From Cambodia to Switzerland by tuk-tuk - 15 hp world tour
Dimitri drives from Cambodia to Switzerland in a tuk-tuk with around 15 hp. An extraordinary road trip story about courage and endurance.
CRAZY ON PURPOSE is not for "Yes, but...". It's about the courage to take a gap - and to take risks. Without a guarantee. Without applause. And about the moments that would never have happened without the first step.
- Name: Dimitri @swiss_yellow_jacket
- Project: From Cambodia to Switzerland by tuk-tuk
- Route: Cambodia - Laos - China - Central Asia - Russia - Europe - Switzerland
- Vehicle: Cambodian tuk-tuk, single cylinder, conversion from LPG to gasoline
- Low point: Engine problems after conversion, solution only in Phnom Penh
- Would I do it again? Yes. But no longer alone.
And now to the moments that would never have happened without this step.
Who are you - and what do you normally do when you're not coming up with an idea like this?
My name is Dimitri and I come from Switzerland. Before my big trip, I was a social pedagogue and helped children and their parents with school, family and behavioral challenges. For almost two years now, however, I have been able to follow my dreams, travel and take a tuk-tuk from Cambodia to Switzerland - across continents.
How did this adventure come about in the first place? Was it more of a long dream or a spontaneous crazy idea?
A mixture of both. The idea arose spontaneously when I was traveling in Southeast Asia, in Vietnam to be precise, and covered 1500 kilometers on a scooter. The idea then matured as I traveled around the world via South America, Japan and Korea. But the dream of such an overland trip has been with me for a long time. A few years ago, I took the train from Switzerland to North Korea.
You actually only wanted to start in Cambodia. What happened there before you actually set off?
Yes, at the beginning Cambodia was simply the starting point because there are tuk-tuks there. I thought that I could set off within a month. However, due to various factors - such as the approaching winter or bureaucratic hurdles - I decided to spend the winter in Cambodia and lived there for nine months (and no, there was no pregnancy 😅).
During this time, I also found a family that means everything to me today. The starting point became a home. When I finally set off, I said to myself: I'm doing this for Cambodia too. I want people to hear about this wonderful country - a country between Thailand and Vietnam that many people don't know about.
"The tuk-tuk opens up a world to you that you would never experience with a car or a fast motorcycle."
Was there a moment when you thought: Why am I actually doing this?
Yes, in Kazakhstan, where I drove for days and weeks through the wasteland and hardly met anyone. I remember sitting by a river in a beautiful place in the steppe and thinking: I want to go home now. And then I realized that my home was now Cambodia. But dropping everything and leaving "Tuk Samom" was never an option.
Who shook their heads the most when you told them about it?
I don't think anyone really believed it. Who travels halfway around the world in a tuk-tuk? But my mother was scared until the very last day. Her worries put a lot of pressure on me at times.
What went completely differently than planned?
I planned the route all the way to Kazakhstan. After that, everything was open. As Azerbaijan would have been too complicated, I organized a trip through Russia. As a result, I ended up having to wait almost four weeks for my transit visa in Almaty. However, this got me to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan - countries that are incredibly beautiful.
"The perfect moment doesn't happen - you create it."
What was surprisingly easy - and what was unnecessarily tedious?
Laos was very tedious. The attitude there seemed to be: "We don't know it, so it's not allowed." But after hours of back and forth, I was finally allowed to enter. It was similar in Georgia, but there the difficulty was more in communication.
All the other border crossings were actually surprisingly easy. I was much more afraid of them. The customs officers were usually fascinated - especially in Russia.
Was there a moment along the way that particularly stuck in your memory - even if it was actually unspectacular?
Russia. I was very scared of crossing the border because you hear a lot of stories. But it was surprisingly uncomplicated. When I left the country, a customs officer even gave me his badge, which now hangs prominently above the windshield.
Why exactly a tuk-tuk? What can it do that other vehicles can't?
Originally it was supposed to be a scooter - just something unconventional. But the tuk-tuk provides better protection from wind and rain and offers more space. Above all, however, it is something you hardly see anywhere else. And it is slow. That is precisely its strength. Because you can't get on the highway, you can see more, experience more and strike up conversations more easily. It opens up a world to you that you would never experience in a car or on a fast motorcycle.
Which countries were the biggest technical challenge for the tuk-tuk?
Laos was extremely challenging because of the roads. In the north, there were occasional sections between the potholes. China was a challenge mainly because of the distance: almost 6000 kilometers in four weeks.
"I realized that exhaustion is more dangerous than bad roads."
"I want people to hear about Cambodia - this wonderful country between Thailand and Vietnam that many people don't know about."
At which border did no one believe that you were really going through there?
Many people told me that China wasn't possible. For me personally, as I mentioned, it was Russia. I actually wanted to avoid that. In addition, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were not originally planned.
What encounter would you never have had without the tuk-tuk?
A wedding invitation in China.
Or Yavuz in Turkey - a German Turk who lives in Istanbul. We met at a campsite and he said: "When you're in Istanbul, come and stay with me for a few nights." It was more of a request than an invitation, but I was very happy to accept. I was showered with the famous Turkish hospitality.
When did you think: "Okay, that was a really stupid idea"?
After converting from LPG to petrol, when the tuk-tuk suddenly started having problems all the time. It was only when I found a mechanic in Phnom Penh who helped me to complete the conversion properly that things got better.
What was the most dangerous moment that you would hardly believe in hindsight?
Actually, there was no really dangerous moment. The whole journey was very safe. Maybe camping next to the road in Chechnya and launching the drone the next morning wasn't that smart.
What rule did you impose on yourself on the road after you broke it once?
No more riding when I'm mentally tired. I'd rather take a day or two off. I realized that exhaustion is more dangerous than bad roads. And above all: don't drive in the dark.
What was the funniest police check?
In Kazakhstan. The police drove past me and waved me out - just to take photos.
What do you only understand about the world when you travel so slowly?
Spread love and joy - and they'll come back to you. Countries are not made up of headlines. China and Russia in particular were the complete opposite of what you often hear and read. And you realize that people are curious, helpful and friendly almost everywhere.
Without my tuk-tuk, I would never have met Luan, a Kosovo Swiss in Kosovo. He approached me at the roadside and we worked on the tuk-tuk together for almost a week - not because it was necessary, but because we wanted to polish everything up a bit for the last few kilometers. My tuk-tuk looked like new afterwards. We even removed and repaired the tank.
Would you do it again? And if so: exactly the same - or different?
That's a difficult question. Of course, the return trip would be epic. But I now have a family. If I do, then with them - and with a support vehicle. Or maybe just leisurely through Europe.
If you could explain "One Life. Live It." in your own words - what does it mean to you personally?
The first step is always the hardest. Take it. The perfect moment doesn't come - you create it. I was always afraid of going into the unknown, I always wanted security, for example a job at home to be financially secure. My life has turned 1000 degrees. I have had the adventure of a lifetime and now call Cambodia my home. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me.
One day? Day One.
ONE LIFE. LIVE IT.
Follow Dimitri and "Tuk Samom" on:
