How do you plan your route?

We set ourselves a goal and the journey happens along the way and the arrival isn't as important as the journey to get there. With some ideas from a guidebook or some friends along the way, our route meanders slightly between two points. Our points being the extremes of the continents.

Do you sometimes cycle with other people?

It can be a change if you meet someone along the way but if you like the different freedom to be alone that's good too. I can't compare the solo or not experiences because they both are good and different. Which currency do you usually carry? $US the most international currency. The notes should always be clean. We were refused to change bills one time because of small pen marks. Then when we finally were able to change some money the bills we got in the local currency were in very poor condition. I tried to give the bank the same treatment they gave me. We were desperate for money so the bank won, as they always do!

Did you camp or hotel it?

YES. We camp as often as possible, where we can safely. It's nice to find some friends in between and to stay in accommodation to meet other travellers with information to exchange.

Which places did you like the best?

South America (green, brown, white snow, great people, beautiful scenery) it's great, pero nessesita habla Espanol. No worries about that though. Africa can blow your mind. It takes you back in your mind to the roots of humanity. Asia is big and diverse. Smells, sounds, people, and people everywhere almost. How can we say? It's all-incredible!

Which places do you recommend for cycling?

The Amazon jungle: Only two main roads. The Carraterra Austral: (Southern Chile). Forest, mountains, fresh water. Bolivia: The Andes, Indigenous peoples The Congo: Jungle, the Africa you may imagine but dangerous right now. The Sahara Desert: Nomadic people, sand storms, camels, no water (almost!) Norway: Fjords, mountains, and wide spaces in Europe. The Pyrenees mountains: Spectacular nature, old villages, fresh air, wolves, steep hills and other cyclists mad enough to do it.

Any suggestions for the low budget world tourer?

Keep your needs simple. To sleep wild take care not to bother anyone. Asking permission to camp often gives an opportunity to meet people.

What type of food do you eat?

We mostly carry pasta and some Japanese food. Japanese food is incredibly convenient and healthy. Miso soup is great. Also tinned tuna can be great and oats are an incredible energy source. Then of course we mostly shop local and try to get whatever is available. We eat basically whatever is put in front of us. It's amazing how far you can go on a cold morning with a cold lamb chop.

How do you support yourselves?

Emi supports herself with some writing for a magazine in Japan. I provide a lot of the photos. We have worked a bit along the way. Emi worked in a Japanese restaurant in South Africa and I have had various jobs along the way like: builder's labourer, surveyor's assistant, hardware store assistant, gardener and tour car driver. We have also had a couple of slide shows. It all adds flavour to the journey. And we get by with a little bit of help from our friends.

How many bikes have you used?

We have changed every part on our bikes except for the frame in my case. Does that count as having the original bikes? Emi bought a new frame in Capetown because the opportunity arose to get one better fitting to her stature. My frame is made from Reynolds Tubing and was put together by Ian Christie at Christie Cycles Melbourne. I have kept a record since day one, of all the parts used and how many kilometres.

What are the main problems you have with the bikes?

The most changed parts are mostly in this order: tyres, chains and sprockets, gear cables, brake cables, chain-wheels, tubes, rims and accidents do happen commonly with the rear derailleur. Aluminium luggage racks are great if you look after them by having your load secured tightly but they may be difficult to have repaired out in the back roads of the world.

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