‘This morning at the coffee machine I happened to be talking about it: maybe next year it will be time again,’ Mo says. She refers to a leave of absence of several months during which she can completely clear her head while walking or cycling. She lists: six months cycling through Africa, four months cycling through South America and two months hiking in the Pyrenees. ‘Lovely to only have to think about practical things for a while, like your next meal or a place to sleep.’ Cycling or walking is the best way to get to know new places, according to Mo. ‘You see so much, you feel the countries and the differences between each one.’
That a journey never goes as planned and setbacks occur along the way, does not surprise Mo. 'In the Pyrenees, it was boiling hot at first, and then it rained for days. I was walking alone with my dog. Those moments can be though, but even those moments pass. Fortunately, I can handle those pretty well. During a trip like this, you accept the moments as they come. Sometimes that means some improvising, but that makes it fun.'
Although Mo does not shy away from excitement, she does not take unnecessary risks. 'I seek adventure, not danger. During the hiking trip, I could choose between the French and Spanish Pyrenees. Then I deliberately chose the French part, because more people hike there, which would make it easier for someone to help me in case of an emergency.'
