Everyone knows about the famous Tour de France that happens
every year. That multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France, also
occasionally passes through nearby countries. The Tour de France has been
somewhat of a spectacle, yet, two natives of the region, Ludivine Arnodin and
Bruno dos Santos have decided to step off this commonly tread path to take
their tandem bicycle across the entire world, riding through a host of
countries, and in the process, making a little stop at our very own Goa.
“The project, ‘Quand Ma Tête Perd Les Pédales’ (When My Head
Loses The Pedals) was created in early 2013 and was my long-standing dream that
began at the age of eight. It is in the realisation of this same dream that I
met Ludivine Arnodin, who was just as passionate about travel. It is about a
trip involving a mixed tandem bicycle ride around the world that will last
three years. It is a sporting challenge that will cover more than 50,000
kilometres by bike, crossing 50 countries in the process,” says Bruno, as he
reflects on the journey.
On this journey, the young French pair aims to extend the
sharing and exchange of knowledge and skills with the people that they engage
with on their journey, promoting solidarity, integration and sustainable
mobility in all forms. “To make it an all-round experience, we have also
scheduled multiple meetings throughout the journey, with linguistic
associations, organisations that deal with motor disabilities and cultural
institutions,” adds Ludivine.
And this trip has not been without interesting incidents
either. At one point, when the cyclists reached Alibagh in Maharashtra, they
appeared to have reached an impasse with night falling around them rapidly,
when a stranger reached out with aid. “We were a tad lost, but if there is one
thing that I’ve learnt along this journey, it is that people in India are a
curious bunch when they see something out of the unknown, but they are kind in
equal measure. They are always forthcoming and willing to help. At one point,
we were at a loss when it came to ‘what to do next’, yet a stranger offered us
food and shelter for the night, allowing us to recuperate and find our way at
daybreak. We would have lost our way in the dark and would have been set back a
long way,” recounts Bruno, adding, “This is but one example of people’s
goodness that we have experienced on this journey.”
Having arrived in Goa earlier in the week, the young French
duo is about to embark on the next leg of their trip, which will take them to
Kochi, before they head to reconnect with French history in Pondicherry. As
they set out to discover more on their journey, one can but smile, wave a white
kerchief in the wind, and wish them ‘Bon Voyage’.
