Maria Garus rides solo from Alaska to Argentina
Maria Garus rides solo from Alaska to Argentina
TRAVEL INFO
3 Years
24000 Km
12 Country
Maria Garus, a young woman with the courage and determination that made her bike solo from Alaska to Argentina, covered more than 24,000 km and visited 12 countries, is the first Polish woman around the world and her adventure was nominated for the best trip by National Geographic and won many awards International, her spirit full of love was wherever she goes, leaving an exceptional imprint for a female mixed with a passion for discovery and a fearless madman who has a way! We were happy to interview her and learn about the most important details of her life before and after taking the trip of a lifetime around the Americas.
INTERVIEW
We asked Maria : Introduce yourself, talk about anything you want, your age, your country, how did your passion for travel begin…?
She said : My name is Maria Garus, and I am 38. I work at the University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland) in the Office of Economic Cooperation, and I am involved in the implementation of the university’s international projects related to the development of educational infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and cooperation. I have also started my doctoral studies at the Silesian University of Technology on social innovation. My passion for travel began when I left my previous job (also at the university) and embarked on a solo bicycle journey across America: from Alaska to Argentina, along a route through the Rocky Mountains and the Andes. I am the first Polish woman to accomplish this. My journey was nominated for a National Geographic Traveller award and received a statuette of Kolosy – the most crucial travel award in Poland.
Question : What is your goal for travel ?
Well, she said : The purpose of my trip was to drive from Alaska (Arctic Circle) to Argentina (Ushuaia). Unfortunately, due to covid-19, I had to abort the 3-year journey and return home. However, I managed to reach the northern part of Argentina, near the city of Salta.
Question: Is traveling on a bike easy for women ?
She said: Unfortunately, a woman also still has to face obstacles entirely unknown to a male biker. For example, she must be more careful about her hygiene and comfort during menstruation. She can’t accept all hospitality invitations (I tended to avoid young, solo men). She has to think more about where she will camp for the night and whether anyone has seen her while pitching her tent (this can be dangerous). She has to be more careful about her clothing (bare shoulders or hair in some countries can be unwelcome). In some countries, men think that a solo female traveler is looking for a partner or sexual adventures – so they become pushy. For me, the worst thing was that as a solitary traveling woman on a bicycle, I was always drawing attention to myself – people were pointing fingers at me, puzzling me. This, of course, was a sign of their interest and admiration, but I would rather be invisible, like solo traveling men. It’s much easier, in my opinion.
Question: What are the most important difficulties you face ?
She said: At first, I was most afraid of wild animals. I was scared of being torn apart by bears, wolves, and dogs. However, it turned out that the animals avoided me. If a minimum of common sense was maintained, a trip through dangerous areas turned out to be a fantastic adventure, and animals turned out to be completely harmless. I was terrified of loneliness. I had never traveled or lived alone before. I was sure I couldn’t cope, which was too much for me. But step by step, I learned to manage on my own and trust my gut feelings and coping skills. Sometimes I covered some stretches with company, but it was always lovely to return to that state when surrounded only by birdsong and the rustle of leaves because it turns out that you are never alone. In retrospect, I think the worst thing for me was the fear of people. Initially, I didn’t know the language well: English and Spanish. I was afraid to talk to others; I was ashamed. Over time I realized that people wanted to help me; I just had to let them. I was also afraid that people, especially men, would like to hurt me and take advantage of me. This also turned out not to be true. Except for a few minor incidents that would also happen in Poland, I had no bad memories regarding contact with local people.
Question: Tell us about your most important travels, how many distances did you travel ?
She said: I managed to drive solo from Alaska to Argentina 24,000 km in 33 months
Question: What is your motivation letter ?
She said: I dream that women worldwide can one day be truly free and safe and do everything they desire. A happy, free woman is a happy community. Every woman’s journey, even the smallest one, breaks a stereotype, and every woman’s graduation brings us closer to that state. I want to tell you that your journey is essential, your dreams count, and every success you make is our collective success as a society, even when some people are terrified of them. Don’t fear failure because you can’t lose on this journey. Every step on the road to realizing yourself is a step in the right direction. Even when you don’t reach the point on the map, you set for yourself in the end.
Question: What is your impression about the Arab countries you have visited ?
She said: Unfortunately, I have never yet traveled to an Arab country. I expect that one day I will be able to take a trip along, for example, the Silk Road and get to know this culture and people better.
Question: Is the world different during your bicycle travel ?
She said: Yes, the world has significantly changed, primarily through the covid-19 pandemic, the closing of borders, and intense digitization. However, it has changed me mainly because the trip has changed me from the inside out. It has allowed me to enjoy life and every season more. It has allowed me to be grateful for all that I have, for a country where there is no war and no poverty, for an excellent education, which is the privilege of a not-so-significant group of women in the world, for friends and family, for health, a brave heart and a sharp mind. Gratitude – this is probably the most important word I learned on the trip, and it has changed my life.
Question: After years of travel, do you feel nostalgic for the same trip ?
She said: I finished my journey more than two years ago. Of course, sometimes I miss the bike voyages, the sound of the wind, the freedom, the adventures. However, I realized that we are on a journey all the time. Travel is not just a state in which we buy a ticket and go somewhere far away. Travel is a state when we are in a state of alertness when we look at the world around us with a watchful eye when we are ready to learn, receive, to play. I don’t make nostalgic plans about the same journey because it can never happen again as I will never step into the same river. However, I dream even more strongly of making my life an incredible, wonderful, endless journey.
Question: What are your dreams and plans for the future ?
She said: At the moment, my biggest dream is to finish my Ph.D. I dream of dealing with the topic of social innovation, creativity, and connecting international partners to make life even better for all of us. I am implementing my first own projects, studying intensively, and traveling in regions all over Europe. Sometimes I think that I am the luckiest woman under the sun.
