University student spends 48 days cycling from Scotland to Greece after flight cancellations

"As a relatively introverted person, I was forced to kind of get out of my comfort zone"
File photo of cyclist in Bristol
PA
Imogen Braddick16 July 2020

A university student spent seven weeks cycling home from Scotland to Greece after his flight was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Kleon Papadimitriou, a 20-year-old engineering student at the University of Aberdeen, set off on the 2,175-mile journey home to Athens after three of his flights were cancelled.

After installing an app for his family to track his journey, Mr Papadimitriou set off on May 10.

He told CNN he would cycle between 35 and 75 miles each day.

Armed with a tent, sleeping bag, bread and canned sardines, he spent most of his nights in forests of fields.

He was occasionally offered accommodation by kind friends or acquaintances.

"As a relatively introverted person, I was forced to kind of get out of my comfort zone in the sense that if I did not do some things, I would not have a place to stay, I would not have water," he said.

"It forced me to kind of have those interactions and reach out."

Nearly 50 days after first setting off, he arrived home on June 27 to a welcome party of family and friends.

"It was very emotional," he said. "Coming from a family from two parents that were very adventurous in their younger years, seeing me kind of follow in their footsteps, I think is very emotional to them and obviously gives me a lot of meaning."

Mr Papadimitriou said the adventure has made him "more confident" in his abilities.

But he has some advice for anyone looking to take a huge feat, such as a 48-day bike ride.

"When you set the bar really high and you attempt to reach a really ambitious goal, whether you achieve it or you don't, you will have improved," he said.

"You will learn things about yourself and you will surprise yourself."

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