Between Apr-Nov 2013, Rob Gardiner cycled from the UK to India, riding to the end of Central Asia in a group of three and completing the remaining distance alone. Pedalling both with friends and solo in the same trip, he’s doubtless well-placed to discuss the differences between cycling in a group and cycling alone. I’ve followed his blog ever since…

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On 28th October 2013, Zac Newham, fresh out of university and with a determined sense of adventure, cycled out his front door in the UK to cycle to Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. He’s a good friend, excellent writer and bubbles over with optimism for his trip. I’ve followed him from the very start and am pleased, but not surprised, to…

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I have no academic knowledge of healthcare, have never picked up a medical journal in my life, in fact have no authority besides a a patch of practical experience to advise anyone on how to take care of themselves. That’s why I call the following a theory. It is grounded on experimental, biased evidence collected from a woefully small sample….

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I first met Birgit in March 2012, Stockholm, less than a month after starting my own trip. Two friends of hers, the great Andrew Edmonston-Low and Jan Seitz, had plucked me out of a snowstorm the previous evening and after they had plied me with unhealthy but welcome quantities of cheese and red wine, Birgit and I became immersed in…

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In October 2013, I tried and failed to obtain a second visa extension for my 30 day L tourist visa. I went to three different aliens exit and entry (PSB) offices: Chengdu (big city), Xichang (small city) and Kunming (big city). I am a British citizen although from what every office told me it doesn’t matter what nationality you are….

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I am often asked about how I navigate the language barrier when cycling through so many different countries where there’s no realistic chance of learning the language. It’s a good question with many different answers. Here, I want to focus on a specific technique: the personalised picture book. This simple self-made creation sits at the top of my front-left pannier…

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Most visitors to Thailand can get a visa on arrival (21 days if arriving by plane, 15 if by land crossing). However, bike travellers usually find it most sensible to apply for a visa at a Thai embassy in advance enabling a longer period of stay. Yesterday, I received a 60 day single-entry tourist visa for Thailand in Hanoi, Vietnam….

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It’s the big question: the one I’m asked most, the one I ask myself most and the one whose answer sheds most light on the way I think about life and where I’m headed in the future. The emphasis here is not so much on ‘cycling’ (see my ‘8 reasons to travel by bike‘) but more on why I’m travelling…

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Sit down children because now it’s story-time.  I think it’s high time you heard about how I came to have my bicycle in the first place, don’t you?  About how my adventures began?  About how the ball got rolling?  Huddle in close so I don’t have to raise my voice and mind you don’t talk while I am, there’s nothing…

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The perceived ‘danger’ of cycling around the world never ceases to intrigue and amaze. In fact, many people find it so difficult to distinguish cycling around the world from certain death that they can’t help exclaiming the all-too familiar phrase: ‘you must be crazy?!’. Some disguise their shock more politely: ‘wow, you must be so brave!’, but either way it’s…

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