BILL’S EXOTIC TRAVELS

You’re welcome to follow along on my trips! The most recent ones are listed first.

Central Vietnam Soft-Nut Bike Tour 2024 is a wonderful journey through caves, culture, history, and coastal scenery with a group, then solo.

India Dec. 2023-Jan. 2024 takes in history and culture of Kolkata and Chennai including many performances of Indian classical music and dance.

Central Laos 2023—Tuff Cycling to Vientiane, Muang Fuang, and the Mekong River tells about a group ride in the very challenging mountains and backcountry of central Laos.

Khwai Noi Kayak Tour 2023 makes a seven-day river journey past verdant vegetation and cave-filled limestone hills between Thong Pha Phum and Kanchanaburi in western Thailand.

South Korea—Seoul to Jeju Island 2023 is a one-month solo, then group, bicycle ride that follows long-distance bike paths most of the length of Korea, then makes a spin around Jeju Island. I also climbed Mt. Hallasan, the highest summit of Korea.

France 2023 is a grand 89-day cycling journey from Paris, down the Loire River, around Brittany, then along the Atlantic Coast to Bordeaux, followed by a dozen days in London.

South India, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Philippines Backpack 2023 begins with a few days of art and aviation in Bengaluru, journeys south to Trichy for temples and Bharatanatyam dances, then heads to Chennai for more dances, music, temples, art, and history. Next a week of art and sights in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Then 30 days in the Philippines on Palawan Island, the highlands of northern Luzon, and city sights in Manila.

Laos 2023—Nong Khai to Vang Vieng is a group bicycle adventure across the Mekong River in Laos on back roads and a jaunt on Nam Ngum Reservoir to the cave country of Vang Vieng.

Trang Islands Kayak Tour 2023 makes two loops out onto the calm Andaman Sea off the west coast of southern Thailand to fishing villages, national parks, and sheer limestone pinnacles with snorkeling visits to the coral reefs.

Taiwan Cultural and Scenic Delights 2022 begins with a week in Taipei, meanders among the cities and coast of the West and the Rift Valley in the East, then returns to Taipei for more art and sights.

Way Out Northwest—Seattle to San Francisco 2022 commences with a train ride from San Francisco to Seattle, then cycling back to San Francisco with a swing around the Olympic Peninsula, a turn south to Portland, then southwest to near Lincoln City for a lengthy coastal ride along the Pacific coast.

A Sentimental Ride on the TransAmerica Trail from Berea KY to Yorktown VA in Summer 2022 tells of a bicycle ride south from Cincinnati to Berea where I joined my Berea College 50th class reunion, a great experience. I then turned my wheels east on the TransAmerica Trail across the green hills of eastern Kentucky and Virginia.

California Coastal Grandeur—San Francisco to Los Angeles 2022 begins with a return to the U.S.A., where I bicycled along the rugged California coast—one of the world’s great rides.

Southern Thailand 2022—Twice Across the Isthmus, a Ride from Songkhla to Chumphon is my eighth and final bicycle ride of this Thailand visit. On it I swung through favorite places in the South, capped by scuba diving off Koh Tao.

Eastern Thailand—A Meandering Coastal Ride from Trat to Sattahip 2022 began with a bicycle tour—a rare opportunity for me—that took in many out-of-the-way places along the coast of eastern Thailand and a climb up a Buddhist mountain. Our group turned out to be the same people as on the Mae Nam Ping kayak tour. After the tour I continued to Sattahip and boarded a ferry bound for South Thailand.

Mae Nam Ping Kayak Tour 2022 describes a journey by kayak through a remote and mountainous area of North Thailand on the Mae Nam Ping (Bhumibol Reservoir).

Western Thailand 2021-22—A Swing from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Province makes a westward loop from Bangkok to the hills of western Ratchaburi Province, turns north to the scenery and history of Kanchanaburi Province, then swings through the historic towns of U Thong and Suphanburi on the way back to Bangkok.

Northeastern and Northern Thailand 2021—A Ride from Nakhon Ratchasima to Chiang Mai begins by cycling north to Nong Khai on the Mekong River, then turns west and meanders across mountains of northern Thailand to the Golden Triangle and Mae Sai, where it swings south to Chiang Mai.

Southern Thailand 2021—A Ride Through Paradise tells of a three-month cycling and scuba diving journey that begins way down south at Hat Yai, follows the Andaman coast and islands, crosses over to the Gulf of Thailand coast and islands, then ends in Bangkok.

