Mia Chun, who recently returned from the adventure, will tell students and travel industry professionals attending WIT*e about the inspiration behind the journey, their lessons on the road and the most exciting and scariest moments of the trip.

Believed to be the first couple in South-east Asia to complete such a trip – their story can be found at this blog – the pair spent two years seven months crossing the continents of Asia, Europe, India, the Americas including Alaska and Oceania.

Goh, a gardener by profession, was first inspired in 2003 after reading the book “A Tankful of Time”, by Michael Peter Foong, a Singaporean who had taken a motorcycle trip to West Africa with his wife.

His then-girlfriend Samantha was, at first, reluctant but he eased her in by going on bike adventures in Thailand. But it was the passing of his mother that gave him the final spurt to pursue his dream and follow his passion.

They spent S$40,000 on a new motorcycle which they named Hope. However that was stolen two months before they were due to set off; they then had to spend 40% of their travel budget on a second-hand bike which they named Hope Too.

They quit their jobs and left Singapore on January 1, 2008. They returned August 1, 2010, in time to celebrate Singapore’s 45th birthday celebrations on August 9.

When Goh was asked by the media how much the whole trip had cost them, he said it was the equivalent of a university education.

“‘When I read their story, I knew I simply had to get them to share their story with WIT*e,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, editor of WIT. “We’ve always been saying the best education is through travel and Chia Mun and Samantha epitomize it with their spirit of adventure, courage and hope.”

WIT*e will be held at the Atrium Ballroom, Fairmont Hotel, from 6-9.30pm. It being the last WIT*e of 2010, the event will be open free to all, including students and travel industry professionals.

“We want everyone to come celebrate the last WIT*e of the year, as well as join us in inspiring and mentoring young talent and grooming tomorrow’s tourism leaders,” said Siew Hoon.

To register for WIT*e, please contact Gerry Pang at [email protected] or +65 979 77730.

Featured image credit (Biker riding motorcycle on an empty road at sunset): Ockra/iStock