Here we'll try to post some practical stuff that might come in handy for fellow travelers.
New Zealand
- Don't worry about the hills, you'll get fit. Worry about the wind, you'll get cranky!
- Don't expect to call or mail home every day. Cell phone reception is lousy and wifi is unavailable or ridiculously expensive in a lot of places. It really pays off to buy a sim card with internet.
- If you value dental health like I do, bring your own tooth picks. In New Zealand you'll only find dental floss for some reason.
Thailand
- I really like maps, but I have to admit that with all these roads in Thailand you really gain a lot by using GPS. Just use your phone and buy a cheap local sim card with internet.
Cambodia
- Don't pay for a health statement on arrival, you really don't need it.
- A visa at the border is now 37 dollars (January 2015).
- ATM's are everywhere. The fee is 4 - 6 dollar, this is now also true for Canadia Bank (February 2015).
- Wifi is everywhere too.
- A sim card with unlimited internet is ridiculously cheap.
- This is something I can't confirm, but Céline emphasizes the importance of a good sports bra when traveling by bicycle.
- Don't miss out on Tukelok! For mysterious reasons this delicious fruit juice is only sold in the evening, look for the blender!
Vietnam
- What I wrote about wifi, sim cards, and a good sports bra above also apply here!
- Also in Vietnam (a phone with) GPS is indispensable for a pleasant ride on quiet roads.
- The ferry to/from Vũng Tàu is a great way to get out of or into Hồ Chí Minh City.
- And perhaps most importantly: 'kem' is ice cream.
Laos
- Crossing into Laos at Bờ Y: coming from Vietnam it's doable: there's a guesthouse about 10 km after the border and a 'motel' about 60 km after the border. The road is sealed and quiet but not in very good shape in some stretches. Climbs go up to 12 % but most are not extremely long. If you'd come from Laos, the last stretch to the border must be pretty horrible: quite a long and steep climb. Customs was hassle-free. The border seems to open at 7.15 am (this was a Saturday).
Sri Lanka
- Same thing here for wifi, sim cards, and a good sports bra!
- Good food is everywhere, we didn't need any provisions.
- Use ATM's from Bank of Ceylon: no fee (March 2020).
- Don't use local sunscreen.
- If you like to take the scenic train ride, consider starting in Badulla (because you'll have the train for yourself and can pick the best doorway for the rest of the ride).
- If you're the temple visiting kind, always take some socks with you: human feet are clearly not made for walking bare feet on stone terraces that are scorched by the sun.
- Bring some really warm clothes if you're planning on climbing Adam's Peak and similar high places to see a sunrise.
- You really have to like (or tolerate) cycling in very high temperatures!
Europe
- If you're even the slightest bit afraid of dogs you might want to avoid Bosnia and Herzegovina altogether.
- If you value dental health like I do, bring your own tooth picks. We could only find dental floss until we were in Belgium.
- Bring some really warm clothes if you're planning on climbing Adam's Peak and similar high places to see a sunrise.
- You really have to like (or tolerate) cycling in very high temperatures!
Europe
- If you're even the slightest bit afraid of dogs you might want to avoid Bosnia and Herzegovina altogether.
- If you value dental health like I do, bring your own tooth picks. We could only find dental floss until we were in Belgium.
- Bring lots of sunscreen when going to the Balkans: in countries like Albania it's ridiculously expensive.
- Mentally prepare yourself for being overtaken by lots of e-bikes in rich and mountainous countries like Switzerland and Germany!
And finally, you can avoid buying a LOT of plastic water bottles by bringing a ceramic pump filter. It's a bit of an investment, but you'll have free and carbon neutral drinking water for the rest of your traveling life.
- Mentally prepare yourself for being overtaken by lots of e-bikes in rich and mountainous countries like Switzerland and Germany!
And finally, you can avoid buying a LOT of plastic water bottles by bringing a ceramic pump filter. It's a bit of an investment, but you'll have free and carbon neutral drinking water for the rest of your traveling life.