Pedal for Paws
Meet Xenia and Joscha, a couple from Germany who left their jobs in the Berlin start-up scene to embark on a long-term bikepacking adventure. Their passion for travel and unique life experiences led them to explore the world on two wheels.
In the summer of 2022, we, quitted our jobs in the Berlin start-up scene and swapped our laptop work for life on the saddle. With no deadline, no experience and no training for this long-term bike trip, we set off from Germany. First east to Thailand, but without a fixed route, is the motto. However, the decision for this new stage of life is not based on a passion for cycling, but on the enthusiasm for this type of travel. We have both loved travelling before (Xenia has studied in South Africa, Joscha in Bulgaria, we both travelled a lot in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America) but we were searching for something new as the way of backpacking and following the touristic routes was not intriguing us anymore. We wanted to have more authentic experiences, driven by coincidences and dive into cultures. This curiosity was probably also fostered by our engagement with AIESEC, an international student organisation, which aims personal development through intercultural exchange around the world.
One day in 2021, Xenia approached Joscha after a relaxed docu-series session in the bathtub. She told Joscha about the possibility of cycling around the world as a means to travel slowly. That is how the idea got born.
When travelling slowly, we hope to not only rediscover culture and nature, but also ourselves and our mutual relationship. With freedom comes insecurities, of course. And we want to dive into it fully, into the fears, into the risks, into the full spectrum of all possible emotions and personal limits. These contrasting experiences mean feeling alive. With the bike we can slowly discover the world, and the vulnerability that inevitably opens up real encounters. At the same time, we hope for an adventure with unforgettable situations, ups and downs, negative as well as positive feelings. The journey is meant to challenge us. At the same time, we want to collect stories and get to know each other better as individuals and as a couple.
So it is not about cycling for us. Xenia even does not really like cycling. We had 0 experience, did not train and also did not test our equipment. We just started in August 2022. Everything else would come along the way was our attitude.
In addition, this journey also has a personal note, connected to Joscha’s father. All his life he dreamed distant lands - the indescribable rugged nature at the southernmost peak of South America or the smells at oriental spice markets. However, he died much too early of cancer and was unable to experience any of his dreams because he had postponed them. For Joscha, he draws from this the motivation to put things into action that he really, really wants, even if it appears crazy or dangerous. You never know when things are too late. At the end of my life, I want to be able to say on my deathbed that I had an intense and varied life and was able to gather many different experiences.
Their journey is not just about exploration; it's also about giving back. They're dedicated to supporting the Soi Dog Foundation, a Thai animal welfare organization, raising funds for a mobile clinic to help street animals.
From the beginning on we know that this whole journey is a privilege. We have the privilege to save enough money to afford it, we have the privilege of German passports and so many more things. This is why we wanted to give something back while travelling and wanted to follow a topic dear to our hearts. The creatures we ride for usually have no voice. They are beaten, hit or dragged on roads and humanity often doesn't give a damn what happens to them. Diseases such as rabies are also a major health risk, which puts a strain on the relationship with humans and causes immense suffering. We want to give a voice to the voiceless with this trip and point out the challenges faced by street animals as well as show solutions. In doing so, we are raising funds for a trusted animal welfare organisation in Thailand (Soi Dog Foundation) to fund a mobile clinic to provide medical care and holistic containment for street animals.
Joscha visited the shelter 8 years ago on a trip in Thailand and Xenia was independently following their work for quite a long time. The decision was easy. We Pedal for Paws, for Soi Dog.
During their time in Bulgaria, they spent two weeks at the Everydaystray shelter, where they learned about the daily work in an animal shelter and witnessed the unconditional love of rescued dogs, bringing them closer to their core goal.
In the small village of Draganovtsi, in the northern centre of Bulgaria, not only a very nice couple from the UK await us, but also over 35 big and small furry noses that have been given refuge in the Everydaystray shelter. After 3 planned days of stay, this magical place has already captivated us so much that we don't want to leave and end up spending almost two weeks at the shelter. We learn more about the daily work in an animal shelter, help out and witness several castrations and sterilisations in a vet's office. Through the many hours in the enclosure with the dogs, we learn not only their names, characters and stories. The unconditional love they are able to give surprises and touches us deeply with the knowledge of their fates. The two Brits Neil & Clair take such touching care of the dogs and have already been able to rescue, care for and place over 350 animals in the last 2 years. Not only does this stay bring us closer to the core goal of "Pedal for Paws", but it leaves us with the certainty that this will not be the last time we visit this place. We now know from where we want to make the dream of having our own dog come true in the future.
They've faced numerous challenges, including food poisoning in Jordan and difficult terrain. Despite these setbacks, they've learned to adapt and appreciate the wealth of experiences they've gained.
