Around the world with a new pair of hands

Theo Kelz works for the Austrian Police force and in 1994 he was defusing a bomb when it exploded and he lost both his hands.

Six years later he was given the chance of a double hand transplant (only the second one to happen in history).

He took the chance and decided to celebrate by taking off around the world on his trusty 1977 BMW 1000ER.

Take a look at pictures Theo Kelz’s trip of a lifetime.

For the full story, see this week’s MCN, out today (Wednesday, September 19, 2007)

“After reading a newspaper article about two Americans who went around the world on a motorcycle, I was fascinated and wanted to start a similar voyage around the world on my bike – with my new hands.

“I travelled around the world in 1994, before my accident and thought that I should make plans to make it again. In 2003 I rode from Tirol to South America, as a warm up as I was only three years after my double hand transplant. 

I began 2005 with the concrete plan of the journey.

“My route took me from Austria across Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, back to Russia to Wladivostok, Japan, then to Vancouver in Canada, across Whitehorse to Dawson Creek across Jasper National Park (The biggest National Park in Canada), Lake Lois and Banff after Calgary, the Olympic Stadium from 1988 across the provinces Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, to Halifax, back to Europe and then home.

“I fitted my BMW with an 80 litre special tank and strengthened the shock absorbers, as well as two 40 litres of aluminium packing cases.

“I was waved off on 15 May 2006 by a small group by friends and acquaintances. There was an air of uncertainty. My brother Meinhardt accompanied me to Austrian-Hungarian border. He said: “I will come and meet you at the German border on your return; the small piece between them must ride alone.

“The total trip put more than 24,800 kilometres on my bike but I also travelled, 2,000 kilometres with the Trans-Siberian railway, 1,500 kilometres with the ferry from Vladivostok to Japan, and 13,600 flight kilometres. And my hands didn’t hurt once.”