Northeastern Thailand 2021—A Ride Down the Mekong River and Isan Culture is a delightful pedal from Phitsanulok in the North over hills to the Mekong River, which I followed downstream until it left the Thai border at Khong Jiam, where I turned up the Mun River to Ubon Ratchathani.

Cycling Northern Thailand 2020—A Loop Filled with Culture and Mountain Scenery begins with a train north from Bangkok to Chiang Mai for a loop ride east to Nan.

Cycling Southern Thailand 2020—A Ride Along the Gulf of Thailand from Hat Yai to Chumphon takes place after months of hanging out in Bangkok, when I took a train to Hat Yai in the far south of Thailand, then cycled north along the Gulf of Thailand to Chumpon, where I headed out to sea for scuba diving off Koh Tao.

South India, Singapore, Philippines Backpacking 2020 takes me across South India from Chennai to Mumbai in six weeks, Singapore for a 12-day experience, then on to the Philippines for 15 days to visit the mountains of northern Luzon and Palawan Island before I had to flee back to Thailand due to an impending lockdown of Manila.

Taiwan Adventure 2019 describes a cycling loop that takes in Chinese culture, pretty coastlines, and lofty mountains.

Cycling Indonesia’s Bali and Nusa Tenggara 2019 climbs to volcanic lakes of Bali, then heads east through the Nusa Tenggara islands of Lombok, Sumbawa, and Flores.

Europe Swing 2019 is a bicycle ride that starts off in Paris, the City of Lights, then meanders through France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and England.

Cycling in the Philippines 2019 begins with a loop in mountainous northern Luzon, then heads for the Visaya Islands.

Backpacking Around South India Dec. 2018-Jan. 2019 describes a five-week ramble around India’s Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala states.

Backpacking and Diving in Southeast Asia Oct.-Dec. 2018 tells of city sights in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Kuala Lumpur, then scuba diving adventures in the Andaman Sea off the west coast of Thailand.

A Cycling Loop Out of Seattle to Vancouver Island and the City of Vancouver 2018 begins with a ride to Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula, then a ferry to Victoria in Canada. Next I rode north along the cloud-scraped coast of Vancouver Island to Nanaimo. A ferry and short ride then led to the city of Vancouver, where I turned south back to Seattle.

Chicago to Washington D.C.—A Bicycle Tour of the Midwest and East 2018 takes us on a bicycle ride from Chicago through the verdant plains and hills of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia to Washington, D.C.

Cycling Canyon Country of the American Southwest 2018 travels on a bicycle through scenic splendors between Grand Junction in western Colorado and Flagstaff in Arizona via the national parks of southern Utah.

Backpacking Around Southeast Asia Jan.-April 2018 tells of a swing through Thailand, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Backpacking Across India 2017-18 is a backpack trip. ‘Bessie Too the Bicycle’ gets a rest as I fly from Bangkok to Jaipur of India’s Rajasthan state. After a visit to this ‘Pink City,’ I meander across northern India to Kolkata. From here I fly to the one major region of India that I’ve not been to before—the remote Andaman Islands. Lastly I return to Bangkok via Chennai and Tamil Nadu state.

Europe Swing 2017 is a bicycle adventure that begins in Rome, then sets sail for the rugged islands of Sardinia and Corsica followed by a ferry to the grand city of Genoa. From there I cycled the coast to France, then turned inland across the heart of France to Normandy. Another ferry brings me to Ireland and a cycling journey completely around the Emerald Isle. Lastly the final ferry ride heads east to Wales and a ride to London.

Bill & ‘Bessie Too the Bicycle’ Ride Asia 2016-17 describes a series of rides in this wonderful region: First in northern Myanmar, next a loop in Sri Lanka, then a return to Myanmar for a ride through the south, and lastly cycling and scuba diving in South Thailand.

Grand Tour of the American West is a five-month bicycle loop ride through spectacular regions of the West, beginning and ending in San Francisco in 2016.

Cycling in the Himalaya of India’s Sikkim & Arunachal Pradesh, then Across Myanmar to Thailand began with a flight to New Delhi for a week’s stay, then a train east to Siliguri, where the ride to Darjeeling and Sikkim commenced. After enjoyable loops in Sikkim, I rode east across West Bengal and Assam to Bhalukpong, gateway to Arunachal Pradesh and the very tough ride over increasingly high passes to Tawang near the borders of Bhutan and Tibet. Also in Arunachal Pradesh, I rode to the capital Itanagar and the very pretty hill country around Ziro. From there I turned south back into Assam and across the great Brahamaputra at Majuli Island, then continued south through Nagaland and Manipur states to the border with Myanmar. Only recently have independent cyclists been able to ride all the way across Myanmar, and I was fortunate to do that on a very memorable adventure! I emerged into Thailand at Mae Sot.

