When he still lived in Venezuela, Gerardo Echeto always had one of his plans to tour South America in a 4×4 (all-terrain truck) and although that dream did not materialize, it did drive him so that in 2021, already in Europe, he decided to venture out and buy a motorcycle to tour. the old continent.
“In 2021, being already in Europe, I decided it was time, but doing it in a vehicle was economically unfeasible, so the second option was a motorcycle. With very little organization and with very few resources I bought the cheapest motorcycle I could get, obviously taking into account buying something that was resistant to such a long trip, from then on everything happened little by little, without realizing it the trip had started,” Echeto recalls in an interview for the Voice of America.
Since then, the Venezuelan travels not only Europe, but other continents on his motorcycle and records his journey on his social networks, such as on his Instagram account @tedoylavuelta. His intention, as he comments to the Voice of Americais traveling around the world, although he affirms that he is in no hurry to achieve it, since “traveling and enjoying the journey” is what has allowed him to learn about other cultures and customs.
44 years old and from Maracaibo, Echeto has already traveled to around 30 countries, including Turkey, Siberia and Mongolia. He is currently in Central Asia bound for Europe.
“The idea is to travel the world, not go around it, because I think the most interesting thing about the trip is not just getting from point A to point B, but everything that happens during the journey,” he said.
The challenge of traveling by motorcycle
Although for many travelers taking such extensive motorcycle tours is a real challenge, for Echeto the biggest challenge has been to stay financially while traveling, something that until now he has achieved with prior planning that has allowed him to make his money go further.
To generate income, he does different jobs between the breaks of each trip, which allows him to earn money to later tour another country on his motorcycle. The Venezuelan has worked as a driver, cashier in a supermarket, security guard at a train station, among other jobs.
Regarding his travel clothing, the Venezuelan says that he travels with the minimum: three t-shirts, a pair of pants, underwear and of course, the motorcycle suit. For camping he carries a tent, inflatable mattress and sleeping bag, and for the motorcycle a tool kit, a tire repair kit and a couple of basic spare parts.
“I take up most of the luggage with electronic things, that is, audiovisual material to record and share the trip through social networks and YouTube,” he said.
He assures that each country leaves him with learning. However, he recognizes that Central Asia is so far his favorite destination for its culture, the hospitality of its inhabitants and its nature.
“At the beginning the motorcycle was just a piece of iron that served as a means of transportation. After a couple of years, the motorcycle for me has become an extension of my body, I take care of it and it takes care of me, I have lived the best moments of my life on it, today it is part of my life and my story,” he noted.
The goal of returning to Venezuela
Echeto emigrated from Venezuela, where he worked whatever he could find, to settle in Italy in 2015. He left due to the crisis in the country and the few opportunities. Although since then he has not returned to his native country, it is among his plans to do so and also include it in his travel route around the world.
He plans to tour northern Europe, work enough to raise the necessary funds, and cross to America.
“The idea is to travel across the entire American continent from Ushuaia to Alaska, with Venezuela as the starting point. I want to show each state of my country like no other motorcycle traveler has done, its people, its culture, its gastronomy and its natural beauties,” he expressed.
Although Echeto does not feel special for traveling the world on a motorcycle (he claims that many others do), he is aware that stories like his can serve as motivation for those who want to venture out and do not do so out of fear.
“If telling my life story is of any use, I want it to be to show that dreams are meant to be fulfilled, that with dedication and organization they can be achieved. I would like to be an example for those who for different reasons have not been able to start working on it, that not everything is perfect, that along the way they risk many things and lose others, but that in the end the reward is well worth it,” he concluded. .
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