HU Travellers Meeting Switzerland 2025

Martin Brucker, Auf dem Weg On The Way (Auf dem Weg): Part 01 A RTW motorcycle trip comes full-circle after 6.5 years

After 9.5 years as a woodwork intructor in Ethiopia, I gave myself a break (12-18 months) to find similar work in South East Asia (a.k.a. travel) and a bit further to Australia to visit my cousin near Brisbane. After 20 months, I reached in Australia after having ridden through many countries (Iran, Syria, Sudan, Jemen, Tibet, China, Vietnam), including some job interviews in Laos and Vietnam. When I learned I got the job in Laos, I had been in Australia for four months and now needed to make a decision: take the job or continue my journey.

To be honest, it was an easy decision - I kept going. And kept going I did, to South America, Cuba, and waiting for the spring season again. At one point, it came to mind that it would be really cool to return to the Black Forest in Germany on the very same motorcycle I first left with. After crossing six continents, about 70 countries, and covering about 255,067 km, I came full-circle to the very same spot I left 6.5 years ago... at the doorstep of my mother's house in Welschensteinach.

From Germany's Black Forest, MARTIN BRUCKER traveled from March 2010 to October 2016 around the world on his trusty BMW G650 Xchallenge. He covered about 255,067 km crossing about 70 countries "On The Way".

Dylan Samarawickrama When the road ends - Beating the Darien Gap on a Boatercycle

Then you arrive at a point where there is no road to continue. Between Panama and Colombia, there is one of the most dense jungles of this planet: The Darien! Stretching from the Pacific coast from the West to the Atlantic coast on the East, the Darien is home to many different groups of guerrilla fighters, drug smugglers and randomly scattered but notorious tribal groups which makes it to one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on Earth.

A perfect challenge for Dylan! As the first man ever he sails, solo, 650km around Darien, on the Pacific Ocean from Panama into Colombia on a self-built raft propelled by a motorcycle and experiences one of a kind adventure! A journey that is not only takes him across country borders but also tests his personal limits.

Constant break downs, storms, currents and zero sailing experience were some of the challenges of his incredible journey. When things go from bad to worse, dolphins come to his rescue! Watch the video excerpt of his trip.

Dylan Samarawickrama has travelled around the world for three and half years and modestly says he has 'done some interesting adventures'.

Dylan's book 'Am Ende der Strasse' has now been published in German and English 'When the Road Ends'! Ask him to autograph your copy at the meeting!

Josh Priestley, Travelling Ent How to Travel When You're a Donkey Travelling is hard. I'll share some stories of my complete lack of preparation, due care and attention, and general ability.

In 2017, I left on a 60,000-km solo trip from the UK to Australia. I was woefully underprepared, despite spending 12 months preparing. I'll share some stories and lessons from my experiences so that you, too, can learn vital skills.

HOW TO:
- How to spend three months selecting the correct seat cover only to lose it three weeks into your trip;
- Which mechanical skills to brush up on that you will never use;
- How to carefully plan and select a route you will never stick to;
- How to take a break from your trip to do another trip within your trip.

JOSH PRIESTLY bought his first motorbike in 2015 and travelled overland to Italy, fell in love with the travelling style, and left on a UK-to-NZ trip from 2017-2018. Since then, he's been travelling on-and-off around Europe.

Sabine Krauss and Uwe Eisenmann, #followthebluesky How Do You Prepare Your Life For Travel How do we manage our lives to have enough time for travelling. What kinds of models are good solutions?

We share our experiences to find the right idea to get more time for travelling. How to find the best job arrangement. What about the travel budget, tax, costs, long-term travels versus stop-and-go trips, leave your vehicle in a foreign country, go back home for work and restart your trip? In this workshop, you'll find the best idea for you to go travelling. The only borders are mostly in your mind - now we start the border crossing!

SABINE KRAUSS and UWE EISENMANN travel on two and four wheels to some beautiful countries of the world. Looking always for the "bright side of life", making new friends on the road, and following the blue sky. Our favorite areas are Africa, Middle East, and Europe. We start with a long-term ride over 19 months from our hometown to Cape Town. Now we're spending six months per year for travel and we don't want to wait for retirement.

