Solo Journey To South America And Top 3 Tips For Long-Distance Motorbike Trip

Our famous photographer Tomas Adomavicius’ story. Get his TOP 3 tips for going on a long-distance motorbike trip and some other good advice. “Confront the travel fear of the unknown.”

Which countries did you visit during your bike trip?

My journey kicked off in Peru, after which I traveled through Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. I made it to Ushuaia and back again. I have racked up over 20 000 kilometers in total.

Where did the idea for the trip come from? What was your original inspiration?

I’d felt something pulling me towards South America for years before – the culture, the landscapes, the people. It was something I knew I needed to experience for myself, seeing as the media only ever casts the continent in a negative light. Coverage like that makes the whole world assume the place is dangerous and ridden with drug cartels. I wanted to come to my own conclusion, and guess what? The media is full of nonsense!

What was your biggest fear when planning the trip?

…The fear of the unknown. For me, that’s the worst kind of fear.

In retrospect, has this fear evolved?

Absolutely. Have you heard the saying, “fear eats the soul”? I decided to embrace that which I feared 100% – the best way to overcome any fear, in my opinion. Once you get to the place you were so scared of, you’ll realize there was nothing to fear at all. At that moment, fear doesn’t exist.

Did you encounter any…surprises?

Sure, there were plenty…but there’s one that still sticks out in particular. It was pouring with rain in Peru back in February. Most rivers were flooded from all the water streaming down the mountainsides. Some of the rivers even blocked the roads, meaning there was nothing to do but wait. So, here I was, waiting for one of these rivers to chill out. I asked a nearby guard how long he reckoned it would take to calm down, and with a big smile on his face, he announced: “Ah, well, maybe 5 to 8 hours.” He then took another lick of his ice cream and moved on. What was I supposed to do for up to 8 hours? I decided to just accept the situation, like the guard, and grab myself a cone too. After a while, I saw some people, clearly even more impatient than me, crossing the river using a homemade raft built from massive wheel tubes. Unable to believe my eyes, I moved closer, and they told me to bring my bike. According to the 7-man crew, they were going to lift me to the other side. And guess what? They did – with my bike on their shoulders and me in the makeshift raft.

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