Couple on a cycling mission

Tuesday October 13, 2009
By SIMON KHOO

KUANTAN: A French couple on a cycling tour around the world to create awareness on the need to preserve the environment are now in Malaysia, the 48th country on their journey.

Richard Ferge, 37, and his wife Stani Martinkova, 43, began the journey in 1996 and will spend the next four months cycling around peninsular Malaysia to promote their message.

To-date, the couple have journeyed 80,000km over 47 countries in eight years.

From Alaska, they cycled to South America and then to Europe before taking a breather in 2000 due to financial constraints.

In an interview, Ferge said he and his wife found a job in England and saved up money to continue on their quest.

Four years later, they sold off everything, including a house and a car, and packed their bags on their two-wheelers.

“Our journey across the Asian continent started in 2005 from Russia to Mongolia, China, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and now here in Malaysia.

“My wife and I will spend more time here as we want to explore renowned islands such as Tioman, Perhentian and Redang,” he said, adding that they would pitch a tent to spend the night at any suitable location or home offered by kind souls.

Ferge said, in the past one month, they had covered almost one third of the country entering via Langkawi before visiting Alor Star, Penang, Kelantan, Jerantut, Taman Negara, Pekan, Maran and Kuantan.

He said they would explore some islands in Pahang and Terengganu before continuing their journey to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Cameron Highlands.

“We will then visit other countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand until we reach our goal of at least 100 countries around the world.

“In case we run short of cash, we are prepared to work at any job – washing dishes, cleaning or gardening,” he said, adding that they had set a budget of US$10 (RM32) a day for food, lodging and bicycle repairs throughout their stay in the Asian countries.

On his impression of Malaysians, Ferge said they were friendly, helpful and nice.
“We are still adapting to the weather and food,” he quipped.

He said there was no language barrier, unlike in China, and there were no untoward incidents throughout their journey in Asia.

“Except for insect bites and leeches, it is almost hassle free cycling in Malaysia.

“We’ve had many wonderful hosts allowing us to spend the night in their homes,” he said, adding that in Kuantan, their host took them to the Teluk Chempedak beach to witness the colourful Mid-Autumn Festival.

Ferge, however, said they had some turbulent times elsewhere such as facing the tail-end of a hurricane in Central America, floods in Panama, theft of some equipment and a camera in Mongolia and loss of his custom-made bicycle to thieves in Russia.

He said the Russian police managed to recover his bicycle 10 days later after he promised to give them a good reward.

Dubbing themselves as cycling tourists, Ferge said they had no plans to have children despite being married for four years.

Relating their love story, he said he met Martinkova at a nightclub in London. They then got together and shared the dream of cycling around the world.

Ferge said they had been lucky to not come down with sicknesses such as Influenza A (H1N1), but had only suffered from normal flu and colds.

Despite being far away from their families and friends, they had no regrets over their decision, he said.

The couple has a piece of advice for materialistic souls: “Life is not just about money. There are many things to do and see in the world.

“We should make time for ourselves to enjoy the world we live in,” said Ferge, a vegetarian who is against cruelty to animals.