Feedback

Here is a selection of feedback from our bikers from past trips.  If you have biked with us recently and would like to add your comments - then send us your feedback and we will add it here.

Articles and Feedback (click the link below to hop to selected piece)

Neil Opperman, NZ - NZ - The Dog's Bollocks, January 2012

I's just like to thank you for the wonderful ride, great vista's, excellent and varied terrain, and beneficent guiding. In the words of great philosopher Arnie - I will be back!

Murray Brass, NZ - Laos, November 2011

I'll remember Laos for the stunning scenery and lovely people (and of course, the hills and sticky rice!) A very worthwhile and well run trip off the beaten track.

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Hamish Wilcox, NZ - Laos, November 2011

Exceeded all my expectations in every area!! The biking was as challenging and demanding as anyone would want and the people and scenery were just amazing. Forested quiet roads, quaint little villages and super tasty food washed down with great local Lao beer. What more could anyone want!!!! I would return to Luang Prabang for sure, one of the most beautiful towns I have ever visited.

Thanks Mandy and John for putting together an awesome package with the right balance of everything! We'll be back!! Back to the top.

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Ulrika Silfverberg, NZ/Sweden - Laos, November 2011

Biking in Laos was an amazing experience. The beauty of the country, it's people, food and rich history made my legs pedal on, even up those hills. The hills did scare me a bit at first, but my fear wore off due to the encouragement and support I got from Mandy and John and the group. Mandy and John's preparation for this trip paid off, it was hugely fun and successful!!  Cheers from Ulrika
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Poem by Janice Pritchard, Canada - Laos, November 2011

Welcome to Laos where the elephants once roamed.
The land that the Lao, Khmu and Hmong call home.
Luang Prabang is a beauty, feel your cares say goodbye.
The mist tops the mountains , the Mekong flows by.
The rice here gets planted, the Lao reap what they sow.
But unlike their neighbours they stop to hear it grow.

 

We come from opposite ends of the earth,
We are all here to do our part.
The young'uns have lungs and legs of steel,
The oldsters just have heart.
Our first day is lovely, to the elephants we go
Not too far or too hot or too fast or too slow.
We pick out our animal, you want one that's cute.
You can even ride on the head and be the mahout.

 

Then off to the mountains, we leave in the morn.
We meet pour posh van, quickly dubbed "Thailand Porn"
But our bikes soon appear and the adventure begins
The peddling gets harder, we start paying for our sins.
With Ghoi at the front and Heung in the rear
And always with Mandy and John quite near
We test our condition, our spirit and strength
And do our best on each ride regardless of length.

 

What goes up keeps on going, or that's how it appears.
But eventually the top of the mountain is near.
And then , oh the joy, the excitement, the fun
The 20k. downhills are a treat for the bum.
We drop down from the mountain , we race into the rain
We are welcomed in by a Hmong woman, soon we all feel her pain.

 

The mountains go on forever, it seems like they never end.
More magnificent vistas around every bend.
As fast as you count them the villages slip by one, two, three
Full of chickens, pigs and babies- smiling and singing sape dee.
Our drivers teach petanque to us, we attempt it without fear.
They always seem to win however, they never buy the beer.

 

The fun isn't over so we hop into a boat.
It looks so "authentic" we are sure it will float.
Then on to our bikes for one last kick at the can
We fly down the highway right into Prabang.
Then the time has come to get back home to our lives
Some miss their little boy, some miss their wives.
So with sad hearts and strong muscles we say goodbye to our crew
And once again John and Mandy, a very fond Adieu.
Back to the top.

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Justin Calder, NZ - NZ Heaphy Experience, September 2011

Hi Mandy & John,
Firstly Kay and I would like to thank you both for making such a fantastic trip possible for us both. We couldn't have scripted a better trip - it exceeded our expectations on every level. Your organisation and planning was great as was the food & John's presentation - not at all what we have been used to when self catering tramping trips but we enjoyed the luxury !
The rest day in Golden Bay after trip was capped off by the live music and dinner back at Mussel Inn. We cruised homeward on Friday but stopped off in Kaikoura and attended the local Seafest event which was a very good way to complete the trip.
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PdfDiary by Steve Newport, NZ - NZ Heaphy Experience, September 2011

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Sarah Floyd, USA - China & Tibet, August 2011

We have just finished an amazing 16 days of riding beginning and ending in the city of Chengu and making a loop to the Tibetan Plateau including about 500 miles of cycling and 4 mountain passes at 12-13,000 ft elevation--WHEW! It's the highest we have ever been:) We cycled through rice paddies at harvest time, visited the only panda breeding center in the world (newborn pandas are NOT cute), attended a Sichuan Opera, Scott ate meat on a stick, visited a Buddhist Monastery, and nearly mastered the art of eating with chopsticks and using squatty potties (not at the same time). We are looking forward to being able to take a shower in a bathroom where if you drop the soap it doesn't go straight down the toilet. The trip highlight was the Chinese people who were always spontaneous with a smile, a hearty hello, and some sort of a cheer to get us up the miles of hills that we were climbing. Back to the top.

