When Khan began his journey, it was just him, his backpack and his bike. But when he reached Lahore, he had no idea that practically the entire city would be waiting to receive him. It was the last day of 2011, a little less than seven months since the day he left San Francisco. “I had never expected it would take me that long. But there wasn't a single day I wasn't motivated or regretted my decision,” he says. Khan had initially planned to complete his trip within three months, but unexpected delays forced him to stay on the road for over half a year.

Khan traveled through three continents with the Pakistani flag tied to his bike. He made sure people knew he was from Pakistan and answered questions on the status of women in Islam, terrorism and education. Khan wants to clarify misconceptions about Islam and tell people that there is more to Pakistan than bombings, domestic violence and religious sectarianism. With every convincing answer and justification, Khan adds another friend to his Facebook page, ADifferentAgenda, which now has nearly 10,000 "likes.

The fateful accident in Romania

Khan admits he is not a very pious Muslim himself, although he isn't much of a smoker and stays away from alcohol. He says he has never been as close to Islam as after this trip. “I saw miracles happening. I could feel God was with me in my pursuit.”

The ride across Europe

Khan made a stopover in Germany last October. For Khan, exploring the culture of the cities he travelled through was just as important as completing his journey and his small stopovers fulfilled this need. The stopovers were, however, not always intentional. Khan's first crash occurred three kilometers north of Munich in Southern Germany, forcing him to put his plans on hold for six days while his bike got fixed. Khan made good use of his time, visiting the Oktoberfest and getting to know Germany better.

From Germany he traveled to Switzerland with barely anything left of the 9,000 dollars he had saved up for his trip in the US. “I went to a few Pakistani restaurants to look for a job, but I don't know why I just couldn't find a job,” he said with a frown. But donations from motorcycle firms, forums and motorcycle lovers from around the world helped.

Khan on his faithful bike

Khan's money woes were miraculously solved by a couple of helpful citizens who were convinced that the biker was genuine. In Italy, for example, Khan was stuck when the police took away his bike after he had parked it wrong. Khan got it back after he told the police of his extensive travels.

Khan had his second accident on the road in Romania. It stalled his trip by about a month, as he broke and fractured some bones and totaled his motorcycle. He remembers how the doctors at the hospital refused to take any money for treatment; after tending to his broken ribs, the doctors said he could pay them back when he'd won a lottery. The California Bay Area Rider's Forum, His biking club in San Francisco, helped him find free spare parts for his bike.

Roughing it out in Asia

Despite the goodwill Khan received, he also had his share of hardship. With temperatures sliding to three degrees Celsius below zero in Turkey, Khan would wrap his feet with paper towels and plastic bags before putting on his shoes. In Iran, he ran out of money because his credit cards wouldn't work. But soon enough, he received an email from Mohammad Ali, a fan in Dubai, telling him how excited his cousin in Iran was to know about Khan's stopover in his city. He requested Khan to meet his cousin. After taking a picture with Khan, Ali's cousin offered him an envelope as a gift. When he left, Khan found money in the envelope, enough for him to make it to Lahore.

The bike travelled over 28,000 kilometers across three continents

Khan witnessed superb hospitality from the minute he entered Quetta in Pakistan. The locals at fuel stations wouldn't charge him for gas; residents would serve him tea at almost every turn and garland him with flowers. At times, he felt embarrassed. Sometimes bikers would accompany him to the border of their city.

Now back home with his family, Khan plans to do “something even crazier” within Pakistan. He wants to show to people there, who unlike him do not have an American passport, that one doesn't need to travel outside their country to prove themselves. “It's just about applying your mind,” he says.

Author: Ayesha Hasan

Editor: Manasi Gopalakrishnan