« HUMAN POWERED CIRCUMNAVIGATION DEPARTS ON SE ASIA LEG | Main | HUMAN POWERED CIRCUMNAVIGATION SET TO ARRIVE MUMBAI, INDIA, COMPLETING SE ASIA LEG >> »
October 16, 2006
HUMAN POWERED CIRCUMNAVIGATION ARRIVES in KATHMANDU >>
Jason Lewis of 'Expedition 360' has arrived in Kathmandu as part of a
13-year attempt to circumnavigate the world using only human power [a
'first' according to Guinness Book of Word Records].
http://www.expedition360.com
Lewis, a 38-year-old Briton is currently en route to Mumbai [Bombay],
India from Singapore. The current leg through SE Asia entails 7,000
miles of bicycling of which Lewis has so far completed nearly 5,000
through Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, China, Tibet and Nepal and India. He
has completed an astonishing 35,000 miles under his own steam since
departing London over 11 years ago. A third of this distance has been
completed using a pedal powered boat to cross the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans.
http://www.expedition360.com/logbook/se_asia_leg_mumbai.htm
Along the way he has fended off the attentions of whales and
crocodiles, caught malaria twice and been run over - almost losing both
legs in the process. On this latest leg to Kathmandu Lewis caught
Malaria in Laos and a near fatal case of altitude sickness (AMS) in
Tibet. The strict 'no ride zone' enforced by the Chinese police in
eastern Tibet also meant Lewis had to pedal over 1600kms from Yunnan,
China to Lhasa with the threat of being caught, arrested and turned
back at any time. Much of this stretch he had to complete under cover
of night to avoid detection.
He has mainly worked his passage, from cattle droving in Colorado to
working in a funeral parlour in Australia, although on this current leg
the expedition has acquired sponsorship backing from Aberdeen Asset
Management, a Singapore based investment portfolio company with
interests throughout SE Asia. Schenker Logistics are also providing
logistics solutions support, including shipping the pedal boat from
Singapore to Mumbai ready for Lewis to pedal to Djibouti in East Africa
early next year.
http://www.aberdeen-asset.com/singapore/
http://www.schenker.com/
The expedition is expected to be completed by summer next year. The
final leg will be a 2,200-mile crossing of the Indian Ocean to Djibouti
on the horn of Africa. The adventure will then continue through
Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, the Middle East and finally Europe to finish at
Greenwich in London.
During the SE Asia leg Lewis is inviting young people from each major
city to create short 5-10 minute films about who they are and where
they live in the world. These living video blogs, or 'vlogs' are then
uploaded to the expedition website where they can be accessed by
students around the world. The aim of these educational activities is
to use the expedition as a vehicle to promote qualities of
international understanding, awareness and tolerance amongst people of
different cultures.
http://www.expedition360.com/schools/cultural_exchange.htm
Lewis intends to work with a small group of youngsters connected to
UNESCO's Associated Schools' program during his time in Kathmandu. This
program is made possible in part through funding from Aberdeen Asset
Management Asia.
**BACKGROUND**
Since departing the Greenwich Meridian Line in 1994, Jason Lewis has
traveled 35,000 miles - three quarters of the way around the planet -
without wind or motor assistance -- pedaling a one-of-a-kind pedal boat
('Moksha', meaning liberation in Sanskrit) across the world's oceans,
bicycling and rollerblading over land. On August 18th 2000, Lewis
became the first in history to pedal across the Pacific Ocean from San
Francisco in the US to Port Douglas, Australia - 178 days and 8,000
nautical miles. In 1994, original pedaling partner Stevie Smith and
Lewis completed the first East-West crossing of the Atlantic by pedal
power, and a year later Lewis completed the first unsupported crossing
of the USA on roller blades.
**SPONSORS**
In addition to key support from Aberdeen Asset Management, the
forthcoming leg of the expedition is being greatly assisted Schenker
Singapore who are providing logistics solutions support, including
shipping the pedal boat from Singapore to Mumbai ready for Lewis to
pedal to Djibouti in East Africa early next year.
**INTERVIEWS** IMAGES ** TV NEWS FOOTAGE
Visit the Press Room on the x360 website for past press clippings,
streaming video clips and photos -
http://www.expedition360.com/press_room/home.htm
Hi-res archive images are available online -
http://homepage.mac.com/expedition360/
Please contact us for a password.
Cellphone: +65 983 61 348 (direct dial or sms/text)
Email:
t...@expedition360.com
**DAILY UPDATES**
Regular updates and archived journals from this
leg can be read from here -
http://www.expedition360.com/journal/
Or you can find the link off the expedition360.com homepage
http://www.expedition360.com
+++++++++ENDs++++++++++
Posted by jason at October 16, 2006 1:10 PM