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Alice Melland, 36, Ireland - Kenya & Tanzania, August 2011

IN short, the trip exceeded my expectations in every way. It really did. Theresa, Tim and Joseph were just fabulous, the ratio of riding to rest days was great, the rides were super-challenging but manageable which gave me a great sense of achievement, and cycling was indeed a wonderful way to see the landscape and way of life and interact with locals (thanks obviously to the relationships that have been developed and maintained). Plunger coffee, fabulous food and special birthday treatment?? Who'd have thought. So thanks very much.
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Sarah & Vic Francis, UK - Kenya & Tanzania, August 2011

We cannot thank you enough for this superb opportunity to enjoy such an experience...Vic's already shopping for his mountain bike, Sarah's been spurred on to achieve improved fitness and health and Vic cannot stop referring everything to Africa. We also have some great African goods to educate our school kids with. Nearly one month on and we are still excited and inspired!!
Forgot to mention the uniqueness of the trip, which has obviously been built up with years of contact and local knowledge. We really loved meeting the locals.

Teresa and Tim worked tirelessly to give us the holiday of a lifetime. They were both helpful, friendly, caring, humorous and knowledgeable guides. They were both very calm during our emergency situation and we would trust them to deal with any problems encountered. I found the biking challenging and Tim even fitted my bike with a lower gear; at all times I received encouragement and coaching from both the guides and my team mates. We all felt part of a good team due to their leadership skills. Back to the top.

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Bill Day, New Zealand - Kenya & Tanzania, July 2011

The Mountain biking trip was outstanding. It was certainly a "trip of a lifetime" and I was constantly saying to myself what an utter privilege it was to experience this. I have some glimmering of understanding of how much effort has gone into finding and selecting the routes and camping places. There is no way that we would have seen the sights we did without all the great work you did. I thought the route selection was amazing. The balance of riding days with rest/game touring days was perfect. You should be very proud of what you have created.

I need to make some specific comments about Tim and Theresa. We were probably not an easy or compliant group but those two were not remotely concerned and simply focused upon giving us the trip that we wanted ....and giving it to the highest possible standard. I can't praise them enough. They were amazing...incredibly hardworking, perfect and considerate hosts, totally focused on giving us the best experience possible, flexible enough to meet any of our requests, always upbeat and pleasant......I could go on forever. Tim is highly skilled in the riding and servicing of the bikes. (The bikes were excellent by the way) He was very willing to share his knowledge and skills. You could not possibly get better people than these two. Joseph was also great.....working in with Tim and Theresa and always good with your guests.
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Anita & Ernie Winch, Canada - Kenya & Tanzania, June 2011

The only way to fully understand how incredible our experience would be to try it yourself. Sixteen days that will always be remembered. An amazing trip that has set the bar high for adventures to come. In a league all it's own. Have made some fantastic new friends from NZ, Australia and Belgium who we will be seeing again down the road. Back to the top.

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Bruce Thomas, New Zealand - Kenya & Tanzania, June 2011

Mary and I had an absolutely fantastic trip through Kenya and Tanzania with Escape Adventures. Every day was a new experience and few of them were too extreme. It was very humbling to see how happy the people were particularly the kids when they had so little. It really makes you appreciate what we have got back in NZ.  It is really hard to describe to people how great the adventure was as it is hard to compare to what most people experience when they go overseas.
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Owen Brown, Australia - Kenya & Tanzania, June 2011

Hello Mandy & John

Thanks for your efforts in organizing before going - Mandy your encouragement was very special. Then John, what can one say?  Watch that glint in the eye carefully.  You have sometimes wondered if I was enjoying my time in Africa much... The answer is yes very muchly, a great eye/mind opener with similarities to central Australia but with vast differences. The more I share with others about my experience the more I realize how much into my being I have taken the time, places and people seen, and mostly those I shared the time with.  Thanks again Owen Back to the top.

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Tim Akroyd, New Zealand - NZ Heaphy Experience, May 2011

I didn't expect university qualifications as a prerequisite for our guides! Both Mark and Brian were positive and knowledgeable. I did not appreciate what a load the carried until well into the trip. Both were safety conscious but allowed us to have fun and find our own limits and pace. Great company at the stops.

As a final comment I had high expectations about this trip having heard the buzz about the Heaphy and I would have to say the trip exceeded all those expectations. We all enjoyed the riding and surroundings, and having seen other riders getting into trouble with gear failure and injuries it was great to have the security of great gear and guides. Having everything supplied made it easy for us to fit a great adventure into a tight time schedule.

