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The first memory I have of Edi is not an image, but a sound. Well, two sounds. The roar of a motorcycle entering the porch of a garage in Osh in Kyrgyzstan first. Then a loud voice shouting “Hey guys how are you ? I went out on the porch to find myself in front of a strong guy in his twenties riding a beautiful BMW X Challenge prepared for a raid. He was starting his world tour. Here is the story of his adventure.
Hello Edi. First of all, can you explain how it started?
In my armchair in front of the television. I had my license since 2010 and I was driving a sports car. My thing was the adrenaline of speed. My first bike was a Yamaha FZR 1000. Pure sensation. A year later, I switched to a Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K3. 170 kg for 170 hp! The Grail! And then one day, I came across the “Long Way Round” series. It was a revelation and I decided to travel.
For that, you had to change your bike?
Yes. At the beginning, because of the show, I thought that I had to leave with a BMW 1150 or 1200 GSA but after having documented myself, I understood that it was necessary to privilege the lightness. I hesitated between a KTM 690 Enduro and the BMW 650 X Challenge. In the end, I chose the second one because of the reliability of its engine.
And once the choice was made?
I had to find one and transform it into a raid machine. After that, I did my first trial run in 2013: crossing Norway to the North Cape. The following year, in 2014, I left to do the Silk Road. 13 000 km in 6 weeks, including a lot of off-road. When I came back, the travel bug had definitely infected me and on August 5, 2014, I called my mother to tell her about my decision to go on a world tour.
Yet you only left in 2018? So 4 years later?
Yes, that’s how long it took me to save enough money. I had calculated a budget of 30 euros per day.
You left in 2018. What was your route?
I started by heading east. I spent 2 months exploring every corner of Kyrgyzstan. I passed through two particularly difficult passes: the Tossor and Kegeti passes. Both of them are more like goat paths than tracks. Then, it was the famous Pamir Highway in Tajikistan. As winter arrived, I went to Pakistan quite quickly, passing through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. When I arrived in Taftan, I was put under the protection of the Levies, the Baluchi armed forces for more than 1000 km. This is an insurgent area and the Pakistani government does not want to take any risks. Moreover, when the protection ended in Multan, the authorities gave me a letter specifying that the government would pay the ransom if I was kidnapped. Then I explored the north of Pakistan. The beauty of the landscapes and the kindness of the population make this country have a special place in my heart. After 2 months, I went to India. The population seemed colder to me. Nevertheless, I loved the seven sister states of the Far East: Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. In Nagaland, on the way to Burma, I met the Konyak Naga, a tribe known for their facial tattoos made after taking over an enemy. Then it was Myanmar, in only 5 days, because of the regulatory constraints. Laos, Thailand, Malaysia then Indonesia from where I shipped the bike to Australia. I arrived there on July 7, 2019 and I rode the continent from West to East, first through the North Shore, then from East to West through the center, and finally again from West to East through the South Coast this time. The most difficult part was the crossing of the Simpson Desert in the center of Australia.
On November 14th, I arrived in Santiago de Chile and headed south to the Andes, to the village of Termas del Flaco. This is the first village where the survivors of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 arrived after walking for 10 days and passing a pass at an altitude of over 4600 m in 1972. Then, still heading south, I stopped at Antuco, a volcano of about 3000 meters of altitude. I managed to climb it by motorcycle to about 1800-1900 meters of altitude.
The next day, I continued south on the Carretera Austral until Villa O’Higgins which marks the end of the road. I had to go back north to Argentina and from there to Ushuaia. The road itself is quite boring: a long stretch of asphalt swept by the wind. In Ushuaia, I came across an offer for an 11-day cruise to Antarctica. The price was substantial, $3780, but I didn’t hesitate and went on board. It was an amazing experience.
Back to Ushuaia, I took the road to Chile in order to take up a little challenge that had been on my mind for some time: to climb as high as possible on a motorcycle. So I decided to climb the highest volcano in the world: Nevado Ojos del Salado which culminates at 6 893 m. The slopes were covered with volcanic sand and the progression was difficult from the start. At about 5000 meters, the engine started to heat up and I stopped to let it cool down. A little higher up, the sand became white and soft. I had no grip and the bike was getting hotter and hotter. I still managed to reach the 5200 m altitude.
Then, I headed to the Bolivian Altiplano and then to Peru, not without making a stop at “La Higuera” the village where Che was executed.
It was during this period that the pandemic spread, closing the borders one after the other. After a few days of uncertainty, I decided to return to Norway. I landed in Oslo on April 3, 2020, in an empty airport.
