When and why did you start your cycling adventures?

On Christmas Eve in the year 1974 Cyclone Tracey wiped out the city of Darwin in Northern Territory, Australia. As I lost everything during the cyclone it would have been easy to leave but I decided to postpone my departure from Darwin until 1977. At the time of my departure from Darwin I was 35 years old and I worked as a pastry chef in a Darwin Hotel.

What made you decide to use the bicycle as a means of transportation

I met a Belgian Cyclist in Australia and his way of looking at life from a cyclist's point of view inspired me to purchase a touring bike and start my very first small ride from Darwin to Sydney about 6000 Km. Arriving in Sydney I realized that I have learned so much about myself and the places I saw and the people I met that I continued on in New Zealand. I really started to enjoy riding my bicycle, so much so that I needed more.

Work in Antarctica.

In New Zealand I had a chance to work with a New Zealand company in Antarctica. I worked there for 4 months and earned enough money to start my very first long trip from the Antarctica to the Arctic. This trip has been my longest. It took me 48 months and 55.000 Km as well as 8 jobs to complete the journey travelling from the Antarctica through New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Burma, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. I also worked during that trip in New Zealand, Australia, India, Italy and Norway.

Riding back to New Zealand.

The last big trip was from 2010 to 2012 from Norway back to New Zealand basically the same route. I wanted to see how the world, people and the environment changed since my very first big trip from 1977 to 1981. I also had about 14 cyclists doing the trip with me during different stages and different countries.

I feel myself very fortunate.

I have been very fortunate as I was able to visit 143 countries by bicycle and have never had any big accidents and to date I have cycled 574.000 km by bicycle. I love the European countries for cycling is very easy but I also love India for its chaotic character and there seems to be a functional chaos. If you have money everything is available. I have become an Australian citizen because I love the country and the people are somehow cool. To answer your question. Europe, India and Australia.

Unforgettable stories.

I met my wife travelling on a bicycle in the Sahara

I was very fortunate to sit on an Aircraft for 4 hours between Bob Marley and Peter Tosh and we had a lot of good laughs.

I met Indirah Gandhi in New Delhi. I am very happy to be healthy and alive without Pills at 82 years. still cycling every day for fun between 60 and 100 Km with my wife in Cairns Australia where we live. I average about 2.000 km a month on my bike here in Cairns

Dangers during my travels

I got nearly shot by revolutionary guards in Zahedan/Iran. But my Australian and Italian Passport saved my life. I was involved in many natural disasters like floods, cyclones and heatwaves as well as Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. I got 5 times Malaria but I had money to buy the best medicines.

1. What's happening next

Next year I will be 82 years and I hope to be able to do some other trip with my wife and our bikes. The present world situation does not allow us to decide where we would like to travel with our bikes but in due course we will make a choice. We are very fortunate as we have done so many beautiful trips that we don't have to travel to anywhere we do enjoy our little house in the city of Cairns as we have tropical cycling weather all year round. We have learned to be content with few things, eat good food and enjoy every day. We do have a very simple idea about living. We have what we need, what we don’t have we don’t need.