Hi, I cycled around the world! 36000 miles and 6 years on the road... Ask me anything!

How were you able to carry enough supplies while cycleing through the ocean?

hehe, I did take flights between the continents :-)

Did people start to follow you like they followed Forrest Gump?

Haha, I did sit down on the "Forrest Gump bench" in Savannah, GA and told people who passed by some stories from life on the road :-) http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/2015/08/day-1752-savannah-yemassee-into-the-woods/

How did you finance it? This sounds amazing.

Hi there! When I left I had saved up enough money for one year of travelling (my daily budget is 20$). After the first year I worked on a cattle station in Australia to be able to continue. Finally I have done some freelance programming work while on the road.

What was your low point, financially? Did you look for work when you were under 500 euros or something? Did you push your limits in that way or just have it all planned out in advance?

When I got to Australia after a year I literally had 20$ left in my wallet. Luckily it was easy to find work in Australia. Later on my trip I made sure I had enough money to cover the next continent with some margin.

Don't you need work visa for that? And that takes a while.

I had a working holiday visa - permission to work and travel in Australia for a year

I'm curious. When you realized you only had twenty dollars to your name, did you panic a little?

I was getting worried and though I would have to end the trip and go back home... but then I luckily found work in Australia.

How would you go back home with only 20$?

Edit: I get it, you are all smarter than I

I cycled all the way around the world and back to my home town - so no need to catch a flight back ;-)

How did you deal with money when cycling through remote or undeveloped places, like African villages or such? Did you just carry wads of cash? Or a credit card and hoped that you'll find an ATM somewhere?

I usually took out 200 - 300$ from an ATM machine which would last 10 - 15 days. ATM machines can be found even in the smaller towns of Africa, but obviously not in villages...

Cool, so it was just a normal credit card? Did you have a backup plan in case it got damaged/lost/stolen?

Yes, just a normal Visa card. I also had a few houndred dollars hidden in my cycling bags. Another backup plan was to have people from home sending me emergency cash through Western Union - those offices are all over the world. Luckily I never needed it.

My ass hurts if I ride a bike for too long. How did you overcome the soreness?

Hehe, I started with shorter distances and slowly increased the daily milage... After two months I didn't have more problems :-)

Can you tell us how you met your girlfriend while on this trip? Sounds like a really cool trip, by the way. Congrats on the incredible journey.

I was taking a 2 months break in Cali, Colombia where I got to know a beautiful Dutch girl who also liked to ride her bike :-) Later we cycled together through Morocco and Spain... Thanks for the nice comment :-)

Hi Thomas,

1. Which country lived up to the expectations?

2. Which one didn't?

3. Worst day of the trip?

4. Best day?

5. What will you be doing now?

6. Do you see yourself doing something like this again and if so, where do you want to ride next?

Thanks from a long time fan of your blog!

Hi there! Thanks for the nice questions! Glad you have enjoyed the blog. 1. In genereal I didn't have many expectations before arriving in a new country. I tried to keep my heart open :-) In South America the people I met all seemed to love Colombia. Once I got there I saw why - the people I just so friendly and open. 2. Ethiopia is difficult by bike... Kids will pick up rocks from the ground and throw them after you. 3. The worst day was when my bike got hit by a big truck in Namibia. Luckily I managed to jump away. 4. The day I met my now girlfriend ;-) 5. I'm resting my legs, and planning to write a book about the adventure! 6. I would love to do more adventures, but the next one will not take 6 years to complete. Would love to go back to cycle in the Andes mountains or the Himalayas. There is also places I missed on the trip, like China, that I would love to explore. Best wishes from Copenhagen.

How did you meet your girlfriend on the trip?

We first met when I was having a two month break in Cali, Colombia. She also likes to cycle, so we met up later in Morocco and cycled through Spain together :-)

What was the best downhill section/worst climb?

The longest climb was in Peru from sea level and straight up to 4100 meters / 13000 feet over 50 miles. That was a long one!! http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/2014/11/day-1511-raquia-catac-into-the-sky/

Were you disheartened when you began your journey and found out that the world is not as flat as Denmark and that the trek would be arduous?

Kidding! Bra jobbat som fan. :)

hehe, on the other hand weather is better further down south, and I love climbing in the mountains :-) Tak så mycka :-)

You mentioned a pretty tight daily budget of $20. Was your diet fairly regimented because of that? What did you typically eat?

