WorldTripping.net - All about Simon and Leah.

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An esoteric introduction.

Your own little Utopia. Ever dreamed of it? Ever longed for it?

We each have our own idea of the perfect life. We envy those we think have it.

The proliferation of 'Reality TV' programmes proves our fascination with the idyll. And our wickedness when it all goes horribly wrong for the participants.

We tired of daydreaming about one day winning the Lottery and deciding what we'd do with all those millions.

We saved up. We cashed in the pension. We bundled off the dog and cats to family.

We bought a couple of bikes.

Gave up the day job so to speak.

Would you care to join us? Around the world in 8 years (or less).

Enjoy. Read our journal. Read our latest news.

I'm sure there'll be lots of rows along the way. The odd disaster. It's not going to be the love story of the year.

There'll be photos and videos and a chat room, if you feel inspired.

Let our adventures begin.

So, who are we ?

Once a Cyclist, Always a Cyclist.
The first time I went on a cycling adventure was when I still had stabilisers fixed to my wheels. At that age, I wasn't allowed to cross the road by myself, so I spent until dusk pedalling round and round the block on which my parents lived.
Bigger bikes soon followed, from steel framed MTBs, which used to propel me down forest trails and over Lakeland peaks, to lighter faster steeds that I invariably crashed at speed. There was even a flirtation with a tandem club, who used their weekends and spare machines to taxi blind people around the teashops of the North West.
Then I discovered rock, climbing everywhere, from the empty vastness and sheer slabs of the Welsh slate mines, to the sea lashed Southern cliffs. Ice and snow followed rock, with waterfall climbing in Scotland and Alpine boarding.
Eventually though, I had to revisit my bike and what better way to combine adventure with fun but by cycling across the Rift Valley, seeing both the sources and confluence of the River Nile; sitting by the Indian Ocean; and cycling at speed down Sir Lowry's Pass after spotting Table Mountain for the first time? At the moment, I've only explored one continent by bike: Africa.
I'm sure that will change at some point in the future.

Travelling Credentials.
My first foray into the unknown occurred at the tender age of two and a half. The first my doting mother knew of it was a phone call from a concerned friend, swearing that I was toddling past her window, wearing my duffle coat and a determined look on my face. Mum caught up with me a quarter of a mile away at the side of a busy road. The explanation being simple. I was off to the swings at the park and had tired of waiting for her. As if to reassure her, I had carefully explained how I had used the green cross code.
More adventures followed in the spirit of independence although I didn't always manage it. As soon as I reached adulthood, however, I took myself off to America. Having travelled extensively by Greyhound and hitching, I turned my attention to a climbing expedition in Europe. A car trip around Mexico and a train adventure across Middle Egypt followed until the trip by bicycle, my adventurous yet. Since then I have trecked in the Atlas mountains in Morocco and played in the snow in the Alps.

A selection of 'frequently asked questions'.
What are your 5 most essential items?
Bike of course. First aid kit; tent; loo paper; and a good book.
What do you fear the most?
Mosquito bites; rabid dogs; and diarrhoea.
How have you prepared for this trip?
Sleeping on a dodgy futon for 18 months and easing off the fags and booze.
What do you look forward to?
Freedom to do what we want, when we want, for as long as we want..oh..and cheap fags and booze.
How long is the trip going to take?
Depends on how ill we are. How beautiful a place is. The people we meet. We've budgeted for roughly 2 years.
How far will you travel?
24,300 kilometres. We've planned to cycle about 50 kilometres a day.
What will you miss?
Taking the dog for a run. Seeing family. Clean clothes.
What won't you miss?
Alarm clocks.
Do you think you'll ever come back?
Of course. Come back and stay, well that's something we can only answer at the end of our trip.
Typical responses to when you tell someone what you plan to do?
Are you mad? Why bike? Why not drive or go by bus? Bring us back some fags and booze.

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