It is a dream shared by many – to leave home and travel the world.

An eight-year-old boy from Russia has now found fame online after he attempted to live that dream.

The boy left a note for his mother saying he was going “around the world” and set off with what he apparently felt were the essentials for such a trip: a set of encyclopaedias, a toy aeroplane, money from his piggy bank and a banana for sustenance.

The young explorer – who has not been named but hails from the southern city of Astrakhan – was eventually found by a search team after his mother called the police, Russian officials said.

He had travelled on three different buses and was continuing on foot when he was located hours after leaving home.

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He is said to have told his rescuers he was feeling tired and ready for a rest – although it has not been revealed exactly how far he had gone during his adventure.

The story was detailed by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs on the news section of its website.

The young boy’s exploits were shared widely by social media users across Russia and the rest of the world, who praised his adventurous spirit.

“An eight-year-old boy from Astrakhan undertakes a round-the-world-trip by foot. Whereas I complain when I have to travel across town,” one Twitter user wrote.