Mirjam Grunwald M&M: From India to NL by motorbike

For years I wanted to travel beyond the European borders but there was always something coming in between. And then suddenly all came together. I had time, money and someone to come with me. Within 3 months Marika and I planned our trip riding from India back to the Netherlands. We shipped our BMW 1150 GSses to Calcutta and started an adventure on a continent mainly ruled by men. 14.000 km over the highest summits, through desserts, and crowded cities. A story about special encounters, changing emotions, beautiful places, but also of hardships and exciting events. An experience that changed my life forever.

About Mirjam

Since I bought my first motorbike (1997) my holidays were planned: gear up my bike and drive. I've seen most of the EU and longed for more. In 2012 I finally fulfilled my dream and made my first trip outside the EU: riding from India to NL. Since then I only wanted to go again. The encounters of people with other cultures inspires me and by telling about my adventures I hope to show a different perspective. My experiences on the spot. Check out Mirjam's website!

Elspeth Beard First British woman to motorcycle around the world

Elspeth Beard is a motorcyclist and award-winning architect. In 1982, at the age of just twenty-three, Elspeth Beard left London and set off on a 35,000 mile solo adventure around the world on her 1974 BMW R60/6 and became the first British woman to motorcycle around the world.

"Although I had ridden bikes since my teens and was already well-traveled, setting off on my own with no sponsorship or support, in an age before email, internet, cell phones and satnavs certainly made this journey a real adventure and was the toughest thing I'd ever done.

During my two-and-a-half year journey I rode through deserts and mountain ranges and war-ravaged countries and along the way I had to fake documents, witnessed riots and civil uprisings, fended off physical threats, sexual attacks, biker gangs and corrupt police convinced I was trafficking drugs. I survived two crashes and life-threatening illnesses and fell in love twice. It was not until 2008 that I discovered that I had become the first British woman to ride a motorcycle around the world.

I now run my own architectural practice, specialising in creating and remodelling interesting and unusual buildings. I live in a converted Victorian water tower in the southeast of England and still enjoy riding motorcycles, including my trusty BMW R60/6 which carried me around the world."

Elspeth Beard - Riding into History from Culture Trip on Vimeo.

Maxime Berberat From the Alps to the Himalayas Riding a 34-year-old bike across Eurasia in a post-covid world, and discovering life on the road

Leaving Switzerland in April 2022, I had one goal: riding my bike in Ladakh, northern India, on the highest passes on Earth. In reality, I realized a few months into the trip that I was getting at least as much stimulation and satisfaction from living on the road. When daily life becomes interesting again, faraway goals lose their importance. You just begin to let yourself flow. Encounters with locals and other travellers, magnificent landscapes, struggles to get the right documentation, and dealing with loneliness: all these experiences distorted the significance of the ultimate goal of reaching Ladakh, altering my vision of what the purpose of this journey was. Between mountains and sea, snow and scorching hot deserts, sun and monsoon, hugs and firearms, join me on a solo journey from Switzerland to India via the southern route (Turkey, Caucasus, Iran, Pakistan).

MAXIME BERBERAT has always been riding motorcycles, but he only recently started travelling with them. Before discovering Horizons Unlimited in 2019, he had not at all been aware of the existence of long-term overland travel. In 2022, the opportunity to ride across half the world arose, and he took it.

Heike & Filippo Fania, 2 Live the Dream From Europe to the Himalayas and beyond!

2 years and 81.000 km on the road

Favorite pics and some great stories from 2 years on the road... due to the limited time, further stories will follow at the campfire...

About Heike & Filippo

Heike & Filippo met 2011 at a Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meeting in Germany. Soon they realized that they share the same dreams of changing our lives – and so they decided that they both are not going to continue dreaming, but instead to live their dream together. So they gave up their lives at home in Germany and Switzerland, packed everything they need on their motorcycles, and hit the road to discover the world and its people. In 2014, they returned from their 2-year world trip, and settled down in the north of Switzerland, in the beautiful Jura region, where they continue to live the dream.

