A man has revealed what it’s like to sleep in wild forests and hammocks as he takes on a spiritual journey to travel 4,500km across the globe – on a unicycle.

Sylvain Oulala first started learning how to use the unique bike when he was just 14 years old, using it to get to school and travel from his mum’s to his dad’s house.

The unique hobby soon turned into a passion with the now 29-year-old using his trusted unicycle to see the world.

He is sharing his journey on social media, with Sylvain’s posts going viral.

“As it is my 30th birthday this August, I wanted it to start with a cool adventure,” Sylvain, a street performer, told NeedToKnow.co.uk.

“I do everything on my unicycle; travelling, shopping, plus people get curious about my bike and it gives new conversations and chats with strangers.

“This journey is a very symbolic and spiritual journey.

“For me it is a transition from my 20s to my 30s.”

Sylvain, who is originally from France, started the journey in his hometown, Le Mans, on 11 May 2023.

It will end in Estonia, where he has lived for the last 10 years of his life, and hopes to arrive by his 30th birthday on 23 August 2023.

At the moment, he is in Belgium, having cycled 590km with plans to “visit a lot of different places and towns” over the summer.

But there have been many challenges along the way including figuring out where to sleep, eat and be safe on the road as a solo traveller.

Sylvain said: “I sleep in my hammock, I carry it with me at all times.

“At around 6pm, I will start to look for a nearby tree or forest to set up for the night.

“Usually I look around for an abandoned forest to have it nice, quiet and without any problems.

“I also have friends almost every 200 to 300km along the journey, so I have often stayed at their houses.

“Also, being French, I love food, so I carry a small camping set to cook food.

“I make myself meals, such as sandwiches or noodles, as I need to eat well.

“But I will say I always worry about what and when I am gonna eat next.

“The hardest part [of this journey] was the prep, all the stuff I needed, and the planning.

“Also the first day [of] travelling; I was really un-prepared physically so my knees really started hurting and it scared me.

“I thought I might need to stop with my trip but luckily my body caught up really fast.”

Although he has encountered some problems along the way, Sylvain’s experiences have been overwhelmingly positive.

He said: “Most people are really positive and have their thumb up when they see me.

“I have had extremely positive vibes so far on my trip.

“This is why I love unicycles, it makes everybody happy and excited when they see me.

“I have been given discounts in local shops or free fruit, vegetables and coffee.

“I have also been offered free stays at people's houses but I really like sleeping in the forest in my hammock.”

Hoping to inspire others, Sylvain is documenting his adventure on Instagram, (@sylvainoulala), where he currently has 2,559 followers.

In one post, he shares what a normal day is like, captioning the post: “Day 15 of cycling from France to Estonia”.

The video shows Sylvain starting the day by finding a smooth road and cycling through picturesque fields and towns.

Later on, he takes a nap by the side of the road, before getting on his bike and travelling to the next town.

Once there, someone offers him a free soft drink and he meets a cute dog.

He finishes the day at a rest stop, having cycled 46km that day.

The clip has over 13,400 views as well as hundreds of likes and comments.

One person said: “What a legend!!” [sic]

Connor added: “Best of luck.”

Anderi commented: “I'm waiting to cycle with you in Estonia somewhere in my area, unicycle looks fun.”

Someone else wrote: “Thank you for sharing this trip with us!”

Another fan added: “You’re crazy, good luck for the rest.”

“Great,” said another user, followed by fire emojis.

ENDS

EDITOR'S NOTES: Video Usage Licence:(NON-EXCLUSIVE) We have obtained a non-exclusive licence from the copyright holder. A copy of the licence is available on request.

Video Restrictions: None.