27.09.2012

London2London:Via the World

27.09.2012

London2London:Via the World

Manfrotto local hero Sarah Outen shares her amazing travel experience with us

 

I heart human powered journeys

I love human powered journeys for lots of reasons: the pace, the perspective, the intimacy with landscapes, the encounters with wildlife and the connections you make with people. Back in 2011 I set out on my ‘London2London: Via the World’ expedition; an attempt to row, cycle and kayak a continuous loop of the planet.  Though mostly solo I wanted to make my journey a shared one – using cameras and social media to share the stories.

Tower Bridge 2011

I started out from London’s Tower Bridge and kayaked down the Thames and across the English Channel to France.  I then began a cycle ride of over 11,000 miles across Eurasia.

It felt like the adventure truly started in Kazakhstan as I left familiar Europe behind and travelled through the vast and dusty steppe that covers most of the country. The hospitality of the Kazakhs was wonderful – I spent almost as much time drinking tea with locals as I did cycling!

Be like Gao

Bikes are humble and universal. They are an unintimidating way to share in people’s lives, if only for a moment. My journey across the land was punctuated by chance encounters and they stick in the mind because of our reactions to each other.

The most memorable encounter came in China when a young guy called Gao asked me if he could cycle across his country with me. After a bit of persuading I said yes, wrote him a shopping list (he didn’t even own a bike at this stage!), and a few days later we cycled East together. Thirty-five days after that, we hit Beijing and he had nailed his goal. His story and attitude will always inspire me.  It’s a great example of guts, positive attitude and humour overcoming obstacles.

The edge of the world

When I reached the Far Eastern coast of Russia, I got back in my kayak, Nelson, to make the crossing to Japan via the remote island of Sakhalin – a wild and rugged place. Sakhalin’s raw beauty kept me going through one of the most challenging legs – I was physically and emotionally exhausted at this stage.

I overwintered in Japan, recovering from the first stage and preparing for the second of the journey.  During that time I spent a week volunteering in the tsunami-damaged area of Tohoku. It was a humbling and moving time.

Pacific Take 1

In May 2012, I set off in my rowing boat, Gulliver, on what I knew was going to be the toughest part of my journey so far – to row solo across the North Pacific Ocean from Japan to Canada. Life on the ocean is a heady mix of the sublime, the mundane and the surprising and most of it is incredibly challenging. I love it though, and mostly for the encounters with wildlife.

Unfortunately, the ocean didn’t happen the way I had hoped – adventures rarely do. Just a few weeks in Tropical Storm Mawar roared across my sea area, bringing winds of 65 knots and waves measuring 15 metres.  I lay strapped into my back cabin, powerless to do anything but wait and hope. Thirty-six hours later, Gulliver had been so badly damaged that I had to call for assistance, unable to continue my row. It was another day and a half before I was rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard.

I am now home in the UK and after having had a few months recovery, I am determined to get back out there and take on the North Pacific Ocean again in 2013 and continue my London2London expedition. It is all about the journey and the stories, and inspiring others push their boundaries, live their dreams and be like Gao.

http://www.sarahouten.com/

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