Original title
Around the World for Free
Released
4/16/2009
Origin country
US
Genre
Action & Adventure
Production companies
Around the World Productions
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
3
Number of episodes
117
An online/broadcast hybrid reality series based on the concept of whether a person can circle the globe without any money. The show follows a reality star, as they attempt to travel around the world without any money on hand. They travel with one cameraman and rely on local guides and inhabitants for basic needs.
Around The World For Free takes interactive media to levels never seen before. This series was the first live and interactive series with daily updates chronicling the journey of one man as he tried to circumnavigate the world for free using the online audience as his guide.
The Around The World For Free adventure starts with penniless traveler Alex and solitary crew member Zsolt leaving a TV studio in downtown New York to begin their uncharted trip across the globe. With just a backpack of clothes and gear on his back, Alex finds himself alone on the streets of the Big Apple without any means of getting out of town, never mind trying to leave the US mainland.
Alex arrives in the Caribbean where he helps out as a motivational speaker as a way to earn his keep and keep moving. After island hops in the USVI's and BVI's, he lands in raw, undiscovered Dominica where rappelling down waterfalls into undiscovered cave pools is the new normal. Getting off the blissful islands, though, proves a lot more difficult than expected.
Alex arrives in dangerous Venezuela armed with a few words of Spanish and nothing more. After navigating the jaw-dropping social disparities of the capital, Caracas, and pitching in to feed the hungry in its shantytowns, Alex's new friends put him on a 'scenic' bus ride through the Andes towards Peru. Bus breakdowns, human smuggling and persistent hunger accompany Alex's interminable journey.
Sunshine, surf, soccer - plus ceviche, pisco, even guinea pig are all on Alex's plate in Peru. He gets local insight on Lima's unique neighborhoods, paragliding over the Pacific Ocean to boot. The proud Peruvians insist on getting Alex to Cusco and the nearby wonder of the world, Machu Picchu. Alex also visits a pagan shaman, and makes a risky decision to continue towards Chile solely on his own.
Alex survives his all-night ordeal on the streets of Tacna, Chile, and decides to hitchike south along the Pan-American Highway towards Santiago. The problem is, no one actually picks up hitchhikers. With water and resources in short supply, Alex finds himself alone under the blazing sun of the Atacama desert, many miles out of town and in a very precarious position.
After lively Cape Town, Alex ratchets up the South African outdoors vibe with stops in Gaansbai to dive with great white sharks, and the more mellow penguins of Boulders Beach. His trip north begins with sketchy car breakdowns along the Garden Route, but stress relief arrives in the form of the world's biggest bungee jump. Alex then stops in Joburg, Pretoria and Soweto township while moving on.
Alex pitches in as a lifeguard on a tubing run in northern South Africa, and scores an open-top, day-to-night safari into Kruger National Park where hippos and rhinos roam freely. Jumping over to Tanzania, Alex enjoys the multicultural crossroads of Dar Es Salaam, then heads to Arusha and the savannahs beyond, where a Masai warrior brings him to his home village.
Alex works at a safari tent camp deep in the Kenyan Masai Mara, surrounded by spectacular wildlife. Later in Nairobi though, he finds himself in the middle of Kenya's post-election unrest, so his supporters hastily get him on a flight to India. Lacking a proper visa, Alex gets swiftly deported back to a Kenya in flames. He then joins journalists at a massive planned demonstration in Nairobi.
After spending a night in Bangkok in a 15-person Thai home, Alex is taken in by Buddhist monks for a deep immersion in temple life. An expat shows Alex more of Bangkok before shipping him south to Koh Samui beach paradise. Alex's journey continues to the "wild east" of Cambodia, where more monks, charity work with the Red Cross, the Angkor Vat temples and the exotic capital Phnom Penh await.
Alex helps out at a feeding centre in Phnom Penh and visits the city's infamous garbage dump, home to many. After a stop in the Khmer Rouge's killing fields, he recharges on Bamboo Island, a hidden gem in the Gulf of Thailand, before catching a bus to Vietnam. Alex joins with a wildlife protection group before 'accidentally' spending an unforgettable Lunar New Year on Nha Trang beach.
After working on a dive boat for his last international day, Alex flies out of Vietnam to San Francisco and begins crossing the States towards the NYC finish line. His last major trek includes unforgettable visits with Mormons in Utah, school kid superfans in Minnesota and family in Wisconsin before arriving at the TV studio in the Big Apple where he launched his epic journey six months earlier.
