B.Bilguunzaya: My friend taught me to drive a bike in London
The 28 year old biker was given an acknowledgement certificate for becoming the first Mongolian motorcyclist to cross Europe and Asia on a motorbike, by the Mongolian National Auto-Motor Sport Club and Sport Center.
-We heard that you travelled from London to Ulaanbaatar on a motorcycle. Tell us about your trip?
-My journey started on July 13, for a charity rally to Mongolia. I and another woman started our trip but unfortunately, she injured her hand in Turkey and had to go back to London. After that, I carried on my journey alone. I visited 17 countries.
-Did you drive through all the countries marked on your helmet?
-I travelled to 17 countries, including England, France, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia and more. I travelled with an auto rally team to Uzbekistan, and from there, I travelled alone because I was not a member of the rally team.
It was easy to communicate with people in English and Russian in European countries. Sometimes we travelled over 1,000 km a day. We stopped for snacks briefly while we were buying fuel. The snacks were just bread with olive oil, and we would make do. Sometimes I shouted, “Wake up! Wake up!” inside my helmet in order to energize and wake myself up.
Journeys on motorcycles are challenging because in a car, there are typically four people travelling together. They can relax and eat inside the car, but you can’t do that while riding a motorcycle.
-Was it difficult to travel alone?
-I had many problems such as flat tires, loose wheels and other mechanical issues. I drove a Suzuki, which is very heavy.
In Iran, a rally car bumped my ride by accident. The car changed course suddenly in my direction and we collided. Fortunately I wore protective clothing and a helmet, so no serious injuries came out of it.
-Have you ever travelled by a motorcycle previously?
-No. A friend of mine taught me how to ride motorcycles in London. I studied and worked in England for ten years, and I only moved back to Mongolia a year ago.
-Was there an incident where the gas ran out on the countryside roads?
- The bike I rode has a seven liter fuel tank. With this I can go around 180 km. I also kept an additional ten liters of fuel in a container.
-Did you use GPS?
-No. I did not have GPS. I just used maps.
-You travelled countries with Islam or Christianity as their main religion. What was it like?
- Everyone greeted me warmly. Chinggis Khan is famous in Iran and Turkey, and people there asked me to send their greetings to him. I also met two men from Mongolia; they were very pleased to meet another Mongolian.
-I think travelling by a motorbike is closer to nature as opposed to a journey by car?
-Yes, I agree. Birds flying around and the sound of wind blowing around you are much clearer. I could feel nature much better.
-Driving a bike for long periods is difficult, especially for a woman. Were you often tired?
-I was never tired, because I was doing what I loved.
-When did you arrive in Mongolia?
-On September 5, I entered the border in Bayan-Ulgii Province. When we arrived in Mongolia, the border officials said, “Welcome to Mongolia!” in English. Maybe they thought that I was a foreigner.
-What will you do in Mongolia?
-I plan to make a documentary film using footage from my travels. Recently, I acquired a 20,000 USD in loans. I need to pay it back.
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