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West from Japan

A couple leaving behind their life in Japan and heading west

Copyright © 2012-2023 By Adam Dodge and Beth Hamilton  

Completed Sep 2013
15,042 km (9,347 miles) over 1 year and 1 month from July 27, 2012 to August 26, 2013
Updated: Thursday April 9, 2015 15:19 (US/Pacific) (edited Sun 16 Oct 2022 20:46 (US/Pacific))
2,483 pics
497,791 hits since August 9, 2012 (hitcounts updated nightly)

Topic: Bicycle Touring  
Categories: Tour diaries, Equipment lists, Road bikes, Extended, World
Locales: Asia, Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Europe, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland
Years: 2012, 2013

Permalink: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/westfromjapan

Click here to see this page

They mean us!

Table of Contents

Final route and map: Where we ended up going

General

Introduction: Who are we?
Planned route and map: Going west, from Japan to Ireland
Equipment: A mix of used and new
Visas: Updated as we go

Japan

2012 July 27 - August 1: Leaving Fukushima, camping at Aokigahara, then off to Osaka
August 2: Arriving in Osaka and picking up our bikes
August 3: Leaving Osaka, Alex, and after five years, Japan
August 4 - 5: On the ferry and arriving in Shanghai

China

Shanghai
August 6: Exploring Shanghai and hoping China has more to offer
August 7: First day on the bikes and escaping the Shanghai metro area
Jiangsu Province
August 8: Waiting out the typhoon
August 9: Seeing the aftermath of the typhoon and heading to Zhangjiagang
August 10: More drab landscapes and a sudden thunderstorm
August 11: Things aren't going quite as expected/hoped
August 12: A much-needed pick-me-up day with a surprise ending
August 13: Arrival in Nanjing
August 14 – 15: Sightseeing in Nanjing
Anhui Province
August 16: Changing route, leaving Nanjing, and staying at an old lady's guest house
August 17: Foiled again by stomach problems
August 18: Staying put due to stomach problems
August 19: Nice riding and a stupidly expensive lunch
August 20: Leaving Wuwei and great day in the countryside
August 21: Crossing the Yangtze again and more punctures
August 22: Leaving plains behind and entering mountains
August 23: First day of real climbing
Jiangxi Province
August 24-26: Flats, flats, and more flats! Flats for everyone!
August 27: Being led around all day
August 28: Bikes are not toilets
August 29: Ups and downs
August 31: Rough roads lead to a popsicle
September 1: Short, hot day
Hunan Province
September 2: Worst hotel yet
September 3: Puncture number 14
September 4: An inconvenient puncture followed by a convenient puncture
September 5: Changsha, touring of another sort
September 6: Mt. Something or Other in Changsha
September 7: Escaping the sprawl of Changsha
September 8: A gift of patches
September 9: Muddy muddy muddy
September 10: Following a river and JLPT results *worried face*
September 11: Rest day in Anhua
September 12: Adam really sick, staying put for the day
September 13: Slow and tired
September 14: Beth really sick, staying put for the day
September 15: Noodly noodles not needed, not noodly non-noodles needed
September 16: Beth still feels nauseous, early stop
September 17: Passing by mysterious cycle tourists, and Beth is able to eat again!
September 18: Why's that guy taking our groceries from us?
September 19 – 20: Short day to Fenghuang, an old town overrun by tourism
Guizhou Province
September 21: Goodbye Hunan, hello Guizhou!
September 22: Getting on a train, not getting on a train
September 23 – 24: Another day off, then Tongren to Jiangkou
September 25: The makings of a bad day
September 26: Nice people, short day
September 28: Lots of climbing, great lunch, frustrating dinner
September 30: Broke the unbroken streak of riding
October 1: Buying bus tickets
Chongqing, Municipality of
October 2: Chongqing: Hotels hotels everywhere, but not a bed to sleep in
October 3: Chongqing redeems itself, then we leave it
October 4: On a train somewhere in western China
Xinjiang Autonomous Region
October 5: Arriving in Urumqi: No hotels available, redux
October 6: Urumqi and all of its glory
October 7: Urumqi bike shops and food
October 8: Kazakh visa procedures
October 9 – 14: Waiting for visa in Urumqi and switching to a Warm Showers host
October 15: Visas, last minute preparations, bus ride from the '90s: Urumqi to Khorgas
October 16: To Khorgas, a kilometer from the Chinese-Kazakh border: Khorgas

