Why cycle the length of six continents?

Have you done anything like this before?

How far will you cycle per day?

Is anyone going to cycle with you?

How did you decide on the route?

What constitutes a round the world trip?

Where are you most looking forward to visiting?

Which areas will you avoid?

How are you going to deal with VISAs / border controls in advance?

Where will you stay?

How much training are you doing before you leave?

How will you afford it?

How much will you spend?

How will you entertain yourself en route?

Have you packed any luxury items?

What do you feel will be the hardest aspects of the journey?

What are you most afraid of?

What practical problems do you expect to face?

What will you miss the most?

What bike will you take?

How heavy’s your gear?

How can people track your progress?

How long will it take you to plan the expedition?

How do you go about planning a trip like this?

Why did you choose to support the charity Merlin?

How much do you hope to raise for Merlin?

How long will you grow your beard? / How long between showers? / How long will it be until you start talking to yourself?

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Why?

‘You’re going to do what?’

I've heard my plan of cycling around the world for over almost 5 years described variously as "foolhardy", "unnecessary", "insane" and "ridiculous". It is of course a mammoth and a ridiculous challenge. Why? The obvious reason is for the adventure. There’s an intrinsic appeal of travelling by bicycle. Cycle touring will allow me to take off into more remote regions, avoiding the jump from one tourist spot to the next, with everything I need in the panniers and on the rack. It will probably be a less complicated life on my bike… few possessions, little money and hardly any strict schedules or deadlines. The journey may also be an opportunity to gain a new set of skills and I hope to do some writing and some photography and maybe learn a language as I travel. But perhaps the main driving force behind Cycling The 6 is the challenge. I know at times I’ll be cold, wet, bored, hungry and tired after ten punishing hours on the saddle, with none of the usual fallbacks I’m sure I often take for granted. I want that sense of achievement I’ll experience in the moments where I pull through adversity. I want to be right out of my comfort zone and I want know how I'll cope. Finally it’s also a fantastic opportunity to raise buckets of cash for the charity Merlin.

Have you done anything like this before?

In 2000 I cycled the length of Chile with my brother. We covered around 6000 km over 5 months from the southern town of Punta Arenas in Patagonia up to Arica in the Atacama desert. It’s been hard to find time to embark on a cycle tour of any great distance since then but I have managed to spend some time in East Africa, Iceland, India and Iran, just not with a bike.

How far will you cycle per day?

I’ll aim to travel anywhere between 80 and 150 km (50 – 95 miles) a day although I may even exceed 200 km on a good day. The road conditions, the gradient, my energy (and stubbornness), headwinds and tailwinds all play a part.

Is anyone going to cycle with you?

The journey is essentially a solo effort but I’m hoping that after some harrassment a few friends might buckle under the pressure and agree to join me for small sections of the journey.

How did you decide on the route?

I considered a number of factors when planning a rough route across each continent, taking into account sites of interest and tourism, foreign contacts, hospitals and clinics I plan to visit, VISA requirements and the availability of supplies as well as the environmental and current political climates and even prevailing wind directions. But certain areas may enter into conflict and political situations can change rapidly so I will have to be prepared for the possibility of dramatic changes to the proposed route if there’s a section of a continent I can no longer travel through.

What constitutes a true round the world trip / circumnavigation?

Have a look-see here

Where are you most looking forward to visiting?

A number of places spring to mind… South Africa, Ethiopia, The US, New Zealand, Colombia and the Stans.

Which areas will you avoid?

I’ll take local advice as I travel as well as from sources in the UK such as the Foreign Office.

How are you going to deal with VISAs / border controls in advance?

Most should be easy enough with plenty of forward planning en route and a bit of research before I leave.

Where will you stay?

I’ll be wild camping in the main so… anywhere I can pitch my tent. I’ll probably spend a bit on cheap hostels when I get into larger towns and cities. Travel networking sites could be useful in helping me find accommodation and I’ll spend the next 12 months cajoling friends and family into giving me contacts around the world who’d be happy to have me for a night or two.

