… my unshakable trust in my own capacity for destruction, turned out to be my salvation.
–Noraly Schoenmaker, Free Ride
I’ve been away on a road trip, attending a Hobby Expo in Johannesburg, more than 600 kilometres from Durban, South Africa, where I’ve chosen to retire. I couldn’t access my favourite YouTube channels for more than a week. There was one in particular that I have been eager to catch up on.
Almost immediately after returning from the Expo yesterday, I navigated to the latest episodes of the Itchy Boots channel on YouTube to catch up on creator Noraly Schoenmaker’s latest travel exploits.
Noraly is a female Dutch motorcyclist who is travelling around the world solo, currently on a 1987 Yamaha Ténéré, coincidentally the same year she was born. She is presently in Tajikistan and headed for Kyrgyzstan. Noraly has a penchant for naming her bikes, and this one’s called Frankie. It was customised under her personal supervision by a German mechanic named Moritz for her current epic road trip from Istanbul to Japan.
Previously, Noraly had two Royal Enfield Himalayan BS4s named Basanti and Dhanno for her inaugural solo trips through India and Asia, and a Honda CB500x named Ronin for a portion of those journeys. Later, she acquired two Honda CRF Rally bikes named Savannah and Alaska, which took her across Africa and from South America to Alaska through the notorious Darién Gap.
Incidentally, Noraly donated Savannah to a museum in Knysna, South Africa, after the last leg of her Africa trip, where it is currently on display.
There is a reasonably large number of solo travellers around the world, both male and female. Many female motorcyclists with or without YouTube channels also travel both solo and with companions. So what makes Itchy Boots unique?
Noraly’s journeys around the world are seldom on mapped paved roads. She prefers to ride off-road on tracks that are rarely marked or visible, though they are carefully selected with a special off-road navigation app. She tends to avoid major cities, unless absolutely necessary for routine bike maintenance and servicing and administration related to visas and other documentation. Amazingly, she undertakes minor repairs and maintenance of her bikes herself. While she is proficient in both Dutch and English, Noraly makes an effort to acquire conversational skills in local languages such as French, Russian, Spanish, Farsi, Swahili, etc.
Holding an MSc in Geochemistry, she has a breathtaking knowledge of both the natural geological features and the history of the many places she travels through. A more detailed biography can be found on her official Itchy Boots website. I’m always learning something new as I travel vicariously with her to places I’d never heard of. I’m always in awe of her incredible bravery, determination to succeed, and strength of character.
Recently, Noraly released a book titled Free Ride, which was translated from Dutch. It provides a more intimate peek into her private life and behind-the-scenes explanation of her solo trips around the world.
I don’t believe I’ve ever recommended a YouTube channel to my readers, but this one is a winner on so many levels. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed and will become as addicted as I am.
lenny unencumbered 