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After cycling 81,365 km through 68 counties, Argentine native Pablo Garcia is finally turning his bike toward Shanghai, adding our city to the hundreds he has already visited as part of his plan to experience the world by bike. His goal: to cross the five continents and travel to more than 100 countries all via bike - documenting on video and in photographs the different cultures and their ways of life that he encounters on the way.In honor of his arrival in Shanghai on July 8 from Ningbo, we caught up with Garcia on the road to find out what made his wheels turn and how he began this global venture.CNNGo: Why did you start out on this quest?Pablo Garcia:Since the first night I entered in China, I was welcomed by Chinese people. I remember, after I crossed the Vietnam border I asked a man about simple and cheap accommodation nearby. Not only did the guy show me how to get there, but he paid for my room.- Pablo GarciaI grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a boy I used to walk to school every morning thinking that I want to do something different in my life than I was expected to do. I wanted to experience the beauty of this world and its different cultures. After moving to Brazil, traveling a bit and setting up my own business, my life became more and more routine. Gradually I realized that my job was absorbing all of my energy, and I decided I wanted to travel again.In the beginning, my decision to bike around the world was accompanied by doubts of whether it was worth leaving an easy life behind in exchange for an adventurous one. But in the end I decided to go for it, and although happy now, it was the hardest decision I made in my life.CNNGo: Where and when will your biking adventures around the world end?Pablo Garcia:I expect to finish my trip in Buenos Aires, and I believe that it would be before the end of 2012, but it might take a few extra months. I don't have an exact date, depends how things go.CNNGo: So, why travel by bike?Pablo Garcia:When I began to think about how I could travel around the world, I took my bicycle and did some short trips around Maceio. It turned out to be the perfect way to wrap my soul and body completely into a long-term journey. Traveling the world by bike gives me the chance to cut the distance between my ideas and experience. It allows me to enter the heart of each place and its people, discovering the simplest things of life.CNNGo: What do you carry on your bike?Pablo Garcia:My bike is 23 kilos on its own, but I also carry another 55 kilos of luggage including a tent, sleeping bag, camping mattress, a few tools, three spare inner tubes and a foot pump. I also have a lot of clothes, everything from winter and summer clothes to clothes for rainy and windy weather. Clothes for cycling too. On the tech side I have a laptop, a video camera, a tripod, two photo cameras and a total of seven batteries with their chargers. Also I carry my diary, a small tape recorder for interviews, a couple of guide books and, of course, several maps. Finally I have a small gasoline stove with a small set of pots for cooking, hygiene items, emergency medication, a torch, a mosquito net, repellent and my African knife. It may sound like a lot but I have to be equipped to go around the world!CNNGo: You do sound prepared! So what was the scariest experience you’ve had so far?Pablo Garcia:Probably crossing the Danakil Desert in Dijbouti. Djibouti is a small country, one of the hottest and driest deserts on earth. I got lost crossing this inhospitable place because there were no real routes to follow. I was worried because I was cycling without any orientation and running out of water. After several hours French soldiers found me and gave me something to drink. Unfortunately they couldn’t tell me how I could reach the next village because they didn’t really know the area. Finally I reached a hut with people who could tell me the right way to Khor Angar and gave me water. I was totally exhausted and began to question what I was suffering for. With these doubts in my mind I continued until I reached Khor Angar. There people brought me water, but it was too hot to drink. I couldn’t believe it! They gave me food and invited me to stay in one of their huts. It was their kindness that kept me going.CNNGo: Tell us two things that you’ve learned on this trip so far.Pablo Garcia:In the beginning, my decision to bike around the world was accompanied by doubts of whether it was worth leaving an easy life behind in exchange for an adventurous one. But in the end I decided to go for it, although happy now, it was the hardest decision I made in my life.— Pablo GarciaI learned to respect and accept the people just as they are, regardless their culture tradition or beliefs. I have become more tolerant. Also, I learned not to make problems if something doesn't work out how you want it to, since I've realized that there are always people who are in worse situations than the one you're in.CNNGo: What’s your favorite place that you’ve visited so far?Pablo Garcia:There are many: Brazil, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait and Nepal. I liked these countries the most because of the kind people that I met there and the beautiful landscapes that I cycled through.CNNGo: What’s your favorite place in China that you’ve ridden through so far?Pablo Garcia:Of the small part of China I’ve seen so far, definitely the best area that I covered is Road 365; it's the small road parallel to the sea in Guangdong, where I could appreciate the simple life in the different villages.CNNGo: How is biking in China?Pablo Garcia:I am happy to be in China, I have always been interested in Chinese culture and people. Since the first night I entered in China, I was welcomed by Chinese people. I remember, after I crossed the Vietnam border I asked a man about where I could find a simple and cheap accommodation nearby. Not only did he show me how to get there, but he paid for my room. I was also invited several times to share lunch or dinner with the local people and in spite of the fact that we didn’t speak the same language. We did communicate through singing though. It was really quite funny. Chinese people have been very kindly and helpful as I've traveled through the country -- it doesn’t happen in everywhere. I do think my best experiences in China are yet to come though.CNNGo: So where to next?Pablo Garcia:I plan to cycle from Shanghai to Beijing -- it will take about 20 days -- and then I want to go to Korea, Japan and maybe Taiwan. From there, I'll to go back to China and bike through Yunnan and Tibet. After that I'll go to southeast Asia again, then Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. After that I'll fly to North America and cycle down to Argentina. It will take me another two and half years to cycle another 35,000 km. But that, of course, depends on my luck since I need to find a sponsor to help me to complete my tour in China. Otherwise I have to go back home from BeijingCNNGo: Would you do this trip again if given the chance?Pablo Garcia:Sure, but I would look for another way, maybe motorcycle.
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