Been on two wheels for 1230 days

The story started two months ago when Adorján’s page came up in my Facebook feed because of a common friend. I was instantly captivated by his story and wrote him about a possible interview in the future if we can meet, because I think his story and his way of thinking could teach us a lot. We managed to meet a month later in Colombia and I was glad to have met him personally.

He’s been on the road since July 2015 to travel around the world with his bicycle. After Asia, Australia, New-Zealand, Japan, the US, Mexico, Panama, he happened to be in Medellin, Colombia at the same time as us, so we managed to organize a meeting. So far he has completed 42 000 km, been to 32 states, has eaten over 3000 bananas, and has completed several personal “challenges” on the way, for example planting a tree in every state he has visited, or collecting portraits with honest smiles of people he have met – the goal is to make a smiling globe-shaped montage out of them.

There was a 3-4 months long preparation period before the start in 2015 to obtain every necessity for the road (the bike, waterproof bags, tent, sleeping bag). The bike weights 50kg with everything on it, he can carry 5+1 bag with it: one for clothes and an extra pair of shoes, one for the equipment for the bike, one for the camera and everything that goes with it, one for the sleeping bag and the tent, and one for the camping cooker so he can prepare the morning coffee even on the top of a mountain – in the beautiful sunrise.

In his “former life” he was a lead engineer at a telecommunications company, but felt that he could do so much more. He wanted to do something that would create value, something that is useful for the society and for Earth, something that he could do with the whole of his heart.

He faced many physical and mental hardships on the road. But not only did his comfort zone expand significantly, he managed to overcome his fears and also recognised some much awaited positive changes in his character as well. He emphasised that his personal relationships grew deeper, for example his conversations with his parents has changed a lot since he departed.

Before anyone starts thinking that his journey must have cost billions, Adorján told us that his budged is quite low in fact, he usually aims for free accommodation – in many cases at police stations, ambulances, fires service stations, in churches, at the house of locals, or in his tent in the nature. His daily budget is about 1600-1700 HUF, mostly spent on food.

His experience is that most people are nice and helpful, in any country. Despite its bad reputation he has had quite the welcome in Iran, with people quarrelling about who would host him for the night.

Adorján writes multiple diaries about his journey, two online and one on paper. In these he transcribes his feelings, experiences, thoughts, it’s a sort of gratitude log as well. He has an excel about how many km he biked that day, where he slept, what was the best that happened to him that day and if he met someone he would like to meet again. He plants a tree in every country and records its coordinates so he can find them again later.

He has been creative about getting more money for his journey. He prints some of his pictures and sells them on busy shopping streets, with a small kind message on the back and a free hug. He said that he can collect about 5000 HUF in 2 hours this way in Colombia, and had even bigger success in Japan. And all the while he claims: “I’ve learned to trust myself and life.”

He is nearing the last 6 months of his journey. Among his plans are Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, then going back to Europe from Rio de Janeiro, to Spain or Portugal. From there it is only a few weeks’ time to arrive home and hug his loved ones.

I’m deeply grateful to have met Adorján, I think we can all learn to re-evaluate our everyday lives, to make sure if we are doing what we really want to do. I haven’t met a more honest, open, pure human being in my life. Take care on your journey, we’ll await you home!

Follow Adorján’s journey:

https://www.instagram.com/meandmybicycle.love/