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Tom Croker, New Zealand - NZ Heaphy Experience, May 2011

Really great trip, would recommend it to anyone who is reasonably fit and enjoys biking and would like to taste the best soup in the world, cup-a-soup @ McKay hut. Back to the top.

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Janet Leith, New Zealand - China & Tibet, August 2010

Thanks John and Mandy for organizing such a wonderful trip through China/Tibet. Charlie and I had a wonderful time - no two days were the same. Your attention to safety, variety of experiences, selection of food, accommodation and still having fun was terrific and much appreciated. The trip is very well designed to cope with altitude - having never been as high as that before - by taking one day at a time it was great. Managed to buy souvenirs where and when needed and no pressure on anyone stopping for photos. This was our first trip with Escape Adventures and would love to do more.

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The Daniels Family, UK - Kenya & Tanzania Family Trip, August 2010
'NORMAL IS BORING'

We came away to Africa with Erin, Joe & Tim,
The boys seemed kind & full of fun....She seemed rather dim.

We climbed aboard Sabrina, all shiny, clean & white.
Shame that 2 days later we had covered her in....dirt.

We left behind our luxuries and soon we thought it cool:
Showering from a plastic bag, and shitting through a stool.

We came to Robert's campsite, without a blade of grass.
The devil thorns lay all around, and pricked us in the arse.

Next came Amboseli, another grassless site,
Where Lions & Hyaenas kept us all awake at night.

At Solomon's we climbed the rock, and our experience proves:
What maasai children really like is learning disco moves.

On the final day in Kenya, our cycling was stinky.
Erin said she'd whip us all, which sounded kinda kinky.

In Arusha we went shopping. Tim thought that it was ‘ripper'
When we came back with a squeaky horn and G string with a zipper.

The visit to Ngorongoro started really boring.
Then a lion sat beside the van and tried to stick its paw in.

The site by the Pangani we were lucky to survive,
With crocodiles & mozzies trying to eat us all alive.

We climbed the Usambaras on a bumpy mountain trail.
Simon got abandoned & you should have heard him wail.

We visited Mkuzi school and thought their dance was funky.
They weren't sure what to make of Dan when he made like a monkey.

Next up came the football match, the pitch a sloping hill.
We played the locals off the park, but somehow lost three nil.

Next day we were woken by the sound of falling rain.
We still set off to cycle though, but Dad got lost again.

And then we reached the Ocean's shore and went in for a paddle.
Our backsides glowing black & blue from two weeks in the saddle.

(This is when it gets all sad & emotional)

And finally, Dar es Salaam.... ‘Haven of Peace' it means.
Our final destination and the focus of our dreams.

We've had an awesome holiday, the kind that can't be beaten.
The only minor drawback was the risk of getting eaten.

So thank you Joe and thank you Tim, and thanks the kitchen fairy.
It's time to pack our bags and say one final, last 'Kwaheri'

And when we all are back at school or work next Monday morning,
This special phrase will help us through the day:
‘Normal is boring'

 

Not exactly Keats, but it rhymes (most of the time). Back to the top.

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Mark Szolin-Jones, UK - Kenya & Tanzania Family Trip, July 2010

The whole holiday went so well.  Everything that could have gone right did and nothing that could have gone wrong wrong did.  Tim, Erin and Joseph were above and beyond the call of duty and we got on well with the other family.  Almost too perfect, its going to take some beating.

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Tom Withyman, UK - Kenya & Tanzania Family Trip, July 2010
Mandy, We just wanted to repeat to you our thanks to Tim, Erin and Joseph for a quite wonderful holiday. The whole family had a great time on many different fronts and it was a fabulous first introduction for our children to travel in a developing country. The combination of the biking, camping, the local people and the wildlife provided real variety. We each had different highlights but the visit to the school and football match, the lions' night-time visit to camp and the dinner on the rock next to the Masai villages stand out.

We can't speak highly enough of your team and the effort they put in to make our holiday special. They were always cheerful and helpful and we had a lot of fun. Having always travelled independently before, it was very relaxing to have them take all the responsibility and the balance between letting us go and identification of "hazards" was just right. Even with the lions, we felt your team was in control at all times. Joseph will remain a hero for his all night vigil keeping the fire in, armed with Tim's spear!

The cooking was great, lots of variety, tasty food and plenty to eat. The bikes were good, we loved Sabrina and even if we wimped out with a few rooms at times we loved the camping too. The cycling was about right - I'd have liked more, Charlotte probably less, so a difficult one.

Tim and Erin made a big effort with William and Charlotte and Charlotte and Erin in particular bonded really well. Even when they had short opportunities for a break, they would swim with us, play games and keep us entertained. All three were great fun and really good company.

We're not sure how we're going to find another holiday quite like this! Tom Back to the top.