Yes, I had to think about the budget limitations, so no fancy restaurant meals. In Europe/Australia/US I got most of my food from super markets, and in Asia/South America/Africa you can get big meals in road side restaurants for 2 or 3$. This is an example of what I would be eating during a day: http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/2014/12/day-1525-sullana-mancora-what-does-a-cyclist-eat-during-a-day/

how many kilometres did you ride per day in the later stages of your 'trip'? how much did you improve in terms of being able to make distance?

I would usually im for 60 miles/100 km a day. That was pretty stable through all six years (I already did quite a bit of cycling before I started this trip).

i'm just reading your blog, day by day from day 1. it's amazing. truly inspring and incredible work, you did there; documenting every fucking day this detailed!!! thank you so much!!

Thanks a lot - I'm glad you like the blog! It takes a bit of time and effort to document every day, but now afterwards, I'm glad I did it. Happy reading - there is a quite a few pages to catch up on :-)

That results in about 580 cycling days which is about every fourth day in 6 years. Did you make larger blocks of stops and then continued for a few days?

Yes, I did take quite a few breaks for a month or two here and there. I also stayed in Australia for a year and a half to work, which is included in the six years.

How often did you have to repair or replace your bike? Did your bike ever get stolen during your amazing trip?

Hi there! I have used three different bikes on the trip (two mountain bikes and one road bike). My bikes never got stolen, but I replaced them along the way as they got worn out. I still have two of my bikes here in Copenhagen. I think I will put them on the wall as a souvenir :-)

How were you swapping bikes? Was someone following you with gear in a vehicle?

No, this was a solo trip. I was using my road bike through the Americas up through the States and Canada. Then I flew back to Denmark and bought myself a new mountain bike before I started cycling through Africa...

What are the diffrences between your body pre and post?

Before 174 ibs, after 149 ibs :-)

What's the most dangerous place you biked in or by?

Baltimore ;-)

Hey I'm from Malaysia! How do you like my country? What's the best memory you had about Malaysia? And beside the journey what is your motivation in cycling the world.

I had a very special welcome to Malaysia by my friends there. In fact I ended up having a police escort through most of the country, and got a BIG welcome that I experienced nowhere else. My time in Malaysia was truly special, and I hope to be back!! http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/2011/05/day-213-port-dickson-melaka/

Are you fertile?

I hope so :-)

Did you have any issues with customs?

It once took me 7 hours to cross the border between Ukraine and Romania... furthermore it was not possible to walk to cycle across the border, so I had to catch a ride with a smuggler. It all worked out OK in the end though. Most border crossing are rather straight forward...

Traveling around the world like that, did you ever have surprising, accidental meetings with people you already knew from other countries?

Yes, it happened quite often that I would stay in a hostel and meet people I had met in other hostels in the countries before. I also met people I had already run into on other continents, but that was planned...

How did you refill water during cycling?

If I was staying in a cheap hotel/camp site I would fill up in the morning and also ask during the day in shops/restaurants/gas station or simply in private houses I was passing. In very remote mountain regions I would also drink from streams.

How much stuff did you take? There's a huge range in how lightweight people go.

That's true. I tried to do it light and usually had around 20 kg or 44 pounds of luggage - even less when I was travelling with my road bike. This is my equipment list: http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/equipment/

Are drivers crazier in particular places, or are they just as crazy everywhere you've been?

India gets the price for the craziest drivers!!

Did you reddit during the trip around the world?

Yes, I did a few reddits but mostly just updated my blog while I was on the road...

what did you consider your most critical piece of gear outside your bike? charger? attitude? sleeping bag?

My tent always gave me a sense of freedom because I knew I would be able to sleep anywhere! I also love my Kindle with thousands of books in just a few houndred grams of weight. Finally I wouldn't travel without my Canon camera.

Amazing - What was 1 - Your favourite moment 2 - Least favourite moment?

Thanks a lot :-) I think my favourite moments was when I experienced unconditional hospitality - like being invited into people's home for the night. This happened a lot across all continents. Another favourite moment was arriving back at the same square when I left and seeing my friends and family there. My least favourite moment was when my bike got hit by a big truck in Namibia - luckily I managed to jump away just before the truck hit!

