Cycling
A quick glance at a map of the world will show you that the southern 29th line of latitude crosses South Africa at its widest point, Australia through some of its driest areas and then it takes in three countries as it crosses South America. In South Africa it is fairly closely tracked by a convenient part of the road system and this, in part, was what prompted the idea of following this imaginery line by bicycle. Unfortunately, in Australia the roads are not quite as co-operative and some deviation was necessary. In South America… Well, I haven’t cycled that stretch (yet!) and so can’t comment on the roads.
I do not consider myself in anyway a good cyclist and these trips were undertaken as “tours” purely for fun and were at no time completed against the clock.
Following the 29th parallel – South Africa
Port Nolloth on the West Coast to Richards Bay on the East Coast
Following the 29th parallel – Australia
Ballina (A) to Dongara (B)
In April, 2008 I joined a cycling tour that was organised by ”Red Spokes Adventure Cycle Tours” around the countryside of Nepal, taking in parts on the Kathmandu Valley and the foothills of the Himalayas. Following a course that, to the best of our knowledge had not been ridden as a single tour before, it was informally christened the “Tour de Nepal” by those taking part.
