Waterford man to detail his Afghanistan journey
Michael Whelan, from Waterford, will be giving a presentation on his cycling trip to Afghanistan
An adventurer from Waterford is set to give what promises to be a fascinating account of his travels through Afghanistan at an event in the city.
Michael Whelan will present 'Remembering Afghanistan 2024' in St Patrick's Gateway at 8pm on Friday, November 8 and the event will feature a talk and slideshow of his amazing trip.
In May and June this year, Michael set out on a two month cycling trip from Samarkand in Uzbekistan, to Kabul, via the Wakhan Corridor.
Along the way, he encountered majestic landscapes, friendly hardworking people and a few engagements with the Taliban.
Commenting to waterford-news.ie ahead of the presentation, Michael said he was initially disappointed at being unable to enter Afghanistan due to security issues.
However, he eventually obtained a visa and crossed the border at Kunduz with two Pakistani doctors, and travelled onto Kabul.
"This was one of my most interesting trips," said Michael, outlining how he experience day to day life living with families in the Wakhan Valley and working in the fields with them as they sowed potatoes and tended their animals.
Michael is no stranger to Central Asia, however.
In 2016, he cycled from Pakistan to China and in 2018, from Kazakhstan to Iran.
Prior to his cycling adventures, Michael was a keen mountaineer and climbed major peaks on four continents, including the first Irish ascent of the north face of Mount Damavand in Iran.
In the past Michael was a guest speaker at Immrama, Lismore Festival of Travel Writing and in 2015, he was invited to address the Royal Geographical Society in Belfast.
Over the last decade or so, Michael has delighted audiences with tales of his travels accompanied with spectacular photography.
He described 'Remembering Afghanistan 2024', as an up to date first hand account of day to day life in Afghanistan and of people coming to terms with forty years of trauma.
It promises to be an amazing insight into the lives of people who, like everyone else, just want to live in peace and be free to go about their daily lives.
