In eight months, Candida Louis embarked on an epic solo motorcycle ride from India to Australia. She passed through nine countries, covering over 27,500 kilometres on a Bajaj Dominar motorcycle she named ‘Skye.’ She captured her journey using a tripod, a digital camera, three GoPro cameras and a drone.
“I also met several bikers, clubs, friends and overlanders during my journey and I would mount my camera on their bikes to get shots from different angles. It took a lot of effort in capturing all the footage so that the story can be told in a more compelling manner. Instead of the ride taking four months, I took eights months on the road and six months of riding.” [1]
A Gift That Changed her Life
She was gifted a motorcycle from her father back in 2016 for her birthday. This sparked a passion that resulted in her leading more than 34 customised biking group tours, within India and internationally, covering as many as 14 countries and five continents. Known within the internationally motorcycle community for her adventures, Candida was selected for the ‘Change your World’ travel project. It is a non-profit organisation set up in the memory of the late Alistair Farland. He was the Australian biker that died in a road accident in North America, during his world-tour in 2014. The project aims to fund and support wayfarers like Alistair whose travels are much more than just individual goals.
Solo Travel is Empowering
Travelling the world has given Candida many valuable lessons in life. “You can empower women by teaching them to be literate, financially secure or by teaching them about their rights. But personally, travel is the best way to do so, because it teaches you about different cultures, people and ideas through first-hand experience,” said Candida. [2] Solo travel can be a daunting, yet exhilarating experience. It is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
“I rode for seven months in India alone, and being out there has changed my whole perspective of how people are. It is safe if you know how to handle situations and travel with care,” she explains. Her only advice to fellow women riders? “Don’t be afraid of the unknown. Take the first step and everything will follow.” Great advice Candida!
A xenophile at heart, she lives to travel and loves to share her experience on Trip Jaunt (formerly Weekend Jaunt), an online travel community and hub she founded in 2010. She hopes that you will feel inspired to discover the world as well! Helen is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and the Academy of Canadian Film and Television.
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