After her father's death, Zenith Irfan in Pakistan's Lahore found out about his unfulfilled dream-a motorcycle trip around the world. Determined to honour him, she decided to embark on the journey he never completed. Ms Irfan's drive was so strong that she learnt to ride a motorcycle at the age of 12 and started going on solo trips across the country. She rode through storms and sunshine, tears mingling with the rain, laughter with the wind.
Her passion soon catapulted Ms Irfan into national stardom, and her journeys became inspiration for others. A Pakistani filmmaker even made a biographical film on her life, titled 'Motorcycle Girl'.
"In 2013, when my brother bought his first motorcycle, he gave me riding lessons. It was then that I decided to embark on a motorcycle adventure-after gaining adequate training," Ms Irfan told Dawn.
She mentioned that her mother was the driving force behind her motorcycle journey.
"We are a small family of three. And it was actually my mother's idea that I should go on a motorcycle journey in order to leave a legacy for my late father," she explained.
Taking up her father's dream
According to ABC News, Ms Irfan was sifting through family photographs when she came across a picture of her father dressed in an aviation uniform.
"Since he was in the army, he did not get much time to focus on his passions and the dream he aspired to live," said Ms Irfan.
At that moment, her mother told her that he wanted to go on a "crazy world motorcycle journey" and encouraged Zenith to take up his dream and live out his legacy.
However, Ms Irfan's dream hit a roadblock even before she began riding the motorcycle.
"Although my family is from Pakistan, we moved to the United Arab Emirates in the 1960s. So I was actually born in Sharjah, near Dubai. But when I was 12, we came to Lahore. When we first moved, it was a culture shock," she told AFAR, a magazine focused on experiential travel.
"Yes, I was a Pakistani. And Sharjah too has a Muslim majority, like Pakistan. But there's a major difference living in the two cities. People are more conservative in Lahore, and I started to have to think twice about what I wore. I had some problems," she added.
With every motorcycle ride, Ms Irfan feels connected to the spirit of her father, her heart full of his dreams, and her resolve unwavering. She wasn't just riding for him; she was riding with him.
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