"I wanted to go on a long trip, a trip where I wanted to understand what it's like to be so far from home for so long, I wanted it to be by bike," Francisco França told Lusa in Maputo, his destination for this adventure that is a mix of "madness and courage".
He left Portugal on 19 February 2024, passed through more than 20 countries until arriving in the Mozambican capital on 14 June this year, cycling more than 20,000 kilometres, after having previously cycled around Portugal.
A graduate in Psychology, Francisco left his parents in São João de Talha in search of a challenge, taking with him, on his bike, fear and a pan, a petrol stove, clothes, fast food, cash in hand and in his bank account for food, as well as documents such as visas.
He crossed several countries, first Spain and Morocco, followed by Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and the Republic of Congo.
The journey also continued through countries such as Angola, Malawi and Zimbabwe until reaching Mozambique via Tete on 7 May. Along the way, Francisco spoke a lot of English and improved his French to communicate and even gave lessons in exchange for a place to sleep.
"I could have taken an easier route [when entering Mozambique], but I ended up choosing a more challenging one, which was to cross the Búzi road and then another road that ended up being just a path in the bush that connected Guara-Guara to Muxúngue [Sofala], which is just a path in the bush for 200 kilometres. Then I got to Save, I went down (...) and then I got to Maputo", he told Lusa.
"Over time, my body also got used to it, and while at the beginning I would do 70 to 80 kilometres a day and had to rest on the second or third day, by the time I had been on the trip for over a year (...) I could do 100 kilometres a day, 120 (...) because the conditions allowed it", he added.
Along the way, there were many challenges, starting with malaria, which he caught twice, the first time in Sierra Leone, the second time in Ivory Coast, and an allergy in Senegal that "covered his face with spots". Setbacks that forced him to stop for an average of two weeks to rest and recover his energy.
"Afterwards, it was difficult to deal not only with the physical part, but also with the psychological part and with everything I was going through at the time, because those low moments also make you doubt your ability, perhaps your sanity, perhaps you question whether what you are doing really makes sense", he told Lusa.
The great experience was understanding how people live on the African continent.
"I wanted to do something different, I wanted to make my own trip, so I saw and realized that I had no connection with Mozambique, but there were people around me who had been born here or who had lived here, so I realized that it made more sense for me to end up in Mozambique, in addition to South Africa, like most people who go on this type of adventure", he recalled.
The interaction with local people throughout the countries became easier as the journey went on, but the constant discomfort of questions about his origins and purpose were always there, disturbing Francisco who only wanted to travel and see the world.
"This happened in every village, every person who saw me asked the same questions and I remember feeling that it took a lot of mental toll because I like being alone", he says.
In addition to illness, it was difficult for Francisco to cross several areas and roads during rainy periods, with muddy trails and roads and challenging his bike, which often broke down, forcing the young Portuguese to discover his mechanics.
"I ate almost everything, unless it was something very strange", he said, also mentioning his particular taste for Angolan food and, in particular, xima with chicken, tomato and cabbage from Mozambique and Zambia.
Francisco returns to Lisbon on Thursday by plane, but he takes memories of Mozambique with him: "I remember in Tete and Chimoio, I saw people on bicycles carrying five bags of coal, with their bikes much less capable than mine (...) that is no trip for them, it is day-to-day life. They have these difficulties".
"I think I managed to see during the entire trip, not only in Mozambique, how people live. The poverty, the wealth, in Africa I was able to get a very general idea of everything, that was important to me", he concludes.
