Go Big and Ride Small

[Tonibe63]

Spend 50 s to watch this video.
From 4:50 to 5:40
(If the link is correct, it will start at 4:50)

How the locals are just cruising around easily on their 125 cc bikes.
Where an adventure traveler on the small Honda CRF 300 Rally top spec bike has a hard time.

I made the same comment to my Wife when we watched it last night.

Recently I've been reading books and watching vids about people travelling by cycle, hitchhiking or long distance walking and they certainly have more interactions with local people than I've had in 60k miles of GS adventures. These interactions are what I felt were missing from Itchy Boots videos, especially when she was restricted to European travels on a bigger bike but now we are really engaged with the new format of seeing local lives.

[garyboy]

Remember that "itchy' is a lone FEMALE traveller in strange foreign land, riding precarious very unfamiliar unmetalled roads.

The locals are ... local.. and ride those familiar roads for short distances ever day., and know the best lines, where to get help , what to avoid etc.

I've only watched a couple of her videos and it's fantastic how she makes it look so easy.. getting accommodation as well as the travelling.

Interaction with locals, ?. She is a lone female ffs. Incredible woman!!

[Cornishman]

Spend 50 s to watch this video.
From 4:50 to 5:40
(If the link is correct, it will start at 4:50)

How the locals are just cruising around easily on their 125 cc bikes.
Where an adventure traveler on the small Honda CRF 300 Rally top spec bike has a hard time.

I hope you have watched her previous videos and understand exactly why she chose the Honda for her travels. I certainly wouldn’t be arrogant enough to question her ability, she has a pretty good track record of taking bikes across daunting territory. Don’t you remember way back in the Long Way Round days how the light, un encumbered local bikes were always embarrassing the travellers?

[Cornishman]

Remember that "itchy' is a lone FEMALE traveller in strange foreign land, riding precarious very unfamiliar unmetalled roads.

The locals are ... local.. and ride those familiar roads for short distances ever day., and know the best lines, where to get help , what to avoid etc.

I've only watched a couple of her videos and it's fantastic how she makes it look so easy.. getting accommodation as well as the travelling.

Interaction with locals, ?. She is a lone female ffs. Incredible woman!!

It’s also worth noting the way that she communicates with the locals in their language. She really is prepared to put the effort in to make her travels successful and as interesting as possible for her viewers.

[garyboy]

Yes, she does .

What I would like to know is How she can financially afford it all?

Is she a millionaire, or sponsored?
Genuine question.

[tuftywhite]

Yes, she does .

What I would like to know is How she can financially afford it all?

Is she a millionaire, or sponsored?
Genuine question.

She was a mining geologist. She sold her house and all of her possessions in order to do this. She earns quite a bit from the YouTube channel. I think her clothing and helmet etc. is sponsored.

[garyboy]

WaW.. thanks for that

[Cornishman]

Yes, she does .

What I would like to know is How she can financially afford it all?

Is she a millionaire, or sponsored?
Genuine question.

She was a mining geologist. She sold her house and all of her possessions in order to do this. She earns quite a bit from the YouTube channel. I think her clothing and helmet etc. is sponsored.

It really is worth watching her videos fro when she first got hold of an Himalayan in India. Back then she knew nothing but has learned from her mistakes and become a really experienced RTW traveller. In her videos she explains exactly how she has financed her travels, why she has used the bikes she has used and the equipment she carries.

[Godspeed]

I’ve watched a few of her videos but I can’t help thinking what a strange life that would be, everything has to be documented all the time, and I wonder how much actual enjoyment of the travel there actually is….
Don’t get me wrong it serves a purpose of making videos that make her a lot of income. But when does she get to switch off, relax, enjoy the ride and views around her without feeling the need to document it all.
Maybe I’m just getting old.

Anyway, back to Eric’s post, shows you don’t need a larger bike to do tricky routes, just a small bike and a willingness to ride it

[Cornishman]

I’ve watched a few of her videos but I can’t help thinking what a strange life that would be, everything has to be documented all the time, and I wonder how much actual enjoyment of the travel there actually is….
Don’t get me wrong it serves a purpose of making videos that make her a lot of income. But when does she get to switch off, relax, enjoy the ride and views around her without feeling the need to document it all.
Maybe I’m just getting old.

Anyway, back to Eric’s post, shows you don’t need a larger bike to do tricky routes, just a small bike and a willingness to ride it

To be honest I often feel the same about people like yourself who make and share videos. I suppose we are all different. I think that Noraly has the ability to produce videos that give the impression of following every step of her adventure when, in fact, they are just a snapshot of her adventure.
I’ve watched some other YouTube videos over the winter and the ones that I don’t understand are those who always seem to be chasing an impossible deadline, chasing a daily mileage target that prevents them from thawing any interaction with their environment.