How much training are you doing before you leave?

I plan to do plenty of running and some training rides around the UK however I’ve got lots of cycling ahead of me and it's not a sprint so I’ll get fitter as I go.

How will you afford it?

Lots of saving up. I’m still living a bit like a student 4 years after graduating… cheap hospital accommodation, charity shops and a lot of pasta.

How much will you spend?

It can be a fairly frugal existence on a cycle tour - free transport, free accommodation, rice and pasta, the odd VISA. I guesstimate it will cost me around £30,000 over 4 a half years (incl contingency).

How will you entertain yourself en route?

Books. Books. Books. And old school hiphop on my MP3 player.

Have you packed any luxury items?

See previous FAQ

What do you feel will be the hardest aspects of the journey?

Coping with loneliness, solitude and the lack of familiarity will undoubtedly be part of the challenge. To prevent me naming and talking to any of my few possessions like Tom Hank’s character in ‘Cast Away’ I’ll pester mates from home to join me for sections of trip.

What are you most afraid of?

I’ve got a lot of faith in the premise that the world by and large isn’t as dangerous as it’s frequently perceived or made out to be. Having said that dangerous driving and dangerous roads are my biggest concern. Hopefully not too many run-ins with dangerous people or wild animals (unless this provides a good yarn and a photo opportunity!)

What practical problems do you expect to face?

I’ve always been fairly inept at mending bikes and for this reason breaking down on a remote mountain pass could be a problem. But I’ll invest in a good bike and try and brush up on my bike repair skills as much as I can before I leave. In reality most things can be fixed at the roadside with a few tools, a bit of ingenuity and lots of patience. I’ll be bringing plenty of tools.

What will you miss the most?

All my old hiphop, funk, soul and breaks vinyl records, family, friends and my job (bar all the 'On Call' night shifts and constant exams). Not necessarily in that order.

What bike will you take?

I’m still debating this one. I’m keen to get a bike company to sponsor me so there are still a number of possibilities. It is likely to be a hybrid and specialised touring / expedition bike.

How heavy’s your gear?

It will probably be around 25kg – 30kg in total (bike and panniers). I’m likely to start with more than I need.

How can people track your progress?

I’ll make regular updates to the website, add to the blog (coming soon) and send out a regular newsletter / email update… you can subscribe here. I’m also planning to upload some podcasts as I travel.

How long will it take you to plan the expedition?

I’ve been pondering the process over the last few years but really started putting things together about 14 months before departure. I’ll be working full time for most of these.

How do you go about planning a trip like this?

I’ve sought the advice of lots of other long distance cycle tourers, expedition leaders and various people connected with the Royal Geographical Society. I’ve been lucky that they’ve been very generous with their time and advice. But really it’s easy to over plan the journey itself. The charity fundraising component is where the real work will come in.

Why did you choose to support the charity Merlin?

Merlin is a charity driven by one aim: to provide health care for people at times when they are most in need. They do astonishing work in providing medical humanitarian aid and striving to help those affected by conflict, disease, natural disasters and health system collapse. Unlike some other aid charities their teams of doctors, nurses and public health specialists don’t stop working just because an emergency is over. They stay in place until lasting health care services are rebuilt. I’ve got huge admiration for their commitment to impartiality. They act regardless of race, religion or political affiliation and make decisions based on independent assessments. There are many many examples of how their work has changed the lives of millions around the globe. Here are just a few.

How much do you hope to raise for Merlin?

My current target is £50,000. I hope this proves to be a modest ambition for over the duration of my trip, despite the additional challenge posed by the dreaded Crunch. It would be even better if I can help forge a long term link between those who’ve supported my expedition and the charity.

How long will you grow your beard? / How long between showers? / How long will it be until you start talking to yourself?

Hopefully… as long as humanly possible.