The start of my first ever bike tour; 3 weeks around Kyushu, Japan's southern most main island, during April 2004. The bicycle, a Cannondale Bad Boy, I had brought out with me from the UK. I knew little about bicycles and even less about cycle-touring in these days. Other than a durable pair of Ortlieb Panniers, my gear was little researched. The Bay Boy went on to transport me from Japan-UK and clocked up around 50,000km.

Tags:   Japan Kyushu cycling PeterGostelow

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Wild camping in Japan is relatively easy and very safe, although the camping experience is rarely very wild. A lot of flat land is inhabited, but there are usually discreet patches in fields and public parks etc. I don't remember where or how much I bought the tent for, but it was low quality and didn't stand up to much rain. This was my first ever night 'wild camping'.

Tags:   camping tent Japan field wildcamping

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Tags:   mountains Japan

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I realised after a day or two on the road that I was quite comfortable in my own company. Cycling through new places in a foreign land had such an adventurously liberating feeling that I was instantly hooked.

Tags:   camping Japan PeterGostelow cycling

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Somewhere in Kumamoto prefecture. I found some great spots to pitch the tent during this 3-week tour, although had no cooking equipment so tended to buy instant food from convenience stores.

Tags:   Japan Kumamoto camping tent food

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