‘If I can help you, why wouldn’t I?’ The kindness that carried a man across Wales

Gosia Buzzanca

A Brazilian man travelling the world on his bike has spent the last week in south Wales, bringing the local community together.

Before he made it to Wales, Igor Martins had spent time cycling across Italy, crossing over into Austria and Switzerland. Earlier yet, he spent three months living in Thailand.

Igor said: “Before all of this, I already had a very active life in Brazil. I was working, but instead of taking long vacations all at once, I used to split my time off throughout the year so I could travel more often.

“With that, I started visiting different projects focused on wildlife rehabilitation and conservation across the country.

“I didn’t have much money, so I traveled in a very simple way, using a mix of buses and hitchhiking.

“That experience taught me a lot about adapting, trusting people, and understanding different realities.”

So far, Igor’s journey has taken him to some remarkable places. After spending three months in Thailand, where he travelled more than 7000 kilometers, mostly by hitchhiking, he went to Europe.

He stayed in Italy for about two and a half months, and that’s where he began traveling by bike.

Martins recalls: “More recently, I’ve been in the United Kingdom. I spent about two months in England, two months in Scotland, and I’ve now been in Wales for around a month.

“Altogether, just here in the UK, I’ve already covered more than 4,000 miles, cycling and walking.

“Of all the United Kingdom, Wales, for me, is the most beautiful.”

Igor always wanted to visit Wales, mainly because of her history. He recalls being influenced by his father, who was always interested in history and religion.

“We used to play strategy and civilization-building games together, and that sparked my curiosity about ancient cultures like Egypt, Rome, and early Britain, including druids, Celtic peoples, and even Viking culture.

“And here, you can really feel all of that. It’s a place with an incredible historical depth, shaped by different civilizations over thousands of years.

“One of the things that fascinates me the most is being able to visit these historical sites in person: ruins, ancient paths, stone circles that are 4 or 5 thousand years old… and to realize that some of those stones were brought from hundreds of kilometers away.

“It makes me imagine how people lived and organized themselves back then.”

Igor’s way of travelling is built around three things: history, wildlife and nature, and he says that Wales offers all three in a powerful way.

“I’ve spent days cycling through remote areas, crossing forests without seeing almost anyone except for animals.

“Deer crossing the road, owls, falcons, sheep, horses… It feels like a truly wild environment.

“The landscape has an almost magical atmosphere, with moss-covered forests and constant humidity.

“It feels like stepping back in time, it’s incredible.”

Martins supports himself and his journey in various ways. Sometimes he stops in places and works in exchange for accommodation or a bit of money.

He also sells his photography. “I’ve always enjoyed documenting wildlife and my travels, so I print and sell my photos along the way. That helps me cover basic expenses like food, bike maintenance, and daily needs.”

For the last week Igor stayed in Barry, where the local community gathered to help him as much as they could.

Residents were offering him food, snacks and small amounts of money that he used mostly for bike repairs as his tires went flat multiple times on the south Walian roads.

He was invited over for family dinners, offered a haircut at a local barber shop and even joined a gym session one morning.

“One of the most important parts of my journey is the people I meet, especially in small towns.

“I really enjoy sitting down, talking, and listening to their stories. For me, that’s more valuable than any tourist attraction.

“People usually look at me with a curious expression and then I start a conversation.

“It’s really nice when people come up to you and talk to you without curiosity and not judgement.

“Without a doubt, for me, one of the most incredible places I visited was Wales.”

One moment that stayed with him was with a man named Mark, here in Wales. He offered Igor a place to stay on his farm for as long as he wanted.

Igor stayed for a few days, left to explore, and then came back again. When he asked Mark why he helped him, he simply replied ‘If I can help you, and it doesn’t make a difference to me, why wouldn’t I?’

“That really sums up my journey,” Martins concluded.

Igor continues his travels, heading towards the south of Italy next.

To find out more about Igor’s journey visit his website or his Instagram, and to support his journey click here.