Rafał Sonik - my travels, my holidays in the saddle

Rafał Sonik is a millionaire, philanthropist and sportsman. Does he have time to travel? Does he have favourite places he keeps going back to, or is he always chasing new destinations? What does he do when he has days off?

justKowalski.pl: The last time we met was by chance, on a plane to Dubai. Were you flying on business, on holiday, for your charity work, or was it for a sporting event?

Rafał Sonik: It was sport, because I was flying to the Abu Dhabi Rally, but unfortunately as an observer and fan, not a competitor. Even though I couldn't take part, I didn't want to lose touch with my discipline even for a moment.

justKowalski.pl: So that trip counts as a holiday?

Rafał Sonik: Hmmm... First, let's be honest: it's been a long time since I had anything you could call a holiday. But I went to Abu Dhabi with my son, so even though following a rally is quite an effort, there was a "holiday" element too, because my child was with me. It was my son's first rally and his first time in the desert. I think deserts are among the most beautiful places on earth, so I hope my son will become fascinated by landscapes like that.

justKowalski.pl: These days you compete in rallies in scorching heat, but your sporting career began with skiing? When you relax, are you drawn to the cold or the heat?

Rafał Sonik: It's been a very long time since I had a holiday that consisted of doing nothing, putting the phone aside, lazing about, lying under a palm tree. I often go to places where other people spend their holidays, but I am usually there with my business partners and colleagues, discussing projects. Mind you, I also use stays like that as a fitness camp. And here's a curious fact for you: I don't use email. If someone writes me an email, they should know it will go to one of my closest colleagues. I always have my phone with me and I only reply to text messages.

justKowalski.pl: I take it the traditional idea of a holiday is foreign to you. So how do you manage your free time?

Rafał Sonik: Every month I have 2 - 3 days just for myself. My assistant knows not to disturb me then. That adds up to 30 - 40 days a year. It doesn't have to mean I go somewhere, but in a sense I "disappear". The only longer period when nobody can reach me is the second week of the Dakar Rally. In 7 of my 10 starts I was still in the race in its second week, and then, to be honest, I get some rest. And do you know what Dakar is for me? A holiday in the saddle! It is also a damned expensive break (justKowalski.pl - preparation, equipment and taking part in the rally cost several million złoty), but also a good slimming holiday (laughs).

justKowalski.pl: Going back to those 3 - 4 days a month when you go away: do you go somewhere far? Do you go back to your favourite places?

Rafał Sonik: I love Sardinia and its mountains. In many places along the coast it is full of tourists and crowded, but if you go 15 km further, it is empty even at the height of the season, in July and August. Beautiful mountains, beautiful caves, unspoilt nature. I avoid the resorts, but the mountains and the west coast are breathtaking: trekking, climbing, paragliding, gliding and, finally, riding a motorcycle or driving a car on the most beautiful roads in the world. Off-road too. There were years when I went to Sardinia 6 - 7 times, because the season is very long, from March to November.

justKowalski.pl: So what does a typical day of rest look like?

Rafał Sonik: I get up at 8.30. Then an hour of stretching. Breakfast at 9.30. By 10.30 I've finished breakfast, and at 11.00 I'm already on my motorcycle. In the evening, a bath and dinner. A day like that is the essence of relaxation and rest. I decided to buy a few extra motorcycles, which I keep in Sardinia for my friends. At one point I had 12 bikes there. Sardinia is a paradise for motorcyclists. The roads are beautiful and empty, although you have to watch out for animals, which like to lie about on the roads. Only the Alps can compare with Sardinia. Incidentally, I also love riding a motorcycle or driving a sports car through the Alps; once I did 14 passes in a single day.

justKowalski.pl: And long-haul travel? Asia? The Americas?

Rafał Sonik: I lived in the USA for 17 years. I explored the States... from the air, because in 1999 I bought a small plane, and thanks to those trips I got to know California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. I was able to fly over the Grand Canyon many times. Unfortunately, after 9/11 many places there were closed to tourist flights, for example the Hoover Dam area. I sometimes flew very low over beaches and along bays; it was great fun, almost like the Red Bull Air Race, because you are constantly flying banked. I know it's an unusual way of sightseeing, because I have never set foot on Key West, but I "visited" it from the air. I know many charming tiny airfields: on Indian reservations, right by the Mexican border, on islands where the runway is surrounded by water. I have also visited aircraft boneyards and museums in the desert, seen all kinds of military aircraft, the first Air Force One, and taken part in air shows.

justKowalski.pl: You have three children aged 13, 7 and 2. Don't they push you to take traditional holidays?

Rafał Sonik: We manage! It often happens that the family flies somewhere for longer and I join them later. Soon they will fly to Sardinia; I have business in Paris, but I will fly out to join them.

justKowalski.pl: Are there places in the world you have heard about and would like to visit, but haven't yet had the chance?

Rafał Sonik: I feel a sense of something unfinished when I leave a place knowing that I have only done half of what I planned. It used to bother me; today I take it calmly. It is simply a reason to go back. I would like to return to Corsica, Sicily, Mykonos and the other Greek islands, southern Chile and southern Argentina. I once flew a plane into the Andes, but the weather turned and we had to turn back; I was left wanting more. For me it's a kind of bonus, something waiting for me. It is probably a plan I will carry out.

justKowalski.pl: I wish you every success in all your activities. Many journeys and experiences. Thank you very much for talking to me!