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A quick clarification about travel, social media… and appearances.
I’m writing this in response to a few friends who have been teasing me. It’s all in good fun. But behind the jokes, there’s sometimes a grain of truth: that’s genuinely how some people perceive my journey.
So let me explain a couple of things.
First of all, I’m not someone who likes to show off. Quite the opposite. Those who know me well know that I’ve always made fun of myself first. It’s been part of my personality for as long as I can remember… with one downside: when you never take yourself too seriously, people often end up underestimating you.
I’ve been travelling my whole life. Literally since I was in a cradle. Museums, historical sites, endless journeys on badly battered roads… I’d already had more than my fill of them as a child. So today, I feel I have nothing left to prove. Performance no longer interests me.
Above all, I see myself as a traveller, long before I see myself as a motorcyclist. Tomorrow I could travel on horseback, in a 4×4 or by boat… it really wouldn’t matter. The motorcycle is just a means of transportation. What truly fascinates me is the journey itself.
And let’s be honest: I’m getting older. I don’t have the stamina I had in my thirties. I no longer feel the need to put myself through a thousand kilometres of muddy tracks just so I can say I did it. Twenty years ago, that kind of challenge excited me. Today, much less.
What hasn’t changed, however, is the way I travel.
I like taking my time.
Because travelling slowly allows you to meet people, build relationships and sometimes create genuine friendships. Crossing a country in just a few days simply doesn’t offer the same opportunities.
One of the greatest memories of my life as a traveller remains Pakistan, where I had the privilege of spending several days as Prince Malik’s guest. Encounters like that don’t happen by accident. They’re also the result of a certain way of travelling: taking the time to talk, to listen and to stay a little longer than planned.
That’s also why I still haven’t reached Cape Town.
Since leaving in October 2023, I’ve covered more than 30,000 kilometres.
I even stopped twice for extended periods. The first time because I went through a rough patch and wanted to reconnect with people I hadn’t seen for years, partly because of Covid and partly because of my father’s final years. The second time because I suffered a serious vertebral compression fracture and then lost someone I cared deeply about. I wanted to be there for my cousin during the first days of his grieving.
Once again, that was a choice.
Now let’s talk about social media.
Since the beginning of this journey, I’ve deliberately chosen to show an Africa that many people don’t expect to see: good roads, comfortable hotels, great restaurants and modern service stations…
Because that’s exactly what surprised me.
Africa itself didn’t surprise me—I already knew it. What did surprise me was finding Decathlon, Auchan, Carrefour, motorways… That was all new to me. I wanted to show just how much the continent has evolved.
The problem is that some people only remember that part.
As if I spent all my time eating in restaurants.
The reality is, of course, a little different.
When I post a picture of a good meal, I don’t show the hundreds of kilometres that came before it. When I post a photo from a nice hotel, I don’t show the far more ordinary nights that go with it—or the tropical storms spent inside a tent that looked as if it might tear apart at any moment.
And that’s exactly how social media works.
It never shows the whole picture.
It only shows what people choose to share.
I’m not pointing fingers at anyone. There are many travellers whom I genuinely respect and admire. But it’s worth keeping a bit of perspective.
A photo of a motorcycle on a dirt track doesn’t necessarily tell the story of a journey. Any more than a photo beside a swimming pool does.
Reality is always far more complex.
Here’s another example.
Today, most people crossing Africa stick mainly to the coast. It makes perfect sense: the roads are better, information is easier to find, and everyone travels the way they enjoy.
Personally, I also wanted to venture farther inland. That’s how I ended up being suspected of being a mercenary in northern Togo.
Another thing social media rarely shows is the solidarity between travellers.
Over the years I’ve helped quite a few people, sometimes simply by explaining administrative procedures or sharing practical information. It’s not something I usually post about, but it’s very much part of the journey.
There isn’t one right way to travel.
There are as many ways to travel as there are travellers.
Some people enjoy covering huge distances. Others seek out rough tracks. Others are drawn to meeting people, discovering local food or exploring historical sites.
They’re all equally valid.
Today, I have one incredible luxury: time.
I think I’ll keep wandering around Africa for several more years. Maybe three, maybe four… maybe less. I honestly don’t know. I have the freedom to change my mind whenever I want.
Even in recent weeks, I’ve met 4 people absolutely amazing
That’s exactly why I travel.
Everything else—the motorcycle, the kilometres, the hotels, the dirt tracks or the restaurants—is ultimately just scenery.
And if you’re wondering about the tougher moments… just take a look at the state of my motorcycle trousers. 😉
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