Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, had planned to depart from Hampton, Virginia on Wednesday morning. This time, she will be traveling with an Australian couple on their 48-foot catamaran named La Vagabonde, which they document on YouTube. The journey to Spain will take approximately three weeks, where Thunberg aims to arrive in time for the next UN climate talks. Thunberg explained over the phone from Hampton that she chose to sail to emphasize the challenges of sustainable living in today's society, and she avoids flying due to the high greenhouse gas emissions produced by aviation. Her journey from Europe to the United States was made by boat, specifically a racing yacht that left Plymouth, England and arrived in New York harbor in August. Thunberg had been traveling slowly across the US and Canada, making appearances on shows like "The Daily Show With Trevor Noah" in New York, protesting with Sioux leaders in North Dakota, biking with Arnold Schwarzenegger in California, and participating in school strikes from Iowa City to Los Angeles every Friday. She had intended to continue her slow travel south to Santiago, Chile for the next round of UN climate negotiations in December, but had to quickly change her plans due to street protests in Santiago. Chile announced that the climate talks could no longer take place there, prompting Spain to propose Madrid as the new venue. As a result, Greta Thunberg found herself in need of another ride across the ocean. She expressed her need for transportation on Twitter, stating she had traveled halfway around the world in the wrong direction. Fortunately, Riley Whitelum, an Australian sailor who has been sailing with his wife Elayna Carausu, offered to help organize her journey across the Atlantic in November. Within one week, the voyage was planned and organized. Whitelum and Carausu will be accompanied by British professional sailor Nikki Henderson on this journey. Thunberg's father, Svante, will be returning with her across the ocean, as he did on their previous trip. Also onboard will be the couple's 11-month-old son, Lenny, which means that Thunberg, who is typically the youngest person in rooms filled with influential adults, will not hold that title on this voyage. "Finally," she remarked. Thunberg's remarkable ascent can be largely attributed to her status as a child. At the age of 15, she made the decision to protest by sitting in front of the Swedish parliament with a sign that said "School Strike for the Climate." She believes her intense dedication to climate action is due to her Asperger's syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum. Her act of civil disobedience gained attention and inspired other young environmental activists, leading to numerous school strikes around the world. Using the internet as their main tool, young people mobilized in large numbers from various locations such as Melbourne, Kampala, Bonn, and New York City. Their anger, similar to hers, represented the frustration felt by their generation at the slow response to scientific evidence. Thunberg's popularity has increased in the United States, with a new anthology of her speeches being released by Penguin Press. A remix of her impassioned speech to world leaders at the United Nations in September has been created in the death-metal genre. Additionally, a mural featuring her likeness has been painted on a building in San Francisco. Threats of violence and attacks on her medical condition have been directed at her as well. One of her most well-known encounters in America was with President Donald Trump at the United Nations, where he didn't notice her but she glared at him with icy eyes. When asked about her thoughts at that moment, Thunberg simply said, "It speaks for itself." Thunberg expressed on Tuesday her hope that La Vagabonde would safely and promptly bring her to Spain. Following that, she was excited about returning to Stockholm and embracing her two dogs. She expressed gratitude for the chance to travel but also mentioned her desire to get back to her usual routines. (c.2019 The New York Times Company)