Monday 2 November 2009

Why am I doing this?

I can't say I have ever been a cyclist. My mother gave me a bike when I was about 8 years old, and it continued to gather dust (and eventually rust) in the garage for the next 12 years.

BUT recently I have been inspired. Inspired by several things really.

1. One of my buddies, Chris Roach, decided he was going to ride a bike around the world for 8 years. Mainly because he has a sense of wanderlust, wants to live a simple existence, treat the earth kindly, and see the world. But also because he believes change is possible. He is doing this bike ride to raise money for Oxfam Australia - an organisation who works towards creating a world where people look after themselves, as well as nature.

Please donate to his cause by going to: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/TheCycleStrongmanExpedition

2. I have met several cyclists in the past few months - and one thing I noticed was that they all sing in the shower. Mick, Dustin, Alan, Tomas, Charlie, Toby, Chris - it's not that I was standing outside the door listening while you showered - just through meeting you, I can tell that you do. Each of you have that beautiful spirit, and energy that comes from enjoying the little things in life. It takes very little to satisfy you - food, water, shelter and a bike, are the things that make you happy.

3. Over the past two years, I have lived in Thailand and been making a conscious effort to learn Thai language. When I speak this language with others I feel like a child again. I am flirty, fun and outgoing - even more so than when I speak English. I am inspired by my own ability to be able to communicate with people from another country, in their own tongue, and want to get out of the big city once and for all and get to know what daily life is like for Thai people.

So on November 14th I will travel to Southern Thailand to meet the Cyclestrongman (aka Chris Roach) and join him on a glorious bicycle ride - straight up - to Pai, a little heaven in the north of Thailand.

I am estimating that this journey will take approximately 2 months, and we will cycle approximately 2,500 kms.

The reason I will culminate in Pai is significant. Apart from it being a well-touristed destination in Thailand, it is also a place where I spent some time in 2007. When I first arrived in Thailand I received a book which was written about a friend of mine, Tom Hurndall, who was killed 6 years ago in the Israeli Palestinian civil crisis. I took some time off, to read his biography and spent some time on my own in the beauty of the Pai valley. I hope to finish this wonderful journey I am about to embark on in the same place.

So that's why I am doing this.

1 comment:

  1. Its beautiful to say the least! Wish you life's very best Han, may you achieve everything that you wish for yourself in life..

    xoxo
    Sudeshna

    ReplyDelete

Please leave me messages to help motivate me all the way to Pai :)