Cycling from London to NZ

Ragini

I am planning on cycling home to NZ early spring next year (April/May or as soon as the planning is done). I know it might take couple of years but I'm not going to put a time limit on it. I plan on working if I get the chance in various countries to pay my way if need be or if the opportunity comes up.

I want to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness while I'm cycling home....get in touch with orgainisations in the countires I am cycling through. I will try and get sponsorship.

I'm going to set up a website where people can follow my journey. I will put on photos and diary my trip. Put on sponsors names etc.

From London I'm generally planning to journey to the coast of Spain, Portugal, into Spain again, South France, Italy, Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, fly/train over Middle East (but will see what the situation is like when I get there), India, not sure about situation in Bangladesh, South East Asia - Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, fly to Auckland then bike to Wellington.

If you can offer any advice for a lone female travelling through those countries it would be of great help to me or any advice in general eg Maps/GPS, roads, bike care, accommodation, safety etc

...anyone heading in that general direction around mid/late next year who wants to join me on part of the journey?

Cheers

__________________
Ragini )

byfred

Hi Ragini:
I have no idea what the "Bicycle Shop" situation would be, in some of the countries you will be in, but I have received extremely good service out of "Continental Top Touring 2000" bicycle tires. Another product that has stood up very well is my "Therm-A-Rest", self-filling air matress, 3/4 length.
I'm assuming that you are open to any and all suggestions & I will be very interested in your progress.......byfred

brendajane

Gidday Ragini
I hope you have a great trip. The only part of the Middle East you need to avoid is Israel/Palestine. The rest is OK and provided you are well covered up, you will not be hassled. Bettina Selby has written about her solo cycle tour where she rode through parts of the Middle East - her books are in most libraries.

I have cycled in most of the places you have listed, except the Middle East that you plan to cycle in (I have cycle toured in Israel - a completely ghastly experience).

In Thailand and Indonesia you will need to be able to fix your bike and you will need to carry a good kit of spare parts. Fortunately I had very little trouble with my bike in these places but when I did I was glad of my spare parts. I have done many long tours in Europe and now only carry a puncuture repair kit and enough tools to assemble and break down my bike to put it in a box as there are so many bike shops and if there isn't a shop, there is a cyclist who will find you a part and might accept a few Euro for it if you are very persuasive.

As for a woman cycling on her own - be sensitive to other people's cultures and cover up in Islamic countries. I wore light cotton trousers over my cycle shorts and wrapped a long sarong over this off the bike and wore a headscarf when wandering about (a helmet seems to suffice when on the bike). In Spain and Portugal (and Italy), if you visit churches - wrap your sarong about your shorts and make sure your arms and cleavage are well covered (the attendant will always thank you). If you are fair skinned (I am), you will be a major curiosity in the rural parts of India, Thailand and Indonesia. Let people touch you - then they will take you home and feed you - its great.

When you get home, I recommend taking the long slow way from AK to WN - Coromandel, East Cape, Napier to Taupo, Taupo to New Plymouth, then down the wild west coast to Wellington.

zhangqiongcn

You are a great girl! I would like to cycle to China with you next year. But I would not choose across middle east, but through Siberia. I do not want to bother with crossing so many borders through middle east. How do you think? www.geocities.com/pedal2china

noumad

Hey Michael!
Is the e-mail address on your site still valid? (pedal2china@yahoo.com)
I tried to e-mail you, but the e-mail returned. I'm looking for some info regarding cycling in China.
Thanks
Bart

zhangqiongcn

Hello Bart,

I am terribly sorry for my email account on Yahoo. I do know what's wrong with this account. Could you send me emails to zhangqiongcn@hotmail.com? Or please tell me your email address?

All the best,

Michael