Japanese cyclist on mission to travel round the world on bicycle

Chris Dhambarage

Thirty nine year old Japanese cyclist Daisuke Nakanishi is currently in Sri Lanka as a part of his mission to travel around the World on a bicycle.

Nakanishi who is a member of the Japan Adventure Cyclist Club left his home in Osaka in July, 1998 and has been travelling since because he had a dream to see the World and to travel distance places.

Nakanishi said that it was his dream to see different countries, touch and feel the places, make friends and spread the message of pace and friendship. His curiosity to see places keeps him going.

After obtaining the Visa he picks up a book to know the history and the culture of the country he plans to visit. "I make my own journey and I choose a route which is beautiful and interesting. And whenever I see a good place I stop and pitch my tent" says Nakanishi.

His bicycle is staked with seven bags and the basic frame of the cycle has survived all the rigorous of the journey. He has covered more than 150,000 kilo metres through 123 countries and has changed the tires 76 times and the cycle has suffered puncture about 300 times.

Nakanishi a Japanese economist began his journey visiting Alaska and the rest of North America in 1998. Thereafter he visited parts of South America and reached Europe in 1999. From there he visited South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Nakanishi said that he visited South America and Europe once again before travelling to the Middle East and the West Asia. From Pakistan he crossed to India through the Wagah border in November last year.

But not every journey has been so smooth. He got mugged in Romania, was pelted with stones by children in Ethiopia and chased by hyenas in Namibia. But he is thankful that he has never been hurt.

Nakanishi who is able to speak Japanese, Spanish and a little bit of Portuguese pedals around one hundred kilo metres a day. However there have been occasions when he has been forced to walk and drag his bicycle along in places like Patagonia in South America where it is even difficult to stand erect in the face of strong wind.

Even then Nakanishi said that his favourite place is South America where he was able to spend a considerable amount of time. He also had the honour of meeting several famous personalities like Brazilian football legend Pele, former United States President Jimmy Cater, Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa (former President of Poland) and Nepal President Dr. Ram Baran Yadev.

His bulging travel bags weighing around 70 kilo grams are secured onto his bicycle and it consists of a tent, sleeping bag, cooking stove, books, camera, spare bicycle parts, tools and cloths. He also fell ill on many occasions and the serious one being contracting malaria while touring Kenya.

Nakanishi was caught up in the war in Georgia and was forced to abandon his trips to Iraq, Algeria and Congo due to the internal problems in those countries. He is also disappointed that he was not granted visa to enter Libya and Saudi Arabia. He has been also looted quite a few times.

Nakanishi hopes to culminate his expedition by the end of this year after having covered 130 countries. And once he had completed his journey he plans to write a book on his sojourn and even talk to school children and college students about his experience.

"Once I reach home my first priority will be to find a new job and settle down. That is what my parents have been asking me to do all the time. Whether I will embark on a similar tour again, I am not sure" concluded Nakanishi.