Was there a particular story that stood out for you?
Yes. I wanted to go from Cochabamba to La Paz, Bolivia, by the road 25, which is rarely used because it is long, difficult and dangerous. The locals particularly warned me about the high waters of the Rio Sacambaya. But I ignored these warnings and left. On the first part, the road, rather enchanting, snaked in the middle of the mountains. I arrived on the river in the evening. The water was high, 70 to 80 centimeters deep and in some places the currents were very fast. I spent two hours wading in order to find the best passage and in the end I managed to find a series of fords that were perhaps passable. But that was still 9 arms of the river to cross to get to the other side. I hesitated, it seemed perilous to me but I decided to try the adventure. Big mistake! While I was engaged on the fourth arm, I lost my balance. The current mowed me down and the bike was completely submerged. After an exhausting struggle, I managed to drag it to the bank. Night had fallen. I was alone and my bike was completely drowned. By the light of my headlamp, I started to disassemble it: removal of the fairing, of the air filter box in order to reach the spark plugs. Once they were removed, I activated the starter to get the water out of the combustion chamber. Then I put it back together and tried to start it, praying. And there, miracle: it started again! Not without hesitation, I decided to continue the journey. It is again at the 4th arm of this second part that I fell. This time, I left the bike in the river. Exhausted and transient, I lit a fire with some gasoline to dry myself. Without food and far from everything, lying in the mud, I burned my second to last cigarette. The spectacle of the starry moon was magnificent in the dark night. I thought that maybe this was the end. And then, high up in the hills, a flickering light appeared. Like a flare, it came closer and I realized that someone had spotted the fire. I ran across the last particularly deep arm of the water. My rescuers, because there were two of them, helped me get the bike out and we brought it back to safety with a plow. The next day, the guys told me that the Rio Sacambaya had washed away several cars in recent weeks and that it was quite common for careless travelers to lose their lives. Moreover, the whole area is infested with pumas.
And now that you are back, with hindsight, what do you think is the most difficult part of a world tour?
The return! And trying to adapt to a sedentary life. My body is back, but my heart and soul are still wandering.
So would you say that travel is addictive?
Without a doubt! I have become addicted to adventure!
And a form of serenity?
Yes, travel allows you to get away from the hectic but routine modern life. While traveling, the race to permanent consumption disappears. On the contrary, the road allows us to learn to appreciate small things like a hot meal or fresh water. After a week of travel in the desert, without any comfort, the simple sensation of a hot shower gives an incredible pleasure. We in the West take these things for granted, which they are not. Enjoying clean water or a bowl of rice is a notion long forgotten! And yet, it is the ultimate freedom!
According to you, what are the essential personal qualities for a successful trip? Patience? Tolerance? Humility? Respect?
Curiosity! This is the first quality you need to start preparing such a trip. It is the heart of the adventure and the discovery! Without the engine of curiosity, one does not leave. The other qualities you mention are necessary of course, but only once you have left. Humility and respect are the first things that others recognize when you meet them.
Is meeting other cultures a priority?
God has created so many different people, cultures, lifestyles and ecosystems that to exclude it from a journey would be heresy. What a difference between the horse-riding, yurt-dwelling shepherds of Kyrgyzstan and the headhunters of Longwa in India. The contrast is immense, but all are interesting and the fact of being able to meet them and share a moment of life with them is nothing less than a blessing!
Do you necessarily come back from a trip “richer” than when you left?
My world tour is THE best investment I have ever made in my life. What better way to invest money than in yourself? The experiences, memories and connections made while traveling are something that a human being carries with him for the rest of his life. It gives new perspectives and goals for the future.
What do you think could prevent a successful trip?
Not being open to the people you meet and to new things. If someone goes out into the world but stays in their bubble and doesn’t want to break free, I think that would prevent a trip from being a success. Open your heart, soul and mind and things will be so much more beautiful.
Do you prefer to travel alone or with other people?
Honestly, it depends on the mood and the people. I have mostly traveled alone, but sometimes the opportunity has come up to travel with other people. The friendships you make then are especially strong.
Would you trade your motorcycle for a 4×4 for example?
NEVER! Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the heart and soul!
Did this trip change your way of life?
It hasn’t changed my lifestyle, it has just made it even more obvious what I want out of my life. I want to explore the world! But now I would like to share it with a partner.
What’s next?
God willing, I’ll go back! There are still so many things to discover, to see and to experience. And I don’t know Africa at all…
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