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Brenda Bartlett, New Zealand - Kenya and Tanzania, July 2010
Well done Escape Adventures, this trip is truly amazing. Tim and Erin were perfect, in fact they were that perfect that I would employ them. The dynamics of the couple were amazing. They were always happy, motivated and professional. They bought out the best in every situation. We all felt extremely lucky to have such great tour guides, in fact they would have to be a major highlight of our Africa holiday. Joseph was fantastic and a real asset to your team, nothing was too much trouble for him, and he was a real pleasure to be around.


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Miranda Beuzenberg, New Zealand - Kenya and Tanzania, July 2010
Absolutely every single day was a highlight because everything (terrain, sights and people) was so varied and interesting. I loved the huge variety, even the really hard days of sand-riding and corrugated tracks. If I really have to identify a highlight I guess it would be the day riding the walking tracks through the Masaii villages from Robert's camp to the rock at Moses' camp. My all-time favourite camp was the River Camp, with the showers, bush babies, crocodiles, trees, lake...Beautiful in every way. And Amboseli is treasured in my memories because of the excitement of the animals all around us, the fire, the close tent circle to add excitement and plentiful water to wash clothes. However I absolutely loved the variety of each camping site, and actually preferred the tenting sites to the upgrade sites due to your brilliant mattresses. They were awesome.

Erin and Tim were AMAZING. Full of energy, caring, considerate, thoughtful, positive, cheerful, and didn't stop working from first light til bedtime. OMG fabulous! Joseph was very gentle, helpful, patient. Worked very very well with Erin and Tim so the three made a great team. Back to the top.

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Poem by Janice Pritchard (on her forth trip with us), Canada - Chile & Argentina, January 2010
Patagonia Sin Represas

When it's 30 below and you're shovelling snow
Your mind thinks of going away.
So you pack up your bike, make everything  right
And fly down south to Chile.

Puerto Montt has some charms, mainly fish farms
And before  we have aa dinner of salmon
We meet up with the crew, they're mighty but few
And John says,"Right ,let's bike man."

The roads they are rough, but our backsides get tough
As we bike our way past lakes so deep
We stop at a farm, with cabanas so warm
And next night camp in a field with the sheep.

We pick up 3 boys, with not enough toys
As we head to the Argentine border.
The bambinos don't get there, it doesn't seem fair
But next trip their gear will be in order.

With speed boat and ox beasts we head for the East
And cross many lakes in a day.
The border guard hurries and stamps while we worry
That Argentina is too far away.

It's not that we suffer, but it's hard to get supper
In Argentina before 9 or 10.
But the loom is divine, well worth the time
To wait till we get fed again.

In Patagonia we know the winds they do blow.
And always they come from the West.
Up and down hills we go, I'm still very slow
But a tail wind is always the best.

It seems that it rains on the Patagonian plains
And sometimes it feels we're at sea.
But John keeps good cheer with the help of a beer
While he switches the trip to Plan C.

Of course the rain stops and we bike to the top
Of a valley so green and so hilly.
The countryside's bare of people to care
What happens to this part of Chile.

She's tough to know.  So much ice so much snow.
But she certainly does impress us.
She's a biker's delight, full of wonderful sights.
She's Patagonia Sin Represas.

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Mark Ens, Canada - Kenya and Tanzania, October 2009
I can't think of big enough words to describe how amazing this trip was. I've never ridden "off-road" and I've never tented, but If it's all like this I'll do it again!
Back to the top.

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Emmanuel Jimennez, Philippines - China and Tibet, September 2009
John: Thanks a million for everything.  You crafted a briliant itinerary and implemented it skillfully, making many changes to adjust what were sometimes trying and unpredicatable conditions.  Also I think your leadership had a lot to do with the great chemistry that bound the whole team together.


This was truly a memorable experience.  Aside from the exhilaration of the biking, the itinerary offers a wonderful exposure to diverse cultures, scenery and culinary delights.  I recommend it highly. Back to the top.

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Caroline Denee, New Zealand - Kenya and Tanzania, August 2009
This tour has it all.  Stunning scenery from Mt Kilimanjaro to the Indian Ocean and everything in between.  The dry bush, the lush forest of the Usambara Mountains, the colourful Maasai people, the wildlife, the game parks and the local people we met along the way - always willing to smile, to laugh and to make us feel welcome in their country.  So much variety packed into one trip, the most amazing experience you can have on a bike.

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Monk & Rosie Mann, USA - Kenya and Tanzania, August 2009
Mandy & John,
From both Rosie and I, a special thank you!! The bike trip was outstanding and a very special thank you to Dave for all he did to get Rosie to the finish line! What a fabulous group we had on this trip. Everyone got along and it was fun for us to experience the new language we learned from the brits and newzealanders!!!

