Everyone said he was dreaming.

But a bicycle trip around the world had been Hu Jung-hua's dream ever since he was a child. At sixteen he gave himself a small foretaste--by bicycling around Taiwan.

Discussing her son's bicycling "history," Hu's mother speaks in terms of pride mingled with some resignation.

Hu Jung-hua is the fourth of the family's five children, and has always been extroverted and full of energy. At the beginning of tenth grade summer vacation, he suddenly began showing an interest in the family's relations: "Do we have any relatives in Tainan? Any friends in Kaohsiung?"

Then one morning Mrs. Hu came back from shopping and found a note from her son describing his plans for a round-island bicycle trip.

Jung-hua was gone. His parents wanted to intercept him outside of town, but they didn't know which route he would take and finally gave up.

When vacation was nearly over, the sunburned and weary "lost chick" returned to its "nest." He got a scolding, but it didn't stop him from four more bicycle trips around Taiwan, nor from his tour around the world.

In 1979, after his fifth round-island trip, Hu came across a young Japanese who was training on Taiwan to bicycle around the world. From him Hu learned that long-distance bicycling is quite popular in Japan and that the country has many bicycle adventure clubs. This whetted his desire even more.

Hu's biggest problem was expenses. His years of savings amounted to far less than the nearly NT$2 million (around US$60,000) he would need, yet he worried that the older he got, the less strength he would have physically. Finally, under the pretext of "further study abroad," he set off for Japan to work and save money for the trip.

For over a year, he worked sixteen hours a day, catching up on sleep while commuting to work on the subway. A friend described him at the time as an "incurable workaholic" and doubted his dream would come true.

What really pushed Hu into turning his paper plans into reality was reflections on the death of his father, although his savings were still less than adequate.

For 170,000 yen Hu purchased a 12.75-kilo, 15-speed cross-country bicycle that could be completely disassembled with a single hexagonal wrench in forty or fifty minutes and reassembled in a couple of hours. Fully loaded with clothes, sleeping bag, tent, camera, extra tire, and so forth, the bicycle weighed around 50 kilos.

Despite insufficient expense money, incomplete visas, and an uncertain itinerary, Hu set out on his round-the-world journey on March 17, 1984, bearing with him three ROC flags, a first aid kit from his girlfriend, and the heartfelt exhortations of his mother. Mrs. Hu recalls that her son, in typical fashion, had told her nothing of his plans for the trip until he "came clean" two days before setting out. Knowing that opposition would be useless and would only make him feel worse during lonely times on the road, she resigned herself to silent prayer for her son's safety.

Because his money was tight, Hu cut back on expenses whenever he could, beginning with "lodging."

Although he brought along camping equipment, after riding a hundred kilometers each day he was in no shape to set up a tent, so he usually tried to find a vacant building in which to pass the night--new buildings were best, of course, but abandoned houses, workers' shacks, and even restrooms could be made to serve. In Norway he once slept in a cemetery.

When no vacant shelter was available, Hu went knocking on doors. Getting a cold brush-off was normal, but those kindhearted folks who gave him a place to stay often treated him to a meal and a hot bath as well. Hu says that he can "perfectly understand" those who didn't help him; he will "never forget" those who did. Nor was he slack about lending his benefactors a hand whenever he could; this, he felt, was "the least he could do to express his gratitude."

Getting visas for the forty nations he passed through required considerable patience. Relying on the English he had learned in high school, the Japanese he had picked up in Tokyo, and the bit of Spanish he had hastily crammed before setting out, Hu in one way or another managed to obtain visas for country after country--even though Italy took some fifteen tries.

Through wind, rain, ice, snow, and sandstorm, Hu pushed ever onward. The physical punishment and the unforeseen dangers he met with along the way, rather than dampening his spirits, served only to add to his sense of adventure.

In Peru he was stopped at riflepoint by the police and hauled off to the station as a suspected drug smuggler. He pulled out a packet of cigarettes and offered to treat, but it was only after a thorough search that his things, topsy-turvy and inside-out, were returned to him and he was released.

Soon after, he ran into robbers in the Andes who stole his bags containing his camera, passport, visas, travelers' checks, and other valuables. The police escorted him to the robbers' den, where he was placed face to face with several tough customers. Fortunately, when the police cocked their guns, the robbers returned the bags--minus a thousand dollars in travelers' checks. He reported the lost checks later and was reimbursed.

