Sharing his experience with CT, Luke said, “The guy in Pakistan almost refused to stamp my passport. He said, ‘I know that you’ll be sent back because they are not letting anyone through’. But I had my papers in place. It was thrilling – in just two hours, I moved from Pakistan to India. I watched that lovely ceremony at the border and got the most amazing introduction to India with the infectious energy and fervour of the crowd.”
Luke was 24 when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2018. For the next two years, he was under medications and treatment. It was during this period that Luke made up his mind that once he sails through the rough time, he would embark on a world trip on his bike.
The trip that began before covid
An avid traveller, Luke would go to work in different countries – in the Middle East and Russia – before being diagnosed with cancer. Then on January 1, 2020, before the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, he embarked on a journey from his home country. “I remember the day clearly. After touring the UK and attending talks there, I entered Europe. Later, by the end of March 2020, I was cycling up in the valleys of Germany.” Sharing an anecdote from his travel diary, he said, “It was cold and I was tired. I stopped by a farmhouse and wanted to make a cup of coffee on the stove I carry around. Suddenly, this woman opened the window and started shouting at me – ‘What are you doing here? Police might catch you. Don’t you know there is a curfew going on?’ I was completely flabbergasted. She said, ‘There is a pandemic out there. Everybody must stay inside. Oh, you’re making coffee. Come in, come in.’ I then had lunch with the family sitting on the opposite side of the table.”
Luke flew back to the UK as he realised that he will not be able to continue with his journey due to the raging pandemic. “I locked my bike at the house of this couple in their 60s in Germany and flew back to the UK the next day. Everything was shutting down. But in August, I again started my journey from Germany,” said Luke, who crossed Eurasia right in the middle of the pandemic.
His brush with the coronavirus
It was a slab of dark chocolate and a sip of whiskey that made Luke realise something was amiss about his sense of smell and taste. “I was in Romania in November 2020 when I bought myself some dark chocolate and whiskey. Since I could not get any taste, I thought the chocolate must be bad. But when I could not taste the whiskey either, I realised it’s unlikely that both the items have gone bad. Soon I tested positive for Covid,” said Luke with a broad smile. However, it was no setback for him. After resting there for a week or so, he resumed his dream journey.
Luke travelled across Eastern Europe – Romania, Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and so on. “I cycled through Central Asia. I crossed a desert when the celsius was hovering around 50. It was a 500-km stretch with just two villages and nothing else. The challenges of the journey helped increase my tolerance level,” said Luke.
‘India is extremely colourful and vibrant’
Luke has been travelling through India since December. “There is so much colour, life and vibrancy. I love the music that comes from natural sources here – the prayer music, the arguments, the sound of street vendors cooking and preparing chaats, golgappe and tikkis. I tasted street food everywhere. I am a vegan, but I turned into a vegetarian during this trip. Talking about the food, I think raj kachori is the most glamorous one. It is like a celebration on a plate. Also, I see so many people dance on the streets,” he said.
Luke, who is currently awaiting a Visa for Bangladesh and China, will soon resume his journey. While he is staying in Sector V, he regularly cycles to central Kolkata to soak in the vibes of colonial architecture. “I cycled around Raj Bhavan, Writers’ Buildings and Victoria Memorial. They are like reminiscences of the heritage of the city. The street food is very interesting with chaats and fresh fruits selling side by side. It looks like a more relaxed and peaceful place. I ran through the greens of Kolkata and played rugby with the guys here,” said Luke.
Luke intends to spread hope among people, especially children, who suffer from cancer. “Apart from travelling, my purpose is to spread awareness about it. I visit hospitals, meet children and tell them there is hope. It is important to identify what you want to do with that hope,” he said.