Cycling in Sri Lanka 2015—A Loop of the South tells of my return to this tropical island for another loop, this time with an emphasis on the South, a region I’ve never visited before. As on my April ride of Sri Lanka, I made a clockwise loop from Negombo, heading first to the Ancient Cities region. The route also takes in the East and West Coasts, as well as the South Coast.

Europe Swing 2015 describes a 90-day ride north through Italy’s dazzling spring countryside from Rome area to Genoa, then east across the mountainous north to Slovenia and on through Central Europe—Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany to Holland. A giant ferry then took me across to the U.K. for it’s memorable history, culture, and landscapes.

Cycling in Sri Lanka 2015—A Loop of the North takes in beautiful tropical beaches, temples, wildlife, and mountains during the month of April. First I headed to Mannar Island and Jaffna in the North, which now welcome visitors again after the long civil war.

Bill & ‘Bessie Too the Bicycle’ Explore Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam runs during the winter of 2014-15. I head west into jungles of Kanchanaburi Province to the Myanmar border, then swing east to the once glittering old capital of Ayutthaya. In northeastern Thailand I turn south into Cambodia for visits to many wonderful ancient temples, challenging backroads, and contemporary life. Next, I continue east into Vietnam, head for the coast, and ride south to the Mekong Delta. From there I enter southern Cambodia for a quick ride back to Thailand.

‘Bessie Too the Bicycle’ ride California to Virginia tells of a 2014 bicycle ride from the Pacific to the Atlantic, including an extensive exploration of the American Southwest.

A Swing Through Thailand and Cambodia is a three-month bicycle ride that begins in the east of Thailand, turns north into Cambodia, and curves through Thailand’s northeast and north, from December 2013 to March 2014.

Northern India Delights cycling adventure begins high in Ladakh of India’s far north in the summer of 2013. I explore the Himalaya for about two months, drop into New Delhi for the festivals in October-November, then continue east by train to Kolkata.

Italian Delights, then Short Visits to Slovenia and Croatia describes a 90-day grand tour of Italy in spring-early summer 2013, followed by a short ride through Slovenia to Croatia that ends in Zagreb.

Off the Beaten Track in Thailand and Cambodia is a four-month cycling journey to experience new places in these countries from November 2012 to April 2013.

A Grand Ride of the American Southwest is a cycling trip from San Francisco to Arizona via the California coast, then back via southern Utah and Nevada from April to August 2012.

Indian Ramble and Thailand Ramble tell of a backpacking trip through India and Thailand from November 2011 to April 2012.

Asian Journey, ran from early 2010 to early 2011. The journey started in northeastern Thailand and headed north on a mountainous route through Laos and Vietnam to the heights of eastern Tibet, then on to the heart of China. The second part looped through western India, primarily Gujarat State.

Asia Again, my 2008-2009 adventure, relates the 18-month high-flying journey through China (twice!), Central Asia, India, Southeast Asia, and Tibet.

A Sentimental Return to the TransAmerica Trail After 31 Years tells of a ride way out east in Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio in autumn 2007, inspired by the reunion of my fellow riders from a 1976 Virginia-Oregon Bikecentennial ride.

One Year in Asia tells the story of a 17-month epic cycling trip in 2005-2007, including a ride all the way across China from Southeast Asia to Central Asia, plus a pair of rides in India—one in the Himalayas (near the headwaters of the Ganges) and one in the south, capped off with cycling in Cambodia and southern Thailand.

Cycling Thailand to China was amazing for astounding variety—a four-month ride from tropics of central Thailand to the great ice mountains of the eastern Himalayas in 2004-2005.

Cycling Across Northern Europe begins in the land of Vikings—Denmark—and journeys east across Sweden and Estonia to the larger-than-life land of Russia in the summer of 2003.

Cycling Thailand & Laos heads for the Mekong River and a journey across lush rice paddies and across jungle-clad mountains in the winter of 2002-2003.

Cycling Indian Himalaya began in Leh, Ladakh, and took ‘Bessie Too the Bicycle’ and me over one of the world’s highest road passes in late 2002.

Cycling Pakistan & India tells of an epic bicycle ride from the Karakoram Mountains of northern Pakistan to the warms seas at the southern tip of India; the six-month ride began at the troubled time of September 2001.

Makalu Trek in Nepal had more than its share of trials and tribulations; it lasted four weeks and took place in autumn 2000.