For his thirtieth birthday, Dejan Glavnik made a final decision: around the world by bicycle. On April 22, 2006, accompanied by friends, he left Slovenia and wanders around the world to this day. He is currently located somewhere in the Balkans, and on July 22nd he is returning home after five years and three months. And with the same...
For his thirtieth birthday, Dejan Glavnik made a final decision: around the world by bicycle. On April 22, 2006, accompanied by friends, he left Slovenia and wanders around the world to this day. He is currently located somewhere in the Balkans, and on July 22nd he is returning home after five years and three months. And with the same bike!
Around the world by bike for more than five years. What has to move in a person for such an idea to fall?
More than an idea, traveling around the world was a "dream" for me, as I had been thinking about it since I was young, when I started cycling at the age of eleven. After a long period of my life, when I was becoming more and more of a "work'o'holic" day by day, I realized that this is not a way of life that I enjoy and that something needs to change. For my thirtieth birthday, I decided to make my dream come true.
And you rode your bike into the world. How did your path lead you?
In my first year I cycled across Europe all the way to Nord Kappa. Alaska followed, and in August 2006 I started the Pan American stage, 23,000 kilometers long, all the way to Argentina. There, I arrived at the end of the world after a year and a half. New Zealand and Australia followed, and first to Indonesia and other Asian countries, to Nepal, Pakistan and India, to the Arabian Peninsula and to Africa. At the end of the journey, I will cycle through Bulgaria, Greece, Albania and the countries of the former Yugoslavia. My friends will join me in Croatia and I am returning home with them.
After many years. What are you most looking forward to when you arrive?
I've never been homesick, and there aren't really any things I miss, because along the way you always find substitutes that are even more interesting. Most of the time, I think of my closest relatives and look forward to spending time with my nephews, two of whom I have never even seen before.
If we go back to the world. How is the trip going - are the countries and time frame planned in advance?
I never had certain routes and "timing" on my way. That's the best way, because I'm never stressed and I just rely on my instinct. For the first time, I decided on the date of my return to Slovenia just over a month ago.
How is life on the road?
The road is long and it must become your way of life. The first year of cycling I was kind of chasing myself and didn't know how to best connect cycling with the adventure of travel. Realizing that experiences are more important than cycling, I have accepted the bike as a means of transport and not the main thread of my journey. Only then did I really start to enjoy the journey.
Where did you face the most extreme conditions?
Patagonia is the one that left the most extreme mark on my journey. For more than a month I cycled against the wind, which is always strong during the southern summer and blows from the direction of Antarctica. A low average speed, which is sometimes comparable to walking, kills not only physically, but also mentally. It was life's number one test of psycho-physical fitness!
Which country is the most and which is the least friendly to cyclists?
The least friendly countries are those where cycling is taboo and drivers are not used to cyclists on the road. The United Arab Emirates is every cyclist's nightmare. Those epic cycling countries for me were Mongolia, Canada, Alaska and Namibia, because you are practically alone on the road and carts, without the danger of road traffic...just me and the beautiful landscape.
After so many years on the road, accidents are probably inevitable. You wrote on your blog that an unfortunate situation caught you in Nepal. What happened?
Three days after crossing the highest pass 5416 m high in the Himalayas, due to carelessness I fell eight meters deep on the rock. A cycling helmet saved my life and I didn't worry too much about a few fractures, as I was firmly convinced that I would soon get back on my bike and continue my journey. I was really lucky in the accident.
Which memories do you like to relive the most?
There are as many memories as the days I spent on the road and the people I met. The best memories are those spontaneous smiles, curious eyes and friendly people.
What are your current stats?
I drove over 114,000 kilometers, visited 82 countries on six continents, had my tubes blown 42 times and changed 8 chains on my bike. I cycled the highest at an altitude of 5416 meters in the Himalayas and "fried" at 52 degrees in Pakistan.
Is there any unexplored wish left after 82 countries?
The countries I want to go to are two more trips around the world. And West Africa is undoubtedly number one! The adventures I am thinking about are countless, but they will have to wait at least a year for their realization... But I will definitely travel a lot more.
More interesting facts about Dejan's path at:
