RSS
Home
World Bicycle Tourist: Amaya Williams
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Amaya in Ethiopia
This article is one in a series of interviews with long-term international bike tourists. This time I talked with Amaya from WorldBiking.info to get her take on things.
World Bike Touring Examiner (WBTE): Would you please explain a tad bit about where you’ve been and where you’re going.
Amaya: Eric and I have cycled through almost 60 countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East and pedaled a total of more than 60,000 kilometres. That’s equivalent to one and a half times around the equator.
Our world tour began with a circumnavigation of Africa. We biked from Europe all through West Africa to Cape Town and then decided to turn around and bike back to Europe via East Africa and the Middle East. Zigzagging across continents to explore little-visited countries like Sierra Leone, Burundi and Equatorial Guinea takes time, but is infinitely more rewarding than sticking to well worn paths.
After we dip our wheels in the Pacific, completing our cross country tour of the US, our next destination is South America. Our route will take us first down the east coast of the continent and into off-beat places like Suriname and the Guyana. Once we reach Ushuaia, the southernmost tip, we’ll turn around and start pedaling north via the Pan American Highway.
WTBE: How long have you been on the road?
Amaya: We’ve been pedaling around the planet for more than three years and have no plans to stop. You can follow our progress on www.worldbiking.info.
WTBE: What prompted such an extended journey? Had you done a lot of touring before?
Amaya: Biking was part of our daily lifestyle. We didn’t own a car so we cycled everywhere—to work, to do the shopping, to visit friends. The longest tour we’d done was a 1,000 kilometer loop through Germany’s Black Forest.
The idea of an African cycling expedition first took seed in 2002 when I read a book written by two sisters who had cycled from Paris to Beijing. I was inspired by the tales the sisters recounted and began trying to convince Eric that a similar cycling expedition through Africa would be possible.
His reaction was, “Are you crazy?” He thought I’d really gone off the deep end. He was worried about deserts to be crossed, wild animals to contend with, and travelling across a continent where half the countries are either in the midst of, on the verge of, or recovering from civil war.
I continued my subtle techniques of persuasion and eventually Eric, too, became convinced of the trip's feasibility.
WTBE: I know there are plenty of wonderful days when the sun is shining and you’ve got the wind at your back. But there are also days when it’s raining or you face a headwind or you’re climbing a hill that just won’t end. How do you get through those days? What keeps you going?
Amaya: Some of the toughest terrain on the earth is found in Africa and many times we were on the verge of giving up-- convinced that the joys weren't worth the many moments of suffering.
But on every occasion someone popped into our lives and made a difference. A family pulled over to offer us tea from a thermos as a snowstorm raged in the highlands of Syria. Locals invited us in to warm up and dry off during a downpour. Children called out greetings as we slogged on through the desert heat. Kind villagers presented us with fruits and snacks, giving generously in spite of their own poverty.
When I really want to give up, I just think back on those times and remind myself that the suffering will pass and good times are just around the corner. Silly as it may be, we’re both pretty stubborn and don’t want to hop on a vehicle at the first sign of difficulty. Satisfaction comes from pushing on through bad weather, bad roads, and bad moods.
WTBE: As hard as it is to pick out one or two highlights – would you, could you? Tell us about a couple of those incredibly wow-ing, drop-your-jaw experiences you’ve had.
Amaya: Biking in Botswana with elephants wandering across the highway, giraffes mating by the roadside, and hippos outside the tent waking us in the early hours of morning. That’s about as exotic and adventurous as it gets.
WTBE: What about those days you wish you could forget (but you know you never will)? Those days when everything goes wrong and then even more goes wrong? Tell us about a couple of those.
Amaya: Once I really thought I might die. We were in Kapedo, a small Turkana village in Northern Kenya surrounded by hostile Pokot territory. Both the Turkana and the Pokots are pastoralists, known to carry out raids on opposing tribes. For decades, cattle rustling and revenge have been a way of life for these people. The AK-47 assault rifle is now the preferred weapon of defense. We'd heard conflicting stories about security in the region. Some locals claimed the area was peaceful, others admitted there were security issues, but insisted that white skin was a passport to safety.
Not only were there security issues, but we had to follow a faint track through a 110 kilometer stretch of completely uninhabited semi-desert. It wasn't so far-fetched to imagine that we might die of thirst or worse.
We were down to about a quarter of a liter of water, exhausted, and sweating profusely when our own little desert oasis appeared. The small body of water was stagnant and had a mossy green tinge to it, but it was water. The next day we eventually we made it out of that area to a friendly Turkana village.
WTBE: You’ve toured through many countries and I know they each are unique and have their advantages and disadvantages. But, if you were to talk with someone relatively new to cycle touring, where would you recommend they go? Why?
Amaya: If you’re considering a bike tour in Africa, I’d suggest Malawi for starters. It’s a compact country with decent roads and lots of diversity. You can cycle around the lake or go up into the highlands to explore the grasslands and surround yourself with nature and wildlife. Malawi is one of the safest countries in Africa, many people speak English, and you are sure to experience warm hospitality and friendliness in the villages.
WTBE: Any special tips or advice to wannabe tourers?
Amaya: Don’t make cycle touring more complicated than it is. For our first cycling trip we just attached an old backpack to the bike rack and set off. No special equipment required.
Before we began cycling we’d done extended backpacking trip in Asia (18 months) and South America (12 months). We never regret trading in our backpacks for bikes. Cycling is far more rewarding because you meet many more local people and experience authentic local culture. Cycling is liberating. A bike tour doesn’t even have to be very physically demanding. Just cycle 50 kilometers instead of 100, call it a day and relax in a guesthouse. That said, cycling in Africa will be more demanding, so if you like to take it easier plan a trip to Asia where you’ll have far more comforts.
WTBE: Thanks Amaya! I hope the Americas are as special to you as they’ve been to us.
*******
If you enjoyed this interview, you might enjoy these other interviews with world cyclists:
Goat from Riding the Spine - Alaska to Argentina on dirt roads
Sean from Riding the Spine - Alaska to Argentina on dirt roads
Jacob from Riding the Spine - Alaska to Argentina on dirt roads
Friedel from Travelling Two - 3 years around the world
Sonya and Aaldrik from Tour.TK - 3 years on the road, currently in South America
Alastair Humphreys - 4 years on 3 continents - Africa, Asia, America
Peter Gostelow - pedaled from Japan to England; now headed toward Africa
Tim & Cindie from Down the Road - 7 years on the road and no plans to stop
Jaime Bianchini of Peace Pedalers - nearly 8 years through 77 countries on tandem picking up strangers
Andrew Morgan of Teacher on Two Wheels - Looking for students to teach and to learn from
Amaya Williams of World Biking - Around the world a time or two
Harry and Ivana of World on a Bike - Cycling the Pan American Highway
There are also a number of families who have adopted a life on the road with their children:
The Williams family is on a open-ended tour on a triple bike with their 9-year-old son.
Rebekka and Florian traveled the Pan American Highway to Tierra del Fuego with their small son in a trailer.
The Verhage family with sons aged 11 & 13 have cycled south from LA. They are now in Peru.
The Miller family Spent one year cycling Europe and North Africa with 4 kids.
My family is currently cycling the Pan American Highway - we've cycled 16,000 km from Alaska to Colombia so far. You can find us at Family on Bikes.
Contact me via email at familyonbikes@gmail.com
Get updates about bike tourists the world over sent to your inbox! Just click "Subscribe" next to the picture above and enter your email address. Your email will not be shared. Click "Fav" next to the picture to add me to your favorite Examiners.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
