What would a journey spanning 18,000 km across 13 countries yield? The sheer volume of experiences lends itself to a fascinating story. And 32-year-old engineer Kedarnath G.M., from Toranagallu in Ballari, has taken his stories to a bigger audience by capturing his journey on film.
The passionate biker’s short film, A Voyage on My Motorbike , won the award for Best Documentary Film Promoting World Peace at the Rajasthan International Film Festival recently.
A Voyage on My Motorbike captures the sights and sounds of Mr. Kedarnath’s journey across 13 countries, mostly in Europe. A large part of the film has been captured by him using his GoPro camera while riding his bike. He speaks of how languages, clothes, food and even the taste of water change as he moves across borders.
“Within a country, the way people speak, dress and eat change within a few kilometres. But travelling across borders was a different experience. There is a strange fear that people have when you go across the border,” he told The Hindu .
It was not a trip taken in the lap of luxury. Mr. Kedarnath spent many nights sleeping in beaches, at gas stations, restaurants and couch-surfing. During his entire journey between September 2013 and February 2014, he spent only three nights in a hotel.
What motivated him to travel to Europe was the completion of his 8,300-km ride between Ballari and Leh-Ladakh in 39 days. His company too decided to lend support, giving him four months’ paid leave and partially financing his trip.
