/miami_ushuaia/videocast/