Kazakhstan

Almaty Province
October 18: Welcome to Kazakhstan!: Khorgas, China to a bit past Jarkent, Kazakhstan
October 19: Trading the tailwind of yesterday for a headwind: A bit past Jarkent to Tashkarasu
October 20: Slight uphill and slight tailwind makes for easy riding: Tashkarasu to Kokpek
October 21: Almost to Almaty: From Kokpek to 40 km before Almaty
October 22: Final mad dash to get registered in Almaty: 40 km from Almaty to somewhere in Almaty
October 23 – 28: Around Almaty: Almaty
October 29 – 30: Out of Almaty: Almaty → a bit past Samsi
October 31: Treated to a full moon for Halloween: Somewhere near Samsi to past (big) Qorday
Zhambyl Province
November 1: Amazing tailwinds turn into crosswinds
November 2: The Cowboy
November 3: Not much happened that day: From somewhere to near Tatti
November 4: Social day
November 5: Bad Kulan? No, good Kulan!
November 6: Problem nyet: Maldibay to Taraz
November 7: Taken in by a family: Taraz to some small village with a long name
Southern Kazakhstan Province
November 8: On the way to Shymkent: Some small village with a long name to 40 km before Shymkent
November 9: (un)Welcome to Shymkent: 40 km from Shymkent to Shymkent
November 10: (un)Welcome to Shymkent Part Two: Shymkent
November 11: Get out of Shymkent: Shymkent to 45 km before the Uzbek border
November 12: To the border but not quite: 45 km from the Uzbek border to 5 km before the Uzbek border

Uzbekistan

November 13: One does not simply walk into Uzbekistan: Somewhere, Kazakhstan to Tashkent, Uzbekistan
November 14: Necessary hassles: Applying for Azeri visa in Tashkent: Tashkent
November 15: Necessary hassles: Applying for Kazakh visa in Tashkent: Tashkent
November 16 – 22: Waiting and getting stuff done in Tashkent: Tashkent
November 23: Leaving Tashkent: Tashkent to Gulistan
November 24: Not what we expected: Gulistan to Jizzax
November 25: A welcome welcome: Jizzax to 68 km later
November 26: On the road to Samarkand: 56 km from Samarkand to Samarkand
November 27 – 28: “It's the same as all World Heritage Sites,” quoth the Japanese man: Samarkand
November 29: gheudjemdidkfhjeckje: Samarkand to near Kattaqorghan
November 30: Three flats and a happy family: Kattaqorghan to Navai
December 1: Arriving in Bukhara: Navai to Bukhara
December 2: The horrors of Bukhara unleashed: Bukhara
December 3: Venture out, rush back in: Bukhara
December 4: Exploring Bukhara, take two: Bukhara
December 5: Late-night train out of Bukhara: Bukhara
December 6: Clown cars do exist: Bukhara to Kungrad
December 7: Lively train to Kazakhstan: Kungrad, Uzbekistan – Beynew, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, Part Two

December 8: Back in Kazakhstan, welcome to Aktau: Aktau, Kazakhstan
December 9 – 12: Hotel hoppin': Aktau
December 13: Relocating to Aktau Port: Aktau Port
December 14 – 15: Making ourselves at home at Aktau Port: Aktau Port
December 16 – 17: Aktau Port: The Final Chapter?: Aktau Port
December 18 – 19: On the 12th day of Aktau my true love gave to me / an Aktau – Baku ferry: Aktau Port - Caspian Sea

Azerbaijan

December 20: Could this be it... are we actually on the other side?: Caspian Sea to Baku, Azerbaijan
December 21: Excursions around Baku: Baku
December 22: Writings of the ancients: Gobustan (outside of Baku)
December 23: Green Bikers, Old Town: Baku
December 24: You can't buy just one: Adventures in cycle shops: Baku
December 25: A day of rest for Christmas: Baku
December 26: Azerbaijan: Land of Mud: Baku to a field of mud 36 km from Baku
December 27: Azerbaijan: Land of Wind: A field of mud to a gully 3 km away
December 28: Azerbaijan: Land of Kindness: A gully 39 km outside of Baku to 28 km past Şamaxı
December 29: Azerbaijan: Land of Unrepaired Punctures: Near Şamaxı to near Qəbələ
December 30: Azerbaijan: Land of Surprise Hotels: Near Qəbələ to Şəki
December 31: Azerbaijan: Land of Late Starts: Şəki to Qax
2013 January 1: Azerbaijan: Land of Howling: Qax to Balakən