Jeff Schroeder travels over 26000 miles, across 3 continents, through 13 countries all in under 106 days.
Big Brother contestant Jeff Schroeder will begin the adventure of a lifetime taking part in the second installment of the live, online, interactive CBS series "Around The World For Free."
Jeff arrives in Charlotte, NC for a whirlwind of activities with his girlfriend Jordan
Jeff sets off on his worldwide trek from the CBS Early Show in New York - and gets a quick lift to Boston en route to a lobster boat!
Jeff crams in as much history, food and sightseeing in the Boston area as his new friends Brian and Ben can throw at him!
Jeff sets out to see the 'iconic' Washington on his own, but ATWFF users step up to take him off the beaten path
Jeff takes a swamp boat through the Louisiana Bayou then ratchets it up on Bourbon Street with friends Chantal and Alicia
More fishing, more football and the St. Charles streetcar... Jeff crams and more N'awlins on his last day in louisiana.
Jeff arrives in Austin and hits 6th Street before undertaking not one but two of his first jobs on Around the World for Free!
Jeff stops at an Austin aquatic hideaway before jetting up to Dallas and crashing a very unusual fitness class!
Jeff takes on some suicide wings then stops at a local charity before leaving Dallas
Jeff arrives in Los Angeles and meets up with Around the World for Free season one host Alex Boylan. Jeff and Alex trade stories and head to the beach for Jeff's first time on a surfboard
LA hiking aficionado Michelle takes Jeff on an unforgettable trek the Malibu canyons on his last day in the States
Jeff arrives in pulsating Tokyo and connects with a Japanese family for his first dose of good culture shock...
Jeff heads to central Tokyo with his hosts to take the pulse of the city's frenetic and also spiritual side
Jeff visits the largest seafood market in the world and gives thanks to his hosts using Japanese calligraphy
Jeff leaves Tokyo and lands in Yokosuka on Tokyo Bay to stay with Mike and his family
Jeff sets out to summit Japan's iconic 13,000-foot volcanic mountain with friends Mike and Victoria
ATWFF user Chi Anaso takes Jeff on a tour of three sacred shrines and Kamakura, Japan. Jeff also discovers a connection with this grandmother's past
Jeff leaves Japan via the Shinkansen (bullet train) and high-speed ferry, and hits the language barrier hard upon arrival in Busan, South Korea.
Jeff makes his way to Seoul where some English teachers 'kidnap' him for another Korean feast - and his troubles continue when his black belt host puts him through a muay thai workout at her gym
Anna takes Jeff on a classic sightseeing tour of Seoul, Korea. Jeff even makes a guest appearance on a local radio show.
Jeff arrives from Phnom Penh and spends the day at the market and in the kitchen with Master Cambodian chef Luu Meng
Jeff spends a day giving back with Charity group People for Care and Learning near Siem Reap, Cambodia
Jeff visits one of the seven wonders of the World while hanging out in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Jeff spends his last day in Phnom Penh lining up his onward passage then takes a 12-hr ride to Pakse, Laos
Jeff shows off his humble abode in Pakse then jumps on a 'moto' to get a better feel for his Mekong River town
Jeff takes a ride with two friends to the Pa Suam Waterfalls and rural Pakse and also meets the tribespeople living nearby
Rural Pakse is tough on connectivity so Jeff hits the town's streets and improvisational effort to reconnect with the online audience
Jeff gets back online in Pakse and with the help of the audience secures a quick flight out of Laos to make his way to Bangkok, Thailand
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Jeff heads to the former capital Ayutthaya for a twist on Thailand's favorite animal
Jeff takes an overnight train to the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai where a former monk helps him get to a remote Buddhist temple
Jeff spends a day living with Buddhist monks at a remote temple in the village North of Chiang Mai, Thailand
Jeff gets back to Bangkok from Chiang Mai and explores options for moving on towards India
Jeff arrives in Bangalore, India, hits the airwaves then hits the streets to sample all things Indian on his first day and the 2nd most populous country in the world
Jeff's friends at Radio Indigo help him move on to Goa. He catches a cramped overnight bus and arrives into humble accommodations in the middle of monsoon season
Jeff tries to keep his spirits up as the monsoon rains continue in Anjuna beach, Goa
Jeff jumps over to the nearby historical town of Panjim, Goa where his new hosts serve of a jam-packed day of Portuguese-inspired food, miraculous saints and a cruise boat dance party.