I do have a comment about the trip - I would make no changes!! I was amazed at each days route and how John was able to find the back roads and campsites along the way. Camping is what makes this trip so special. The food was the best - Tarn is a super cook and quite a character!!!

Again from both of us...THANK YOU!!!! Also, a special thank you to Dave, Tarn, and Joseph. Back to the top.

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Gillian Arcone, UK - Kenya and Tanzania, August 2009
Hi Mandy. The holiday was amazing and we truly had a wonderful time. It was hard at times - I was not as prepared as I thought for the biking. I know the bus is the option but when you are there you really want to ride it! And of course I had not realised that we would have to put up and take down our tents!!!! However this all became part of a great holiday and we had so much fun because of the tents!

The group was so special we were a family - that was really fantastic. Tarn & Dave are great people - Tarn delighted us with her cooking and sense of humour, Dave always organised, calm, funny and took really good care of us. Joseph quiet & funny was always there to help.

Congratulations to you, an amazing holiday and amazing crew.

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Linda Davies, UK - Kenya and Tanzania Family Trip, July 2009
Mandy - Hi, it was brilliant - a holiday of a lifetime and really inspirational - in fact it delivered for us on several levels - as individuals and as a family. An immense team you have - you are so much bigger than in number and we can't thank Dave, Tarn and Joseph enough for their energy, support, wisdom and patience; I hope we can stay in touch.

...Thank you for the research and for coming up with such a stunning iitinery. It's been a long time since a holiday has been able to feed the soul - I might have to do another next year!! Back to the top.

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Alex Thomson, Canada - Tanzania, October 2008
Dear John & Mandy,  Ruth & I have just returned home, having had a trip of a lifetime in Tanzania with Escape Adventures.  Our full group gelled very well and thoroughly enjoyed Dave, Elysia, Joseph, and support vehicle: Sabrina.  The trip provided Ruth & I awonderful insight to the people, the land, and the wildlife of this beautiful country.  Your company was extremely well represented by your team.  I loved them all.  We can't begin to express how pleased we were with everything.  This note gives a big hug to our team and a warm thanks to you for your excellent choice in staff and adventure sites.  Sincerely, Alex

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Story by Brian Anderson (on his second trip with us), Canada - China and Tibet, September 2008
From Air China inflight magazine:"Under the vicissitude and hoodwinkers through the ages, the climax of life is still where it starts to sail, with its pristine nature unchanged deep in the bustle". You find this sort of rubble-writing when translators try to attach English words to the Chinese picturesque language symbols.   We're just back from 16 days of cycling the west-central area of China. We biked almost 800 kms., reaching into the Tibetan highlands and touching some of the rural, raw and wonderful landscape of the country.  

 

We first visited the Panda Bear Research Station in Chengdu where pandas are bred in captivity. This spring, they had 9 pandas give birth to 15 young cubs (and pandas can only rear one at a time) so there were young being raised by handlers in an atmosphere not unlike a neo-natal ward. Evidently pandas are cute in a wooly, black and white way. They move occasionally and with a languid calm. They look like they might have a pretty good sense of humour, even on their gritty diet of bamboo.  

 

Another highlight was getting a glimpse of the Tibetan province. The Tibetan plateau is regarded as the foothills to the Himalayas so it took a bit of doing on bikes. One hot day we climbed for 38 kms. to an altitude of about 14,000 ft.. I was leaking oil by lunch time. You needed to call up your personal mantra, put you in the motivational trance needed for the job. But it was worth it. The plateau is a land of Tibetan monks and monasteries, nomads with their small herds of yaks, and where you escape the congestion of China proper. We visited a  monastery bustling with the activity which makes them famous. Perhaps bustling is the wrong word for 30 monks chanting in the gloom and incense of their mid-day workout. We all felt a small donation would be appropriate given the great privilege of being guided through the building by a senior monk. And money was everywhere, tucked in amongst the burning candles, in boxes, in every gap in the woodwork. The monks seemed indifferent even to collecting it. We also were guided to a special bedroom on an upper floor where the 7th, 9th and 14th (current) Dalai Lama had slept. It was a shrine,

 

If a communist is someone who has given up all hope of becoming a capitalist,  we certainly didn't find many communists. Villages are bulging with one-room shops, cities seem to overflow with them...and everything else. Chengdu city has over 4 million folk and everyone seems busy making money or spending it.  As we had expected, pollution is one inevitable side effect of so much new growth in the country, and bad practices are hard to overcome. The black stink of diesel haunts the air, sewage is drained into whatever seems convenient, and the Chinese truly love to blow their vehicle horns. There must be hundreds of situations in the Chinese driving code calling for the use of horns (passing, not passing, turning, thinking of turning, greeting, warning, give-way, why didn't you give way?,  it's Monday.....you get the idea). The high grassland of the Tibetan plateau is much fresher, if only because the population is sparse (by China standards) and they seem to prefer motorbikes to cars. But yet, everywhere, the country is clean, much cleaner than, say, Italy or Ireland. Street cleaners are everywhere, even on the highways, with brooms. One of the many curiosities of the place: the air and water are dirty, but the land is clean.  

