Sliding Through

22/03/2026

In the latest issue of the BMW motorcycle magazine On The Level in the United States, the main feature is about me and my travels.

I am truly grateful for this coverage and for the way they chose to approach my story.

See pages 32 - 43

BMW_RA_OTL_Mar-Apr 2026

09/03/2026

Last week, a few months after I rode my motorcycle across China, the Chinese ambassador, He Rulong and his wife Shen Ting, invited Ásdís and me to dinner. He wanted to hear how the journey had gone and how I had been received in China.

Also at the table were two members of the embassy staff, Xiong Chengshu and Su Wenlu. The evening was both informative and very enjoyable, and it reflected well the experience I had of China itself. For me it was also valuable to have the opportunity to talk about this unique journey and to express my gratitude for the assistance I received.

My journey across China was a pleasant surprise and a very positive experience.

01/03/2026

Snapshots from Harar in eastern Ethiopia. The city is considered the fourth holiest city in Islam.

The streets are colorful, and the daily life is beautiful.

23/02/2026

We visited a traditional village in Konso in southern Ethiopia, a place recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Konso villages are built in circles and surrounded by stone walls. In the center lived the ancestors. As the population grew, a new wall was built around the old one, allowing the village to expand slowly over time.

For centuries, these stone walls have served as protection against wild animals and enemies, but also as fire barriers in this densely built community.

You can also see traces of Icelanders here from missionary work in earlier times. Today, most of the inhabitants are Christian. This is a place where history, culture, and unexpected connections to Iceland meet.

21/02/2026

My wife and I have been traveling through Ethiopia, and today I experienced a moment I will never forget.

We visited the Dorze villages above Arba Minch. A place far from the main tourist routes. I first came here in 2019, during my motorcycle journey down Africa from Iceland.

As I walked into the compound, I saw familiar faces. The family I met back then.

They smiled.

And they remembered.

“The man on the motorcycle.”

I showed them photos of themselves from my book Faces of Africa. Seeing their reactions was something I will carry with me.

The world is big.

And yet, sometimes, incredibly small.

22/12/2025

Morgunblaðið, the main newspaper in Iceland.

For more than a decade, adventurer Kristján Gíslason has been either preparing for a motorcycle journey, travelling, or working on books and travel programmes known as Hringfarinn, familiar to many. He has now completed his second journey around the world, and it is interesting to hear about his l...

08/11/2025

Mission accomplished! My journey around the world on my motorcycle has just come to an end here in Munich. 🏍️🌍

This was one of the most extraordinary motorcycle trips I’ve ever taken – a journey of discovery in so many ways. Once again, you arrive in a new country full of preconceptions that turn out to have no basis. This journey has opened my senses and given me further proof that we live in a wonderful world. I hope the photo series I’ve shared during the trip show how I was always received with open arms and a broad smile.

It’s exactly ten years (2014–2015) since I first rode around the world on my own, but this time I took a completely different route. It may come as a surprise to some, but the main conclusion from all my travels fits into three words: “People are good.” ❤️

My journeys are not only about admiring beautiful mountains and waterfalls, but also about seeing and sensing how people around the world live their daily lives – because that’s where I found the greatest beauty. 🌏

06/11/2025

The final chapter of this journey, which began in September 2024, is now about to start. I’ve arrived in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where the motorcycle arrived from the United States over the weekend. In the meantime, I went home to Iceland, where these photos were taken.

27/10/2025

The Japanese Ambassador to Iceland, Keizo Takewaka, invited me, along with Svanhvít Aðalsteinsdóttir from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Dr. Júlíus B. Kristinsson, to a luncheon at his residence in Reykjavík.
We had all recently enjoyed a memorable stay in Japan. Joining the ambassador was Ms. Mariko Yano, Secretary of the Embassy.
No effort was spared — and of course, we were served Japanese cuisine at its finest, thanks to the chef, Mr. Giichi Takasawa.
Our conversations were both meaningful and inspiring, touching on the Arctic, geothermal energy, food production, and the many opportunities our two island nations can embrace through closer cooperation.
As a token of appreciation, I presented the ambassador with my book Sliding Through.
The true adventures lie in the people you meet along the way through life.
🇯🇵🇮🇸

16/09/2025

After 26,179 km (16,267 miles) I have reached Portland, Maine. There the motorcycle will be shipped by sea to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. From Rotterdam the plan is to ride to Munich in Germany, where the journey began in September 2024. For the past month my wife, Ásdís, has been with me on the motorcycle, and our son Baldur came from Iceland to ride with us during the last week.

06/09/2025

I really enjoyed meeting all these people – I hope you enjoy the photos.

29/08/2025

After wonderful encounters with people along the way, I am quick to reach for my camera.