"Eilidh" is a Scotswoman who realizes the dream of her youth
"Eilidh" is a Scotswoman who realizes the dream of her youth
TRAVEL INFO
6 Months
7000 Km
10 Country
Eilidh, a Scottish woman who fulfills her childhood dream of discovering the world on a bicycle, set out on an adventure from Egypt to Cape Town, covering 12,000 km. Her great self-confidence made her travel alone between the wilds of Africa for fun and a humanitarian goal, during which she collected sums of money for the Association of Neurological Patients.
INTERVIEW
We asked Eilidh : Introduce yourself, talk about anything you want, your age, your country, how did your passion for travel begin…?
She said : I’m Eilidh, 38, from Scotland, UK. As a teenager I realised that often the world can seem very familiar as we see it all on TV, but in fact we rarely experience it for ourselves. I vowed to visit as much as I can and learn as much as possible.
Question : What is your goal for travel ?
Well, she said : I decided to do this trip when we were ‘locked down’ in the UK due to Coronavirus and only allowed to leave the house for one hour a day. Life became very small and I wanted an adventure with a big goal to look forward to. So I decided to cycle from the top of a continent, Africa, to the bottom. I would also like to raise money for the National Brain Appeal who do ground-breaking research on various neurological conditions and really improve people’s lives.
Question: Is traveling on a bike easy for women ?
She said: Sometimes! The attention can be annoying but most often people will be very kind and help you. Border crossings seem easier! Sometimes people try to protect you which can be positive or negative.
Question : What are the most important difficulties you face?
She said : In general I am trying to understand my body better – what my physical limits are, what makes me tired- because everything seems more difficult when you are exhausted.
Question : Is money an obstacle to financing the trip and how to act?
She said : I managed to save money during coronavirus lockdown in the UK and am lucky to have a job to go back to. Still, I need to make my money go far and need to remember I can’t do everything. Visas and PCR tests are the main expense. Things are cheaper if you have time and patience. That includes for spotting second-hand bargains before you go. I think my bike is about 20 years old!
Question: Tell us about your most important travels, how many distances did you travel ?
She said: I am cycling from Cairo to Capetown over 6 months. It’s my first big cycling trip out of Europe. So far I have cycled about 7000 kms in 3 months- but with breaks for hiking Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro and for getting coronavirus. I have about 12000kms to go!
Question: What are your tips for those who want to experience traveling on a bike ?
She said: Just do it. You don’t need to be brave or skilled or experienced. Decide when and then go- you’ll figure everything else out!
Question: What is your motivation letter ?
She said: It’ll be fine! And sometimes it will be breathtaking.
Question: What is your impression about the Arab countries you’ve visited ?
She said: Sudan is the only Arab country I have visited on this trip, although Egypt is also Arabic speaking. Sudan was amazing. People were unbelievably kind and generous to me. People would stop me by the road to give me food or offer me lifts. I also loved how fun and playful people were, and that they complimented my bike which always makes me happy!
