Jeffrey Polnaja is one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.

The chances are that many of you could meet him too, because the Indonesian adventurer is aiming to travel to 100 countries by motorcycle, and he could well be arriving at a town near you soon.

His mission is to 'Ride for Peace' and he hopes to promote harmony between different cultures on his travels, which began in April last year and won't finish until some time in 2011.

"My journey is dedicated to promoting global peace and promoting motorcycling as a symbol of spirit and adventure, independence and freedom. So far I've been to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, China, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Emirates, Oman, Saudi, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium and Germany. In the end, I'll have visited more than 100 countries."

Jeffrey, or 'JJ' ('Jurig Jalanan'- local slang for 'Phantom of The Road') will become the first Indonesian to ride solo around the world if his trip is successful. And there is every indication that he will succeed in this mission, because adventure is in his blood. His first 'big trip' happened at age 16, just three months after he got his motorcycle licence.

"I first started riding in 1978 on a Honda CB100 and as soon as I could, I rode 1,600 kilometres from my hometown of Bandung to Bali. That trip opened up my eyes to how a simple bike can be a great adventure tool."

Since then, he has made a lot of motorcycle adventures all around Indonesia, Asia and the United States but it was while watching the news with his family that he was inspired to undertake the biggest challenge of his life so far.

"I was watching TV news with my family where there were some horrific images of war being shown and my 17-year-old son said 'old people teach us bad things, with all this fighting'. He asked me what could I do to make a difference and it was at that point I decided that I wanted to ride around the world to promote peace."

So, he put his own career on hold, bought a BMW R 1150 GS Adventure and planned to leave his family and friends to try and share his feeling of brotherhood and peace with the rest of the world. However, his journey nearly didn't start at all, after he had a serious motorcycle accident just a week after informing his family of his plans to do the Ride for Peace.

"I was riding my classic BMW R 50 when out of nowhere a car came and hit me. It was terrible. My ribs were broken, and so were my shoulders," said Jeffrey, who knew he would have a real job to convince his wife of his aspirations for the trip - especially as the accident had left him hospitalised and the doctor had told him that he would almost certainly be paralysed. Jeffrey got his wife to transfer him to another hospital for a second opinion and the doctor there said that he would be back on his feet in about three weeks. In fact, JJ was walking in three days, and back on his bike just three months later!

For JJ, there was only one motorcycle that could take on the challenges of a five-year, 330,000-kilometre trip, and that was the R 1150 GS Adventure, which he has christened 'Maesa'.

"In my language, 'Maesa' means 'little buffalo' which reminds me of the GS Adventure, as it's strong with endurance capability. I love classic bikes and have an R 50 from 1956. Before that I had an R 25 from 1952 that I rode all over my country. The GS Adventure is many different bikes to me. For a trip like this it has to be strong, but you need comfort too, otherwise you have to stop. I made many big adventures with my old BMWs, so I was sure I could make this trip with a new one!"

Jeffrey set off on 20 April last year and is currently in Belgium after having spent a few days as a guest of BMW at the Motorrad Days festival in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. With an ever-optimistic hope of seeing the world transformed into a place of peace and love, the globetrotting Indonesian is delivering a message of peace at every stop he makes.

"I don't protest in any way when I visit somewhere, I just ride - across many borders, on all terrain and in all kinds of weather. When I meet people, I share my feeling of peace; it's as simple as that. Riding a motorcycle breaks down barriers and I have friends everywhere now. From high political figures to villagers at the side of the road, the reaction is always the same. I've met government ministers, city mayors and there are many sympathisers. This ride is all about exploring five continents on two wheels too - not just passing through. I stop and talk to the locals wherever I go. You get so much from meeting people and if you go too fast through the countries, then you miss something very special."

It's not all been 'plain sailing' for Jeffrey, who has been robbed several times on the road in certain countries. However, Jeffrey believes that money and valuables can always be replaced and that is important to keep going. In fact, he's even been able to inspire criminals to think twice about their actions: "This one time they put a gun to my head and asked me what I was doing. I told them I was riding for peace, so they did not harm me or steal my luggage. They were on my side when I told them that I was on a mission and I was able to ride on safely."

Riding all day, come rain or shine, Polnaja has seen some amazing places. His favourite riding so far has been in the Kingdom of Bhutan - a landlocked nation in the Himalaya Mountains, sandwiched between India and the People's Republic of China in South Asia: "My best road encountered was in Bhutan. It looks like Andorra but not many people live there and there are only a few cars on the road. It's very quiet and very safe. There are not many tourists and it's a simple way of living over there. Many of us are looking for the secret of life, but these people seemed to have found it."

Jeffrey's R 1150 GS Adventure has taken him through snow passes in the Himalayas and across many deserts in intense heat and raging sandstorms. So far, it hasn't let him down and has certainly been more reliable than his cameras.

"I've taken over 30,000 pictures and have broken four cameras so far. Fortunately my wife just sent me over a new one. As for the bike, I repair it myself if it breaks down. So far, the weather in Nepal has been the most difficult, as it was minus 18 degrees Celsius in the Himalayas. The snow was coming but I had no choice and had to keep going. I fell many times but still carried on. If I hadn't made that crossing, I would have had to wait two months for the pass to open."

Jeffrey usually rides alone but enjoys riding together with others, as he thinks it's good to have the company. Sometimes, riders know that he is coming to a certain area so they wait for him and wherever he goes he is amazed by the kindness of people.

"I have slept on roadsides when there were no settlements in sight but many times in rural areas, people have offered me to stay with them and told me that I was crazy to ride alone across countries. It's amazing to see how people can be so kind to strangers and treat you like one of their own."

The most difficult thing he has had to cope with so far was the feeling of being homesick, as it's a long time to wait to be reunited with his family: "You do get homesick of course and this is the most painful thing for me. You can cope with bad weather, the desert you can cross, bad terrain can be beaten, but if you talk about family, then that's different. I told my family that I had to do this ride and that I couldn't be back before the finish."

Jeffrey is going to the Scandinavian countries before it gets too cold, then England and on through eastern Europe. After this, he'll fly the R 1150 GS Adventure to America from where he'll explore this continent before travelling to Australia and then - finally - home to his family in Jakarta, Indonesia. When he gets there though, his work will start again.

"Ride for Peace has become very big in my country and when I go home I want to inspire lots of people to realise their dreams. In Indonesia people think that it's impossible to do what I am doing. I'm not afraid of dying and I will complete this mission no matter what it takes."

So, when 'JJ' rides into your country, make sure that you offer him a nice hot meal or even a bed for the night. You'll be meeting someone very special who will leave a lasting impression on you, not to mention entertain you with his many fantastic stories of life on the road.

For more information on Jeffrey 'JJ' Polnaja, please visit the www.rideforpeace.info website.