PEDDLING AND PUFFING

On yer bike, mate

Alexander Burrows from England
explains why he does it.

Why are you riding around the world on a bicycle?
Because I want to, I don't really have to have a reason for it. Obviously it is a challenge, but it's just something I want to do. I've done most other things in life, so let's try something different! I shall go down to Alice, leave the bike there, go back to England for the World Cup and then come back out again in September.

What other countries have you travelled on your bicycle?
England, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Jordon, Israel, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, most of them! All the way down!

Does it cost you a lot of money to travel so much and for so long?
No and this is one of the reasons why I do it, I think seeing the world on a bicycle is probably one of the nicest ways to see it. You're not tied to any bus or train timetables, you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to, you don't have to book anything, you just get up and go or you can just stay where you are for however long you like! It's like being a butterfly really, you can take to your wings or you can stop where you are.

It's a very different and some might say bizarre way of travelling!
Well yes, it's a little bit different to what most people will travel around in. But when I think of the benefit of it, on the way down here I've seen one or two coach loads of people and it's just not the way I would like to travel at all.

What if for instance you break down on the Highway?
I just have to trust my luck that someone will pick me up and sort me out and take me to wherever I want to go! If I break down I make the first choice that I get, I would rather have to go back than forward because technically I would be cheating. It doesn't really matter though, I have no set rules, no set time. The life is mine you know! I've spent my life with my family, my children and my business. Getting up and going to work day after day after day, now it's my time.

What do you think of Tennant Creek so far?
Well it's bigger and cleaner than I thought it would be! I've been out to Nobles Nob with the people I'm staying with and I was lucky enough to have a fly in Max Tate's Gyrocopter! I haven't been out to the Devils Marbles yet, it will take me about 6 hours to get there because I travel at 12 to 14 km's an hour.

Do you suffer from the heat when travelling in the Territory?
I haven't been sunburnt yet, I've travelled through the deserts of Jordon and India without getting sunburnt. I think I've swallowed a bit of the Australian Myth by reading the papers that said how hot it was so I did buy cream but I don't think it's that hot out on the highway. When you've spent as much time out doors as I have, you get used to it.

On yer bike, mate Alexander Burrows from England explains why he does it. Why are you riding around the world on a bicycle? Because I want to, I don't really have to have a reason for it. Obviously it is a challenge, but it's just something I want to do. I've done most other things in life, so let's try something different! I shall go down to Alice, leave the bike there, go back to England for the World Cup and then come back out again in September. What other countries have you travelled on your bicycle? England, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Jordon, Israel, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, most of them! All the way down! Does it cost you a lot of money to travel so much and for so long? No and this is one of the reasons why I do it, I think seeing the world on a bicycle is probably one of the nicest ways to see it. You're not tied to any bus or train timetables, you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to, you don't have to book anything, you just get up and go or you can just stay where you are for however long you like! It's like being a butterfly really, you can take to your wings or you can stop where you are. It's a very different and some might say bizarre way of travelling! Well yes, it's a little bit different to what most people will travel around in. But when I think of the benefit of it, on the way down here I've seen one or two coach loads of people and it's just not the way I would like to travel at all. What if for instance you break down on the Highway? I just have to trust my luck that someone will pick me up and sort me out and take me to wherever I want to go! If I break down I make the first choice that I get, I would rather have to go back than forward because technically I would be cheating. It doesn't really matter though, I have no set rules, no set time. The life is mine you know! I've spent my life with my family, my children and my business. Getting up and going to work day after day after day, now it's my time. What do you think of Tennant Creek so far? Well it's bigger and cleaner than I thought it would be! I've been out to Nobles Nob with the people I'm staying with and I was lucky enough to have a fly in Max Tate's Gyrocopter! I haven't been out to the Devils Marbles yet, it will take me about 6 hours to get there because I travel at 12 to 14 km's an hour. Do you suffer from the heat when travelling in the Territory? I haven't been sunburnt yet, I've travelled through the deserts of Jordon and India without getting sunburnt. I think I've swallowed a bit of the Australian Myth by reading the papers that said how hot it was so I did buy cream but I don't think it's that hot out on the highway. When you've spent as much time out doors as I have, you get used to it.