Sam Murray, 24, set off from his home in Greenhithe, Kent last month and has travelled through, France, Brussels, Germany, Switzerland and is now in Venice, Italy
Meet Sam Murray, the 24 year old adventurer who’s embarked on an epic 3,462-mile cycle from the UK to Australia.
Last month, Sam left his Greenhithe home and has since pedalled through France, Brussels, Germany, and Switzerland, currently making tracks in Venice, Italy.
His journey will see him tackle routes through Turkey, Georgia, Russia, and Kazakhstan before reaching Perth in July 2025. Along the way, he’s roughed it under tunnels and been embraced by local communities for a night’s rest.
The former IT support worker is riding with a cause, aiming to fundraise for the Samaritans after his own brush with suicide in June 2020. With just a backpack and a year’s worth of determination, Sam quit his job and bid farewell to his family to hit the road.
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“I have always liked travelling and seeing the world,” he shared. “The great thing about tourism on a bike is that you get to see the towns and villages that are off the beaten path.”
Reflecting on his dark times, Sam admitted: “Back in 2020 I tried to take my own life.” But now, Sam’s on a mission to inspire: “The main reason I am doing this is to show people that things can get better and you can do something incredibly crazy.” He believes in chasing dreams with a dash of self-love.
Departing on May 27, 2024, Sam’s already found joy in unexpected places, like Burkheim, Germany, where he joined a family for the Euros’ opening game. Recalling a memorable moment, he said: “I was cycling in the French border. I took a detour to go over the border into Germany.
“I crossed the bridge into Germany when I noticed that a local football club was hosting a viewing for the game,” he said. “I watched the opening game there and was taken in for a couple of days by this family – I was their fourth son for the weekend.”
“That was highlight for me – it shows how kind people can really be to strangers.” Sam recounted his challenges, especially cycling through the formidable Furka Pass where he came upon a ghastly scene: “I had just cycled down 500 metres and I had to go up 800 metres.”
“I was half way up the hill when I saw a cyclist coming down at speed and a motorbike crashing into the back of him. The cyclist had some gruesome injuries and I called an ambulance. I stayed for a few hours to talk to police.
“It was getting dark, I had seen a horrific accident climbing this mountain and I was scared to cycle after what I had just Glendale,” Sam added. At the moment he is waiting in Venice, Italy for bike repairs, but Sam is looking forward to continuing his adventure through countries like Turkey, Georgia, Russia, and Kazakhstan, with the journey culminating in Perth come July 2025.
Sam continued: “My route is a little bit what I fancy, I don’t have a strict route. I do have an idea how I will get through Asia now.
“I might have to get a plane from Kazakhstan to South East Asia as there is a few conflicts going on in the countries in between. From Indonesia I will fly to Cairns, Australia and cycle the east and south coast all the way around the country – I want to cycle 20km around the world.” Throughout his epic journey, Sam is fundraising for Samaritans, a cause close to his heart after his own suicide attempt in 2020.
Supporters can contribute to Sam’s cause by visiting his JustGiving page.
The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email [email protected] or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.
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