Driving the Distance: Russian Woman Embarks on Epic Global Journey With Loyal Canine Companion
08:00 02.07.2023 (Updated: 15:18 02.07.2023)
© Photo : Irina Sidorenko
Subscribe
Sputnik sat down with an extraordinary person, a Russian traveler Irina Sidorenko who drove through 80 countries in her Hyundai Elantra with a pet dog. She shared her insight into her experiences, how she managed to accomplish such a feat single-handedly and what were some of the highlights of her long journey.
Sputnik: Please introduce yourself, where are you from and what did you do before you embarked on your journey?
Irina: My name is Irina Sidorenko, I was born in the Kemerovo region, Siberian territory of Russia. I managed a press center and launched a municipal TV channel in the city of Polysayevo and I was awarded the medal of the Governor of the Kemerovo Region 'For Faith and Kindness'. After moving to Moscow, I worked in such fields as consulting, real estate, commercial vehicles, and in the government office. I am an experienced traveler and explorer, blogger, journalist and project promotion specialist. From May 2017 to April 2023, I traveled around the world in my car, in the company of my dog Greta.
Sputnik: When did your journey begin and where did you go first?
Irina: The start of my round-the-world trip took place in May 2017 from Russia. I drove to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, then to Turkey and 20 European countries. From Spain I went by ferry to Morocco and traveled along the western side of Africa to South Africa, from there along the east of the continent to Egypt. Through the Middle East on to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon I returned to Turkey. Then I drove through Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. From there I went to Thailand, and sent my car on a cargo ship to the United States. After sending my car off, I flew to the US with my dog by plane. From Houston, our journey continued first through North America, then we drove through Central and South America to Tierra del Fuego.
Russian explorer Irina Sidorenko shared glimpses of her journey from across the world.
© Photo : Irina Sidorenko
Sputnik: You have become quite famous among travelers and have a big following on social media under #sGretoyVokrugSveta (with Greta around the world) campaign, how did that come about?
Irina: Both the car and the dog came into my life by accident and almost simultaneously. Greta is my first and only dog. I found her on the Internet through an ad and bought her for symbolic money. Hyundai Elantra is also the first and only car in my life, which I bought through an ad from friends. I had just gotten my driver's license and was looking for an inexpensive car to learn how to drive. Elantra and I spent a year together in a test mode - first on short trips and then on longer ones. Greta traveled with me by car almost through all of Central Russia, then around Georgia. We also went to Morocco through Europe together. It was then that I decided that my round-the-world trip would take place in this format, so that's how project #sGretoyVokrugSveta was born.
Sputnik: How many countries in total have you visited so far?
Irina: Expedition #sGretoyVokrugSveta spent exactly six years on the road, during this time 256,000 kilometers and 80 countries were visited. The long drive included the roads of Russia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, North, Central and South America.
Sputnik: What was the highlight of your journey, can you share a few of your favorite memories with our readers?
Irina: There are several points on the world map that played a role of guiding stars for me as I purposefully moved towards them. They gave me a vector of movement, helped me not to attach great importance to the difficulties, issues, and misunderstandings along the way. These points are the equator in Gabon, the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt and Thailand. Another such important point was also on the equator - in Ecuador. The last point that I considered a must-see was the island of Tierra del Fuego and the furthermost point of human civilization in the city of Ushuaia in Argentina.
I will share a few of my favorite memories. First was in Gabon, when I crossed the equator for the first time, it was as if a new portal opened in my chest and I got into another dimension, completely unknown until now. The most powerful energy flows through this portal and carries joy, universal love and pride. At such moments, I think, why does God love me so much, why does he give me all this? How can I express my gratitude to him? And I understand that the most correct thing is to remain true to yourself always and everywhere.
The Cape of Good Hope is also one of the iconic moments of my trip. I aspired to reach it with all my heart, journeying through the countries of Western and Central Africa, like an arrow in flight. The cape met me with rain and strong winds, but as soon as I climbed to the top, the clouds moved aside, the sun warmed me gently with its warmth, as if confirming: "You are on the right track!" I spent a long time there talking with the ocean, the sun and the wind. I sat there recalling my trying adventures through Africa, not yet suspecting that they were far from over!
Russian explorer Irina Sidorenko shared glimpses of her journey from across the world.
