he 67-year old finally arrived last Thursday on New Zealand's coast at Canterbury's Lyttelton Harbour, and after clearing customs he was caught up to speed over his first steak and beers in months. 

He emerged from the risky solo trip across the ocean to find a vastly different society altered by the pandemic. 

''It's still unreal to me because I've only heard text messages from my wife about how's it all shut down [everything]. I'm very thankful New Zealand let me come in,'' he said.

His solo trip began last September, which took him around South America, Africa and Australia, ultimately around the entire globe.

After so long at sea he was shocked by what he found upon finally completing his trip in New Zealand: 

When he finally arrived in Christchurch, he said he was surprised to hear harbor officials ask where he would be self isolating for the next two weeks.

"Initially they said, 'You can't come here,' so I was like, 'Where am I gonna go, right,'" he said with a laugh. "I was the most isolated person on the planet, they didn't want to let me in. It was too funny!"