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Four young Hongkongers have set off to cycle halfway round the globe, hoping to cover 18,000 kilometers in just over a year. Prince Wong Tze-kin, Yu Tin-yu, Law Yip-man and Taylor Chung Tai-loi plan to reach Paris in June next year, and hope their motto, "Bike for Another Choice," will inspire others and raise public awareness about nature conservation.
"We hope our endeavor may persuade young people to reach out for their individual goals and not be bogged down by the repetitive cycle of work demands of modern society," said Yu, 26, who quit his job as a construction site supervisor recently. Throughout the journey, the friends will post pictures and blog updates to keep the public in the loop about their adventures. They left Hong Kong yesterday and will cycle across the mainland from Guangzhou to Tibet, and then go on to Nepal. The next leg will be through India and Pakistan, and they hope to pass through Iran and Turkey by the end of November. The cyclists will then head into Europe. The youths were inspired when Yu read reports of Taiwan computer engineer Hsueh Deray, who cycled from the mainland to France four years ago to encourage others to reduce global warming by riding bikes instead of getting behind the wheels of their vehicles. Yu said cycling expeditions are common in Western countries but rare in Asia.
The group estimates the trip will cost more than HK$300,000, including food, accommodation and the return flight from Paris. They have raised HK$100,000 sponsorship from luggage manufacturer Delsey, with the remainder coming out of their own pockets. "It takes courage to resign from our jobs in this unstable economic climate," Wong, 24, admitted He quit his career as an adventure coach, while Law, 23, resigned as a construction supervisor. Chung, 22, on the other hand, took a gap year from his studies at the City University of Hong Kong. He said some of his family members were initially worried that they will be traveling through countries such as Iran and Pakistan, deemed to be among the most dangerous places for travelers. They are supported by a response team that is overseeing a 24-hour hotline.
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