© Photo : Irina Sidorenko
Sputnik: Is there a favorite place for you?
Irina: There are many countries that I liked, but still I love Russia and that's where I want to live after the end of my world tour. However, I would definitely like to return to Morocco, and most of the West African countries.
I particularly liked Angola and South Africa, also Pakistan, Namibia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, India, Thailand and all of the Latin American countries. These places really touched me, but if you ask me what I remember in this or that country, I may not be able to name something specific, but I remember how I felt there. These are definitely not any tourist attractions, which, by the way, I rarely see because I prefer to breathe the air of the place where I am, to feel how it accepts me rather than going to visit some tourist attraction spot. So it is more about a realm of my inner feelings, sensations that a place evokes rather than something tangible.
Sputnik: What can't you travel without?
Irina: Prayer, gratitude, and the ability to make non-standard decisions.
Sputnik: What was the scariest moment during your travels?
Irina: Perhaps the worst moment was an attack on me in Guinea. I accidentally got into the very epicenter of a strike in the city of Bok. I pressed brakes when I saw a group of distraught youth with sticks and stones running towards me. Quickly reversing I attempted to turn around, but got my rear wheel stuck in a storm drain. Adolescents of 14-17 years ran at my car, surrounded it and began to pull the handles of locked doors. Unsuccessful attempts to open the car agitated the angry crowd even more, stones flew into my windows, shattering them. They seized everything that was in sight - my phone, laptop, some instruments, utensils, etc. and ran away probably to share the booty.
However, it was precisely this dangerous situation that led me to meet with representatives of the Russian company RUSAL, which has a production facility there. We were evacuated from that area by the company's security team, and the company's CEO provided me with accommodation and an opportunity to repair my car. Most importantly the company's doctor supplied me with malaria medicine, which subsequently saved my life later on.
Russian explorer Irina Sidorenko shared glimpses of her journey from across the world.
© Photo : Irina Sidorenko
Sputnik: In terms of finances, how much money would a traveler need each month to travel like you did?
Irina: This is one of the most frequently asked questions and many write to me about this on social networks and say, "If I had a million rubles, or better dollars, I would also go on a round-the-world trip." To that I ask a counter question, "What is your goal - money or travel?" Focusing on the goal is a priority and if you wait until you save money, then the trip will never take place. Everything starts to add up only when you make a decision. Then the money is found and the circumstances become aligned in such a way that your goal is realized.
Probably, I should have come up with some beautiful legend about my purpose of travel. My followers often tell me this in their messages, that I need to travel “for world peace”, “for the happiness of the children of Africa” or “urgently save blue whales”. From the point of view of advertising and sponsorship, a beautiful story like that would bring some additional, possibly significant, funding. Only this, it seems to me, would be someone else's goal, not mine. I am glad that my journey gives me the opportunity to be myself, not adjusting to other people's goals and values.
I left Moscow with $1,000 which I received from the 'Region Service' company and two contracts with publications that offered to pay me if I wrote about my travels on Forbes.ru and in the Kuzbass 21st Century magazine.
I earned part of the money on the road as a journalist, columnist and blogger. However, this was an insignificant income compared to the expenses that were necessary for my travels. Basically, I was helped by relatives, friends and complete strangers. Traveling around the world is the dream of many, but not everyone is ready to decide to go on their own. I regard the help of my friends as a kind of initiation, participation in the fulfillment of this dream. After all, if I succeed, then others have a chance also. I sincerely believe in this and rejoice when I hear that my example has inspired others to go on a journey or decide what they have been putting off for many years and change their lives.
In addition, I posted a note on the door of my car in different languages explaining that I am a round-the-world traveler from Russia, and if someone has the opportunity and desire to help me fill the car with petrol, please feel free to offer your help. This is an important point, because there are a lot of warm-hearted, empathetic people all over the globe who really can and want to support the traveler, but they do not know that you need help or how to give it. So such a simple announcement allows them to manifest their best qualities. Lots of people came up and offered help - some paid for my petrol, others gave some money, some offered coffee. Also just talking, supporting with a warm word and exchanging good moods is always a pleasure.
On average, I spent between $500 and $1,000 per month while traveling, and I used my budget rationally. I cooked my own food in the camp kitchen next to my car, I bought dry food for my dog and I usually slept in my car or in a tent.
Russian explorer Irina Sidorenko shared glimpses of her journey from across the world.
