Zahariz Khuzaimah tells Faisal Asyraf more about his solo expedition across the continents on
a mountain bike
LECTURER Zahariz Khuzaimah swapped the comfortable life of a working professional to experience the nomadic lifestyle on the road.
For months, he rode a mountain bike across the Asian continent, carrying 20kg of baggage that included clothing, a tent, cooking equipment and camera equipment.
The endeavour earned him thousands of fans on social media who saw him “living his dream”.
When Zahariz embarked on his first journey four years ago, he did so with little preparations.
“Initially, I made a lot of preparations. I had a long list of things to acquire and do and I would spend a lot of time thinking about these. So much so that it delayed my plans to explore the world. So one day, I told myself to stop thinking and just go. And I did,” he said.
His starting point was Chengdu in China. “I bought a mountain bike in Chengdu and cycled across Tibet, Kazakhstan and Kyrzygstan.” He later included Iceland, Scotland, Sweden and Norway to his route.
He filmed most of his experiences on the road and turned it into a travelogue, Dengan Basikal Aku Menjelajah. It was aired last year on TV Al Hijrah. The highlight of the travelogue, among others, was when he watched the majestic display of the Northern Lights also known as Aurora Borealis.
Early this year, he embarked on a new journey to cycle across three continents. Starting from Mongolia and ending in Spain, the journey will eventually cover 26,000km and add up to almost 28 months on the road.
While Zahariz is still halfway to completing the route, the first leg of Dengan Basikal Aku Menjelajah 2 will be screened starting tonight, for three nights on TV Al Hijrah.
The show is part of Al Hijrah’s new line-up of programmes as part of its fourth anniversary celebrations. At the recent Press conference at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), its chief executive officer, Che Wan Alias Che Wan Abdullah, said Al Hijrah has become popular in the last four years, with total viewership reaching up to 5 million daily.
Some of the new highlights include Isu Akidah Anniversary Edition (tomorrow and Oct 29, 9pm) where Ustaz Hadiq will share his experience spreading the messages of Islam in Borneo, The Oversized Coat (Oct 26, 10pm) a movie about a Palestinian journalist who produces a film about the cruelty of Israeli armies and a travelogue, Fajar Di Bumi Nihon (Nov 1, 8.30pm), which focuses on the Muslim community in Japan.
Zahariz talks about his journey:
Can you share the route of your journey?
It covers 19 countries, from Mongolia to Spain. From Mongolia, I go all the way south until I reach the Chinese border. From there, I cycle along the Great Wall westward until I reach Europe.
What message would you like to convey to viewers through this travelogue?
Media has shaped our perspective on how we see the world. Sure, there are wars going on in some parts of the world. But if you go out, there’s another perspective, the other side of the coin, that the world is still full of good people who are helpful to strangers. Sometimes, we just need to shift our focus to see the positive side.
You once said you had wanted to find more in life. Have you?
(Smiles) There is no single answer to that question because the more you find, more questions will come.
You mentioned going to secluded places where you don’t meet or talk to people for weeks. How does it feel being all alone?
I feel content because I don’t like crowded, noisy places. So it’s okay to not meet another human being for weeks, as long as I am close to the nature. I love high altitude places such as a mountain. When I’m on a mountain peak, I feel really close to heaven, with clouds below me and nothing between me and the stars. And the surrounding is quiet, just the sound of the wind echoing. It’s magical. I love it.
Can you describe the time you saw Aurora Borealis?
I felt like crying. I had been admiring the Northern Lights since I was a child. I chose the hard way by cycling hundreds of kilometres through Swedish forest. The first time I saw it was when I was in Umia, Sweden. But it wasn’t that clear. The picturesque moment came when I crossed the Arctic circle. The whole world appeared greenish. I felt like I was in a Hollywood’s fantasy films.
Is there any other natural phenomenon that you are looking forward?
That would be the Midnight Sun in Norway when, at midnight, the sun is just hanging low as in sunset. The surrounding will be quiet because it’s midnight and even the birds are asleep. So you will only hear the water flowing in the river and the wind.
When you first started, did you think of giving up?
I did. I wasn’t prepared and I had no skills. The bags kept falling off the bike. For the first two weeks, I had no clue what I was doing. I felt like I was doing something stupid and I thought of turning back.
But I didn’t. Somehow I kept going. Halfway through my journey, I met a Spanish guy named Alvaro in Tibet. He was a clown by profession and gave free shows all over the world. He had travelled for 11 years and covered over 100,000km. Since we were headed the same way, we decided to travel together for 10 days. He taught me the art of survival — how to cook, make a fire and survive in the wild. After 10 days, we parted ways because he was going to Mongolia and I, to Kazakhstan. I gained a lot of confidence from that experience.
What are your experiences with native folks and non-English speaking people?
We may not understand each other through words but body language is universal. Lots of people provided me with shelter and food, for example and we never had trouble communicating. At the dinner table, we would share stories using sign language.
Any advice for those who want to embark on a similar journey?
Don’t plan, just go. If you think you have to get ready, you never will. Follow your heart, don’t listen to the doubters. Just go.
Do you need an expensive bike and sophisticated gadgets like GPS?
I’m living proof that you don’t need expensive equipment. It’s not wrong but it’s not really necessary. Just give me a bicycle and I can ride all the way to China.
Dengan Basikal Aku Menjelajah 2 airs from tonight to Thursday (11pm) on TV Al Hijrah (Ch 114).