Luki's first major goal was set: the North Cape, a must for every motorcycle adventurer. On August 10, 2018, he started heading north in 30-degree heat. But summer quickly said goodbye – at the North Cape itself, snow and freezing temperatures awaited him. "I had to put on four layers because I only had summer clothes with me," he says. The landscape? Often just endless expanses and straight roads, except for the last section, which then rewarded him for the hardships. The road wound curvily along the Porsangerfjord and offered breathtaking views.
Farm work and refugee aid – Adventures on and off the motorcycle
After the North Cape, Luki continued southward through Norway – a landscape that often reminded him of Switzerland, except "that there's sea below," as he says with a smile. In Oslo he took a break and worked for two weeks on a vegetable farm with a few cows. In the mornings the stalls were cleaned out and the calves were cared for, in the afternoons fieldwork was on the schedule.
But the journey didn't consist only of nature and adventure. In Calais, he spent a week working in a refugee camp. "I knew I wanted to do something social," he says. In the refugee camp, he repaired refugees' shoes with a hot glue gun and distributed food – a formative experience that later even led him to change careers. Today, Luki works in a children's home and has completed training as a social pedagogue. "That was absolutely the right decision."
When he thinks back to that time today, he still feels the gratitude and the strength that grew from those encounters – they steered his life in a new direction.
From the Alps to the Mediterranean: Adventure, storms and joie de vivre
The further route took him along the French west coast, then into the Alps, where he met his cousin. Together they cruised to Nice. After that they went to Sardinia and Corsica.
On the way back to Italy, he got caught in a severe storm with knee-deep water, while in Genoa a bridge had just collapsed. "Gring abe und dure," he describes the drive through the storm. "I was a bit scared, but I was too focused to think about what could happen." After 300 km – half of it in dry conditions – he then treated himself to a few quiet days at a campsite.
His highlight in Italy: Working on a sheep farm in Tuscany. "Milking sheep in the morning, then having breakfast, harvesting olives and always enjoying an apéritif in the evening – that was pure joy of life." These simple, honest days, far away from everyday life, showed him how little it sometimes takes to be truly happy. From there, his path eventually led him back to Switzerland.
Low points and special encounters
One experience from his motorcycle adventure has particularly burned itself into Luki's heart in retrospect: "It was one of those days when I felt lonely and fell into a real hole. I had given my money to someone who needed it more urgently, and therefore decided to wild camp." But the next morning brought the turning point: Two elderly people spontaneously invited him to breakfast. "That's when I realized: whoever gives, also receives something back."
And where does the next motorcycle trip go?
Luki is already planning again. Before he thinks about marriage, he wants to travel for a longer period with his girlfriend first: "We want to go to South America for three months – with enduros." However, his partner first needs to get her motorcycle license. But after visiting the Horizons Unlimited Festival – a gathering of motorcycle travelers from around the world where adventurers share their stories and tips – she was also fired up with enthusiasm.
We wish Luki and his partner lots of fun on their journey together!
Would you like to be featured in the next Rider Spotlight? Then contact Sarah atsarah@thetours.ch– we look forward to your story!