How many flat tires did you get in total?

I didn't count... But I'm used 10 set of tires.

What an amazing adventure, do feel the world is that little bit smaller now?

Hehe, I feel like I have an idea about what life is like in every corner of the planet. Not as bad a place as you would think watching the news these days... :-)

Hey there!

You've mentioned in a few replies that your bike was hit by a truck. What exactly happened? Were there any other close calls such as this during your trip?

There was another couple of close calls with traffic, but in no big accidents. This is what happened that day in Namibia: http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/2016/03/day-1973-rundu-shitemo-the-big-bang/

A few questions, actually: 1. Did you cycle much before you started? 2. Are you going to cycle recreationally now that you are done, or are you sick of it? 3. What languages do you speak, and how did you manage in countries where you didn't speak the language?

Hi there and thanks for some nice questions! 1) Yes, I already liked to cycle before and had done some shorter trips (a couple of weeks around Europe and two months across India). 2) I never got tired of cycling, and would love to do some shorter trips for a week or two in some of the areas that I really like. 3) I speak Danish, English, Spanish and a bit of French and German. I was in many countries where I didn't speak the language, but you can always get by with pointing etc. Also, there will usually be a young student speaking English in every corner of the world. Have a great day!

What was the best meal you had during your trip?

I remember some very good BBQ (asados) in Argentina. Apart from that I also love Thai food...

Was there ever a place where you considered not biking because it was sketchy?

I had some problems with kids and youth throwing rocks after me in Ethiopia, but I decided to continue all the way through. Glad I did... Also, lot's of police escorts in Egypt which got a bit annoying at some point.

Would you do it again?

Hmm, I think once around the world by bike is enough. But I would love to go around the world again by sail boat :-)

Hi Thomas, I am truly amazed by this. If you could condense everything you have learned about cycling to one tip, what would it be? Thank you!

Meet the world with an open and positive mind, and that is exactly how the world will receive you :-)

What did you think of syria before the war as a country and its people?

I had a nice time in Syria and was welcomed with open arms, being invited into people's homes. It makes me very sad to see what is happening there.

Any dangerous situations?

My bike got run over by a truck in Namibia... luckily I managed to jump to the side just in time. Pretty scary!

Hi Thomas, big fan of your blog for a while now.

I've not seen anyone ask about communications. Did you have a mobile plan that gave you data in most countries or did you wing it with WiFi or ... ?

Thanks for the AMA, great stuff (and welcome home!).

Hi there, and very happy to know you enjoy the blog (still need to update it with the rest of Africa + Europe). I would normally buy a new sim card in each country, so I have a nice collection of sim cards now, hehe. It would only cost a few dollars in Africa... In Europe I was able to get a roaming plan with my Danish provider so I didn't have to buy a new card all the time.

Best wishes! Thomas

What inspired you to make the trek, and how did your family feel about it? Congrats and thanks for doing this!

You are very welcome! I also liked to ride my bike, and when I also started to travel I thought it would be nice to combine my two passions. Later I started to read blogs and books about other people cycling around the world. I'm not married, but my parents and sisters have supported the trip althought they might have prefered if it had been a couple of years shorter :-)

Were there any parts of your journey that were more troublesome than the rest? How did the locals react to you? Did you have any days when you just wanted to quit and go home?

I remember the Australian outback (hot and remote) and Patagonia (crazy head winds) as two of the hardest parts. Mostly I was welcomed with open arms, but Ethiopia was very unique as the locals didn't seem to thrilled to see me (the kids would often pick up rocks and throw them after the bike). I never really thought about quitting the whole ride, but sometimes I obviously needed a break. Then I would stay for a week or two in a nice city and then I felt energized and ready to cycle again!

How can you afford to ride a bike for 6 years without working?

I did spend some time working... as a cowboy in the Australian outback!

How many times were you robbed?

I lost my mobile in Peru (it was stolen in a coffee shop) but that was the only time I was robbed in six years of travelling.

Plan on entering in the Tour de France anytime soon?

Hehe, for me this was not a race, so I didn't cycle fast. I would be far too slow for Tour de France even though the distance in itself is pretty short ;-)

How did you get from continent to continent?

I took a flight...

Can we see your legs?

hehe, try this :-) https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasandersen/13326806513/

Is it true that your bike got stolen in Poland??

