Sacha Walters, Staff Reporter

EARL DANIEL is a globe trotter. He travels thousands of miles around the world as an agent of change. His unconventional method of influencing others is long-distance walks.

"I could have bought so many cars, but I just don't have the interest," said the St Vincent-born Daniel. He explained that walking is his vehicle of choice to instil change.

"I'm really addicted to walking," he said.

Now residing in Canada, the 46-year-old social worker called 'Ole George' is driven.

On a visit to Jamaica in 2006, Daniel walked for seven consecutive days at Emancipation Park in New Kingston. His mission then was to unite and motivate Caribbean nationals to aim for their dreams.

"I feel wonderful, I'm having a real difficulty knowing my limit," he said back then after completing his goal.

Two years later, along with a walking partner Joel Butcher, he trekked for eight consecutive days in Prospect Park, New York. This journey was a part of a fund-raising effort to build a children's hospital in St Vincent.

Daniel is now making new 'travel plans' for next April.

He plans to walk 400 miles from his freezing remote Quebec community of Inukjuak to Izujivik. Both Inuit (Eskimo) settlements.

"There is a very high suicide rate in Inukjuak, he said. "So the walk is to see if I can motivate the youth, to give them some hope," he continued.

He attributes the suicide rate to depression and alcohol abuse.

His planned sojourn is not completely unusual in the village where cars are not a mainstay. They use motorised and non-motorised transport as a means to get around.

"Mostly, they use four-wheelers. In the winter they use skidoos and bobsleds," he said.

The Caribbean native intends to battle the cold as he will don special clothing and a ski pole.

But nothing slows him down.

He is in the process of completing his book, The Social Walker. Asked whether given the opportunity to walk around the world if he would jump at it.

"Don't tempt me," he said with a laugh. "I want to go walk in the African continent. I still haven't felt tired so I'm looking for something to make me tired."

So he continues his crusade as a vehicle of change.