Jeff spends a few more days in Goa helping out Ernesto and Vasquite and in exchange gets hooked up on the Mandovi Express train to Mumbai
Jeff arrives in Mumbai and sees two radically different sides of the enormous city within his first twelve hours. By nightfall, however, his nagging cold becomes way more serious.
Jeff leaves Mumbai and arrives in Bucharest, Romania - a hip East European capital where his new host Alex ensures there's no shortage of style...
Jeff stops by the set of his host Alex's show Next Diva - then jumps on the train toward Dracula's homeland of Transylvania...
Jeff and Laszio drive to a nearby village to get a peek into the vibrant life of the Roma or Gypsies...
Jeff borrows Laszlo's car and heads out to visit the legendary Castle Bran, home of Dracula
Jeff and Jordan arrive in his mother's hometown of Soliera to begin their romantic Italian weekend getaway
There is no shortage on food or laughs as Jeff and Jordan continue their romantic Italian getaway
On Jordan's last day in Italy, Silvia and her husband Michele take the couple to an iconic Italian must-see!
You can't leave Italy without getting your hands 'dirty' in the kitchen, so on his last day Jeff gets a quick tutorial on wood-fired thin-crust pizza pie...he also hits the Mediterranean coast and visits more family!
Jeff lands in Germany during Oktoberfest and together with his host Charlene, they waste no time getting into the festive spirit!
Taking ATWFF audience suggestions to heart, Alex and Charlene hit an indoor skydiving wind tunnel to jack their adrenaline levels up a few notches.
Charlene puts Jeff on a train for a day trip to Brussels, Belgium and he puts in a full day exploring the city and making a one-of-a-kind chocolate 'creation' in master chocolatier Wittamer's workshop
Jeff visits the famous Cologne Dom Cathedral before flying over to London to begin a whirlwind tour of the iconic and must-see in the British capital
Jeff stares down his ultimate fear of heights when he and hosts Yoav and Stef jump out of a plane from 10,000 feet above the English countryside!
Jeff wraps up in England and lands in sunny Palm Beach, Florida where hosts Kristan and Sarah take him out on a fully loaded yacht to catch his dinner!
Jeff arrives in Lexington, Virginia where thanks to host Katrina and her husband Robert, everything from police ride-alongs to working a dairy farm is on the agenda!
Jeff's last days in Virginia, he goes to Lee-Hi Travel Plaza truck stop to hitch a ride to New York City but strikes out and gets on his last flight there to conclude his amazing trip around the world for free on the CBS Early Show
With the online audience guiding her journey, Parvati Shallow treks to some of the most amazing places on our planet. From the streets of Haiti to the rainforests of Guayana to the Dadaab Refugee Camps of Kenya…each episode is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat as you watch the first female circumnavigate the world with no money. Parvati Shallow travels over 30,000 miles, across 3 continents, through 12 countries all in under 100 days.
Parvati exits CBS studios after taping The Talk and finds a ride and a place to stay on her first night of her adventure!
On her way to Phoenix, Arizona, Parvati detours to a small town where she charms her way into an equestrian competition.
Parvati scores a "co-piloting" gig to get from Phoenix to El Paso, but runs into a roadblock on her way on towards Austin.
After crashing in El Paso airport for the night, Parvati reaches Austin in style to get inked by a living legend.
Parvicious' hits the pavement with the champion Texas Rollergirls while she continues trying to find onward passage from Austin.
Parvati mobilizes a string of good samaritans both on the ground and in the air to help her get to the struggling island of Haiti.
"Air Mobile" Joe takes Parvati on a tour of Haiti's epicenters of pain and struggle.
Parvati is challenged by the routines of daily life and the emotional toll of living in an orphanage.
Parvati visits earthquake resettlement camps around Port-au-Prince to deliver food aid to survivors.
After leaving Haiti, Parvati is set up in a deluxe villa in the Dominican Republic's north shore town of El Cabarete.
Parvati spends a warm day in beautiful Cabarete, DR, in the water and ends with a horseback ride on the beach!
Parvati discovers that the Dominican Republic's expats do far more than just laze on the beach.
Parvati sets off to Barbados with no set plans, but a chance meeting at the airport secures her lodging and much more!
Parvati hangs out in Wildey, Barbados with the neighborhood locals before hitting the yacht club to look for a ride down island.
After coming up short for a ride from the Barbados Yacht Club, Parvati works as a flight attendant in order to keep moving south.
Parvati rides around Georgetown and stops in at a world famous distillery to sample some rum.
Parvati travels by water to a remote site in the Guyanese marsh rainforest, and explores the Arawak tribal lands where Captain Gouveia's plane crashed years ago.
