Circumnavigators: How do you join the round-the-world club?

What inspires a 70-year-old woman to embark on a solo sailing adventure around the globe? Or a man to spend more than five years of his life kayaking, hiking and cycling his way around the earth’s circumference?

These are just two examples of an elite group of travelers known as “circumnavigators” – adventurers who have traveled around the world, literally.

This week CNN’s Richard Quest hopes to join the club. He set out from London on March 12 on an eight-day round-the-world journey, taking in nine countries – using only budget airlines.

He arrives back in London on March 20. You can follow his journey on our interactive map.

First solo circumnavigation by aircraft without refuelling —

Among American Steve Fossett's multiple world records are five nonstop circumnavigations of Earth -- as a balloonist, sailor and pilot. In 2005, it took him just 67 hours and one minute to fly around the globe nonstop in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer aircraft, starting and finishing at Salina, Kansas.

First and fastest circumnavigation by car —

In 1989, husband and wife Saloo and Neena Choudhury traveled over six continents by car in 69 days, 19 hours and 15 minutes. The couple drove a 1989 Hindustan "Contessa Classic," starting and finishing in Delhi, India.

First person to sail around the world (solo and nonstop) —

Robin Knox-Johnston was the first person to sail around the world solo and without stopping. He departed from Falmouth, England, in June 1968 as a participant in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. By the time he returned to Falmouth in April 1969, he was the only remaining competitor.

Fastest circumnavigation sailing monohull solo (40-foot class) —

China's Guo Chuan looked up to Knox-Johnston (also pictured) as his mentor. In 2013 Chuan sailed single-handedly around the world in a 40-foot-long monohull in 137 days, 20 hours and just under 2 minutes.

Fastest circumnavigation via both poles by helicopter —

Jennifer Murray and Colin Bodill circumnavigated the world via the North and South Poles in 170 days, 22 hours and 47 minutes by helicopter. The journey started and finished in Fort Worth, Texas, and was completed in May 2007.

Fastest circumnavigation by bicycle (male) —

In 2010, Alan Bate cycled 29,467.91 kilometers (18,310 miles) in 125 days, 21 hours and 45 minutes. The journey started and finished at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

Oldest female to sail single-handedly around the world —

Jeanne Socrates was 70 years and 325 days old when in 2013 she completed a solo, unassisted and nonstop circumnavigation of the world in her 38-foot monohull "Nereida."

First inland circumnavigation of the Greenland ice cap —

Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry accomplished this feat in 2014. Their 4,045-kilometer trip was kite-supported, and passed both the world's largest island and second largest ice body.

First circumnavigation via poles, surface —

Sir Ranulph Fiennes (right, with Guinness World Records' Craig Glenday) and Charles Burton completed the first surface navigation via both geographical poles. They completed their trip in August 1982.

First individual circumnavigation of the globe using human power —

In 2007, Jason Lewis completed the first ever circumnavigation of the Earth without wind or motor assistance. Lewis' 13-year journey -- Expedition 360 -- saw him walking, cycling and inline skating across five continents, and kayaking, swimming, rowing and pedaling a boat across the rivers, seas, and oceans. He covered a total of 74,843 kilometers (46,505 miles).

First solo circumnavigation of the globe using human power —

Erden Eruc also circumvented the world using only human power, though he completed the trip solo, without any assistance. He rowed, kayaked, hiked and cycled his way around the world. The journey lasted five years, 11 days, 12 hours and 22 minutes and was completed in 2012.

Youngest person to fly solo around the world —

Matthew Guthmiller was 19 when, in 1994, he flew around the Earth's circumference. The journey took him seven months and 15 days.

First circumnavigation by solar-powered boat —

The MS Turanor PlanetSolar circumnavigated the world in a westward direction from Monaco in one year, seven months and seven days, operating on solar power only. The trip was completed in 2012.

First circumnavigation by walking —

The first person reputed to have walked round the world is George Matthew Schilling, from 1897 to 1904. The first verified achievement was by David Kunst, from June 1970 to October 1974. Dunst (right, with his brother Peter) walked 23,255 kilometers (14,450 miles) through four continents.

