Many of us think about quitting our jobs or taking a long break and chase our dreams, but very few get to do that. Maral Yazarloo is one of them. Working as a Vice-President at a real estate company, the Iranian-origin Maral felt something was missing in her life. That was when she decided to call it adieu in pursuit of her crazy dream – the dream to ride around the globe on her motorbike – BMW GS F650.
Sounds crazy, right? What’s even crazier is that she completed the solo ride of 110,000 km with a baby bump! That’s right, just a few weeks into the trip, her boyfriend proposed to her and they got married in the historical Machu Picchu. Soon after, she got the news of her pregnancy. Instead of opting out, as many of the women would in these conditions, she set out on the craziest adventure of her life and set the world record.
The unforgettable journey has earned many souvenirs for Maral. She is the first only three women to have traveled to all seven continents including Antarctica on a motorcycle. Her awe-inspiring journey led to BBC listing her as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world. But how did she manage to pull that out? Let’s learn from her.
Maral recently spoke with ‘she the people’ – an India-based digital magazine for women. During her interview, she shed light on the hidden aspects of her awe-inspiring journey.
Passion Is Key
When asked how did she manage to keep the baby safe while traveling through the tough terrains of Africa, Maral admitted that every jolt even a minor made her heart jump to her mouth. But, as a mother-to-be, I had my priorities straight.
“When you’re pregnant, there’s something very important which society keeps forgetting. They keep telling us “don’t move, don’t do a heavy activity, be careful, something’s going to happen. We’re always surrounded by the advice of caution. But when I was on a ride, I was on an 800cc motorbike, I had the speed, off-roads, different places, slept in a tent, cook whatever I could get. And today when I look at my daughter Nafaas I feel she’s proof of the fact that when we’re carrying a baby the most important thing for us is to be happy. And I was one of the happiest mothers in the world.”
Breaking Stereotypes
Maral admits that riding a bike all over the world during pregnancy was the biggest challenge of her life, but she says it pretty much shaped her personality.
“That decision changed many things in me, it made me open my eyes and be real. If I wasn’t expecting, I wouldn’t have been the person I am today. Because I’ve been pushed overall limits, that made me really strong mentally. It has proven to me that I can achieve anything as long as I really want to do it.”
Quitting Never An Option
Those who love to ride know how hard is it to ride continuously for a few hours, especially when off-road. But Maral spent a year and a half traveling through 64 countries solo. Once every few days, she booked a room for what she called her ‘luxury day’ to catch up on all the sleep she had missed over the week.
“I was so busy enjoying my ride, finding my route map, deciding which route to take. I didn’t even have a minute for being sick or feel unwell. I had nausea for a couple of days. But I never threw up, I didn’t do anything to delay my ride.”
Food is a Blessing
Maral spent her first trimester in Africa – this is the time when strange cravings surround you. But, Africa is not the kind of place where food could be available on demand. So, she had made to make do with whatever she could get.
“Wasn’t easy, because as you know so many things are changing physically and mentally in you when you become a mother. I wasn’t able to eat everything, had to stay away from raw food and fruits I wasn’t able to wash properly. Everything had to be cooked. And that brought my choices of food really down.”
She admits that the Dark Continent wasn’t easy for her to conquer. She ended up having so many boiled eggs and avocados every other day.
“When you are on the road, finding any food is a blessing.”
Happiness is From Within
One may call her a free-spirited or a badass biker woman but the biggest lesson she can share with you is that there are no fixed terms to define happiness.
“My world ride taught me one thing, ‘take it as it comes, and always accept what happens to you’. Like one day can be rainy, one day can be crazy hot, one extremely cold. One day you don’t get enough food, one day something happens to the bike, one day you’re stuck on the road.” For someone who has seen the world on a two-wheeler, happiness is not winning a lottery, but being alive after all the hardship.
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