UAE | General
Swedish student trio pedal their way to Beijing Olympics
Three Swedish students have given themselves the biggest challenge of their lives: to cycle round the world just for fun.
- By Alice Johnson, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:58 April 14, 2008
- Jonsson, Tornblom and Bogdanov on their round-the-world cycling trip.
- Image Credit: Supplied picture
Dubai: Three Swedish students have given themselves the biggest challenge of their lives: to cycle round the world just for fun.
Nino Jonsson, Erik Tornblom and Tim Bogdanov left Gothenburg, Sweden, last October and are cycling round the world with their last stop at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in August.
Two of the members are making a pit-stop in Dubai later this month, before travelling to India by ferry.
The route has so far taken them from Sweden to Poland, on to Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, and they will be pedalling through Iran to Pakistan and on to the final destination, China.
They are currently near Amman, Jordan.
The students - all in their early 20s - have been blogging in Swedish about their travels. Dubai-based friend Roman Konovalov has been translating the blog into English.
Konovalov said: "They will come to Dubai on bikes and leave by bikes, just for one or two days' break. They're living in tents and just cycling every day. They met another cyclist in Holland who might be joining them: when you have a crazy plan and are a crazy person, there are other crazy people who will come and join you."
No sponsorship
The trio haven't sought any sponsorship and are not cycling for a charitable cause, but are just taking the trip as a test of endurance before deciding on university degrees.
One Swedish bicycle shop donated spare tyres and wheels before the three set off on their challenge.
Konovalov continued that Bogdanov is now planning to scale a Chinese mountain once the cycling troupe arrives at their final destination - his father will be meeting him in Dubai later this month to deliver mountaineering kit.
Bogdanov is hoping to study travel and tourism at university.
The English blog can be found at: www.romankonovalov.com/category/around-the-world-by-bicycle
Share this article
More from UAE General
More from UAE
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
A Selection of the best Gulf News reader pictures this week
Latest news
- Dubai to open seven new parks
- Girl dies in fire started by stepbrother
- Motorists, pedestrians urged to be more careful
- A road that is best avoided
- Security services work round-the-clock
- Tougher policing brings down Dubai road fatalities
- 'I want to show anyone can celebrate'
- Dubai to introduce 900km of cycling lanes
- UAE National Day: Preparations in full swing
- Universities celebrate UAE National Day
- Brothers' triple success
- Reviving age-old craftsmanship
- Youth reconnect with history
- Fatima: UAE's women are exercising full rights
- Emirates Palace gears up for festivities
Community Reports
-
A road that is best avoided
Thoroughfare connecting capital's Hamdan Street and Electra Street poses safety and health hazards
-
Please don't use two parking spaces
Thoughtless drivers means other motorists are losing out in a city where places to leave cars are often hard to find
-
School buses must do safe drop-offs
Some bus drivers let students off at the wrong side of the road
-
Munching on a health hazard
Residents must be careful about consuming snacks and sandwiches prepared along the roadside as they attract dirt and bacteria
