Cycling through countries – exploring new cultures

I am curious about new cultures and love to explore them. I have many opportunities to do this during my travels as a cross-cultural trainer, mainly in Western Europe.

My hobby is cycling, especially long distance trekking. 

How to combine both passions? Easy: By cycling into the culture you want to understand better. 

My favorite destinations are former Soviet countries. Why?

I like the energy of the people and their relationship-oriented culture. 

Cycling into countries like Belarus, Russia and Ukraine is a great inspiration for me to get more familiar with local societies. It's different from an organized trip with a guide. You cycle through the country and stop at little villages talking to people about how their life is. You sleep in a tent near someone's home and socialize with the host family. They are curious about you and they like sharing their stories. All except politics – especially in Belarus. 

A pretty common question you hear is: why do you cycle? Don't you have money for a train ticket? Many local people use a bicycle to reach local shops, not for leisure.

While cycling I have a chance to visit unique places and explore the local culture in a detailed way.

Distances of around 60 miles a day give you the possibility of crossing medium sized European countries within 10 days. Of course, Russia would be a much bigger challenge. Maybe someday in the future? 

Next holiday, the plan is to cycle from Poland and Ukraine to Moldova and Southern Ukraine/ Odessa. I hope that the Ukrainians find a peaceful way to resolve their current crisis. I'm looking forward to visiting their country during my next cycling trip this summer!

-Radek Walentynowicz, cultural trainer and coach

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