SINGAPORE – Gracia Ng, 26, and Oi Yi Jia, 28, spent most of 2023 riding tandem bicycles from the UK to Singapore, covering a distance of more than 20,000km.
Leaving London in March 2023, they cycled to southeast England and caught a ferry to the Hook of Holland, a Dutch town that serves as the gateway to Europe.
They travel to countries such as Germany, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, China, Laos, and Thailand on their beloved but breakable tandem bicycles, which are older than them, and spend Christmas I returned home in time. December 21st.
The plan for 2024 is that Oi, who has earned a graduate degree in the United States, will work in the financial industry, while Ng is planning her next project. The idea is to share the love of adventure by organizing bike tours in countries like New Zealand. And then to Thailand in the next few months.
he says: He said, “I wanted to share this experience with other Singaporeans. I think there is an adventure for everyone. It’s a completely different kind of education.”
The couple’s significant bike trip came on the heels of another epic road trip. Oi’s dream, fueled by her YouTube videos about van life, was to live in her own van to save money while enjoying new scenery.
after him Mr. Ng graduated from the United States, and Mr. Ng received a master’s degree in English literature from the United Kingdom. In December 2021, they set out on a journey to visit 48 states in the United States, excluding Hawaii and Alaska, in a van they equipped themselves. did. In Singapore, Ooi learned how to wire electricity to a vehicle and installed solar panels, although he had never used a drill before.
In December 2022, more than a year after his trip to the United States, he proposed to her with a ring made from the spokes of a van wheel. She said “Yes”. She then wondered how she would get back to Singapore and decided to return “on wheels”, Ms Ng said.
They bought a used Ford Transit Connect 2013 van for US$6,000 (S$7,900), outfitted it for the trip and then sold it for US$12,500 to fund their next tandem bike adventure in 2023. -Hands, 32-year-old Santana tandem, $300.
Spending an average of $1,000 a month for the past two years, they post about their budget trips on Instagram and YouTube as “The Proper Paupers.”
Whether they live in a van or travel in tandem, they make a living from Mr. Oi’s investments, personal savings, and part-time jobs. While traveling, Ng provides online consulting services for university admissions and teaches English online. When unexpected repairs to the van hit their expenses, they made do with beans and rice.
However, I quickly learned that life on a motorcycle is completely different from life in a van.
Previously, they always had a roof over their heads and could shower anytime at Planet Fitness gyms across the country using the $10 monthly membership pass they purchased.
Mr. Oi says: “With our bikes, we can’t take a shower even after cycling for eight hours. It’s pitch black while we hear rustling noises in the background, whether made by animals or humans.”
Although initially frightened, they became accustomed to wild camping and spent the night pitching tents wherever they stopped. They estimate that this happened for about 80% of the trip. The rest of the time, I used the Couchsurfing service for cyclists, where a fellow cyclist offered me a bed in his home for free for one night.
Ms Ng added: We could live with two sets of clothes. At first I realized I didn’t need a closet for clothes, but then I realized I didn’t need boxes for clothes either. It was very liberating to live like this. ”
There were some dangerous moments, but there were no silver linings.
On the Iran-Pakistan border, they spent several uncomfortable days cycling through treacherous terrain where gasoline is smuggled. Even when camping was allowed, they were sometimes treated with contempt at campgrounds.
But some, like a man in Georgia, hitchhiked for a ride when his tandem broke down. He kindly stuffed some money into their pockets as a gesture of goodwill and drove off without giving them time to react.
When they traveled to Southeast Asia, their expectations of home grew as the taste of the food became more familiar.
Strangely, I felt disoriented when entering Singapore from Malaysia at the Woodlands checkpoint.
Mr. Oi says: “We are with hundreds of motorbikes and everyone is staring at us. So many people walk in exhaust fumes to cross the road to get a better life. We have to sit for hours. We were so close, yet it was foreign to us.”
Ironically, the only exotic wildlife they encountered on their trip was in the woodland after crossing the causeway. Ng had seen camels used for transportation and encountered stray dogs, but this was the first time he had seen a wild boar in the grass in Singapore.
Engaged couples go back to their hometowns and spend their days eating their favorite foods like bak kwa and chicken rice.
It is said that living on the road strengthened their bond.
Ng says: “When we set off, he was up front saying things like ‘changing gears’ and ‘turning left’. After that, the communication became non-verbal. It was great because we could read each other. It was quiet.
“The teamwork required is on a whole new level, and our relationship has improved because of it.”
Related article: A Singaporean couple who quit their jobs to travel in a campervan reveal the pros and cons of off-grid living
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission is required for reproduction.