A Race Around the World
How did she do it? She traveled mostly by train and steamship but also took rickshaw rides, horses, and donkeys – all accomplished within 72 days. Her goal? To defeat the fictional Phileas Fogg’s 80-day odyssey. Bly, a reporter for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World, managed to get it done in just 72 days, which marked a world record and even beat her own personal goal of 75 days.
Illustrative Photograph. Photo by Granger / Shutterstock
But perhaps even more surprising to Bly was the fact that she beat out her competitor – a woman she had no idea was even involved – Elizabeth Bisland of Cosmopolitan magazine. As it turns out, Bisland and Bly were in a race around the world. And Bly won.