Il paesaggio montuoso di quest’area dell’Asia è straordinario; costellato di laghi, ghiacciai, ponti aerei e cattedrali sospese nel tempo. Infine, per un appassionato di sport di montagna come Bert, è impossibile lasciarsi scappare una visita all’imponente K2! Ma è proprio dopo aver superato il Pakistan, mentre l’explorer si trova nell’India settentrionale che scoppia la pandemia di COVID-19. Bert decide di non tornare a casa e prende immediatamente un volo per l’Australia, dove trascorre alcuni mesi a lavorare in una fattoria, con lo scopo di racimolare i soldi necessari per proseguire il suo viaggio, una volta concluso il lockdown. Questa è anche l’occasione perfetta per esplorare l’Australia “zaino in spalla”. L’avventura di Bert non è ancora terminata, restiamo in attesa di aggiornamenti! MOTIVATION: to have a wild and memorable adventure, “on a motorcycle with a rucksack on my back” PARTICIPANTS AND MOTORCYCLES: Bert Boute and his 1998 Honda Transalp 600 THE TRIP IN NUMBERS: more than 20 countries and many km over two and a half years... But the discoveries don’t end there GIVI ACCESSORIES USED: Canyon GRT709 soft side bags (35 LTR), GRT715 tank bag (20 LTR), Camera Bag, engine guards, S322 additional LED foglights, X.33 Canyon full-face helmet A fan of adventure riding, winter sports and photography, young Bert considers travel to be an integral part of his DNA, having long been encouraged to see the world by his parents and grandparents, all seasoned travellers. After earning a degree in industrial engineering in 2018, Bert decided to carry on the ‘family tradition’ and embark on a nine-month motorcycle adventure from Belgium all the way to the Himalayas. He set out in April 2019. The route took him across the Balkans and then through Greece, Turkey, Iran and all the -stan countries, China, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Before setting off, the explorer came up with a ‘list of rules’ to follow during his trip, like avoiding the motorway (in favour of off-road routes),camping whenever possible, and being self-sufficient but, above all, doing some climbing or mountaineering in each place he visited. It wasn’t going to be easy to stick to them all. As for the motorcycle, the rider opted for an old 1998 Honda Transalp 600, which he christened ‘Belle’, fully customised to suit the long trip they would be tackling together. Things didn’t get off to the best start, with incessant rain over the first seven days. Despite the difficulties, Bert says that he stuck firmly to the schedule - camping and off-roading! For the first two weeks, he crossed Europe, mainly following the Trans Euro Trail until Bulgaria, a country that really put him to the test with its frigid temperatures. After a few days, the Bulgarian cold was thankfully replaced by the warm Greek spring. From there, Bert crossed Turkey in the direction of fascinating Iran, experiencing a series of adventures along the way, with a mired motorcycle and closed borders, but also unforgettable encounters and breath-taking scenery. “The border crossing between Turkey and Iran was undoubtedly the most stressful, the scariest, the riskiest, the hottest, the sweatiest, the luckiest and the most joyful crossing I’ve ever made as a rider”. Midway through 2019, Iran had started to deny access to motorcycles bigger than 250 cc. “Belle couldn’t cross the border”. Relying on luck, the fact that the motorcycle was very old, and that mud covered almost the entire frame, our explorer was eventually able to cross the Iranian border, with some difficulty. His journey continued across Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where he experienced an incredible 60-km off-road stretch along the glacial Kulikalon Lakes. It took two days to cross the border with China. The autonomous region of Xinjiang is highly militarised, and locals and tourists alike are subject to strict checks. Bert, who had joined a group of travellers waiting to cross into China together, was headed for the extraordinary Karakorum Highway in Pakistan which, with a top altitude of 4,693 metres, holds the record for being the world’s highest paved road. The mountain scenery in this part of Asia is extraordinary, dotted with lakes, glaciers, suspension bridges and cathedrals frozen in time. And for a mountain sport enthusiast like Bert, a trip to see the imposing K2 was an absolute must! But once past Pakistan, just as our explorer found himself in Northern India, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Bert decided not to return home and immediately took a flight to Australia, where he spent several months working on a farm, with the aim of raising the necessary funds to continue his trip after the lockdown. This was also a perfect opportunity to ‘backpack’ around Australia. Bert’s journey is not yet over, and we look forward to his updates! THE STORY OF B 17 Givi Magazine December 2021
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