NIBONG TEBAL, MALAYSIA - After completing a solo cycling trip to Beijing during the Olympic Games last August, grandfather David Munusamy Reddie has now set his eyes on conquering Europe.
The 57-year-old retired Tenaga Nasional Bhd technician, who took up cycling after a heart bypass surgery in 2003, said he planned to cycle through 16 nations in the European continent in about 90 days from July 25.
'I opened my house for tourists to stay for free and of the estimated 200 who had stayed in my house here in the last six years, at least 80 of them are from Europe.
'So, this will be sort of a reciprocal visit to their place, besides promoting Malaysia and fulfilling a childhood dream of seeing Europe,' he said at his house in Jalan Bangau 2, Taman Minamah here yesterday.
David will fly to Switzerland and look up his friend, Bettina Leuthold in Winden, Thurgau, and get her help to buy, rent or borrow a bicycle for his next mission.
From Switzerland, he said he would cycle to Italy, France, Spain, Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary before returning to Switzerland.
'The overall cost is about RM15,000 (S$6183), which includes a return air-ticket to Switzerland.'
David said he had raised RM6,000 so far, and would embark on a cycling trip round Malaysia and Singapore for 20 days from Sunday to raise more money.
For details on his upcoming European trip, log on to his blog at cyclingineuropejuly2009.blogspot.com or his website at bicycletouringmalaysia.shutterfly.com.
