Kerala to London on bicycle: Techie cyclist quits job to paddle 30,000 kilometers for 450 days

A Kerala-based techie - Faiz Ashraf, has quit his job to travel to London on a bicycle from the state capital as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava.

Travelling is considered an interesting exercise to take a break from the everyday hustle. We must understand that travelling is addictive in nature, and people often cross borders to treat their eyes to scenic views. Well, a cyclist from Kerala has taken the exercise rather seriously and is on its journey to cover roughly 30,000 kilometres and over 35 countries. It certainly sounds crazy, stupid, and amazing - all at the same time. Named Faiz Ashraf Ali, a hard-crore travel enthusiast, started his solo cycle expedition from the state capital of Kerala to London on Monday as part of the "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the country's independence from the British. The ride was flagged off by Kerala's education minister V Sivankutty.

Organised by the team, Eco Wheelers with the slogan "From Heart to Heart ", the journey which is scheduled to take at least 450 days to complete, is envisaged to spread the message of love and peace among the world countries. Ali is expected to cover 30,000 kilometres in 35 countries and reach London in 450 days, the organisers said. As Pakistan and China did not grant him visas, the cyclist would exclude these countries during his trip.

After reaching Mumbai by cycle, Ali would board a flight to Oman and from there he would continue his journey and travel through countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. He would also pedal through European countries including Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Austria, Italy, Germany, and France before reaching London, they added.

The 34-year-old youth began going on cycle expeditions years ago after quitting his job in IT major Wipro. His first such solo trip was to Singapore from Kozhikode, his native district, in 2019. A UAE-based travel and luggage accessories company is sponsoring the bicycle, in which the man is travelling, during the current trip. The Rotary International is also supporting Ali's ride.

With inputs from PTI