How about turning your back on your routine and traversing around the world like a nomad? Unrealistic, right? Trust me; I felt the same way when I heard it the first time from my colleague. I mean, how can you possibly leave everything behind and get off to live a life like that? Adventure is all good when you are planning it for a few days but planning it for weeks, months, or even an entire year is just so bizarre. There is nothing like planning the adventure in your mind. The essence of an adventure is unknown and going on and on in anticipation of finding something unusual than the normal is what you can expect. Having all these things in mind, I decided to take on the adventure of cycling across Europe for three months. That’s right. I finally took the advice and packed my backpack.

WAS IT PLANNED?

You all must be thinking that being a woman I have the whole thing figured out in a diary, and all I have to do is to follow. But none of it happened. I personally believe that there is no need to make a to-do-list if all you want is to embrace the opportunity of travelling on your own. All you need to get on an adventure like that is a little courage and confidence. Believe me; it will take you a long way ahead!

WHY BIKE TOUR?

Now, why I chose the bike tour? Do I have the best physical strength? No. Do I know what route I will follow? Certainly not. Do I know how long it will take? I can only make a guess. The only thing I know is what cities I want to cover including my favourite Budapest and Switzerland. The only reason why I choose the cycling tour over everything else is the uncertainty of what comes next. Fighting with the daily mystery of where I am going to sleep, what I am going to eat, or what will happen if I didn't find anything for miles is what kept me paddling hard through the hills even when my legs were screaming out loud to stop. Though relying on Google Maps for such a long route is not recommended by me yet there are some factors that you must consider before getting started.

APPLY FOR LEAVES TO GET OFF WORK

When you plan for such fierce plans, there is no backing out! Planning for breaking out the news of this adventure that I had planned was the main obstacle for me to face. I spent weeks to gather the courage but no matter how terrified you feel to initiate that leave talk with your boss, you do it. After all, you don't get anything until you ask!

ROUTE PLANNING

Fear of getting lost is nothing when you had the most insane plan of travelling alone. But once you get the time off work, you must start planning the route. According to my experience, planning doesn't let you explore the world. But if you are a novice like me, you better stick to the plan until you get the confidence to forge your own path!

GET THE RIGHT BIKE

If you ask me, there is nothing like a wrong bike that exists unless you chose it correctly depending on the path you are taking. Like, if you are taking the hills or mountains with rough paths, the mountain bike is a perfect choice providing high resistance. Whereas, on the paved roads, you need a bike with smoother tires that allow you to ride faster.

TRAIN CONSISTENTLY

I knew from the start what I was getting into and that what kept my spirit high. As soon as I planned for the bike tour, I knew how much I have to paddle up in a day and this is when I opted for a consistent amount of exercise every week. Initially, it was hard to get the time from my hectic schedule but it never pulled me back from the training routine. Despite covering a hell of a distance on my bike tour, I ditched a little bit having a lot of ice-cream after a hot day of cycling. You can have this much, right?

So, if you got a tad bit of motivation from the extremely uphill adventure of mine, break the stereotype of following the same monotonous routine, and gear up yourself to experience the fun on your own!