Andy Evans

I’ve always loved being on two wheels. I rode a BMX until I was far too old for it to be cool, then I got into bicycle touring. I did several shorter tours then, in 2015, set off for a long ride – from Japan (where I had been living) back to the UK with my wife. We cycled across China, South East Asia, Central Asia and the ‘Stans’ then through Turkey into Europe. What better way to see the world than from the saddle. We did 15,000 miles and it took 2 years, arriving back in the UK in the summer of 2017, ready to start working with Freedom Treks.

In my opinion, Japan is a cycling paradise. I lived there for 5 years, riding my bicycle for commuting and for tours all over the country. The scenery is incredible, the roads are smooth and the people are so welcoming. I’m really excited to help Freedom Treks customers discover this wonderful country.

National Parks of Dalmatia - Deluxe, seeing Croatia in style aboard the Princeza Diana. My first taste of a boat and bike holiday. A bit different to what I’m used to, but I thoroughly enjoyed the coastal cycling and the luxury! Read my photoblog from this trip here.

I’ll be riding a new (as yet unreleased) tour in Thailand, starting and finishing in Bangkok. I am really looking forward to getting back to Thailand for a sunny getaway this winter. I can almost taste the pad thai and papaya salad, and maybe the odd Singha beer!

Cycling the Pamir Highway on the Tajikistan/Afghanistan border. ‘Highway’ is quite a grand term for a dirt road that runs through the Pamir Mountains. It’s one of the highest roads in the world (over 4,600 metres) and part of the ancient Silk Road. It was the toughest, but the most spectacular cycling I’ve ever done.

Travel with an open mind, and always smile, especially to other cyclists. Bicycle touring is about the people as much as it is the places.