IT turns out that Benjamin Safari is okay after all!
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The intrepid walker and explorer faked his own disappearance earlier this week after finished his latest walk from Esperance to Eucla on the Great Australian Bight.
Benjamin Safari, whose real name is David Ingram, says he is now done walking solo around Australia but his new alter-ego Ben Blackert is keen to continue exploring the world.
Here is his explanation:
“I though most people who knew me understood that Benjamin Safari is a fictional character separate from David Ingram the person, somewhat like Borat is to Sacha Baron Cohen,” Ben wrote to the Narooma News from WA.
“I would like to apologize to anyone who was upset by my antics, I understand I upset some of my very best friends and I am truly sorry I will never do that again.
“So after five years of walking, I reached the border on September 19 about lunch time there was no one there just me the flies and some dust.
“What most people don't realize is that I was 20 days late, which is probably a good thing as I'm sure they would have sent the cavalry out to look for me.
“Standing there I realized it didn't feel that great, the greatness was all the little accomplishments were behind me, that hard sand hill that seemed to go on forever, the sand that was so soft I could only walk three footsteps at a time and the river that had so many terror shadows my heart was racing, the voices in the night, the snakes, the rain, the wind and the distance itself.
“So now it’s just another year or so to edit the film.
“And yes there will be more films in the future, I already have a new character Ben Blackert and he will travel the world. But he won't do much walking...and he won't do it alone.”