 

We also saw something of the life of a typical Chinese rural family: Child, parents and grandparents in the same house; pigs, chickens and goats in a small poopy sty  in the open 'basement' of the house (handy for tossing in scraps); satellite dish and big screen TV for absorbing political messages; sewage draining into a small cement tank in the backyard which was capped to produce methane gas used by the kitchen stove; the excess sewage went for garden fertilizer; and every inch of space devoted to plants of some sort.   There is a lot of heavy lifting going on in the countryside. Planting and harvesting is still hands-on, toting heavy sacks, shuffling about with two large water buckets across the shoulders, stooping and stacking, many hands flailing the rice harvest into the collecting boxes.   When people are idle, they have a passion for gambling, and a favourite card game is "beat the landlord" (an obvious poke at privilege and power preached by the Revolution, but which now seem to be the aspiration of the modern Chinese). It's a game of all-against-one, team play with the odds generally favouring the little people. The Chinese were fascinated to see a group of Westerners playing their national game.  

 

And you might wonder about the food. If it walks, flies or floats, the Chinese will eat it; basically, anything they can bite. I tried frog and eel, but not the 'brittle bones of chicken claw'. The yak milk tea (mostly yak milk) is very good. Generally, the heavy emphasis on spices and sauces stuns the western taste buds - as though the sun wrapped in flame was rising on your tongue - so that texture of food is the lasting impression....and that's why you avoid buckwheat noodles. Feels like something slowly passed through a live dog. With a bit more exposure, appreciation of the food increases. There is so much variety, unique blends (meats, shoots and leaves), eggplants, tofus, cabbages, none of which appealed to me until put through a good Chinese kitchen.  

 

Overall, this was a remarkable adventure in every sense. And the trip leaders, John and Mandy, who also own the company (www.escapeadventures.co.nz) take such care in planning, organizing and client service that all you have to do is show up.  Ours was a pin-hole view of Chinese and Tibetan lifestyle/culture, but enough to see the warts and contradictions, the orderly chaos, the industriousness, the warm and friendly smiles, Chinese opera, and to marvel at the landscape.  In a nation that populated and complex, you're amazed not that things get done well, but that they get done at all. You see very little sharp-edged poverty. Staying clear of politics and social policy, I certainly have a greater admiration for China, vicissitudes and hoodwinkers notwithstanding. Back to the top.

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Poem by Janice Pritchard (on her third trip with us), Canada - China and Tibet, September 2008

Opposites Attract
Oh East is East and West is West
And never the twain shall meet.
Til six brave bikers ride side by side
And attempt to cross the street.

 

Oh, you may talk of your feats of bravery
Of strength and derring-do
But you are nobody til you you've cycled
Through the streets of old Chengdu

 

Oh, Black is Black and White is White
And hopefully the two do meet
Then incubators fill with babies galore,
Little pandas that look so sweet.

 

Oh, Up is Up and Down is Down
And eventually the two must meet.
But only at the top of Jaido Pass
When you reach 14,124 feet.

 

Oh,  Sit is Sit and Squat is Squat
And you rarely find and seat.
So you must learn when in China
To pee between your feet.

 

Oh, Spice is Spice and Plain is Plain
Be careful with Chinese meat.
It will burn your mouth and fry your brain,
Sichuan means hot- not sweet.

 

Oh, South is South and North is North
But sometimes the twain do meet.
When bikers from opposites ends of the Earth
Meet to travel over China's peaks.
Back to the top.

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Sarah & Scott Floyd, USA - Tanzania, August 2008
We had a fantastic trip with Escape - what a wonderful way to see Africa.  Thank you so much.  You have a fantastic company - your customer service is just amazing.

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Wendy Benoit, Canada - Kenya and Tanzania, September 2007
Hi there Mandy! Just wanted to say WOW, you folks have truly left no stone, or more correctly, no wheel unturned. From my first contact with you via pretrip e-mails, right down to when the group parted ways and rode off into the 'sunset'; all was great! Back to the top.

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Clare Cook, UK - Kenya and Tanzania, August 2007
A spiritual experience that has left a profound impact on me. Every stage was a privilege and we kept saying at the end of every day: "it doesn't matter what happens from now on cos we've had our money's worth". More than everything the trip offers a unique way to not only see but experience Africa and it's wonderful people.

