The Original Plan
Ever the contrarian - hatching plans on the front of an envelope

 

Dublin - Fly to London (sister) - Fly to Kathmandu - Fly to Lhasa (Tibet) - Bike Himalaya (highest road pass in world 5220ms) back to Kathmandu - Bike to Delhi (via Conservation Parks & Lumbini) - Fly to Melbourne - Bike to Sydney - Fly to NZ - Bike South Island - Fly to Sydney - Fly to Buenos Aires - Bus to Santiago - Bike Andes to Quito (through Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador) - Fly to Rio - Fly to Europe (finish RTW ticket) - Fly to Vancouver - Bike Rockies to Denver (through British Colombia, Alberta, Montana, Wyoming)

I see the trip as me being half mountain man and half civilised city boy. I will get to climb some of the world's highest mountain ranges being the Himalaya, Andes, Rockies and South Island. In addition I get to roll out of the wilderness and into some really cool metropolises.

 

First Lesson: Life doesn't always go to plan

Snag #1

There is one slight problem; the trip I originally thought about doing would take a year but I only have six-months leave. Work were very gracious to grant me the maximum length of sabbatical so I can't complain. Six months should get me to La Paz I reckon .... assuming I don't throw my bike in frustration into a canyon to make life a whole lot easier for myself.

Snag #2

The visa situation in Tibet is temperamental. In addition, despite two false starts there are not many people who want to cycle across the Himalaya (is this really a surprise to me?). I have to be with a tour to be allowed into Tibet and as the Lhasa - Kathmandu tour is not looking like a runner I will have to fly into KTM and work out alternatives.

Snag #3

I have booked to come home via Rio.  I do not know whether I will ever be able to justify leaving to myself, so if you don't see me again you know where to find me!