Anna’s epic global bike trip
What was originally supposed to be a two-year, 100 000km trip has extended into an epic three year expedition
TRAVELLING around the world on a motorbike, alone, is easier than you would think.
Living proof of this is 37-year-old Anna Grechishkina, a Ukranian woman who dared to dream about seeing the world from the saddle.
What was originally supposed to be a two-year, 100 000km trip has extended into an epic three years, four months and 12 day (when she stopped over at the ZO offices on Friday), expedition.
And she doesn’t plan to stop any time soon.
Her trip has taken her through some of North America and most of South America, Australia and large parts of Asia and Russia.
Now she has hit the tarmac on the African continent, a section of her journey she considers one of the most important.
What makes her story all the more remarkable is that a little over 10 years ago, she had no interest in motorcycles – a love and passion that grew over years.
Today, her KTM Adventure 1190 is probably one of her closest friends.
‘On my travels I have basically lived at the mercy of the world,’ she laughed.
‘If this trip has taught me anything so far it’s that people are amazing, no matter what part of the world you are in.’
Anna started off with just $1000 (about R13 000) and a donor bike from KTM – leaving behind her career working in HR at a bank in Kiev to follow her dream.
‘I love to travel, I love to explore and meet people and learn about them,’ she said.
‘After a four-month trip to India where I rode everywhere on a motorbike I had hired, it seemed almost logical to take a trip around the world.’
Her website, which reads like the diary of the luckiest biker in the world, is filled with great stories and photographs of Anna wherever she stopped and is titled ihaveadreamtravel.com
‘My website is called that because it was literally a dream of mine to be doing this trip. I think many many people dream of doing something like this, but their fears and doubts hold them back.
‘To them I say, it’s a lot easier than you think!’
Anna also tries to visit many schools, orphanages and hospitals to give talks, telling her story as a way of motivating others.
Her stay in Zululand will end on Sunday when she is off to Durban – thereafter she plans to take Sani Pass into Lesotho before travelling the Garden Route to Cape Town where she plans to spend Christmas and New Year.
‘After that, I am going to Namibia and from there into Africa – Botswana, Kenya, Ethiopia and so on until I get to Egypt at the end of 2017.’
She says she doesn’t have a concrete plan after Egypt.
‘Europe and the Middle East are still on my radar. So, who knows?’
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