Christian Schlatter Follow your destiny against the current

... or how a baby doesn't change your travel

After a certain point in my life I decided that I have to do something different in my life: Traveling around the world by motorcycle I started 4 ½ years ago to Central Asia, I crossed Iraq, Iran and Pakistan. Then I met a beautiful Italian Girl and for sure we felt in love. We decided to continue on my motorcycle together and so we crossed South East Asia and stranded in Australia. There we were surprised, because Francesca told me that she is pregnant! After some discussion we continue the travel, got our baby and in Canada we found a nice compromise to continue with all three: we bought a sidecar! Slowly we traveled the Americas and the last continent (Africa) I crossed solo and in a couple of days I will finish my travel in Switzerland. An epic story who changed my whole life.

Andrew Dysart Lessons Learned Crossing Africa

How to survive overlanding Africa, develop mental strength, deal with officials and bribes, health and how to read and hustle situation.

How physically and mentally strong do you think you are? Presented will be lessons learned from circumnavigating Africa. From hunting animal poachers in Namibia to police escorts in Egypt. Andi will show you the gear you'll need, keeping a healthy mindset and dealing with all types of situations from bandits, corrupt officials or animal encounters. By the end, you'll want to pack your gear and get face to face with one of the wildest untamed and most beautiful continents and people in the world.

About Andrew

Andi is a serial traveler, circumnavigating Africa on a motorbike, rode horses through Patagonia and traveled to over 80 countries on with 6 of 7 continents. He is a kiwi that lives in a rustic off-the-grid alpine hut in the Swiss alps and currently traveling for over two years. Check out Andrew's Facebook page!

Michael "Maikel" Hoh Siberia the most insane ride of my life

Riding the BAM on high water an absolute insane offroad trip. Physically and mentally challenging trip, rewarded with awesome hospitality.

4 Riders planned to ride the BAM, 3 started, 2 accomplished the Mission. Start and End in Mongolia. The first Offroad chapter led us to Gussinojesee to check out the skills of the motley new team. Some technical issued slowed us down but where fixed still fast. From Irkutsk we made our way to North of Lake Baikal via the boring Schigalowo Road. Our team was reduced again in Sewerobaikalsk before we entered the interesting part of the BAM Road. Dirt, Water, Mosquitos waited for us there but also a unique challenge. The few people we meet were the kindest people ever. We made our way on everything a bike can drive on or drive through before we finally were spit out to civilization again in Tynda.

About Maikel

I'm Maikel and since I started motorcycle travelling 2013 I did several more or less big journeys through Europe, Siberia and Central Asia. My preferred way is travelling with a light bike and far from tourists. If people don't call it a road anymore my heart starts to beat faster. I'm an absolutely passionate Enduro driver. Check out Maikel's webpage!

Toshi Meier-Brook Barging Barriers in the Balkans

Turning travel into adventure using a motorbike and a wheelchair

We went to the Balkans on our leaner sidecar combination this year. One goal was to attend the Montenegro HU meeting, which (in contrast to us and our bike) is highly off-road oriented. Seeing where the road would take us during the day, we carried a tent which we didn't use (too many low priced cabins), and a kitchen which we didn't use (too good local food). Apart from admiring some truly amazing landscapes, we didn't really do much sightseeing, and rather tried to get in contact with local people and their culture as much as possible. Despite the title, don't expect our presentation to be mainly about the peculiarities of motorcycle travel with a wheelchair. But, of course, since using a wheelchair can add some spice to many situations, we will loose some words on that. And we will gladly answer any questions concerning travelling to places that are not barrier-free using a wheelchair.

About Toshi

Heike and Toshi have a travel companionship reaching back more than 25 years. Heike is using a wheelchair and needs assistance for most activities. Despite Heike's handicap, together we have explored many parts of the world. Since 2012 we are reaching out for more adventures on a BMW R1200GS with a leaner sidecar. We try to make contact with local people, as much as we can, as our travel is more about the people than about sightseeing.

Hans-Ueli Flückiger From Cancún via Cuba to Panama

Last year the schedule for the Stahlratte.de certain my journey. This 113-year-old sailing ship with six sails drove me in 2013 from Colombia to Panama. The Stahlratte provides the only way Cuba to travel with your own bike. About 4'000 km in five weeks give new impressions and contacts. Jamaica and Providencia, a Colombian island, are quite different. Another highlight are the many wonderful snorkeling dives at different locations. I am happy when I can show you this journey with enthusiasm!

