Extravagant
Temples in the Kathmandu Valley are overloaded with golden statues and ornate woodwork.
In the West, these elegant sculptures and carvings would be locked away in a museum, but not here!
Morocco – bicycle touring
Exotic
Some cyclists think you have to fly to the other side of the globe to experience a completely different culture.
But that’s not true. You can go to Morocco.
And why not? The country has some of the most stunning landscapes in the world.
Combined with gorgeous architecture and hospitable people, it’s a winning combination.
Back to Morocco
India – Belur
Serene
Just north of Mysore lies the Hoysala temple of Belur. It’s filled with intricate carvings of dancers, elephants and scenes from the epics.
At times, it’s completely peaceful. Then a group of pilgrims would arrive…
Noise! Chaos! A pandemonium descended as the Indians rushed around the grounds, taking selfies and running every which way.
Shortly thereafter, they left. The tranquillity was restored.
More Mysore impressions:
Back to India
India – Shravanabelagola
Sculpture
The 57ft-high statue of Bahubali is impressive.
But what we admired the most were the small, intricate carvings that could be seen in the surrounding temples.
More Shravanabelagola impressions:
Back to India
India – Gangaikonda
Peaceful
Yes, the Gangaikonda Cholapuram is a magnificent temple.
But after having pedaled through a number of turbulent, chaotic Indian cities, what we really appreciated was it’s tranquil garden setting.
Back to India
Cambodia – Angkor Wat
Exquisite
The Angkor Wat temple complex is immense.
Yet it was the fine carvings and details that stuck in our memory.
It was a level of refinement that we hadn’t expected to see.
More Angkor Wat impressions:
Back to Thailand
Bangladesh rickshaws
Rickshaws
If there’s one thing that’s a symbol of Bangladesh, it has to be its colorful trishaws.
These moving works of art are everywhere.
Back to Bangladesh
Oman – bicycle touring
Cycling
Oman is barren yet the diversity in desert landscapes is enormous.
After weeks of touring by bicycle, our skin dried out and we were continually covered in sand.
We had turned into desert rats.
Back to Oman
Oman – camping
No problem
Wild camping is legal in Oman.
Since there’s almost nobody around, we’d just pull off the road and set up our tent.
Even when we camped behind a government building, the Omanis didn’t bat an eye.
More camping impressions:
Back to Oman
Bolivia – bicycle touring
Cycling
Bolivia isn’t the easiest destination to ride through due to the sand and high elevations.
But pedaling across the Salar de Uyuni has to be one of our all-time favorite cycling experiences!
Back to Bolivia
Argentina – bicycle touring
Cycling
The never-ending Ruta 40 led us through Argentina.
Accompanied by a playlist of road trip songs that played through our heads – the miles flew by.
Back to Argentina
Myanmar – bicycle culture
Trishaws
In Burma, sidecars are attached to standard bikes.
The trishaws carry everything from goods to passengers. They even make comfy spots for a bit of shut-eye.
Back to Myanmar
S.E. Asia – bicycle culture
Multi-use
In South-East Asia bikes aren’t only used to get from A to B.
They appear in shop windows, parades, and are even painted on garage doors.
Back to Malaysia
Laos – temples
Ancient
Entering Luang Prabang’s historic wats gave the feeling of stepping back in time.
Or as another cyclist put it, “I’m not a temple person. But then I thought; do I want to start pedaling over the hills again or visit an ancient wat. Buddha won!”
Another Luang Prabang impression:
Back to Laos
China – bicycle culture
Functional
Chinese bikes are workhorses.
Their rusted steeds are used for transport and hauling goods.
Rarely did we see people just out for a ‘day ride.’