On April 1st, I sent a big box of spare parts to Turkey, where Rosinante III is currently stashed and waiting for the next stage of the journey.
Unfortunately, the box has now been sitting in customs for more than a month. So far, there is no clear information on when — or even if — it will finally be released.
That means it is time for Plan B.
The good thing about long-distance travel is that you learn very quickly not to become overly attached to one single plan. Flexibility is part of the adventure.
So instead of waiting indefinitely, I have decided to accelerate the development of Rosinante IV and prepare her to ride with me all the way to Kazakhstan this summer.
Not exactly the approach I originally imagined — but perhaps that is the whole point of journeys like these.
About 30 years ago, two zis scholarships helped me to broaden my horizon, expand my understanding of what is possible, and develop more self-confidence. zis is a non-profit organization that has been awarding scholarships for study trips to young people between the ages of 16 and 20 for more than 60 years. Today, the word we use for tenacity and grit is resilience - and I've made it my profession, to help managers around the world to develop more of this inner power.
In retrospect, the experiences I've had on these trips to Scotland and Iceland have been priceless for my development. After having had a childhood with some challenges, I learned that I could cycle 1,700km on my own and get wet every day without despairing. I have learned that I was able to get along with only 300 € for 4 weeks and still had a good time. I have learned what it's like to be threatened with deportation and how to get an interview with the President from such a crisis. I have understood that limitations are primarily constructs in our heads, and I want to make these insights available to as many adolescents as possible.
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