About Hans Ueli

I am 66 years old and travel since 2008 with my Africa Twin through Latin America, total 87'000 km. Part 8 of my journey brought me last year from Cancun with the Stahlratte.de via Cuba, Jamaica, Providencia to Panama. From there I drove the Africa Twin back to Cancun. Check out his website!

Tom Vandenbossche Down To Africa

A 100-day motorcycle trip through Africa

A 100 day roundtrip through the southern region of Africa. Starting from Capetown up to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho and South-Africa. Riding 24.000 km, sleeping for about 76 days in our tent, living and eating in a basic comfort and discovering the countries and their people... A picture / storytelling about the (original) setup, my experiences in living & riding and sharing the must see's and must do's of each country.

About Tom

BMW Certified Offroad Instructor & adventure traveller. Travelled for 100 days through Africa, crossed the northern region of Australia and Discovered the Rockies in Canada by motorbike. Next to travelling I'm also giving offroad training and travel courses. Still a lot to learn and to discover though so that's why I'm attending this unique event. Check out Tom's website!

Celine Dubois, Break-A-Way Outdoor Emergency Medicine & First Aid / First Aid Kit On-The-Go: What to Pack?

1. Outdoor Emergency Medicine & First Aid
Injuries and illnesses in the middle of nowhere: possibilities, limits, and being prepared!

Handling medical emergencies is a challenge, even in countries with good medical standards. What do you do with an injured travelmate after an accicent or your fever infection is getting worse and worse? Are you prepared? In this workshop, we help you learn how to size up the situation, to overcome the stress, and to react appropriately. You learn how to check your patient, do the recovery position in bike gear, when and how to remove a helmet (or not!), do a body check, fix broken limbs, and stop bleeding. In the end, you get a chance to provide your new skills and knowledge in a scenario from a real case study.

2. First Aid Kit On-The-Go: What to Pack?
A huge list of essential items and so little space - what do you really need to pack for your travels

Are you prepared to provide immediate and proper attention using the first aid kit in your panniers, even if you're in a country with good medical standards? How do you treat persistent diarrhea or the bite of a strange insect? In this workshop, we go through the whole range of emergency possibilities and discuss what to pack in to your personal first aid kit. We learn to recognize severe illnesses and how to treat them appropriately. We talk about the possibilities and the limits, how to avoid and to treat bites and stings, and how to handle medical problems before they turn in to serious emergencies.

CELINE DUBOIS has been exploring the world for over 30 years with her partner and for 10 years now with a Toyota Landruiser - adventurous roads and a wildcamp away from it all, that's all they need. As a passionate paramedic with more than 15 years' experience, Cel teaches First Aid and Outdoor Medicine and prepares people for their own travel adventures.

Filippo Fania Solving Mechanical and electrical problems on the Road

No need to worry about mechanical or electrical problems - all you need is a little basic knowledge and lots of creativity, Filippo "McGyver" will show you

This will be an interactive workshop, where we will focus on what people are interested in. Bring your questions and problems, and together will try to find a solution - in particular for electrical and electronical issues.. Bring your bike and show us also your modifications and special fixes. Filippo will also explain and present some modifications that have proven very helpful during his world-trip with his wife Heike, 2 Live the Dream

Filippo has extensively travelled the world by motorcycle, truck, 4x4 - he has huge experience in motorcycle mechanics and in particular the electrics and electronics. He now runs a business specialised in motorcycle and automobile electrics and electronics.

Border crossings - How to get through borders with minimal stress and cost!

Packing light - Tips and techniques from experienced travellers to reduce weight and bulk.

Regional discussions - e.g. travelling in South America or Asia.

For Women Only - A must for the ladies, so be sure to plan on being there! A chance to talk to experienced travelling women without the men around!

Experienced Travellers Panel - ask the experts anything you want!

Walk arounds / Show and tell!

Tool Kits - Show us your favorite tools. Toolkit discussion.

Tents and Bedding discussion (in the camping area) - What works, cheap vs dear and which ones keep you dry, warm and comfy!

Farkle Walk - Take a stroll and talk about your best bike mods - homemade saddle bags, toolbox mounts, GPS mounts, seats, side stands, tank panniers, cup holders, etc.