Around Asia On Two Wheels
By Rudolf Portillo

Bandar Seri Begawan - For many people, taking a holiday is something quite ordinary. But what if it meant fusing one's hobby into a holiday - a very long one. Across Asia. On a bicycle. How many people in the world would do that?

Rafael Caba, 39, an avid adventure cyclist, who hails from Berlin, Germany, first came across the idea when he left his hometown in April last year to compete in the Nepal Mountain Bike Race.

This is an international high altitude adventure sports event, in which the race starts from the world's highest spot at the Tibetan side of the Everest base camp at an altitude of 5,200m or 17,160ft, where the winning prize offers 20,000 Nepalese Rupees ($730).

After the race, Rafael, who uses a special custom-made mountain bike, continued on cycling across Asia. "I really want to see the different cultures of people around the world, he explained.

Speaking in good English, this well-travelled cyclist spoke of the dangers of his hobby. "I fell down riding my bike, injuring my back. I had to rest for six weeks and luckily I had insurance. After I fully recovered, I continued on with my journey," recounted Rafael, of his worst ordeal whilst on his roadtrip.

So far, since April last year, he has pedalled from India to Nepal, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore and then onto Miri and finally arriving in the sultanate last Saturday. He plans to cycle on to Sabah and from there onto Philippines and then Indonesia.

Carrying all his possessions in his small backpack, Rafael is clearly a man who has managed to define the true meaning of a holiday - one that fulfils his hobby as well as take in the diverse cultures of Asia.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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