Cycling to Sydney 2005-2006 (well… nearly…)
By Kira Askaroff




Last year my sister Katrina and I set out to cycle 25,000 kilometres from London to Sydney.

The Plan

• Cycle 25,000 kilometres unaided, no cheating, no support van!
• Raise £1 per kilometre travelled for my two charities
• Update friends/family via our website cyclingtosydney.com
• Have lots of fun, experiences and adventures!

The trip was meant to take about a year. 6 months later we found ourselves at the southern tip of India, flicking cockroaches away from us in the local police station, each with several scars, plenty of stories and no bikes…

My sister has a recurring ankle problem which flared up while cycling 60 miles a day over the steep hills on India in 40 degree heat. It was a problem that stopped her cycling. It was unbelievably painful and demoralising. We decide to take an over night train to the next big town, Trivandrum so we could think… over night our two beautiful friends, - our loyal thorn ravens, were stolen. This was really the last straw… after about a week with the police we booked our flights home then hopped over to Sri Lanka to do some tsunami relief work for our last few weeks.

Anyway… back to the beginning of the adventure – 6 months previously… our first few days on the bikes… Cycling out of London we were completely unfit, unprepared, entirely ignorant about anything to do with bikes, wobbling and loaded with enormous amounts of kit… it was raining.

We stared off doing about 30 miles a day – this was easy, on the flat quiet roads of continental Europe. It was dream cycling. Our lives became very simple.

• Eat muesli
• Pack up tent and kit
• Cycle 10-20 miles
• Eat huuuge lunch.
• Cycle 10-20 miles
• Cook supper on our portable stove
• Set up tent and sleep

For me it was pure bliss! Complete freedom and lack of any responsibility. I loved planning the route on my map every day and marking out our progress. We didn’t plan to visit any large tourist sites – just asked locals what was around in each place we passed – this would also often result in the offer of a meal of garden to camp in.

Our fitness improved dramatically over the first few weeks. I don’t recommend setting out unfit but it is surprising how quickly the body adapts. You can read our entire trip diaries on the website but here are some highlights and lowlights.

Trip Highlights

• The sense of freedom and adventure that comes from not really knowing where we would be in the next month, week, day or even that evening!
• The Danube river cycle path – especially in Austria – slightly downhill, no cars, wind behind, very friendly people, perfect cycling!
• The Kartoffel museum in Munich – an absolute must for anybody with a thirst for knowledge about the history of the potato (including a section on the sweet potato)
• Getting really fit
• Everything about India
• Meeting interesting and wonderful people (apart from the Indian man who chased us with his sickle)
• Countless marriage proposals despite looking like sweaty tramps with farmers tans.
• Being able to change gears while going uphill with our Rohloff hubs.

Trip Lowlights

• Being hit by vehicles
• Endless attacks by tireless mosquitoes
• Being rejected for our Iranian visas after waiting a month in Budapest
• Bike theft nightmare
• Having to change the original plan



Tips if you are planning a similar trip

• Do loads of online research – its surprising how many people have taken trips like this and their advice is invaluable.
• Choose the right equipment – the bike especially will be the most important thing in your life on a long trip. I cant recommend our Thorns highly enough – incredibly low maintenance, extremely tough and quite good looking too!
• Be aware that it is not like backpacking! You don’t just see the highlights in countries. You will look in your lonely planet and see that the next place listed, 3 days ride away, is described as ‘dull roadside town- not worth a visit’
• Do a shorter trial trip with your partner so you don’t have any unrealistic ideas about what to expect.
• Remember to check the weather… the BBC has annual world weather conditions on its website.
• Try and get as many visas as you can in advance.
• Finally…. Definitely do do it!! – it will be an amazing adventure you will never regret!

Kira