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Jane Thurnell-Read, UK - Kenya and Tanzania, July 2007
Brilliant! I have done supported tours in USA, Cuba, Brazil and Europe and this is the gold standard in terms of support, food, attention to detail, professionalism, friendliness etc. etc. I cannot recommend this company too highly. Go have fun! Back to the top.

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Andrew Gambrell, UK - Kenya and Tanzania, June 2007
In essence I thought this was an incredible trip for both a cyclist or someone who just wants to get some feeling of what East Africa is like. I'm biased as I know that being on a bike is the best way to see a country but this is just a great journey. The relationships you have built on the way are a testament to you all and how you run this trip. All biking holiday companies should come on this to see how it should be done.....

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Anja Pluschke, Australia - Uganda / Kenya and Tanzania, May and June 2007
Africa? On a mountain bike? Are you crazy?? Just some of the comments I received before I headed off to Eastern Africa to do both the Ugandan and Kenya/Tanzanian bike trips offered by Escape Adventures. If you want to experience Africa in a unique and fascinating way - This is it! (trust me). As I was pedalling along some Maasai walking tracks and (ok I admit it) carrying my bike down some short (too steep for me) sections in the Usumbara Mountains, I kept thinking 'How on earth did John and Mandy find these remote and 'funky' sections of East Africa to cycle through??' I'm sure glad they did though, because these areas are far off the tourist beaten track and for this reason so much more special. Cycling past children so excited to see Muzungus they are almost crying is a pretty overwhelming experience as well. A little warning though, if you have the balancing skill of a wildebeast (of which you should see millions - well at least thousands) don't attempt to wave to the children at any great speed, because you'll come a cropper, to gales and peals of laughter! However, if you dust yourself off quickly and hop back on your bike, your dignity may be relatively preserved... but 'Oh what the heck, you're mountain biking in Africa - How cool is that??' If you've thought about cycling in Africa with Escape Adventures - Do it! If you've dreamed about it- Do it! If you're reading this now, wondering if you should do it - Do it! I strongly recommend it as a once in a lifetime experience that can be summarised by the words "Simply Fantastic"! Back to the top.

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Christopher Whitfeld (age 69) on his second trip with us, UK - Uganda, May 2007
"Uganda is the pearl of Africa," said Winston Churchill. His assessment of that country is reproduced on a loo wall in Jinja. You will find it when you get on your bike and go there with Escape Adventures. You will discover it is true. And you will not be disappointed as you stand outside that loo and watch the sun setting over the Nile. You will not be disappointed as you lie in your tent and listen to the night jungle noises in the tall surrounding trees. You will not be disappointed as you cycle through the villages to the laughing, chanting greetings of a hundred children. You will not be disappointed even when challenged, hands behind your back, to a straw-eating contest. Just go... And see for yourself.

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Karen Savage (on her third trip with us), New Zealand - Chile, February 2007
I truly enjoyed every day as such a tour is my ideal way of relaxing. My brain can stop still, I don't have to cook, yet I can enjoy good company, good food and personal physical challenges on my bike. I can do what I enjoy all day without guilt. I am not the 'cruise' or 'bus-tour' type tourist. I need to be actively involved in my travel. Back to the top.

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Caroline Derouet, Canada - Kenya and Tanzania, October 2006
The only concerns I had about the trip were personal ones, for example getting sick or getting mugged. The 'lonely planet' books have a way of making it seem like you're taking your life in your hands by visiting Africa. I did feel better when I read your 'myths about Africa' section on the website but I only truly felt better when I got there and saw how safe it was. Back to the top.

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Jim Eyden and Karen Nicholls, Canada - Kenya and Tanzania, June 2006
We had a fantastic holiday with Escape Adventures and it was everything we had hoped for and more. We saw most of the wild animals Africa is famous for and in their natural habitat as we biked across the plains and mountains of Kenya and Tanzania. It is truly a thrill to be biking along and have a view of a herd of Giraffe,Zebra or gazelle pass in front of you. The views of the landscapes in the Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro and Usambara Mountains were breathtaking. Escape Adventure staff were very knowledgeable and offered unique insights into the cultural differences of the regions as well as interesting facts about the unique vegetation, farming practices and lifestyles. We particularly enjoyed visiting a small pre-school and conversing with local Masai people. The biking was challenging on some days but not too difficult so it appeals to a wide variety of capabilities and there were opportunities for more experienced riders to put the hammer down.

 

One other footnote is that the camp food on the trip was anything but camp food and we truly enjoyed the variety and the quality of what was provided. Thanks for your recommendation and if I return to Africa I would most likely use Escape Adventures as the tour provider. Back to the top.

