‘I sold my house, car to tour world on bike’
Why are you touring the world on a motor bike? It is a leisure trip, a very personal thing. I am a lawyer back home in Mexico. I have been working behind a table, papers and a computer for some time and felt that life is too short to be stuck in routine. I thought […]
Why are you touring the world on a motor bike?
It is a leisure trip, a very personal thing. I am a lawyer back home in Mexico. I have been working behind a table, papers and a computer for some time and felt that life is too short to be stuck in routine. I thought I should feel alive and not only know the world via the media but experience it for real. I decided to meet different people of the world, know their culture, geography etc.
How many countries have you been to so far?
This trip started eleven months ago from Mexico, to New York on a bike. From there I flew to South Korea. Though at some point I do put the bike in a cargo plane where there are oceans and seas that the bike cannot cross. The bike has moved 55,000 kilometers so far on this trip. From South Korea, I took a ferry to Russia and then crossed to Mongolia on the bike and back to Russia. However, I left for Kazakhstan then Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain then Morocco. I actually used a ferry to Morocco from Spain. My starting point in Africa was Morocco, from there, I moved to Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Benin Republic and here I am in Nigeria.
I have two and a half more years to travel. So, putting two and a half years, plus one year, it equals to about three and a half years of travelling.
What do you hope to achieve?
To travel to as many countries as I can. Of course, I know it won’t be easy to travel the whole world but I will go as far as possible.
What was involved in the planning?
I tried to know about the destinations I would be going to. Also what to expect in terms of weather, culture, economy and political system, how to get the visas and requirements for various countries amongst others. At least, I tried to know a bit of what to expect. I also learnt about some medical and first aid methods, mechanical lessons to fix the motorcycle.
Ironically, Nigeria and South Africa are the places I didn’t plan for, but since I love spontaneous adventures, here I am in Nigeria and enjoying myself.
How did you raise money for your trips?
It is a personal trip. I raised money myself. I saved from my earnings, sold my house, sold my car and other things to make it.
What is your impression of Nigeria?
In Abuja, Nigeria looks like a very rich country. There are the big buildings, the road network and the expensive lifestyle. However, I must say that I missed the real African touch I felt in places like Benin, Togo, and Burkina Faso, etc. But generally, Nigerians are very friendly and sophisticated, even though when they are driving, they are not very much so.