It was the 1st of October 2008 when we waved our dear ones goodbye and left on a long journey. No Estonian had ever attemped to circumnavigate the globe on a motorbike before, but our jaunts to such off-the-beaten-track countries as Syria and Jordan, and even “infamous” Iran had sparked a desire to see even farther and more exotic places.
On our 1126-day expedition through Europe, South and North America, Australia, Asia and Africa we got to endure altitude sickness in Bolivia and malaria in Mali, eat live shrimp in Thailand, spend 12 days and nights in a no-man’s land between Angola and DR Congo, be escorted by doped policemen in Yemen, be evacuated by Pakistani military... and the list goes on.
In the end of 2015, after years of work, we finally self-published a 318-page book about our adventure in Estonian, titled Ühel Teljel Ümber Planeedi, roughly translated as Around the Planet on a Single Axis. Very well received by readers, it was announced the Travel Book of the Year by Estonian travel magazine Go Reisiajakiri.
As we know that our adventure inspired to set out on a trip of their own many people not just in Estonia but worldwide, we decided to publish our story also in English. Illustrated with lots of photos, we are hoping that it will inspire even more people to head out of their comfort zone and into the wide world – or just bring it closer to people who are not able to do it for one reason or another.
We are now just one step away from the book to be ready – it has been translated and designed, and it is waiting to go to press. This is where we need your help – your friendly “kick” will contribute towards the printing cost of this massive piece which we are hoping to have ready by the beginning of December.
Kariina Tšursin-Sootla and Margus Sootla
To see the selection on printed photos, please click here:
Also take a look at our video!
