In 1994, the then-broke 26-year-old decided to leave his job cleaning windows and set off from London with his mate to circumnavigate the globe using only their own power. Lewis estimated it would take them two or three years. Thirteen years later, after crossing North America on inline skates; spending 73 days alone at sea in a pedal-powered boat after his friend dropped out; and biking, hiking and kayaking through Asia, Lewis became the first human to circumnavigate the world under his own steam.