Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by recursify 4069 days ago
I quit my job at Amazon and went on a 4 month long bike tour through South East Asia... it was kind of a sporadic decision, but basically it was a gut feeling that I needed to get out there and mentally reset.

Great experience and would definitely do it again, especially bike touring. You kind of get into this rhythym of: wake up at sunrise, eat breakfast, decide on route, cycle as much as you feel like, go swimming, talk to people, find a place to camp/sleep, fix bike, go to bed. Every week or so you'll hit a major tourist centre where you can get a western meal/talk to other English speakers... then you're back on the road!

If you're burnt out/are looking for a reset, I'd avoid trying to work and travel at the same time, if you can afford it.

Budget: I think it worked out to about $15/day over the 4 month period, which may have included a flight home too.

I came back feeling energized, optimistic, and found a job at a great startup within a month of being back!

1 comments

Hey, thanks for sharing! Could you please elaborate on your trip and countries you’ve visited?
You're welcome!

I picked my way through sections of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. I didn't feel like being dogmatic about always cycling, so I hopped on trains when I felt like it (you can easily put your bike on the train for a modest fee). For example, I trained down south to Krabi/Ton Sai and then cycled back up the southern coast, which avoids having to bike the same route twice.

Generally you don't need to camp, since there are plenty of cheap guest houses where you can shower and get a good meal, although it's handy to have a tent just in case.

This will give you inspiration, and is a great read, even if you don't end up cycle-touring: http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Willie-Adventure-Cyclist-Weir/...

This is a great resource to get started: http://www.mrpumpy.net/

I don't have anything in the way of a blog, but I do have pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/robotkenshi/collections/721576...

I've heard Vietnam from the the top (Hanoi) to the bottom (Saigon) is a good bicycle tour. Total is about 1000km.