No, that's not correct. I only lost my mobile in Peru in 6 years of travelling...

how many flat tires ? and how best to treat saddle sores ?

I havn't counted my flat tires... But a good guess would be 50 :-) I have used up 10 sets of tires on the trip. And saddle sores; I started slow and then increased the distances. After about two months I didn't have more problems :-)

What things did you carry along?

In my bags I have my tent, sleeping bag, stove, clothes, tools for the bike, laptop, and camera. There is a full list on http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/equipment/

Do you have a list of your gear you carry with you on your rides and did you learn to forage at all? I'm a cyclist and slowly working my way up to crossing the globe as well.

How wonderful - best of luck on your own trip! This is my equipment list: http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/equipment/

Can we see a picture of your calves?

Hehe, I don't have a very nice photo but try this :-) https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasandersen/13326806513/

Where did you stay most nights? How much gear did you cary with you?

In expensive countries in Europe/Australia/US I would mostly stay in my tent or with friends of friends... In South America/Asia/Africa you can get a room for less than 10$ per night, so I would often do that. I had about 20 kg of luggage with me - full list here http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/equipment/

Tell us what your diet was like. Was it difficult to take in enough calories and protein on your budget?

Usually I didn't have much choice regarding diat - I would simply have to eat what the locals would be eating. When I was cycling hard and fast through some areas I would always loose some weight, which I would then try to regain when I took a break in the cities. I wrote a blog post about what I eat in a typical day http://www.cyclingtheglobe.com/2014/12/day-1525-sullana-mancora-what-does-a-cyclist-eat-during-a-day/

did the trip ruin what you think of bikes, or make you love them more?

I love them even more... would love to do another bike trip, but the next one will not take 6 years :-)

What is youmr main goal? You going along but I never heard you

My goal was to cycle around the world and now I have done it :-)

Did you die?

Still alive and kickin :-)

Sounds like an amazing trip!

With such a long journey I imagine you crossed long distances without people, did you ever have problems with loneliness? How did locals react to hearing about what you were doing?

The most remote parts of my trip was probably in South America, but there I was cycling with a mate. Otherwise I was passing a villages severeal times a day, and never really felt lonely. People would always come over and have many questions about where I was from and where I was going. The reaction was 99.9% positive even though I could sense that people would often not really believee it when I said I was cycling around the world :-)

what did you remember best about each country? and now that you've travelled so much, which countries do you intend to visit again(via plane etc)?

The things I remember most about each country were the places where I got to interact a lot with the locals. The places where I stayed a lot with locals and experienced their hospitality - those are the strongest memories. I have many many countries where I would like to go back by plane, and even many where I would love to come back for more cycling; for example Argentina and Peru in South America or the Himalayas in Asia.

Which people were the nicest?

On top of my mind I would say the Kiwis, Colombians, and the people of Uganda.

Average daily mileage?

60 miles a day... and plenty of long breaks in between.

Sounds like an amazing trip! Bicycling this much, would you say it made your body stronger or weaker? I always imagine that people who does these kinds of trips wear themselves out a bit

Interesting question! I think after six months or so I was able to cycle my 100 km/60 miles a day without my body wearing itself down. I also took longer breaks when I started to feel I needed to recharge my energy. In genereal I tried to listen to my body...

What do you come back to? Is it hard to adjust after coming back?

I got back only a week ago, and now I'm trying to adjust. I think it's still too soon to tell how it will be, but so far so good... My next project will be writing a book!

Do you bike with a playlist? If so, what's on it?

I like rock, pop and blues music, but I found that I enjoyed more to listen to podcasts when I was cycling. A good way to catch up with what is happening in the world since I had a lot of time available there on the bike :-)

What about the language barrier? Do you know other languages except for English(and Danish).

I know Spanish which is very handy in South America. In countries where I didn't know the language, pointing goes a long way, and you can somehow get the meaning across. Also, there is usually some young people around who speak English.

Do people make a lot of Matrix references? It was the first thing that came to mind. I do not know why. Oh, I haven't had coffee.

Hehe :-) :-) Good morning

How did you find places to stay overnight/during your breaks? Also congrats seems like an amazing trip!

I would usually just look for "hotel" signs when I cycled into a town for the night... When in bigger cities I checked out the Lonely Planet guide books. Thanks for the nice comment :-)