Parvati dips her hands in the undiscovered gem of Kaieteur Falls, deep in the jungle of Guyana, before making her way to a Makushi Ameridian family for her lodging.
Parvati soaks in life with the Macushi tribe in Guyana's interior before making her way to the north Brazilian town of Boa Vista.
Parvati trains and fights at a local Jiu-Jitsu gym, then drops in at the state capitol to find a way deeper into Brazil.
Arriving in Manaus, dubbed the Paris of the Tropics, Parvati works a shift at her host's restaurant and is rewarded with a special dish that you chose!
Parvati spends her last day in Manaus, Brazil pursuing the giants of the Amazon River before heading on to the coastal city of Fortaleza.
A swim in the ocean, capoeira on the beach, and forró dancing at night make for a jam-packed 24 hours in Fortaleza!
Parvati takes on her scariest extreme challenge yet as she jumps off Pedra Bonita mountain above Rio.
You can't leave Rio without learning the Samba, so Parvati gets a lesson from one of the top Carnival schools before hitting the trendy Lapa district to strut her new moves.
After working at a spa in exchange for a makeover, Parvati heads visit Iguazu Falls in Argentina before getting stranded roadside.
Stuck in Iguaza, Parvati beds down on the floor of a bus station for the night. In the morning a savior reaches out with aid to bring her Buenos Aires.
Parvati's host Juan takes her on a night tour of Tigre, Argentina, and then tries to romance her with a date on a river cruise.
After touring downtown Buenos Aires by bike, Parvati gets a tango lesson from an expert under the stars at a local park.
Before saying goodbye to South America, Parvati indulges in an Argentinean meat dish after spending the day pitching in with a charity group who builds homes for people in need.
Parvati arrives on African soil and tastes Johannesburg's diversity before setting out on her first authentic safari.
Parvati hangs out with Johannesburg natives Parlotones, who are not only South Africa's hottest indie rock band but wine aficionados as well.
Parvati visits the Nkosi's Haven orphanage before flying into the wide open desert landscape of Namibia.
While adventuring in the massive sand dunes of the Namib Desert, Parvati pushes the limits and breaks her wrist while going aerial on her quad bike.
Not letting her cast slow her down, Parvati takes a high-adrenaline Cessna flight to northern Namibia to immerse herself in the tribal life of the Himba people.
While planning her onward overland journey to Botswana, Parvati stops at a wildlife sanctuary outside Windhoek, Namibia to see the big cats: cheetah, leopard and the lion!
Parvati takes off from Windhoek on a 17-hour road trip on the Trans-Kalahari highway to Gaborone, Botswana. Midway through the trip though, her expected contact falls through.
Parvati sets out on a 1000 mile-plus road trek across Botswana towards Zambia. Her first stop is a camp-out on a rhino sanctuary north of Gaborone.
After three days of road-tripping, Parvati lands in Chobe National Park in northern Botswana and puts an aquatic spin on the traditional safari.
Parvati takes in a Rasta fish fry in Kasane, Botswana before catching a ferry to Zambia where she scours the markets in Livingstone for ingredients for the local specialty Samp.
Parvati's host Bob takes her to Victoria Falls and on to a local AIDS medicine clinic, but on her way from Zambia to Kenya she runs into an unexpected medical crisis.
After a night battling a stomach flu, Parvati faces a challenge when the results of her CT scan in a Joburg hospital confirm that she must undergo surgery for her wrist injury.
Parvati undergoes surgery for her wrist injury in Johannesburg but her new friends are there to give her support.
Parvati is discharged from the hospital with her 'bionic' arm, and sets up at Hadley's house to plan her onward journey, pausing to reconnect with friends Mark and Brita in Rio.
Parvati arrives in Nairobi, Kenya, and immediately makes arrangements for passage to the refugee camps in the northeast - but takes a quick time-out to see some urban giraffes!
The Red Cross facilitates Parvati's journey from Nairobi to Garrisa in Kenya's northeast where she experiences serious culture clash.
Parvati accomplishes her long-held goal of reaching the world's largest refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya, home to thousands of new daily arrivals from the Horn of Africa region.
While still at the world's largest refugee camp in Dadaab, Parvati takes part in reconnecting Somalis with family members back home & spends time with a family in their tent home.
Parvati makes the long journey from Kenya back to sunny Santa Monica, where friends and family await her return.
Parvati recounts the highs and lows of her around-the-world-for-free journey and gives thanks to everyone for helping to make it happen.
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