Cyclists expect to take a year riding from Turkey to New Zealand
A Hamilton-born couple are cycling home through Russia, China and South East Asia after six years in London.
A Hamilton-born couple are 12,000 kilometres into a cycling trip that will see them ride through Eastern Europe and Asia with a deadline to make it home in time for a family celebration.
Emma Philpott, 29, and Justin Hewitt, 34, set out from Istanbul, Turkey in March and are currently somewhere between the north eastern Russian cities of Kirov and Perm.
They plan to head into China and through South East Asia, hoping to make it back to Hamilton in time for Ms Philpott’s father Bruce’s 60th birthday in March next year.
Rather than planning a specific itinerary, the couple have decided on a few must-see destinations and will choose their route as they go, taking advice from other cycle tourists who post recommendations on their website.
According to Ms Philpott, one of these must-see destinations is Mongolia, with its “vast open spaces and the challenge of cycling off-road for weeks on end.”
They are hoping to cover at least 50km a day during the first few weeks of their trip, taking things slowly over the steep terrain while they build their fitness.
“It’s nice to know every day that we spend on the bikes will be a little easier,” Ms Philpott said.
Their belongings, which weigh around 20kgs each, are packed into panniers, which are specialised touring bags strapped to both the front and back of their bikes. Apart from the necessities of clothing and camping gear the couple afford themselves a few weighty luxuries such as olive oil and reading books.
Living in shared housing, enjoying home cooking instead of dining out and volunteering to work at music events in return for free entry meant they were able to save enough money during the six years they were living in London to fund their adventure.
To keep costs down while traveling they will sleep in a tent, cook meals on a gas cooker and rely on the kindness of strangers for a hot shower.
Writing about their experiences and sharing photos through their website is an important aspect of traveling for them both. It’s a way to exchange tips, not to miss sights and anecdotes with fellow cyclists and also to keep in touch with friends and family.
The couple completed a six-month cycle trip last year, beginning in London and making their way across Spain, France and Greece before arriving in Turkey.
“What began as an cheap way to commute around London, turned into a hobby and then a way to see the world at the right speed for us,” Mr Hewitt said.
However, according to Ms Philpott’s father she has always loved cycling. He remembers how as a young girl she would ride alongside him, on her Raleigh 12” bicycle, while he was training for marathons.
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