Kamran
Today I entered Guatemala, my 40th country by bicycle. The border crossing was as easy as it gets. Apart from the long queue, the immigration itself didn’t take more than a minute on each side of the border. No security personnel patrolling the border and no sniper guns pointing at you from security posts. This … Read more
High above the clouds, in the volcanic range of El Salvador is the Santa Ana volcano which never sleeps. Inside the ring of nested calderas, a green boiling lake releases clouds of fumes into the air. From above it looks like the eye of a volcano which is full of rage but is holding back … Read more
Hello from Honduras! Today I crossed the border from Nicaragua and entered Honduras, my 10th country on this route and 38th overall by bicycle. At the border, everything went smoothly, except when at the Honduras immigration, the officer wanted to see my Yellow Fever vaccination certificate. When I told him that I don’t have it … Read more
Greetings from Nicaragua! A few days ago, I left Costa Rica and entered Nicaragua, which is the country#37 I am travelling by bicycle. The Costa Rica/Nicaragua border at Las Tabillas was a low-key border without any high-security measures, not very different from any other border crossing in South/Central America. Besides, there was no queue and … Read more
The tarmac on the Panamerican Highway melted under my tyres in the tropical heat. I struggled to keep the bicycle on the wide shoulder of the road which was dotted by dead frogs who were baked dry in the intense sun and had been flattened out by the traffic. These paper thin frogs flew in … Read more
No matter where you live, it is very likely that many products in your home, whether they are food, clothing or household appliances, passed through the Panama Canal before they reached you. After all, about 4-5% of world’s maritime trade transits through the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is an 80 km long artificial canal … Read more
Throughout Latin America, a girl’s 15th birthday is a considered to be a special occasion in her life and calls for a big celebration. The celebration which is called Quinceañera (fifteen-year-old) marks a transition from her childhood to womanhood. Traditionally, the girls were married by the age of 15 or they went to the church … Read more
Hello! This is captain KamranOnBike, err, KamranOnBoat from Liberty! I am pleased to inform that I have safely crossed the Darien Gap between South and North America by boat and reached Panama two days ago. After leaving Necocli, Colombia on 21st April, I changed five boats and spent four nights on a boat together with seven … Read more
[aesop_video width=”100%” align=”center” src=”vimeo” id=”213391515″ disable_for_mobile=”on” loop=”off” autoplay=”off” controls=”on” viewstart=”off” viewend=”off”] My Story I am Kamran Ali, a cyclist and a photographer, born and raised in a remote city in Pakistan called Layyah. I studied and worked in Germany for many years before deciding to quit my job as a software developer in the year … Read more
In January 2016, I came to Ushuaia, Argentina with nothing but a wild dream to travel 26,000 km from Ushuaia to Alaska on a bicycle—a journey which spans the entire length of South and North America. Within months, I was out of money, and my journey had come to a dead halt. I somehow managed … Read more
After a day long cycling on a flat road, I find myself at the beach. In front of me is the peaceful Caribbean Sea. As the sun slowly sets behind the horizon, a gentle breeze blows off sweat from my face. Tiny waves crawl long distances to reach the coast and wipe out dust on … Read more
“I came to prostitution seven and half years ago because I needed work. I didn’t study so couldn’t get a job. I live alone in Medellin with my two kids, who are 12 and 5 years old. I only work on the weekends and spend rest of the time at home. I earn about 80,000 COP … Read more
“My name is Diego. I am from Medellin. I don’t have a family and live alone here. I love drawing. When I was a kid I went to a school to learn it. My class fellows would ask me how I would draw without arms. I practiced day and night and now I am a … Read more
Is suicide bombing a tradition in Pakistan? While cycling across South America, the first question I get on the road is, “where are you from?” When I tell people that I am from Pakistan, the first reaction is, “aaaah, it is very far!!!” Then there are more questions. Where is Pakistan? What is the weather … Read more
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