Introduction: cycle tour, bike tour, cycle touring

Trip Start May 29, 2005

Trip End Dec 17, 2005

Loading Map

Show trip route

Hide lines

Flag of United Kingdom London, United Kingdom
Saturday, May 28, 2005

By bike, I've crossed 3 continents, 15 countries, peddled 11400Km and explored many of the major cities en-route; Nantes, Angers, Blois, Tours, Dijon, Geneva, Fribourg, Bern, Interlaken, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Bratislava, Constansa, Varna, Burgas, Istanbul, Antalya, Anatalya, Nicosia, Limosol, Palermo and Tunis to name just the bigger ones.
On this journey I've encountered many friendly people from just about every walk of life imaginable. I've seen the wealth and opulence of Western Europe cities like Vienna give way to the harsh life of post communist rural Romania. Crossed a single border to see the polar opposite - after Islam, the next major religion is enterprise. Explored a country divided in two where the capital, Nicosia, has a demilitarised zone running right through the centre, to Southern Europe where olive oil and wine lubricates the wheels of rural life family. Finally to Tunisia, North Africa, where I toured to the north coast down to the very fringes of the Sahara.

Doing the journey by bike is certainly a way to meet people and experience things you would not get driving through 'just another town'. The independence from taxis, busses and train timetables is truly liberating and sightseeing a city by bike is a fantastic way to explore quickly and find things that just aren't in any guide books.

I now have a real appreciation of geography and beauty of the Jura, Alps, Tatry and Carpathian mountains. Followed the Loire and Danube past some of the most impressive palaces and castles in the world. Cycled, camped and survived in weather conditions from ice storms to the mild sunny climate of the black sea coast. Experienced the buzz of life on the streets of Palermo in contrast to the desolation of the central plateau in Turkey. Listened to the emptiness and silence of the Sahara desert while visiting more archaeology sites than I ever though existed.
All in all, a travel experience (I'm reluctant to call it a holiday) that has given me memories and a photo album to last a lifetime. I also hope my writings inspire others to break away from some of the well trodden holiday destinations and try something new. If so, I know a cool campsite in the Sahara desert!

This is my story of where I went, what I got upto and why I was never caught...
Read and enjoy.

About me
www.jnewcomb.com

A journey from point to point