The man with Ipsw-itchy feet

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

A globetrotting British pensioner has achieved his lifelong ambition by travelling over 61,000 miles to visit seven places with the same name as his home town of Ipswich, Suffolk.

 

When he took early retirement from his career as a lorry driver Alex Nunn set him the challenge of visiting every Ipswich in the world. It took longer and he travelled further than he ever imagined - but the grandfather-of-four has just completed the final two locations on his list during a three month trip to Ipswich, Jamaica and Ipswich, Canada.

Keen traveller Alex, 65, revealed he feels ‘’fulfilled’’ after completing his quest and admitted he is relieved he can now go on holiday wherever he wants! He said: ‘’It did not start off as a quest but it became one. Once I had visited a couple of places called Ipswich it evolved into a challenge to visit some more.

 

‘’It has been really fun. I feel fulfilled. I think I have managed just about all the Ipswichs one can actually get to.

 

‘’The trips have been long, but the planning took the most time. I had to do a lot of research. ‘’I have always enjoyed travelling but I never had the time or money. Now I am a pensioner I can go away whenever I like.

 

‘’I have made lots of friends in Australia, America and Canada. Travelling by train is a very good way to meet people. And people love that I come from Ipswich too.’

 

Father-of-two Alex made his first trip in search of places named Ipswich in 2000 after he found Ipswich in Massachusetts, America. The retired truck driver then organised annual holidays to Ipswich in South Dakota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin and Queensland, Australia.

 

Earlier this month Alex returned from a three month trip taking in the final two Ipswichs on his wish list in the parish of St Elizabeth, Jamaica and Manitoba, Canada. To reach the seven Ipswichs, Alex travelled around 6,572 miles to Massachusetts, 8,414 to South Dakota, 6,594 to New Hampshire, 7,968 to Wisconsin and 20,386 to Australia.

In his final trip Alex travelled to Jamaica and Canada in an 11,320 mile round trip taking his total to a huge 61,254 miles. Alex added: ‘’Most of the places called Ipswich in America and the one in Australia seem to have stemmed from Ipswich in Suffolk after former residents emigrated.

 

‘’The one in Jamaica is not very developed. I passed it twice before I realised where it was!

‘’The train station still stands bearing the name Ipswich, but there are only about three or four other buildings in the vicinity. ‘’And there is nothing there to say it is Ipswich in Manitoba, Canada. But I found a picture of an old mill in a history book with the word Ipswich on it, dating back to 1970.

 

“Overall, it’s been a wonderful voyage of discovery.”