Getting ready for life on the open road. Just that it’s going to be a 10,000 km long road spanning 10+ countries. Lots of kindness stories waiting to unfold.
The wait time before the start is always hard, but I’m using this time to focus and stay determined for the challenge ahead.
“Can I see your flight itinerary to Greece?” the immigration officer asked.
“I don’t have one. I will be entering Greece through Turkey by bicycle,” I replied.
He stopped what he was doing and gave me this surprised look.
“How will you get to Turkey?”
“Through Iran,” I replied.
“And how will you get to Iran?”
“After cycling through India, Oman and the UAE, I will take a ferry to Iran. Greece will be the first Schengen member state I enter, and that’s why I am applying for a Greece (Schengen) visa,” I replied.
The look on his face was priceless.
“When will you enter Greece? Where will you stay? How will you get to Germany? What’s your itinerary? When will you get to Germany? When are you flying out of Germany? Where will you fly to after Germany?” The officer kept going on and on, and my only reply was, “I don’t have anything specific, just tentative dates.”
What should’ve been a 10-minute meeting went on for nearly an hour and a half.
The immigration officer in Chennai told me that this was the first time he was handling a case like this. He was super impressed and accepted my application for processing, but whether my visa will get approved or not, only time will tell.
One of those times I get jealous of my US/Kiwi friends’ passports.
I will be crossing 12 country borders. Need a total of 5 visas, and I have gotten 2 approved. Still 3 more to go. Need all the prayers and luck.
For a guy who had no flight itinerary, no advance hotel bookings, no departure ticket from Europe and no set itinerary, I can’t believe that they issued me a visa, and that too in just three business days! God’s been amazingly kind and gracious to me on this mission. Can’t thank you all enough for all your support and prayers! Thank you so much.
Nothing to stop me from getting into Europe now. Just one more visa and I’m all set!
Faith, dear heart!
PS: Apparently you have to keep a straight face, and no smiling is allowed. It took several tries for the officer to get this shot. 🤣
Jeff knows his bikes, and he is very serious about them. I didn’t know what I wanted for my expedition. I had a discussion with Jeff over the phone and told him about my mission, distance, terrain, etc. I was also working on a tight timeline.
Jeff built a killer tandem for me from scratch in record time and boxed it up for India. The bike he built is crazy fast and amazingly rugged. The perfect machine for my intercontinental 10,000 km tandem bike journey to combat trafficking.
Talking to Jeff was the best thing to happen on this expedition. He totally saved my mission. He is an expert in building bikes that are perfect for the customer’s requirements. He also has a big heart and helps with various causes.
Thanks for believing in my mission and cause. You are the best Jeff. This mission wouldn’t have been possible without your help. Thank you!