| Benka Pulko | |
|---|---|
Benka Pulko Carr |
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| Born | May 15, 1967 Ptuj, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia |
| Nationality | Slovenian |
| Citizenship | Slovenian |
| Spouse(s) | Keith Carr |
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www.benkapulko.com |
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Benka Pulko (born 15 May 1967) is a Slovenian world traveler, Guinness World Record holder, motivational speaker, author and photographer.
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With a university degree in Biology and specialized training in massage therapy, this former educator is most famous for traveling to all seven continents on her motorcycle.[1] On June 19, 1997, Benka Pulko departed from her hometown of Ptuj, Slovenia on a BMW F650 motorcycle. She returned to Ptuj on December 10, 2002, having established the Guinness World Records[2][3] for the longest solo motorcycle ride ever undertaken by a woman - in both distance, 111,856 miles (180,015 km), and duration, 2,000 days. In the process she also became the first motorcyclist to reach Antarctica, and the first woman to ride solo across Saudi Arabia.[4][5]
After returning to her home, Pulko was chosen as Slovenian Woman of the Year for 2003. The award is conferred each year by readers of Jana, the Slovenian oldest women's magazine.[6] She was also rated by Playboy Magazine at 16th place among Slovenia's most influential men for 2003.[7]
In addition to being an |adventurer, Pulko has extensive experience as a journalist, with her articles having appeared in approximately 50 publications in New Zealand, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Japan and the United States. In Slovenia, she continues to be a regular contributor to national magazines and newspapers such as Jana, Delo, Dnevnik, Večer, 7D, Primorske novice, Štajerski tednik and others.
During her record-setting journey, Pulko began photographing the people and places she experienced. Since her return, she has presented these photographs in more than 20 solo exhibitions.[8][9]
Pulko's first book, Po Zemlji okoli Sonca (Around the World Circling the Sun), a large format book chronicling her journey in photos and words, became the fastest selling coffee table book in Slovenian history. At the 19th National Book Fair in Ljubljana, it took home the top prize for Best Overall Publication, as well as the award for Prepress.[10]
In 2005, Pulko provided the cover photo and co-authored the book Biseri sveta v očen slovenskih popotnikor (Jewels of the World) along with other Slovene adventurists like Zvone Šeruga and Arne Hodalič.
Obrazi sveta/ Faces of the World was published by Pulko in 2007. The exhibition catalog, in both English and Slovene, detailed her photo exhibition of the same name.
Pulko's most successful book to date, Pocestnica ("Streetwalker") was also published in 2007. At the book's launch the President of Slovenia Danilo Türk and other celebrities presented excerpts to the audience.[11]
Her latest book, Dve ciklami ali Na svetu je dovolj prostora za vse ("Two Cyclamens or There is Enough Room for Everyone") marks Pulko's first foray into children's literature. The book was awarded at the International Children's Literature Competition in Schwanenstadt, Austria.
While traveling through Dharamsala, India, Pulko was moved by the plight of the children of the Tibetan diaspora. As a result, she launched the humanitarian organization "Believe in Yourself and Kickstart the World". The primary goal of the foundation is to promote, encourage, and support the education of children with limited opportunities in different parts of the world.[12] The organization primarily focuses on providing scholarships to students of Tibetan Children's Village, and ensuring female students have equal educational opportunity.