Georgia

January 2: Azerbaijan: Land of... Oh wait, we're in Georgia now: Balakən, Azerbaijan to Bakurtsikhe, Georgia
January 3: I don't remember much. Uh, there was a dog and a cafe?: Bakurtsikhe to Sartichala
January 4: Entering Tbilisi: Sartichala to Tbilisi
January 5 – 7: Christmas in Tbilisi: Tbilisi
January 8 – 9: An unexpected journey: Tbilisi

Armenia

January 10: Day trip to Yerevan: Yerevan, Armenia

Georgia, Part Two

Janaruy 11 – 23: Taking it slow in Tbilisi: Tbilisi
January 24 – 25: In Tbilisi, out of Tbilisi: Tbilisi → Gori
January 26: Stalin. Hirohito. Roosevelt. Churchill. Mussolini.: Gori → Zestaponi
January 27: Cheese pies: Zestaponi → Lanchkhuti
January 28: Welcome to the Black Sea: Lanchkhuti → Sarpi

Turkey

January 29: Karaoke and coastlines: Sarpi → Hopa
January 30: Gas station treasures: Hopa → Cayeli
January 31: Adventures in tunnels: Cayeli → Arakli
February 1: Trabzon awaits!: Arakli → Trabzon
February 2: Trabzon, oh Trabzon: Trabzon
February 3: The setting sun: Trabzon → Cavuslu
February 4: An evening surprise: Cavuslu → Bulancak
February 5: A daytime surprise: Bulancak → Ordu
February 6: Greek mythology in Turkey?: Ordu → Unye
February 7: Home of the Amazons: Unye → Samsun
February 8: Rest day at the truck stop: Samsun
February 9: Goodbye sea, hello mountains: Samsun → Kavak
February 10: Interrupting a soccer game: Kavak → Gumushaci
February 11: Free food day: Gumushacikoy → Hacihamza
February 12: The Abandoned Gas Station: Hacihamza → Ilgaz
February 13: Undulating inland: Ilgaz → Kursunlu
February 14: Tailwind down, headwind up: Kursunlu → Gerede
February 15: Day off in Gerede: Gerede
February 16: Snowy dereliction: Gerede → Bolu
February 17: Into the snow, out of the snow: Bolu → Hendek
February 18: Sleet and city on and off: Belek → Korfez
February 19: D100 into Istanbul: Korfez → Istanbul
February 20 → 26: Week off in Istanbul: Istanbul
February 27 – 28: Still in Istanbul: Istanbul
March 1: Sneaking out of Istanbul: Istanbul → Kestanelik
March 2: Up down up down up down shower: Kestanelik → Chakilli
March 3: Derp dogs, derp Adam: Chakili → Demircihali
March 4: A quest to find the lost items: Demircihali → Derekoy

Asia Awards: Let's subjectively judge entire countries!

Bulgaria

March 5: Bulgaria, finally: Derekoy → Burgas
March 6 – 7: Hanging out in Burgas: Burgas
March 8: Mind. Blown.: Burgas → Lozarevo
March 9: “Oh my shit!”: Pozarevo → Shumen
March 10: Rolling greenery: Shumen → Pisanets

Romania

March 11: Across the river: Pisanets, Bulgaria → Bujoru, Romania
March 12: POP: Bujoru → Turnu Măgurele
March 13: Just hanging out in the hotel: Turnu Măgurele
March 14: Magazin de bicicleta?: Turnu Măgurele → Bechet
March 15: To find a rim: Bechet → Măceșu de Jos
March 16: Nothing special. Just more wind.: Măceșu de Jos → Cetate
March 17: I'm Italian, not Romanian: Cetate → Drobeta-Turnu Severin

