Have you been thinking it’s due time for an adventure lately? Mohamed Zaki, consultant at ALTEN and Senior Software Architecture at Scania’s Automotive Division, has. If everything goes according to plan, he will embark on a journey travelling through Europe by the end of the summer – by bike.
How did this idea occur to you?
– Last summer, I did my first longer trip with a friend. We biked in the northern parts of Sweden, went on to Finland, down to the Finnish archipelago via Åland and back to Sweden. It was during that time that I got the idea of exploring further. I want to go to more places I haven’t visited yet!
Mohamed is planning on seeing as many countries as he can during his time away, enjoying everything that comes along: dramatic views, historical sites and peaceful nature. The trip is planned to last for a maximum of two months, with room for adjustments. While the route is somewhat flexible, Mohamed has a clear idea on what he wants to do: Expanding the previous trip, visiting countries such as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark.
– The trip is planned so that I can invite people who haven’t cycled before or haven’t done any long cycling trips. The friend I went with last time hadn’t cycled a lot, nor did she think could do it, but it went very well. Even though cycling is obviously a big part of the trip, it isn’t all about that. It is just as much enjoying the trip itself and getting to see many new places.
– The plan is to use mountain bikes and just see places without too much effort or extreme number of kilometers per day. I haven’t done this long of a trip before either, so it’ll be an adventure.
“Having a companion makes everything so much more fun and
you feel safer when being away”.
With a passion for biking
Ever since he was a kid, Mohamed has had a passion for biking. But somewhere life got in the way and for many years, he stopped. It wasn’t until about four years ago that he re-found the passion of his childhood.
What will be most challenging about this trip?
– To balance the planning with having to adjust to timing and external factors. But it’s also a fun part of the adventure!
Besides your bikes for obvious reasons – what will be the most important item you take with you on your journey?
– Haha, it’s hard to specify one thing. Obviously, we need tents and mattresses, but also power banks to be able do have internet to look for camp sites etc.
– But it isn’t the items that are most important – it’s having a partner to share this trip with. Having a companion makes everything so much more fun and you feel safer when being away.
Are you looking forward to doing something in particular?
– What I enjoy most is you’re able to see so many places closely, especially the nature. So being able to enjoy beautiful lake views and calming forests is something I really cherish and hope to get a lot of during this trip.
Interested in joining Mohamed for a part of the trip?
If you’re also looking for an adventure this summer, enjoy biking or is looking for a challenge – why not go ahead and join Mohamed for a trip you will be sure to remember? If you have questions or inquiries about the trip, you are more than welcome to contact Mohamed at mohamed.zaki@alten.se.
– I don’t think it will be as hard as it might sound. The way I look at it, is you just need to have a soul who likes adventures and trying new things. I would be delighted to have some company on this adventure!
