From Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital, there are two ways to get to the Pamirs. Most of the traffic takes the newer, southern road which, although slightly longer is well-paved and significantly flatter. The older northern route is now little used by traffic being virtually entirely off-road, complete with river crossings and a mountain pass of 3,250 […]
cycling around the world
It’s time for the Pamirs!
When I was in Bosnia last year, anticipating having to battle through Central Asia in winter, thereby taking the lowland routes, and missing out on the mountain routes made impassable by snow and cold, I had a chance encounter with two Germans cycling back from Singapore. They shared their stories and showed me pictures of Tajikistan’s Pamir […]
Uzbekistan Money: Huge Wads of Cash and the Illegal Black Market
Have you ever seen the zombie films where zombies are coming from all directions, an unstoppable wave all relentlessly descending on one hapless victim, who quickly finds themselves completely surrounded? Entering Uzbekistan was exactly like that. I had only just cycled through the sturdy gates from Kazakhstan when a rotund women trundled purposefully over in […]
Cycling Western Kazakhstan: Headwinds, Heat and Camels!
I have left the Caspian and won’t see the sea again until Thailand next year. I am now nearing the end of my time cycling in Western Kazakhstan, just 100km from Uzbekistan, my next country. I’d told myself Kazakhstan would be easy, just 550km of nothing. But I’d massively underestimated how hard nothing can be. […]
Crossing the Caspian – The Journey
Susanna and I reached the port just after 5, both anxious we were cutting it a bit tight, with the ferries scheduled departure at 5/6. We shouldn’t have worried; in the end the boat didn’t leave until well after midnight.We had no idea what conditions on the boat would be like, where we would sleep, […]
The Caspian Crossing – Finding the Golden Ticket!
Crossing the Caspian Sea by FerryAzerbaijan’s capital city, Baku was an exciting milestone for me and my adventure bike touring around the world. I had reached the Caspian Sea and could go no further. I had wanted to go south, through Iran but visa requirements denied me access there. To the north was Russia. Closed […]
Cycling across Asia – The Plan
It was a difficult decision to come home over winter. I tossed and turned in my tent at night for months and I wrestled over it during long days in the saddle. Even at home I have struggled with the feeling of unfinished business, often feeling like my mind is still out there on the […]
Cycling Across Europe – The Video
Cycling Around the WorldIn just one week I’m off to continue my adventure cycling around the world! I’ve worked hard to get this video out before I left, which gives a quick (1 minute 42) look at the trip so far! I hope you like it! I would be massively grateful if you shared the video with […]
A BIG Surprise!
Just two weeks today and I fly back to Tbilisi, pick up my bike, and begin cycling around the world again. But, I’ve got a little (big) surprise…I’m not going alone! I am going to be joined indefinitely by my adventurous university friend, ‘Big Sus’, who has the requisite adventurous attitude, level of craziness, and willingness […]
18 months living my dreams
As 2016 rapidly approaches, we begin to reflect on how we’ve spent the year previously. Has our allotted time been spent well? How can we best spend the next year? It is just one and a half years since I graduated, in which time I have been chasing, and living my dreams to the fullest, […]