The biggest challenge so far on our trip was the time in Jordan mid December. Due to contaminated food or drink, first Joscha and then Xenia get food poisoning. We were just able to save ourselves in a shelter in front of the ancient rock city of Petra. After two days Joscha got better, but Xenia's condition worsened. After contact with German doctors, several visits to doctors and infusions as well as a transport to the nearest hospital, there is still no improvement in Xenia after two weeks. All this happened throughout Christmas and New Year’s Eve and probably worsened our mental condition as well as missing our families in such a difficult time. The situation took its toll on our nerves and the helplessness due to no improvement, what else we can do, left us only one choice. After thinking about it for a while, we flew to Germany for a few weeks and stored the bikes and equipment in a hotel basement in Aqaba. What feels like a huge setback at first, as we find ourselves back at our starting point in no time, turns out to be a great option. We used the time at home not only to recover, but to appreciate and reflect on the wealth of experiences we already collected. We could enjoy the time at home with the family and especially the one-year-old niece as well as 95-year-old grandmother.
In Saudi Arabia, they experienced a new level of hospitality when a local sheikh welcomed them into his home, providing them with a unique cultural insight and unforgettable memories.
Already with the border crossing in February 2023, a new and intense experience opens up for us. Never before have invitations been extended so frequently and gifts handed out at the roadside. "Welcome to Saudi Arabia!" resounds from the passing cars. Free-roaming camels cross our paths, border police officers feed and escort us on narrow roads, and several invitations to Saudi families give us an exciting insight into their daily lives and culture.
In the north of Tabuk one afternoon we were looking for a campsite. As it is getting dark and difficult to find something amidst the many fenced agricultural fields, we ask a passing Saudi somewhat desperately for help. He turns out to be the sheikh of the region and a short time later we are photographed in a huge, pompous banquet hall, juicy dates, coffee and tea are served and later we are delighted with a feast. Saudi Arabia offers so many surprises. These cannot be described in a few words.
Their favorite moments of the day vary, with Xenia enjoying morning tea time, and Joscha savoring a cold drink after a long ride.
A challenging yet awe-inspiring landscape they encountered was the ride from the Dead Sea to the mountains around At-Tafilah in Jordan, with breathtaking views of sandy rock walls.
That is probably the ride from the Dead Sea (lowest point of Earth) up to the mountains around At-Tafilah in Jordan. The incline was challenging and our heavy bikes (60 kilos per person) never made it easy for us on these routes. However, with the view of the stacking, sandy rock walls, we could no longer get out of our amazement. We found an amazing campsite in between these rocks, which were shaped by the weather for thousands of years. These colours (vibrant red and sand tones) and rock formations will always stay in our memories.
We hope at one point we will end up in Thailand as this is a north star on our journey to symbolically hand over the donation money to the NGO Soi Dog in Phuket. This could take 10.000 or 20.000 more kilometres.
This journey has been a series of ups and downs, teaching them about communication, adaptability, and embracing uncertainty. The experiences they've shared have strengthened their bond and expanded their perspectives.
We cannot really tell you what the future brings and want to consciously stay open-minded without any expectations. That is one approach for us on this trip, which is why we have no real route and constantly change our plans. BUT we can share what we have experienced and learnt so far.
This journey can be described very well with the alternation of an uphill and downhill ride. Moments of optimism and euphoria are followed by frustration and exhaustion. We share the most beautiful moments together and argue about trivialities. On the journey we learn to talk a lot about our own needs and every day gives us the opportunity to question and improve our mutual communication. The many extreme situations pull at us as individuals and as a couple, and at the same time they weld us together. At the same time, our view expands on this journey. We are not going the fastest way and have learned to let ourselves drift even more. We have built a certain primal confidence in finding a solution to any challenges. The nature of our journey has never been and will never be more unconstrained than it is now. And at the same time, we want to give back to the street animals we encounter every day with a successful Pedal for Paws fundraising project. We will have to endure these and other ambivalences. How we master this, you can follow live.
Xenia and Joscha's incredible bikepacking adventure is not just a journey of self-discovery and exploration, but also a testament to their commitment to giving back to the world. Their passion for helping street animals and the unique experiences they've encountered along the way demonstrate the power of perseverance and the importance of following one's dreams. As they continue to pedal for paws, their story serves as an inspiration for others to pursue their passions while making a positive impact on the world.
You can support their cause by donating to their GoFundMe campaign, following their journey on social media, and sharing their story with friends and family.
Donate to our GoFundMe Campaign so we can finance the mobile clinic. 100% of the money directly goes to Soi Dog.
https://www.gofundme.com/pedalforpaws-soidog
2.Tell your friends and family about us and follow our journey:
https://www.instagram.com/project.pedalforpaws/
https://www.facebook.com/project.pedalforpaws
If you are interested in our route, equipment etc., you can find the right links on our linktree:
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