Who am I? - an incurable daydreamer who does not seem to notice that time inexorably goes by; a man who always believes that tomorrow will be better than today, an eternal rambler who is always staring at the map, always looking at all the places he has not been to with a telling smile, somebody who has been looking for his kindred spirits for the last thirty years. Kindred spirit means someone who appreciates experiences more than money.

Why did I choose bicycle? - you will never know unless you hop on the hard saddle to meet the unknown. Greet a Swiss gardener with a smile and he may invite you to stay at his place and enjoy his swimming pool. Meet a friendly young couple who manages a retirement home somewhere on the outskirts of Lucerne and they may invite you for a hot cup of tea in the morning. Talk to a petrol station worker and he may make you feel welcome in his cosy cottage somewhere in the middle of a Slovakian forest, right at the border with Hungary. Sit down on a bench in one of the small towns on the French Côte d'Azur and not knowing a word in French talk about politics with a chatty elderly man. Nip into a Greek tavern to share the latest news from your homeland. Meet uncommon people who just like you take pride in every kilometre of their route. Get to grips with your own weakness, face the passing time and struggle against the never-ending road to Nordkapp. See a strolling herd of reindeer; admire turtles and snakes on the way to the most narrow canyon in the world. Pitch a tent on the border of the Seven Sisters Waterfall or on Trollstingen Pass. Once you have done these things, only then will you understand what makes me want to set off again and again on a new journey. Not only will you understand, you will find yourself drawing paths on maps with your fingertip...

Why do I travel alone? - often tell my friends that it is better this way. You don't have to wait for anybody nor feel ashamed because you are not in your top form today. You can get up at midday and cycle till midnight. No rush when you are trying to take the photo of your life. Nobody counts the money you spend on bread with cheese. Nobody moans that it's raining or that it's too stuffy. You don't have to feel embarrassed when somewhere en route you suddenly think you will not make it. However I may tell you - in secret - that sometimes I just miss somebody who would keep an eye on the bike or help me make a fire in the rain. Somebody, who would smile to me warmly when things do not seem to be all so great. I miss somebody I could tell that I have had enough for the day and I would fancy swimming in a pool rather than cycling in pouring rain. To let you in to my greatest secret, I wonder from time to time when will I get bored with my lonely escapades.

My dreams? - to cycle around the world: see the Himalayas in Nepal, Taiwanese children, Jamaican women, kangaroos and koala bears in Australia, descendants of the Maya on the Yucatan Peninsula and the picturesque Grand Canyon in Arizona. I can recite a detailed route even if you wake me up in the middle of the night. I cannot explain why but I have that strange certainty that one day I will grab my bike and head East, only to return to the West after a year and a half. I will grab a shower, jump into bed and listen to a quiet melody on CD.

If you wish to buy me a new bike for the road or a set of lenses for my camera, if you are willing to pay for my airline ticket to Australia, if you want to invite me to stay in your house when I pass it on my way or if you simply would like to tell me that you enjoyed my photographs and that you wish me good luck just write to me on my e-mail address.

My best wishes to you

Leszek Andzel
leszek@andzel.net