In the U.S. he met up with a vicious-looking motorcycle gang, replete with tattoos and swastikas. All on his lonesome, Hu could do nothing but pretend not to see them and munch away on his hamburger. The gang noticed him all right though, but they seemed not to mind. They tossed him an object, and before he could duck he caught it by reflex--it was a can of beer.

And in Alaska he was pedaling right along down a road lined with signs warning "Beware of Black Bears" until he suddenly noticed that one of the "signs" was moving. Wherever the courage came from, he pulled out his camera and closed in for a shot. Hu snapped a great picture just as the bear reared and roared--and then jumped on "Blue Camel" and took off.

As to knee joint pains, groin soreness, and sunburned skin . . . these are afflictions common to all long-distance cyclists. "Put up with it and it'll go away," Hu shrugs.

Passing through innumerable trials and tribulations, Hu finally achieved his goal of "seeing the world." Along the way he came to understand the similarities and differences of peoples around the globe and to appreciate the variety of the natural world.

Hu's favorite countries were Peru, Morocco, and India: the former as home of the magnificent Incan civilization, the latter two as fascinating nations with various ethnic groups.

"The greatest gain was meeting so many foreign friends," Hu says, "total strangers who were willing to help. I rode the bicycle alone, but many, many people were behind me in support."

Overseas Chinese were particularly enthusiastic. Hu recalls that in Anchorage half the overseas Chinese population turned out to welcome him.

His supporters also included Min Sheng Pao, a Taiwan newspaper that paid him for articles on his trip. And he is grateful to the overseas branches of the ROC Government Information Office for helping him arrange his itinerary and meetings with reporters. He also thanked Sinorama for publishing a picture of him in the desert, which he says enabled many overseas Chinese to recognize him and treat him so warmly.

At 4:10 p.m. on April 17th Hu Jung-hua on his Blue Camel completed his round-the-world trip at the foot of the Tokyo Tower, and on the 19th he returned home to a warm welcome in the ROC Hu now merely wants to report the good news to the friends who helped him in countries around the world and express his thanks. For the next two or three years he plans to settle down, look after his mother, and start to think about marriage.

Hu Jung-hua has no further plans for adventure at present. As to whether he might ever consider another round-the-world bicycle trip, he replies, "Once is enough!"

[Picture Caption]

Hu Jung-hua poses with "Blue Camel" in the desert.

Obtaining visas from 39 countries helped Hu Jung-hua to realize his lifelong dream. (photo by Chien Yung-pin)

(Above) This Ecuadoran child's favorite drink is--soda pop.

(Below) The ruins left from Peru's Incan empire had long been an object of Hu's fascination.

Hu had a happy encounter with a French cyclist who was also circling the globe.

(Above) Women in the Ivory Coast put their heads to work.

(Below) Pupils sit on the ground in an open-air classroom in India.

A routine chore before setting out--packing. (photo by Chien Yung-pin)

(Above) In India, Moslems prepare to take a purifying dip in the pool.

(Below) Pools of dye in Morocco.

After over 42,00O km, Hu had gotten to "understand himself and see the world." (photo by Chien Yung-pin)

Hu felt a host of emotions as he came to his final destination, Japan. (photo by Arthur Jeng)

(Above) The scenery in Southeast Asia is reminiscent of home.

In Malaysia the telephone booths have coverings similar to the girl students'.

Obtaining visas from 39 countries helped Hu Jung-hua to realize his lifelong dream. （photo by Chien Yung-pin）

（Above） This Ecuadoran child's favorite drink is--soda pop.

（Below） The ruins left from Peru's Incan empire had long been an object of Hu's fascination.

Hu had a happy encounter with a French cyclist who was also circling the globe.

（Above） Women in the Ivory Coast put their heads to work.

（Below） Pupils sit on the ground in an open-air classroom in India.

A routine chore before setting out--packing. （photo by Chien Yung-pin）

（Above） In India, Moslems prepare to take a purifying dip in the pool.

（Below） Pools of dye in Morocco.

After over 42,00O km, Hu had gotten to "understand himself and see the world." （photo by Chien Yung-pin）

（Above） The scenery in Southeast Asia is reminiscent of home.

In Malaysia the telephone booths have coverings similar to the girl students'.

Hu felt a host of emotions as he came to his final destination, Japan. （photo by Arthur Jeng）