Serbia

March 18: Entering the Iron Gates: Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania → Donji Milanovac, Serbia
March 19: From rain to snow to sun: Donji Milanovac → Veliko Gradište
March 20: Back across the Danube: Veliko Gradište → Starčevo
March 21: A rainy meeting in Belgrade: Starčevo → Belgrade
March 22 – 27: Belgrade: Belgrade
March 28: Sausage Fest: Belgrade → Novi Sad
March 29: Good cities, bad drivers, muddy roads: Novi Sad → Backo Novo Selo
March 30: Bumpy roads and flashbacks (aka Adam breaks everything): Backo Novo Selo → Apatin
March 31: Stuck in Apatin: Apatin
April 1: Inching out of Apatin: Apatin → Bezdan

Hungary

April 2: Welcome to Hungary, land of coldwindyrainymuddy: Bezdan, Serbia → Dunafalva, Hungary
April 3: More dirt roads: Dunafalva → Dunaszentbenedek
April 4: Oops: Dunaszentbenedek → Dömsöd
April 5: Binding bits to bicycles in Budapest: Dömsöd → Budapest
April 6: Sadly leaving Budapest: Budapest → Pest
April 7 – 8: Rest in Pest: Pest Megye

Slovakia

April 9: A brief foray into Slovakia: Pest, Hungary → Muzla, Slovakia

Hungary, Part Two

April 10: A brief foray into Hungary: Muzla, Slovakia → Gyor, Hungary

Austria

April 11: Three countries, one day: Gyor, Hungary → Wildungsmauer, Austria
April 12: Accommodations here suck: Wildungsmauer → Tulln
April 13: I'm still having trouble believing that a country this perfect exists: Tulln → Melk
April 14: More along the Danube: Melk → Au
NOTE: Sorry about the lack of updates!
April 15: To a campground we go we go we go!: Au
April 16: Slow day with dilemmas

Germany

Bavaria
April 17: Are we in Germany yet?: picnic spot, Austria → Passau, Germany
April 18: Good weather, good food: Passau → Straubing
April 19: Where did spring go?: Straubing → barn
April 20: In a barn: a barn
April 21: Festival day: Kelheim → Neustadt an der Donau
April 22: Not so great day: Neustadt an der donau → Nördlingen
Baden-Württemberg
April 23: On to the Limes: Nordlingen → Abstgmund
April 24: Schwalbe vs. Continental. Fight!: Abtsgmünd → Gaildorf
April 25: The results are in!: Gaildorf → Schwigern
Rhineland-Palatinate
April 26: Ticks: Schwaigern → Speyer
April 27: Shpaya: Speyer → Eisenberg
Saarland
April 28: Finally: Eisenberg → St. Wendel
April 29 → May 5: Meeting kin: St. Wendel
Rhineland-Palatinate, Part Two
May 6: The thunderstorm that wasn't: St. Wendel → Borfink
May 7: The thunderstorm that was: Borfink → Kirchberg
May 8: Welcome back to the Rhine: Kirchberg → Spay
North Rhine-Westphalia
May 9: On the Rhine: Spay → Bonn
May 10: Bonn the birthplace of Beethoven, cathedral country in Cologne, campgrounds catering to caravans, and MSR missing meals: Bonn → Langenfeld
May 11: Directioners directioners directioners directioners!: Langenfeld → Herten
May 12: In which Beth's bike breaks: Herten → Datteln
May 13: Fixing things: Datteln
May 14: “I really don't know how I picked Saerbeck”: Datteln → Ladbergen
Lower Saxony
May 15: Not much of an entry: Ladbergen → Bohmte
May 16 – 24: Taking another week off: Bohmte and Hamburg
May 25 – 29: Surprise visit to Berlin: Berlin
May 30: Close, but not yet: Bohmte
North Rhine-Westphalia, Part Two
May 31: We're off!: Bohmte → Mettingen

Netherlands

June 1: Last day in Germany: Mettingen, Germany → Oldenzaal, Netherlands
June 2: A windy day in The Netherlands: Oldenzaal → Deventer
June 3: On to Amsterdam!: Deventer → Amsterdam
June 4 – 7: Waiting for Caturday: Amsterdam
June 8: Hopscotching from Amsterdam: Amsterdam → near The Hague
June 9 – 10: To the North (Sea)!: near The Hague → Hellevoetsluis
June 11: That time Beth got lost and (almost) messed everything up: Hellevoetsluis → Breezand

Belgium

June 12: Into the wind, out of The Netherlands: Breezand, Netherlands → Hoeke, Belgium
June 13: A half day in Bruges: Hoeke → Nieuwpoort