© Photo : Irina Sidorenko
Sputnik: What is the best travel advice you would give?
Irina: Stay true to yourself, listen to your heart, look closely at the signs that the universe presents for you. It's only scary to take the first step. The most important advice, which I quote from my favorite book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, is, "When you really want something, the whole Universe will help make your wish come true." I have personally witnessed it and can vouch for that.
Sputnik: What is the most interesting thing you learned during your travels?
Irina: I was struck by the hospitality of Morocco and Iran, the stunning beauty of the Karakorum and the Himalayas. I was surprised by the diversity of cultures in Southeast Asia and the availability of beautiful natural parks in North America. Also I admired the landscapes of the Andes and Patagonia and the opportunity to see African animals in their natural habitats.
Russian explorer Irina Sidorenko shared glimpses of her journey from across the world.
© Photo : Irina Sidorenko
But the most interesting, of course, is meeting people. It is they who make the journey filled with meaning and vivid impressions.
Russian explorer Irina Sidorenko shared glimpses of her journey from across the world.
© Photo : Irina Sidorenko
Sputnik: Speaking of food and culinary experience, have you eaten anything very unusual? What meal do you remember the most?
Irina: I am not inclined to gastronomic experiments and they were not reasonable in the format of my long journey, because good health of myself and my dog's was the key to the continuation of the expedition. I did not know how my body would react to some local and exotic food. I didn’t have health insurance, extra money or time for treatment, so in order to avoid risks I cooked myself mostly in my camp kitchen on a gas stove and Greta ate certified dry dog food.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed tasting fruits that the locals recommended to me. In Sierra Leone I ate papaya for the first time, in Myanmar I tried dragon fruit, and it became one of my favorites. In Ecuador I ate yellow pitahaya, and the most delicious mango I tried in Panama. In Brazil, I got hooked on tasty and nutritious avocados, and in Guatemala, juicy mamaya. The most delicious grapes were in North America.
Of course, I did try some delicious meals as I especially remember eating couscous and tagine in Morocco, divine homemade hummus and olives in Jordan, a delicious carrot dessert in Pakistan, Texas smoker barbecue in the US, guacamole in Guatemala, and injera a traditional bread in Ethiopia.
Russian explorer Irina Sidorenko shared glimpses of her journey from across the world.
© Photo : Irina Sidorenko
Sputnik: How has your journey affected you personally, did it change anything in your life?
Irina: Sometimes I feel like nothing has changed at all, other times I feel like I became completely different. There are a lot of inner transformations, which I am not yet ready to talk about, although I do feel like I shared some of that insight on social media and on my blogs for Forbes while traveling. In short, my desire to push through the world has been eradicated and transformed to living in total trust and acceptance.
On the physical level, I feel how I have become “bigger” and “deeper” in the mental sense. The fear of sharing your inner world with others is gone. I feel like now I have the ability to create the uncreated, to open the undiscoverable, to pass through the impenetrable. It doesn’t always work out, after all, I’m a living person, but I didn’t know how to do any of that at all before my journey.
I noticed how during my travels certain things which seemed impossible and not in my hands somehow worked out. For example, opening of certain borders which were closed but then suddenly opened up when I had to cross through or the expensive and logistically difficult transfer of my expedition across the ocean, at the time seemed impossible, but eventually was accomplished.
I am proud that I destroyed many stereotypes among travelers. For example, I drove through Africa on the western side of the continent. I am not aware of such cases, that a woman alone in a sedan has ever traveled such a route. After traveling around the African continent alone in my car, I feel like the Queen of Off-Road, and I probably already know much more about the equipment of my Elantra than many experienced motorists. I am happy that the Jordan-Syria border opened up and I found a way to get out of Africa and into Asia. By the way, I became the first foreigner who arrived in Syria after a long military conflict by car along the land border.
Now if I am faced with new circumstances, again there is a feeling that there is very little of me and I need to become even bigger, even wider, even deeper and I expand again, experience new fears, open up to new opportunities, and once again learn to be in trust and acceptance.
Much more still needs to be formulated, because most of it is not yet clear. Perhaps the most important thing is that I have stopped being afraid to live and start life from the beginning. For example, now, after my travels I have to manage to save all these experiences and learn to live with them in a society, which I think, will be much more difficult.
