You might be asking why? Why would we want to even consider doing something like this? Why would we want to leave our families and set out on the road? Why would we want to challenge ourselves and put ourselves in possible danger? Why? Why? Why?
It’s a good question and we have definitely re-asked the question together and, I’m sure, individually more than once.
The birth lies in a place a long time before our trip to Finland. The answer lies in the desire to seek out adventure. The dream of adventure, the dream of seeing the world by travelling through it, experiencing it, being part of it, the dream of meeting people, the dream of living off what you can carry.
A bit of all of these things were the ember, the flame started when Steve and Amand just started talking about a big adventure, it wasn’t initially about a motorbike adventure per se. The fuel was added when we both engaged in the idea without fear (well some fear, but we didn’t let it limit the idea). What turned those small flames into flames that don’t seem to be able to be put out was the desire to make the dream happen.
Motorbikes have become the vessel that will help make it happen. It helped that Steve already had been riding for years and Amand had a small amount of riding experience, but he had to turn that into a license and a bike (…..and then it turned into two bikes, twice!!)
Making the dream happen, no matter what the dream is, is something we have explored in conversation. There are many many reasons why we shouldn’t consider something like this, and any of these could douse the flames in a second if we let it. It’s the desire to make the dream happen that keeps those flames alive. It’s also the support of our families that allows it to grow because they need to be on board otherwise it wouldn’t be possible.
So we have flames, we want an adventure, and after much discussion we think we can cope with each other for an extended period of time. This was the beginning, this led to the discussions we had in Finland about the route, this led to Queenstown to Capetown!!