First circumnavigation by aircraft —

The earliest flight around the world was by two U.S. Army Douglas DWC seaplanes in 1924. The "Chicago" was piloted by Lieutenant Lowell H. Smith (left) and Lieutenant Leslie P. Arnold (second from left), and the "New Orleans" by Lieutenant Erik H. Nelson and Lieutenant John Harding. Their flying time for the 42,398-kilometer trip was 371 hours and 11 minutes.

Fastest circumnavigation by passenger aircraft —

The fastest circumnavigation by passenger aircraft was undertaken by an Air France Concorde, and took 31 hours and 27 minutes. The aircraft was flown by Captains Michel Dupont and Claude Hetru in 1995. There were 80 passengers and 18 crew on board.

Fastest times around the world

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The rules

Guinness World Records has established the rules of a successful circumnavigation:

– The trip starts and finishes in the same spot.

– It must hit two antipodean points, meaning two spots on opposite sides of the Earth.

– You should travel in the same direction, preferably continuously.

– The distance traveled must exceed the equator’s length (40,075 kilometers or 24,900 miles).

Carim Valerio, an information and research manager at Guinness World Records, notes that of the thousands of claims the company receives annually, only a handful are for circumnavigation.

However, the number is on the rise.

“It is increasing, and people are interested in doing round-the-world trips in all sorts of ways,” says Valerio.

“You’ll find circumnavigators by car, bicycle, motorbike and other means of power. “As traveling becomes more acceptable, so does the ambition to claim a record,” she adds.

International adventure club

While only a handful of circumnavigators have earned a Guinness record, hundreds more complete a round-the-world trip simply for the enjoyment of it.

The Circumnavigators Club, an international adventure group for round-the-world travelers, estimates it has 900 members at any given time.

Previous members include astronauts Scott Kelly and Neil Armstrong, magician Harry Houdini and former U.S. president Herbert Hoover.

The club was founded in 1902 – an era that preceded the invention of the airplane and when the pursuit was particularly rare. “In those days, it could only be done by a combination of sea and land – you couldn’t fly, obviously.

“Those trips were long and arduous and could take from six months to a year to travel, minimum,” says David Mink, chair of the club’s communications committee.

Today, the trip can be undertaken in a matter of days – eight, in Richard Quest’s case. Last summer, Mink initiated his 18-year-old granddaughter into the club, taking her on a 14-day round-the-world trip.

Modern-day Magellans

The 1902 founders of the Circumnavigators Club.

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan led the first round-the-world expedition, which set out from Seville, Spain, in 1519.

The Armada de Molucca was made up of five ships and 270 men – but only 18 men and one vessel, the Vittoria, made it back to Spain three years later.

Magellan himself died on the Philippine island of Mactan in 1521. Today, circumnavigation is a much safer enterprise, but its practitioners remain adventurous.

“They’re a dogged and determined bunch,” notes Craig Glenday, editor in chief of Guinness World Records.

“When they file their application, you can see how dogged and determined they are; we see that a lot with this category where people will not give up,” he says.

He’s also noticed that the urge to travel the Earth’s circumference can be addictive.

“It’s like tattoos,” he says. “Once you get one tattoo, you want another one. Once you have the bug, it’s hard to come back to a normal life.”

Predictably, social media has played a role in promoting circumnavigation. “The world is getting smaller, as it were, through social media and the Internet.

“You can quickly see and follow people that do these things, and I suppose once you see it’s possible, you start thinking you can do it too,” says Glenday.

Danger zones

Circumnavigation isn’t without its pitfalls.

There are times that even the most meticulously planned journeys are interrupted due to political upheaval or other unexpected circumstances.

British explorer Levison Wood, for instance, would have likely achieved a Guinness World Record for walking the length of the Nile River, were he not forced by the Civil War in Sudan to abandon a 400-mile stretch.

Mink confirms that many countries that had been traditional stops on any round-the-world itinerary have become danger zones in recent years.

“People aren’t going to Cairo to see the pyramids, which used to be on everyone’s bucket list, and you certainly don’t want to go to Iran or Pakistan; Syria is in ruins.

“There are a lot of places that are off the track because of the political climate,” he says, though he adds it hasn’t deterred his club’s members.

“Our folks, they’re not stopping. They just pick and choose their trips differently,” he says.

You can follow Richard Quest’s round-the-world journey on CNN Travel and on Twitter and Instagram.

His budget adventure will be showcased in a special edition of CNN Business Traveller, first airing on CNN International on April 14 at 0930 BST/1030 CET.