THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Outen, 29, from Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom, is traveling from London to London—literally, around the world. She's now on the homestretch of a four-year adventure.

"I wanted to extend that experience of the ocean and myself to a global journey," she said. "I wanted to explore, learn and share stories, especially with children. I wanted a huge adventure."

And this certain is, as she's kayaked, cycled, rowed and kayaked again east across land and oceans. She is now cycling across North America to the East Coast from where she will row home across the North Atlantic. She is aiming to reach Tower Bridge once again in the fall.

"I love adventure and exploring the world, the newness of places, the contrasts and diversity," Outen said while in New York City. "I love the challenge of planning and the physical and mental efforts required. I love the stories I find and the people I meet, the lessons and the learnings that will stay with me forever. I love feeling landscapes and seascapes and meeting wildlife. That's what I get—a whole lot of good energy, perspective, insight, satisfaction, challenge, contentment and a glow on hearing that people have been inspired.

"And a shaggy mane of messy hair."

Outen—an adventurer, speaker and author—is engaged to Lucy, a development that happened mid-Pacific over satellite phone. "I never imagined I would come home from this journey engaged. It is magic," she said.

The trip has had plenty of other magical moments since launching April 1, 2011, from London's Tower Bridge in her kayak. She then paddled to France down the River Thames and across the English Channel. Also on the trip:

—April 4, 2011: Swapped boat for bike and started cycling East through Europe and Asia to the Pacific Ocean;

—Sept.-Oct. 2011: Kayaked and cycled from Russia to Japan;

—Nov. 7, 2011: Dipped her toe in the Pacific Ocean in eastern Japan, completing the first Eurasian leg;

—May 13, 2012: Launched across the Pacific from Japan in her rowing boat, named Gulliver;

—June 14, 2012: Rescued from the Pacific Ocean after her boat was damaged by a tropical storm, losing her boat in the process;

—April 27, 2013: Launched across Pacific in new boat, Happy Socks, from same point in Japan as previous launch, having spent nine months in the United Kingdom;

—Sept. 23, 2013: Landed in Adak, Aleutian Islands, Alaska after 150 days at sea, solo aboard Happy Socks. Diverted en route from original goal of Canada as poor weather prevented progress;

—May, 2014: Started kayaking from Adak Island, Alaska, eastward up the Aleutian Island chain and Alaskan Peninsula with Justine Curgenven;

—Aug. 14, 2014: Completed kayaking leg—1,500 miles to Homer on the Kenai Peninsula, for the start of the road for her bike journey;

—Aug. 31, 2014: Started biking from Homer; and

—March 13, 2015: Arrived in New York City, having cycled 5,000 miles from Alaska through the U.S. and Canada, through the winter.

So what's left?

She left New York City in late March to cycle the final few hundred miles to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. There, she will prepare to row solo across the North Atlantic to get back home, launching in early May, weather depending.

Outen, who spent about 15 months planning this adventure, said the most challenging part was simply getting the project off the ground and then keeping it going after major setbacks. "It is also very challenging being apart from my fiancée, Lucy, having met during the journey in 2013," said Outen, who noted that a young male she met in China has been the most surprising moment—because he cycled with her for about 2,000 miles. He joined "on a complete whim," she said. "He had never cycled more than a few miles before and we did over 2,000 [miles] together over five weeks."

Outen said being apart from Lucy has been "really difficult" and admitted that, last autumn, she questioned the journey on those grounds. "I think it's always important to keep checking in with your goals and how they sit with you," she said.

"I expected an adventure and I got it," she added. "But I could never have predicted the changes and evolution. That's the magic of an adventure."

Outen was always solo on the journey, except for the kayaking legs where she paddled with Justine Curgenven. "In my mind, she is the queen of sea kayaking," Outen said. "I have a team around the world, though mostly UK-based, who support and activate different aspects, [such as a] project manager, doctor, weather router, ocean logistics, psychotherapist, accountant, publicist, and more."

Outen said she isn't nervous. At least not much. "I get scared when I need to. I never want to lose that," she said.

And she never gets lonesome. "I long to be with Lucy, but I enjoy the mix of solitude and people that different phases bring me," she said.

And, yes, she is admittedly tired.

Outen said the first thing she plans to do when she finishes is hugs and high-fives all around—and some champagne.

"People have been really positive and supportive," during this adventure, she said. "It is humbling to have strangers play such an important part in my journey."

Outen will write a book and is planning to make a film about the four-year adventure.

The journey certainly isn't just about Outen. Rather, she is using it to raise as much money as possible for charity and sharing stories with people, especially children, she said.

"I always wanted to share the benefits of this journey—through story-telling and also fundraising for charities which are important to me," she said. "I am supporting four great organizations which reflect causes close to my heart: CoppaFeel! ( breast-cancer awareness ), Jubilee Sailing Trust ( accessible sailing adventures ), MND Association ( support for sufferers and families with this disease ) and WaterAid ( working to enable access to clean water and safe sanitation solutions in communities worldwide ).

For more information on Outen's adventure, or to donate, visit www.sarahouten.com; on Twitter, visit @SarahOuten.