The Adventure cyclist and photographer Kamran Ali is from Pakistan.
For the last six years, he has been cycling across the globe, covering 50,000 miles in 43 different nations.
1. When did Kamran begin cycling around the globe?
Ten years ago Kamran began his bicycle-based globe trip. He waited ten years to fulfil his ambition of cycling from Germany to Pakistan. Ali ultimately had to resign from his position in order to go on that voyage. He purchased a bicycle, loaded some cameras into the panniers, and started travelling. Since 2015, He has spent all of his time travelling.
2. What motivated Kamran to start riding across the world after giving up your successful software development career?
Maybe it was a call from the universe.
Pakistan is where he was born and raised. He was accepted to a German university in 2002, so he flew from Islamabad to Frankfurt. He was mesmerised by the size and scope of the area below as He peered out the aircraft window. Ali visualised a little dot travelling through a rocky landscape on an unending stretch of pavement. He made a pact with himself while the jet was still in the air: “One day, I am going to cycle from Germany to Pakistan!”
Kamaran completed his Master’s and PhD in Germany, where he also worked as a software engineer. His parents’ and his entire family’s wish had come true. He secured a stable future, repaid His debt, and acquired an apartment and a car. But there was a problem.
He never forgot this dream, not even for a second. Ali had trouble sleeping. While he was watching my boss design project data flow diagrams during meetings at work, all he could see on the whiteboard was a map and a bicycle path. He used to spend a lot of time at home staring at the globe map.
Kamran reminded himself of the promise every hour. He began to wonder why he was here and why he couldn’t follow his goal. Ali spoke to my employer and asked for a sabbatical, but he told him he had to continue working for the firm for another 10 years to be eligible. Kamran gave him his resignation letter a few days later. After that, He sold his vehicle, his apartment, and everything else. A few weeks later, he was riding his bicycle 10,000 kilometres from Germany to Pakistan.
3. Did Ali loved ones object to your decision to leave your job?
Kamran,s family was shocked when he told them he planned to ride to Pakistan. “Sons living abroad rush home, but you have chosen the longest route imaginable to return,” his mother said.
You are squandering our efforts, claimed his older brother, who once sold his motorcycle to pay for his university tuition. Why would you decide on a run-of-the-mill vehicle?
His family comes from modest beginnings. They always knew he was insane, but they still didn’t understand why he would quit a lucrative career in Germany for cycling.
4. Which nations have Kamran travelled to by bicycle?
(Kamaran on bike) has cycled 50,000 kilometres (km) across 43 nations on four continents. Here is a list of the nations:
Europe consists of the following countries: Italy, San Marino, Malta, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, England, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
Asia includes China, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan.
Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia are all in South America.
Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize are all part of Central America.
North America includes Mexico, the US, and Canada.
5. What suggestions or pointers would Ali provide to folks just beginning their foreign bicycle journeys?
Speed up! Take it easy on the gas. Take a break while driving rather than racking up the miles and attempting to reach the next city.
Make regular pauses to say hello to people, wave at them, converse with them, take their pictures, and swap presents and tales. You’ll start to perceive things differently when you take things slowly and discover new angles and subtleties.
6. What has man discovered while cycling internationally?
In 2016, Kamran encountered a mystic while cycling in Peru who gave him these three lessons:
All doors will be opened for you if your heart is filled with love.
Possess just wishes and no expectations.
Ask yourself what you can do for others instead of only considering your needs.
You can imagine how many times he was in a helpless or begging situation over his 50,000 km of riding, yet assistance always came his way. These teachings helped him establish trustworthiness with strangers, who then imparted even more priceless lessons to him as I travelled. They served as a lighthouse for him.
7. Where have KamaranAli enjoyed riding the most throughout the globe?
In every nation, he has had a special experience. However, if I had to list only a handful, they would be:
Patagonia (Chile and Argentina), Altiplano in Bolivia, Guatemala, Baja California in Mexico, US National Parks, the road from Dawson City to Tuktoyaktuk in Canada, Dalton Highway in Alaska, Pamir Highway in Tajikistan, and Karakoram Highway in Pakistan are just a few examples of the world’s natural wonders.
8. What new experiences have Kamran had while travelling the world by bicycle that you wouldn’t have had otherwise?
Cycling across long distances offers a distinct perspective on the world. You experience everything in between in addition to visiting destinations. It slows you down so that you can consider each interaction.
You become more open to receiving compassion from complete strangers. It fosters a sense of unity with the entire.
You might have a strong connection to nature when bicycling. While in the saddle, you are completely exposed to the elements of nature and may feel the wind, sense the grade and surface of the road, and enjoy an unhindered perspective.
You must earn every step. You will always remember every painful or joyful part of the path. You go at a speed that allows you to wave at people and answer their welcomes and inquiries. Since you can’t go very far in a day, you frequently need to locate food, drink, and a secure place to stay when travelling between cities. People who live a long way from the main route must be approached. This enables you to learn about their way of life and gather anecdotes and lessons.
9. What guidance do Ali have for people who wish to quit their oppressive jobs and follow their dreams?
We yearn for some things for a reason. From the depths of our souls, our desires slowly manifest as dreams. Nothing more fully defines us than their dreams.
Their dreams are a mechanism for the cosmos to help us play our part in the greater scheme of things since the universe is like a jigsaw piece.
Knowing who they are and realising their potential are the goals of life. And in order to do that, they must embark on an uncharted adventure guided by their inner voice. Once they are on this path, every risk is worthwhile because it helps them become closer to who they truly are.
Believe in your inner guidance. You are a bird that has lived its entire life developing feathers but has never flown. You only need to take a leap of faith to soar high above the earth!
