Saturday, 31. July 2010

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My cycle tours

My Asian Odyssey

My newest trip starting in april '08

Kailash! ...a pilgrimage

In spring 2008 I will start for my newest cycle tour. Unlike the last trip this time I will not follow a more or less direct route from A to B. I have a long list of places I like to visit. Combining those was not a simple task. The result is a pretty wild route criss-crossing asia. That is why I have named the tour 'My Asian Odyssey'.

This time I wll not start at home. Choosing between a winter ride across eastern europe and a ski touring season at home, I have decided for the second. I will start the tour in Kyrgistan.

"You go travelling again, haven't you just come back?" Not that I dont't like it at home, far from it! Leaving friends, family and the swiss mountains will be difficult. But why does an almost 42-year old pack in his good job and change home, friends and life in safe & beautiful switzerland against a life with the tent along the street? Of course I often get this question asked.

the almost unlimited freedom to go wherever I just like at the moment. To decide myself at every cross-way whether I want to go left to the mountains, right to town or stay right here. OK I admit, I anyway go left always... :-)
the unknown and curisosity what might be behind the next corner. Discover new landscapes and people every day.
a reduction to the real basic needs. When travelling I am happy when I meet frendly people, have enough food, clean water and a place to sleep.
beeing outdoors in the nature for days
...and finally the unmatched happiness I feel every time I reach a high pass. In those moments I feel like 'the king of the world' even if no one else notices...

With travelling is is like fighting the Hydra: If you have reached one goal, your wish list doesn't shrink but there are two new ideas immediately! The main argument not to put them into practice is usually the missing time. At the moment this is so important to me that I am just taking that time now. I am aware that it is a great privilege to have the opportunity to do such a thing. For me is is the biggest luxury, even though I know that travelling is not just fun all the time. There are good and bad times too and at some point it becomes a routine beeing on the road.

"Because it is there"

George Mallory