In May 2005 we are going to set out from Switzerland towards the East on our fully packed bicycles. To be able to entirely concentrate on this trip and not to be dependent on any schedules, we will completely release ourselves from all our obligations in Switzerland, such as jobs and apartment. We have defined the time frame of our journey “as long as we feel like it”.
The basic ideas are: To move through our world on our own strength, to experience wind, weather and geographical changes on Earth at first hand. To let our daily rhythm be determined by natural necessities such as eating and sleeping. To get to know other cultures, religions, and conditions of life. To travel at a pace that allows us to feel the changes in the environment and the problems of other peoples.
Our first major destination is India, where we plan to arrive after seven or eight months. Our rough route looks as follows: After the farewell parties at our parents’ and friends’, we will travel to Germany, Austria, South Tyrol, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Greece, which we will reach around July. Through Turkey, which we want to transit through the Northern part, along the Black Sea coast, we should be able to reach the Islamic Republic of Iran in mid-October. The following 3000 kilometres we will cover according to the clothing regulations of the guardians of public morals, i.e. without showing any naked skin (long pants, long shirts and Maja will even have to cover herself up in a chador… how is that, should the helmed be worn over or under the headscarf…?). Should we for once still forget that we are in the Islamic area, we will be reminded of that fact on a daily basis by the four weeks of Ramadan. Through Pakistan we will finally reach the North of India some day in December. We would then like to go to South India and Sri Lanka, where we might stay over the New Year.
For the onward journey we don’t have any fixed route yet as it doesn’t make sense to plan that much ahead. The further course could, however, be as follows: Nepal, through the Himalayas to Tibet, Eastern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia.