Josh Reid’s cycling trip lasted 4 months, from Shanghai (China) to Newcastle (UK), passing through 19 countries on 2 continents.
In July 2019, Josh Reid began his “repatriation” journey from Shanghai. The weather was quite warm at the time. The 23-year-old received the Giant Revolt Advanced 2 bike from his factory in the city.
The luggage he was taking with him were two bags hanging from the fork (front wheel carrier), one winter bag on the handlebars and the other bag strapped to the backseat, Josh Reid started the cycle in my car 15,000km.
To locate, Josh uses a Maps.me app on his phone. This app allows you to use offline maps in places where there is no internet. He usually downloads a map a few days before crossing the border to a new country and plans his bike route. “My itinerary is quite flexible. I know the direction I’m going, but I can take a detour to get to the places I want to visit.”
Map of the journey through 15 countries, more than 15,000 km in 4 months from China to the United Kingdom by Josh Reid.
Josh Reid tries to cycle the farthest each day, averaging about 400 km. From Shanghai, Josh then headed straight for Xi’an, cycling along the ancient Silk Road. No longer a road for the brigades, the Silk Road is today a wide paved highway in western China that crosses the Gobi Desert.
Josh has an inflatable mattress to ensure a comfortable night’s sleep. When cycling through the vast expanses of China, he likes to rest in a sleeping bag, by the side of the road, without pitching a tent. A lot of people are curious about Josh’s route, he’s invited to lunch, truck drivers sometimes stop for a chat.
Josh said that unlike cycling in the UK, it’s okay to wave or nod to people going in the opposite direction. During his journey through many Asian countries, instead of waving, Josh would often stop and chat. He shared: “Each conference often brings a lot of valuable information on the road I should take to have other great experiences.”
During the 15,000 km trip, Josh’s most difficult experience was the experience in Kyrgyzstan with roads nearly 4,600m above sea level. ”The road I took was bumpy and full of potholes, but the scenery was amazing, better than anywhere I’ve ever experienced, ”Josh said.
Josh took a photo in Registan Square in the heart of Samarkand as he cycled through Uzbekistan.
The photo was taken when Josh “camped” in the Kazakh customs control area for 36 hours, waiting for a ship to cross the Caspian Sea.
In an interview with Lonely Planet, the 23-year-old said: “The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is to trust strangers and accept their kindness. People are much friendlier than they are. ‘they are. I used to imagine, even when separated by a language barrier, I received food and slept by many people in many mosques and houses. trip, I was really shocked. finish line. “
