1 year ago
53 Valtteri Heinila was moving successful a startup erstwhile helium realized helium needed a break.
"I started noticing clip truly accelerating," said Valtteri, 26. The days started to blur, and past truthful did the months, helium said.
He didn't settee for a regular holiday. Instead, helium traveled 15,400 kilometers (9,600 miles) on a way from Finland to Singapore — connected a bicycle.
With his person Alvari Poikola, Heinila cycled done 21 countries successful 8 months, helium told CNBC. The men chose Singapore arsenic their extremity due to the fact that it was the farthest constituent they could rhythm to, Heinila said.
The brace biked astir of the mode but took respective flights "when we were incapable to transverse by bike," helium said. For example, onshore borders astatine Azerbaijan and Myanmar were closed, helium said.
"Russia ... is simply a warzone," helium added. "Afghanistan is nether Taliban rule, China [was] not issuing tourer visas."
Valtteri Heinila (left) and Alvari Poikola astatine the Imperial City of Hue successful Vietnam.
Valtteri Heinila
Cycling agelong distances helped Heinila flight from "society's noise," helium said. "It helps you get into your ain caput [and] larn astir yourself 10 hours a time connected the saddle," helium added.
Heinila said helium had nary acquisition with agelong region cycling earlier the trip, but helium was adventurous and enjoyed the outdoors, helium said. "I liked doing things that caused maine discomfort due to the fact that I noticed those made maine consciousness alive."
No training, nary repast plan
Operating without a grooming oregon repast plan, Heinila said helium gained carnal spot successful the archetypal limb of his journey. "We realized that Eastern Europe is beauteous flat. That [was] our grooming … earlier we reached the mountains of Georgia and Tajikistan," helium added.
Heinila successful Kyrgyzstan, on the borderline with Tajikistan.
Valtteri Heinila
Heinila cycled done cardinal Asian countries similar Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan earlier helium reached Southeast Asia, wherever his way coiled done countries specified arsenic Vietnam and Thailand, helium said. It was a accidental to spot however "most of the world" lives, helium added.
"We're highly privileged successful Finland. We wanted to get a peek into reality," Heinila said.
The brace typically cooked porridge for breakfast, making banana pancakes connected uncommon occasions, said Heinila. After pedaling for a fewer hours, the 2 would halt to navigator luncheon successful the shade, helium added.
"Our fund was $20 per day. We conscionable went with the bare minimum," said Heinila. On 1 occasion, erstwhile the 2 ran retired of state to cook, they snacked connected earthy eggs from a store, helium added.
Heinila and Poikola connected the Mardi Himal highest successful Nepal.
Valtteri Heinila
Heinila said helium kept his absorption connected securing basal needs similar food, water, toilet insubstantial and a spot to transportation his structure for the night.
"You don't person clip to deliberation astir nonsense similar the past oregon the future. You're focused connected survival, and I deliberation that's the champion feeling ever," helium said.
Challenges connected the road
By the clip Heinila had traveled 10,000 kilometers, helium had punctured his bicycle tyre 37 times, according to a station connected his Instagram account. Aside from tires, helium said helium besides learned to hole and rebuild different bicycle parts similar racks and panniers.
Heinila holding tools successful Romania.
"When you person a need, you conscionable fig it out," helium said.
Living connected the roadworthy could beryllium "dangerous," specified arsenic erstwhile the 2 men ran retired of h2o portion traveling done Tajikistan, said Heinila.
Heinila trekked much than 20 kilometers to a roadworthy to bargain h2o from a passing truck, each portion warring a days-long bout of diarrhea and dizziness, helium said. "Your assemblage goes into endurance mode, and you conscionable header with the challenges," helium said.
Despite the challenges, Heinila said helium didn't consciousness similar giving up "for 1 moment." When his gramps died during his trip, Heinila considered returning to Finland to be the funeral, but decided to clasp his ain ceremony, helium said.
Heinila's structure successful Turkey.
Valtteri Heinila
"I climbed connected this small elevation and close nether the starry sky, lit a candle for him. And it was arsenic beauteous arsenic I imagined the ceremonial work to be," helium said.
The difficulties were worthy it for the "ten years' worth" of memories that Heinila made successful a fewer months, helium said. Cycling done the upland valleys of Tajikistan and viewing its "remarkable" taste practice was the astir memorable for him, helium added.
Heinila said helium was besides struck by the hospitality of the Tajikistan people. "They were feeding us, taking attraction of america similar their ain children," helium said. "Everybody felt astir similar household due to the fact that the communities were truthful small."
Arriving successful Singapore
The archetypal happening that Heinila and Poikola did upon reaching Singapore was sojourn the Finnish ambassador's residence, wherever they had a tiny solemnisation with different Finnish people, helium said. Later that night, the men reminisced astir their travel portion enjoying the presumption from The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, wherever they downed Singapore Slings, helium added.
Heinila and Poikola successful beforehand of Marina Bay successful Singapore.
Valtteri Heinila
When Heinila archetypal acceptable retired connected his journey, helium was acrophobic of the consequences it would person connected his vocation path, helium said.
"Now it feels similar I tin get immoderate occupation I want. I person this unthinkable confidence," helium said.
But going backmost to a table occupation aft "tasting state for truthful long" volition beryllium an adjustment, Heinila added. "It's a conflict to support this consciousness of freedom, portion contributing to nine successful the astir meaningful mode I can," helium said.
Heinila has ideas for much adventures successful the future, specified arsenic crossing the Baltic Sea connected a paddleboard, helium said. It is important for radical to clasp discomfort alternatively of being "locked into readying for the future," helium added.
"There's this full satellite retired there."
