Category: Daily Diary
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Welcome to Vietnam – Ben Around the World Diary – Day 139 – 24 October 2019
– ODO- 17462 – 17561km – Location- Field near the QL7 Highway – Weather- 24-33 descending from cloud, showers in the afternoon I started my ride in a bad mood. As Id left the border town in Lao heading up the final 20km before the border a white truck cut me up with horn blazing…
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Lao – The Most Bombed Country – Ben Around the World Diary – Day 138 – 23 October 2019
– ODO- 17354 – 17462km – Location- Guest House – Phon Sa Van – Weather- 24-30 cloudy until 11 – cooler up on the plains After another morning of climbing, this time in the cool clouds gripping to the edge of the forests I got my dues. A long sweeping descent down out of the…
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A Glimpse of Laos Ben Around the World Diary – Day 137 – 21 October 2019
– ODO- 17281 – 17354km – Location- 10km from Ban Namchat – Weather- 22-27 mist rising from the mountains I ended my second day on the road with my first night in my new tent, up only 80km from Van Vieng. After overdoeing my first day I then hit the mountains. I climbed 1600m in…
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Ben Around the World Diary – Day 136 – 20 October 2019
– ODO- 17213 – 17281km – Location- Chilli field past Nam Khene – Weather- 23-35 cloudy in the morning Yesterday I pushed myself too far. I wanted to make the most of my first day out if Vientiane, being hot but flat, so I set myself blindly on Van Vieng some 100miles (160km) away. I…
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The Summer of Love and Loss – Ben Around the World Diary – Day 135 – 19th October 2019
– ODO- 17047 – 17213km – Location- Van Vieng – Weather- 27-35 humid and dusty It’s been over two months since my last daily diary. 10 weeks since I crossed the friendship bridge into Laos to stay with my friend Steff and spend summer back with my family in Europe for one month. Things changed…
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Invincible – Ben Around the World Diary – Day 134 – 20 June 2019
– ODO- 16890 – 17047km – Location- Non Khai, Thailand – Across the River from Vientiane – Weather- 25-38 Vivid streams and flashbacks kept me awake throughout the night. For my final day on the bike I gave myself 165km to travel. I woke before the alarm and lay with a heavy head for several…
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Ben Around the World Diary – Day 133 – 19 June 2019
– ODO- 16786 – 16890km – Location- Nong Bua Lam Phu, Thailand – Weather- 24-38 As I approach the last couple of days on the road on this leg, from Kathmandu to Vientiane, I become pensive. By this point I’ve been cycling solidly for a month. My daily routine. However tough it seems to cycle…
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The Bike After 15,000km – Ben Around the World Diary – Day 132 – 18 June 2019
– ODO- 16684 -16786km – Location-, Thailand – Weather- 24-34 As I approach the 20,000km mark the wear on my bike and is becoming more and more apparent. As my body gets slicker and stronger each component has worn gradually down. My bottom bracket is loose and my pedals move left to right on each…
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Thailand Rules – Ben Around the World Diary – Day 131 – 17 June 2019
– ODO- 16556 -16686km – Location- Forest between Atak and Sukhothai, Thailand – Weather- 24-34 Broken showers Thailand is my favourite place to ride in all Asia so far. It has fast smooth roads crossing flatlands and wild mountainous national parks with the extra lanes cars give you decent space. Hotels (and I’ve even seen…
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Loneliness on the Road – Ben Around the World Diary – Day 130 – 16 June 2019
– ODO- 16336 – 16456km – Location- Forest between Atak and Sukhothai, Thailand – Weather- 24-29 Overcast with Showers This morning I woke with a crushing loneliness. Staying in a hotel with a king size bed just feels wrong when your on your own. I sat on the edge of the covers remembering weekends with…