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Megan Williams, USA - Kenya and Tanzania, December 2005
This trip offers a unique opportunity to those who wish to see Africa from more than a bus window or a lodge balcony. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to bike, be outside, and camp. Mandy, John, and Nash, the trip leaders, are knowledgeable and personable. John's family immigrated from Kenya to New Zealand, Nash is from a village North of Nairobi, and Mandy is an awesome cook--plying us with fresh biscotti and fruit on our bike breaks and cooking us pancakes in the morning to get us jump started. They have carefully researched routes and places to give the group a diverse experience of the landscapes and people in Kenya and Tanzania. A sample day best demonstrates this trip's character. We began the day early--breaking camp from inside Amboseli National Park with a game drive where we saw the big five. We then drove for about 45 minutes out of the park to bike across dry Lake Amboseli which was so hot that mirages of water shimmered on either side of us. We ended the day at the base of a huge rock outcropping near a Masaai village that Escape Adventures has developed a relationship with over the years. That evening, we had a "colonial" dinner of wine, fresh cheeses, salads, and fruits, on the rock. With the sun setting in the distance over the savanna and the silhouettes of acacia trees and the occasional giraffe's head, we lit a camp fire and spoke (via Nash, our translator) with two of the leaders of the Masaai village as a prelude to our visit to their actual homes the next day. As this stellar day should reveal, this trip offers a once in a life time opportunity to the person who wishes to learn more about the people, and not just the animals, in Africa. Two thumbs up!

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An email to Mandy's father Roger:
By Christopher Whitfeld (aged 68), UK - Kenya and Tanzania, September 2005

The slave trade from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam is alive and kicking, thanks to the treatment meted out by John & Mandy, aided and abetted by one Nash.

We were driven, in (bicycle) chains as it were, up hill and up more hill, through thorn fields, sandstorms and the heat of the day, across the Maasai plains and parched lakes, into the Usambara mountains... till we finally fell, dusty and exhausted, into the Indian Ocean at Bagamoyo. It was hell on two wheels... It was wonderful... Escape Adventure? We had the adventure, but there was no escape.

No, that's not at all what Mandy wanted me to tell you. OK, it was a fab trip, really really enjoyed by both Carole and me. Yes, it was seriously challenging, that's the honest truth, but we survived and, even if I say it reluctantly - which of course I don't - John and your daughter were magnificient - superb in all their doings (and some of their doings are pretty strange for we mere westerners). They led us effectively and efficiently, gently spurring us on and accepting our limitations and weaknesses with generous sympathy. And Nash was always there behind us to pick up the pieces when necessary - which was occasionally, but not too often!

As anticipated, some of the going was on the rough side for us non-mountain bikers, but that was more than compensated for by the excellence of the company, the fodder and the sense of achievement at the end of each day - all with the added bonus of meeting people and seeing places well off the normal tourist trail. A highly commendable and enterprising idea of John's which we are so pleased to have been able to benefit from. Back to the top.

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Off the Beaten Track
By Dave Mitchell, New Zealand - Kenya and Tanzania, August 2004
Someone once said "its not the things in life you do that you come to regret but the things you don't do" So when the opportunity to visit Africa and in particular East Africa by bicycle came along I jumped on board. It was an Escape Adventures trip organised by John Etherington, a New Zealand dude with a wicked sense of humour.

 

The trip cruises through Kenya from Nairobi taking back roads and trails into Tanzania and ends in Dar es Salaam. Apart from reading the ramblings in the Economist and watching the odd wildlife skit I was blissfully ignorant of Africa, but was sure it would be an adventure.We had a back up vehicle named Turtle to carry the camping kit and food. Turtle and its trailer are probably the closest a vehicle has ever got to Swiss army knife status with its fold out kitchen, slide out pantry, pop up roof tent and hidden attachments too numerous to name. John was a motor mechanic in a past life, a useful trade for these remote trips. His sidekick Mandy was in charge of food and rode her trusty creaking Specialized FSR mountain bike. Tail end Charlie, Nash a local Kenyan, did the driving, interpreting and a bit of everything else. Lucy Ireland a London lass, Lynda Pedley and Glenn MacCrimmon a Canadian couple who have cycled most of the globe and myself made up the A team.

 

We left Nairobi taking the back roads through the gently rolling country to Amboseli National Park and our first breath taking view of Mt Kilimanjaro, its snow top just poking out of the clouds. The road surface was hard packed red dirt but we made the most of the local bike trails running parallel or short cutting the route. Giraffe, zebra and gazelle cruised across our path heading through the acacia forest and Masai villages we were encountering on the way. The local kids came running out of these villages to cheer us on, as if we were in a race.

At the edge of the Park we swap our bikes for the security of the 4WD and head out on safari with our cameras and binoculars at the ready. Its almost surreal watching herds of zebra, wildebeest, and elephant trundling around below the watchful eye of a hazy Mount Kilimanjaro. The hippos were doing what they do best, which involves mud and water. It was all too much to take in as we headed to camp for the night. We watched Kili clear of cloud as the sun set and the moon rose,