Royal Trip Himalayan

Arnaud

“The cap guy, that’s Arnaud. The kinda guy you want to encounter on your way. On the spur of the moment, he’s willing to do the dumbest things and would go to the extreme every time. He’s a bizarre mix between Eric Clapton, Marc Marquez, and Mark Zuckerberg. One flaw? Take a good look at his right arm and you’ll see some weird tattooed triangles…” according to Etienne.

I’m 23, and what best describes me is my desire to learn, and mostly by myself. I love the infinite learning capabilities that we all have within our grasp. For example, I discovered the guitar 1 year ago. I was captivated by the possibilities that the instrument offered me. Now, it no longer holds any secrets for me, I spend hours playing and repeating the same parts, endlessly wearing out the callus on my fingers. But it is immensely satisfying imminently mastering a song! The joy of achieving the harmonious perfection of notes one after another is a feeling that’s second to none! I honestly believe that a small guitar will find its way into my cases when we leave Versailles on September 5th. I also have an explosive past as a rider: a BMX amateur in my youth and freeride skier. I was unfortunately forced to give up on a promising career due to 2 cruciate ligament ruptures in my knees. This attraction for extreme sports makes me an excellent driver (much better than my dear travel companion…).

On the other hand, I’m neither a musician nor a professional rider, but a future graduate of the Grenoble Ecole de Management, specialising in finance, just like Etienne (very original of us…). I also founded a consulting firm this year, a massive challenge undertaken despite the period affected by COVID-19. This journey is an opportunity for me to fulfil a dream, to surrender myself to the roads of the world and especially to the unknown, to live in the present moment 200% and to simply feel free.

Etienne

“The Mustache dude, that’s Etienne. He’s the sort of guy that you can see working out in the street, 7 in the morning, while you are gently sipping your hot tea… In short, the guy is a powerhouse. Male cliché? Well, not really. Beneath the rock lies a poet and an adventurer who has a pure sense of freedom. Etienne, once you meet him, you never forget him” according to Arnaud.

Just like Arnaud, I’m 23 years old, I’m in my prime and have an insatiable desire to make a mark on my youth with a unique and extraordinary experience. This trip is an opportunity for me to endlessly enjoy the freedom offered by the unknown; and to try my hand at a growing passion, writing. So to start, I’d like to share some stories about several previous trips. I got the chance to cross the Connemara with a very close friend, Victor (if you are reading this, big love to you my friend), which was one of the best experiences of my life, despite our weary feet, the flood and midges. The lunar landscapes, the simplicity of the places and the taste of freedom moved my younger self deeply and made me want to relive a similar experience. I also got lost, alone, in Morvan (Burgundy – Nièvre), the homeland of my parents. This was an inconvenience of course, however it was an opportunity to find myself again. I think these trips created who I am and I invite my readers to give these experiences a try, as they are an absolute treasure. I also have an unconditional love for sport. At the age of 4, i knew i wanted to follow my father’s passion for judo. Today, I am a proud black belt. In the eyes of the law, i am a cold weapon. That’s why I’d like to leave a small message for Arnaud’s parents: don’t worry about your son, nothing will happen to him; he has an extremely capable bodyguard… Like Arnaud, I’m not a full-time adventurer or judoka, but a student at Grenoble Ecole de Management and soon-to-be graduate! I recently discovered the appeal of finance and I hope to spend my future career in that sector.