Wowsers. For the girl that hated sport at school this is a major miracle.

I was excited last night as I headed to bed. We were staying in a pretty rough and ready hotel, in a pretty general town with a pretty exciting day ahead. Give or take a few km and a bit of estimation here and there, this was the day I had calculated we would reach our 20, 000km target. We would be on route to Kuala Lumpur and somewhere around Klang, on the Western coast, we would reach what was our km marker.

I’d tried to get a banner printed -a souvenir to mark this sense of occasion. However, with just overnight stop overs in previous days this had not been possible. At least we’d get a glass of wine tonight.

The route into Kuala Lumpur would never be easy. Heading into a big city never is. In this case Google maps only saw toll roads and we only saw routes that looked like highways and out of bounds to us. We would just have to wing it.

We set off leaving Banting at around 730am. After 10km we spotted a convenient Indian coffee stop…sweet coffee, paratha and Dahl called. Breakfast. Ah.

Relaxed we were ready to continue our journey but as we looked outside to the never altering grey sky and felt the change in the air from our food stop seats we knew we would be in for an interesting journey.

While intellectually aware we were arriving at the end of the wet season, psychologically, we had not expected rain with such a regular occurrence. We were about to be drenched again. Seriously, there was more rain coming from the sky than we had seen fall from many a shower in our cheap hotel rooms. This was not just the end of the monsoon season. This was the monsoon season.

As water built up in our shoes, swooshing around our toes with each pedal stroke and levels rose as we splashed through hot water puddles, we smiled. We were about to say we had cycled 20, 000km. Who cares if our clothes had seen more water from passing trucks so far than they ever had in a laundromat. We were living the dream. Honest.

On approaching Klang it was obvious we were going to need to ask directions. The highway really did look out of bounds and we were stuck. Pulling in to a nearby garage we not only found hot coffee but also WiFi and a guy willing to help us plan a route. Out with the iPad and we soon had a plan. The highway it seemed had a separate motorbike/scooter lane we could use and while closed in parts this certainly made our ride much easier.

Despite a few 6 lane sections where we had to pray, join the traffic and ride for our lives the journey was relatively easy. With no  traffic-lights, no pedestrians and little else to concern us we really could up the tempo. I was still smiling. 20, 000km. Amazing.

After numerous stops to navigate and find our accomodation we eventually arrived at the Swiss Hotel…..not the posh one! We checked in, then moved rooms then returned this evening to find our power gone. (though quickly retrieved). Oh, the glamour of it all.  We did celebrate briefly with a beer from the 7-11 and a glass of wine for dinner. All in all….not bad.

It’s interesting reflecting back. Who would have ever thought a journey with a bloke you’ve only met three times would go on so long? Crazier still, we still have many more km planned. Who knows maybe we”ll celebrate another 20, 000km yet.

Most people reading this will know the story of this adventure. In summary, I was finishing work, had signed up for the World Cycle Challenge (later cancelled), then planned a 12 month trip with complete stranger. We were aiming to ride 20,000 km over 5 continents in 12 months and I would be raising money forThe Homeless World Cup.  Unfortunately, my mom then got ill so, following a second initial cancellation,  the trip then changed to various five month journeys heading home between. The target to cycle 20,000km of course over 12 months remained.

John and I eventually started our ride in July 2012 and one year later we’re still going and 19, 178 km later we arrived in San Foca, Southern Italy.Our final destination in this part of our trip. We will be in South East Asia when we hit 20,000km.

I first learnt that John had never pitched a tent as we started our journey in Seattle. However, despite this minor lack of experience we were both soon experts at our daily camp routine and after 1812 km we arrived at San Francisco. This part of our trip was always intended as the easy intro as John and I got used to travelling, riding and each other. We had met only three times before that.

Despite some hot climbs we would be in Japan when the first tests really started. It was sticky, sweaty and very hilly. It took a few days before we would recognise the Japanese characters for hotel and consequently ended up stuck for accommodation on a few occasions. Food was expensive and while we did indulge we eventually become familiar with the full range of pot noodles on offer.

Following a stop over in Hong Kong we would soon be signing up for what we both would find the most physical challenge we had ever undertaken, despite running marathons and of course the miles on the bike. While Japan was hot and hilly, Nepal was mountainous and wet. Only as we ended our tour did our guide say that we were the only people he had known or known of to take touring bikes and panniers over the Thorong-la pass. Rain, cold showers, diarrhoea, painfully sore feet,precarious bridges and altitude being just some of the regular challenges we would face to this mountain pass standing at 5416m. While the usual reward for a climb is a fabulous downhill in this case it would prove even harder as we held firmly onto our bikes that were determined to reach the bottom before we would!

Two months around India followed. This was my third trip to a country that I love and that has been a big influence to me. It was great to be back and even better to be there on my bike. The opportunity to explore and travel outside key tourist areas, eat local food and really experience Indian hospitality and kindness leaving me once again with a desire to return. That was then the end to our first “stage”.

It was good to be home yet also strange to be without my cycle buddy. Soon we would join a further fifty riders as we began our journey from Cairo to Capetown. I found it very hard at times to make the adjustment from independent riding to a supported tour. Despite this we arrived in Capetown and while  I enjoyed feeling free again as we headed off around the Western Cape on our own I had appreciated the support of our group and the new friends we had made. An amazing experience.

We’re in Italy as I write this. Full of reflection on the year that has been. Full still of excitement of the year that is to come. Putting off being full of nerves of what will come next.

I noted in my last blog that while this was primarily a personal journey I was also raising money for The Homeless World Cup. I hope if this journey has been inspiring or if you recognise that riding Thorong-la, the length of Africa or Alps d’huez with panniers has made you think “woah” that this may transpire into a small donation. The Homeless World Cup 2013 has just taken place in Poland. While not a big football lover myself I do love to see the difference this tournament makes. I like that it’s real. Simple ideas making a massive difference.

www.bikemind.co.uk/fundraising

Surely riding 45km naked through Namibia deserves some sponsorship!!