Story #4 (part I): He who follows his instinct and dreams is free
September 1, 2024
I have always valued the opportunity to do work that brings me into contact with extraordinary people and their unique life stories. Just recently, I had a casual conversation with a guest of ours who sincerely told me that she envies my job. Her argument was based on the observation from her side that while I was sitting calmly on a bench at 7 Lakes Camping in Sapareva Banya, the whole world with all its diversity and dynamics was passing by me just like that. At the same time, I didn't even have to travel. I just needed to immerse myself in a vast ocean of spiritual wealth that surrounds me. Reflecting on these words of hers, they found almost instant confirmation when I remembered a highly inspiring story from the beginning of the summer of 2024, which I decided to share with you in two parts.
Meeting for the first time
I met Pierre Mornand just before the start of the work shift on a warm June evening when he arrived at the campsite. From the gear he was wearing on his bike I guessed he had a long way to go, and probably had quite a few miles behind him already. After we exchanged a few introductory words, I guessed by his accent that he was French (after all, I had lived in Paris for 1 year). I was curious: what his final destination is, why he had chosen to travel this way, and what he wants to get out of this trip. From my previous encounters with bicycle travelers, I was left with the belief that these people were seekers of special experiences and often had some mission that was their moving force.
We started a conversation, and Pierre told me that he left his hometown of Annecy for his big goal… Vietnam! I understood that he is 45 years old and works as a pediatrician, but he felt it was time to connect with his dream that had been brewing in him since his teenage years. He described to me how every night for years he fell asleep with the same thought: he imagined himself closing the door of his native home and going out, as if for a regular bicycle ride, but with one essential difference, that this ride turns into journey. Far, far away...ever and ever eastward and with no specific end point.
Pierre's strong bond with the bicycle was formed in his childhood years, when he regularly cycled to school. In 2000 he did a cycling tour from Livorno to Rome with a group of friends. The Frenchman associated this journey with very strong emotions, and even then he began to realize that the dream of his teenage years was actually something much more, which seemed to be predetermined by invisible karmic laws. Gradually, a childhood desire grew into determination. In the summer of 2023, Pierre let himself be guided by the dream that has lived in him for so long and he listened to his instinct, which told him that the traffic light has already turned to bright green and it's time!
The power of desire is stronger than all obstacles
My new friend quickly captivated me with his story. I hardly had a chance to ask questions because I saw my interlocutor’s eyes filled with sparkles of passion, and his enthusiasm was building up with each subsequent word. I let him continue and mentally transported myself to the story that held me in anticipation.
Realizing that the hero of this story is embarking on an adventure with countless unknowns and many sacrifices, I naturally asked him what amount of courage and preparation is required to undertake such a journey. Pierre told me that long before he decided on this step, he listened to various podcasts and red travel blogs that strongly resonated with his desire. This has further strengthened his decision not to give up despite the difficulties. To my great surprise, I learnt that some of the most serious difficulties he faced before he left were of a purely administrative nature (insurance policies, arranging personal finances, renting out the apartment he lives in, taxes, etc. similar). Another serious headache for him was the selection of the right equipment and personal belongings to go on the road with. This was a dilemma because he could only take the bare essentials, and until the end he doubted whether he was making the right choices in regards to selection of needed items.
In moments of tension, fate finds a way to always test us further. The proof: the postal services in France lost the package of spare parts for the bicycle without which our hero couldn’t go on the road. The Annecy pediatrician learnt a valuable lesson in patience (something he admits he's not good at) when he had to wait several agonizing weeks for the new shipment of spare parts. Because time was pressing on him, the unwanted delay began to shake the originally drawn plan. The Frenchman nearly gave himself up to thoughts of the sort whether to change the bike or even postpone the trip. After all, when you really want something, the tailwind finds you, and things happen!
We continued our conversation with a question about fears. Without much thinking, Pierre told me that his biggest worry was related to possible technical malfunctions with the bike while on the road. He admitted that he didn't have good technical knowledge and therefore decided to apprentice with a local association that collects abandoned or broken bicycles to repair them to acquire some useful knowledge. Still, the result was far from brilliant. Before leaving, he also received a short manual for dealing with technical issues from the shop where he bought his bike. During his journey, it happened that he had to rely remotely on his friends who luckily are experts in the field of bike repairs and with joint efforts they coped to solve the problem, which turned out to be invaluable.
To finish on this topic, Pierre told me that he did not do any special physical training, and in general, you don't need to be a top athlete to embark on a long cycling journey. He once heard the phrase on a podcast show: “If you want to do it, just grab your bike and go! Problems are solved along the way, and solutions reveal themselves to you.” These words often served my interlocutor as a source of motivation before and during the journey itself, and he was convinced of their power more than once.
Much more than a personal trip to distant Asia
In the course of communication, I felt that this journey was more than a personal challenge. Pierre reinforced my thoughts by leading the conversation himself in the direction of realizing a highly motivating cause that is connected to his global views on life. He has chosen to attach to his trip a charitable mission - raising funds to ensure access to drinking water for children living around the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The aim is to limit child mortality caused by infectious diseases carried by contaminated water. My new acquaintance continued by telling me that he managed to contact the Christina Noble Foundation, which is developing a project in this direction, and they have joined forces. The goal is to collect €7,000 by January 2025, and the amount collected so far amounts to just over €4,500. If you like what Pierre is doing and want to help this cause, you can do so by following this link.
However, this is not the only mission with which Pierre Mornan sets off. He told me that in his practice as a pediatrician, he comes across many children and young people who live day by day without a clear idea of the world around them. He even works with boys and girls who, according to his observations, especially after the COVID period, have developed psychiatric or psychological disorders at an early age. The hero of this story is determined to try to change this dark trend – through his adventure he wants to show young people that it is possible to make their dream come true, and that the world is not limited to people who are not well-intentioned or such that are particularly interested only in their own personal goods. He also aims to reveal the other side of conflicting relationships and images that the media often portrays to us and that reinforce the negativity in which we live.
Mr. Mornan is strongly committed to this idea and believes that such a trip offers an escape from everything burdensome, revealing a different world of determination, empathy, getting to know different cultures and people that are beyond the frames of stereotypes. For this purpose, Pierre connected with a college in his native Annecy, where regularly, he shares and visually shows where he is in the world and what is happening to him, encouraging discussion with the youth on topics such as geography, history, human relationships and adventures. As he defined it: "It's an endless educational tool."
At this point in the conversation, Pierre's thoughts had a very powerful effect on me. I reflected for a moment on everything he said and I felt so very grateful to fate for the opportunity to meet extraordinary people from all over the world while working. Ah, how right this guest of the camping (with whom I began the story) turned out to be!
Don't miss Part II of the adventures of Pierre Mornan, where you will find out about the countries and people he gets to know, as well as the interesting moments during this epic journey. What is he looking for, and what does he understand for himself from this adventure? The answers to these questions you can find out in the second part of this story which is in the form of an interview.
