travel > Travel Story > Asia > Afghanistan > How to end a 43,630 mile journey

How to end a 43,630 mile journey

TIME : 2016/2/22 16:00:29
Charlie's Journey (CharlieWalkerExplores.com)

How to end a 43,630 mile journey

We celebrate the end of Charlie Walker’s round-the-world cycle trip with our favourite blogs from his incredible adventure. And one of his world-famous time-lapse videos...

In July 2010 Charlie Walker set off for four years with a plan to cycle 40,000 miles around Europe, Asia and Africa. On November 20, 2014, he finally arrived back in London.

Along the way, Charlie blogged about his adventures for the Wanderlust website, from the carefree early days eating plums plucked fresh from orchards in Romania to his sick bed in the backblocks of the DRC, where he fought off a virulent strain of malaria.

"I'm not really a cyclist: the bicycle was a conveniently cheap and deliberately slow means to an end," explains Charlie. "The end being to see the world, meet interesting people and to challenge myself both physically and mentally. Hopefully, I've learned a thing or two along the way too."

We’ve gathered together our favourite blogs to celebrate Charlie’s incredible achievement. And a time-lapse video that chronicles the changes Charlie went through while pursuing his dream.

Iraqi Kurdistan (Charlie Walker)

Cycling through Iraqi Kurdistan

The one where Charlie discovers a former war zone that is well on the mend.


Afghanistan pigeons (Charlie Walker)

Afghanistan by bike

The one where Charlie takes a dangerous diversion into one of the world's most troubled regions and discovers what is really important in life.


The roads of India (Charlie Walker)

Danger on the roads of India

The one where Charlie hits the roads of India and wonders who – or what – has the right of way? 


Snowbound in Tibet (Charlie Walker)

How a Tibetan family saved my life

The one where Charlie's charity ride takes a life-threatening turn in Tibet, and the kindness of strangers helps pull him through.


Horse-riding in Mongolia (Charlie Walker)

Off his bike but back in the saddle

The one where Charlie swaps his bike for a horse in Mongolia – with hilarious consequences...


Wat's going on (Charlie Walker)

Learning to meditate in southern Thailand

The one where Charlie unwittingly finds inner peace at Wat Tham Tu Khao Tong.


Laotion New Year (Charlie Walker)

A wet old Laotian New Year

The one where Charlie Walker cops it in the neck in northern Laos. And begs for more.


Ethiopian car crash (Charlie Walker)

Is Ethiopia the unfriendliest country on earth?

The one where Charlie hits Ethiopia and comes under attack – for the first time in his 40,000 mile journey.


Banana bike, Uganda (Charlie Walker)

Going bananas in Uganda

The one where Charlie discovers that there's something about Uganda that makes people go a little crazy.


Kids in Mozambique (Charlie Walker)

Chuck Norris. On a bike. In Mozambique.

The one where Charlie hits Mozambique and his beard excites more comments than his bike.


The road to nowhere (Charlie Walker)

Finding it hard to get back in the saddle

The one where Charlie restarts his journey after an extended stay in Cape Town on a new bike he's not quite sure about.


Muddy roads in the DRC (Charlie Walker)

How to celebrate your birthday in the middle of the Congo

The one where Charlie finds himself in the back blocks of the DRC on his 27th birthday. How will he mark the occasion? 


Charlie fights malaria in the DRC (Archie Leeming)

Fighting malaria in the DRC

The one where Charlie comes down with malaria – and typhoid – on the road to Kinshasa, and the kindness of strangers helps him survive.