Ride Earth

At lunchtime today I skipped merrily forth from the steel-fenced compound housing the Iranian Embassy here in Yerevan. After pausing briefly in the middle of the road in order to frolic, I galavanted with glee and chortled with mirth as I biked my jolly way home, carrying in my sweaty palm a passport containing a visa to visit Iran.

I’m going to Iran… after all the waiting, red tape, payments and delays, it’s finally going to happen! (more…)

One year ago, I pedalled away from my front door on a bicycle, with the vague intention of cycling round the world.

As it happened, the bicycle itself proved quickly to be the least important part of my new way of living. It was simply a vehicle which connected me in an incredibly intimate way with the people and places I encountered. It was these encounters that have defined my life ever since the day I left, not the physical act of pedalling. (more…)

Tom and I construed the idea to satisfy a desire to see the world. We minimalised our possessions, with most sold on ebay  to fund our trip or given away.

We researched the ideal items of equipment we would need for a life on the road. When we left we realised soon we still had way more than we needed. Since then we’ve been gradually getting rid of things that are not essential. The result is that by now we are getting near to carrying an optimal selection of equipment.

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Peep through the door
It seems as though the grass was much greener before
The dead life has been washed upon the sea shore
Money and greed deluded what is truly pure
And yet our flesh keeps screeching out for more

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