France

June 14: Whoops: Nieuwpoort, Belgium → Oye Plage, France

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

England
June 15: The Mother Country: Oye Plage, France → Canterbury, England
June 16: Where do we go?: Canterbury → Sittingbourne
June 17: Into London: Sittingbourne → outside of London
June 18 – 20: THE SMILEY FACE CUP: Hatfield and London
June 21: Farewell!: Hatfield → Roxton
June 22: Another one of those days...: Roxton → Peterborough
June 23: Headwind into the countryside: Peterborough → Billingborough
June 24: Musings: Billingborough → Kirton in Lindsey
June 25: To York! (Almost): Kirton in Lindsey → Naburn
June 26: Train day!: Naburn ↔ York
June 27: To the Way of the Roses: York → Ripon
June 28: Yorkshire Dales: Ripon → Settle
June 29: More hills: Settle → Fairy Steps (Bentham)
June 30: Into the Lake District: Fairy Steps → Chapel Stile
July 1: Let's go for a walk!: Chapel Stile
July 2: Almost out of the Lake District: Chapel Stile → a bit away from Keswick
Scotland
July 3: Into Scotland: a bit away from Keswick, England → somewhere after Gretna, Scotland
July 4: Return to Yorkshire Dales: somewhere after Gretna → somewhere after Dumfries
July 5 – 6: Welcoming the sun: Thornhill → Dalmelington
July 7: Hmph: Dalmelington → Brodick
July 8: On Arran: Brodick → Catacol
July 9: Saying goodbye to old friends: Catacol → Kilmartin
July 10: Cycle Route 78: Kilmartin → Benderloch
July 11: Mostly a rest day: Benderloch → Barcaldine
July 12: Taking the sneaky route past Fort William: Barcaldine → 30 km past Fort William
July 13: Traffic into the Highlands: 30 km past Fort William → Inverinate
July 14: “The mountains aren't very big, but they make you feel insignificant.”: Inverinate → Annat
July 15: Meandering through the Highlands: Annat → Poolewe
July 16: On the way to Ullapool: Poolewe → ~20 km before Ullapool
July 17: Ullapool: About 20 km from Ullapool → Ullapool
July 18: Where're we goin'?!: Ullapool → near Callanish
July 19: Crossing Lewis and Harris: Callanish → Urgha
July 20: Beaches: Urgha → somewhere on Berneray
July 21: Four islands, one day: somewhere on Berneray → south South Uist
July 22: Four islands, one day: the sequel: south South Uist → Vatersay
July 23: Return to Oban: Vatersay → Oban
July 24: Island hopscotching back to Kintyre: Oban → Kennacraig
July 25:前編: Kennacraig → 20 km from Campbeltown
July 25:後編: Kennacraig → 20 km from Campbeltown
Northern Ireland
July 26: Ferry to Northern Ireland: 20 km from Campbeltown, Scotland → Larne, Northern Ireland
July 27 – August 1: A few days off: near Larne
August 2: A day of unexpectedness: Larne → Randalstown
August 3: thump thump thump dum: Randalstown → Seskinore

Ireland, Republic of

August 4: Republic of Ireland, our final country: Seskinore, Northern Ireland → Fenagh, Republic of Ireland
August 5: More green hills: Foxfield → Kilkerrin
August 6: The arrival: Kilkerrin → Gort
August 7 – 19: WWOOFing: Gort
August 20: Whoops, someone's bad at math: Gort
August 21: East from Gort: Gort → Shannon Harbour
August 22: Weeds: Shannon Harbour → Edenderry
August 23: That's all she wrote: Edenderry → Near Dublin
August 24 – 25: Dublin and final preparations: Dublin

United States of America

August 26: The End: Dublin, Ireland → mid-sized city in the Midwest, USA

Euro Awards: Where shallow first impressions last the longest!

Epilogue

Equipment: What we liked, what we didn't, what we'd take again, and what we wouldn't
Finances: So how much does a trip like this really cost?
Cycling as a couple (and a little bit of personal introspection): Beth's final impressions

Show links to this

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"West from Japan" Copyright © 2012-2023 By Adam Dodge and Beth Hamilton  
Website Copyright © 2000-2023 by Neil Gunton Fri 11 Aug 2023 14:52 (US/Pacific) (0.369s)         TOS