#CyclingJourney

[minkahsieh]

Episode 1: Departure

14,000 km Back Home: A Woman's Silk Road Journey By Min Hsieh

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Part 1: The Plan

Chapter 1: A Crazy Plan

The hardest part isn't the sheer distance—it's overcoming the fear of the unknown before taking the first step.

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Departure - Germany, Day 0

With my freshly earned wages in hand, I stepped out of a Munich restaurant and embraced my colleagues at the door to say goodbye.

“Leaving tomorrow?” Tamara asked.

“Yes, I got the bike yesterday. Starting tomorrow, I'll be exploring the world!” I replied.

“You're crazy, you know that, right?” Tamara said, gripping my hand. Then she added, “But you're also the best.”

Tamara, from Spain, was my closest colleague in the kitchen. We had an excellent working relationship, and she often said that our team, including the Mexican head chef, was unbeatable.

I had recently moved out of a small rental in the suburbs and stayed temporarily at a friend's place. Once everything was in place, I'd leave Munich, Germany, and embark on my journey home.

Some might call it a crazy plan: cycling from Germany, across Europe and Asia, all the way to Beijing before flying back to Taiwan. I called it “The 14,000-kilometer Back Home.”

To me, the plan itself wasn't crazy. What was crazy was my lack of funds to execute it. I'd been working tirelessly to save money, but as of now, I only had enough to sustain two months of travel. What about after that? I had no idea.

After exchanging a deep hug with Tamara and saying goodbye to the team, I headed home, my mind racing with thoughts of the next steps—washing clothes, organizing luggage, and sending any excess belongings back to Taiwan. But the exhaustion of the day hit me as soon as I walked in, and after barely managing to clean myself up, I collapsed into bed.

The next morning, I spent hours organizing my gear. By noon, I was still debating over a large shawl that had traveled with me to Australia and then to Germany. I couldn't imagine this cycling trip without it.

“It's too big,” I told myself.

“But it's so useful!” I argued back. I set the shawl aside for later and continued to sort my items. Soon, a pile of “deal with later” things grew on the floor.

No matter how many times I meticulously packed my saddlebags, like playing a game of Tetris, I could only fit half of what I wanted to bring. In the end, I stuffed in the absolute essentials, strapped the rest onto the bike haphazardly, and got ready to go.

I wrote an email to friends and family, telling them about my departure, took a commemorative photo, and set off. By the time I glanced at my phone, it was almost 3 PM. How had I wasted so much time?

I climbed onto the bike, gripping the handlebars tightly as the overloaded bike wobbled beneath me. Sweat beaded on my forehead. From this moment onward, the future was a complete unknown.

I took a turn onto the road I used for work every day and bid farewell to the familiar scenery. Yesterday, I was just a cheerful part-timer. Today, I had transformed into a long-distance cyclist on an epic journey across continents.

Where would I sleep tonight? What would my next meal be? What challenges would I face? What if I encountered danger or lost my gear? What would I do when my money ran out? I had no answers, and I wasn't sure I was prepared to find them.

As the reality of my route replaced the lines on my computer map, I felt like I was stepping from a game into a battlefield. It was clear: I wasn't ready—not in skills, knowledge, or even mindset.

The weight of my luggage caused my rear saddlebag to fall off with a loud clatter. A startled passerby stared at me as I struggled to keep the bike steady and retrieve my belongings.

“Are you okay? Do you need help?” she asked kindly, handing me the bag.

“Thank you! I'm so sorry,” I replied, embarrassed.

I spent the next stretch of road repeatedly stopping to pick up fallen gear and reattaching it. Each stop increased my frustration and anxiety as the day grew darker. At one point, I found myself facing two barking dogs, their fierce growls echoing in the twilight. Overwhelmed, I burst into tears.

“Hey! I can't do this. I'm not capable of doing this! Everyone was right—this plan is too crazy. I don't know what I'm doing, and I'm terrified!” I shouted through my tears as I dialed the number of a friend who had offered me a place to stay in Munich.

“Min, calm down. Where are you?” he asked, alarmed.

“I don't know! I'm lost. Dogs are barking at me. I'm still in Munich, but I don't know where exactly!” I sobbed into the phone.

“Okay, okay. I understand. Come back here for now. We can talk about it when you get here,” he said gently.

Holding the phone in one hand, I stared into the encroaching darkness. Returning meant admitting defeat. I didn't want to give up so soon. But the confidence I had held just hours ago had evaporated. I looked down at the barking dogs, unable to find the words to continue.

“Fine,” I finally whispered into the phone.

And just like that, I failed—completely. My journey ended less than two hours after it began.

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Closing Remarks: ✨ Your Turn: Starting a journey is often the hardest step. Have you ever experienced setbacks right at the beginning of something important? Share your story below!

📅 Time Frame: This story chronicles my journey across two continents between November 2013 and October 2014. Published independently in Taiwan in 2021, it is now shared as an English serialized novel through AI translation, connecting with friends worldwide to share this journey of personal growth.

📅 Next Episode: "The Birth of a Plan" Stay tuned!

[printpixiee]

Embrace the Journey on Two Wheels

Embrace the freedom of the open road and the thrill of the ride with our 'Embrace the Journey on Two Wheels' collection. Whether you're a seasoned cyclist or just starting out, our collection celebrates the joy of biking and the sense of adventure it brings. Life is a ride – embrace it on two wheels

[cyclereview]

Van Aert's Giro Dream in Peril: Illness Threatens Pink Jersey Hopes

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[luvinside]

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[cyclingwithjoy-blog]

fixie bike

[universallytimetravelpeanut-blog]

[bblythe-things-blog]

My bike: GIANT XTC-750 My trip begins from Sanyuan Bridge and it lasted for almost 20 days. Lugou Bridge. From Fangshan to Zhuozhou in Hebei Province. By way of Gaobeidian, Dingxing, Xushui Baoding. I rode 173 miles today and#

[minkahsieh]

Episode 22: Greek Food Journey

14,000 km Back Home: A Woman's Silk Road Journey By Min Hsieh

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Part 1: The Plan Chapter 4: Setting Foot on the Silk Road "I am doing something that will make me like myself more after I've done it."

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Greek Food Journey – Greece, DAY 63

After finding downtown Patras, Yorg drove me back to his place.

Yorg was a university student in Patras who shared an apartment with another roommate. His roommate had gone to his parents' home for a couple of days, so it was just Yorg and me. Yorg was quite hospitable—he invited his university classmate Sophie to his home and treated us to a Greek specialty snack called Souvlaki (σουβλάκι). It was a white wrap topped with so many french fries that they overflowed from the bread. The appearance alone was quite appetizing. Yorg said the classic element of this snack was the white sauce inside, made from a mixture of yogurt and garlic, which perfectly combined all the ingredients in the wrap.

Before sleeping, I opened my laptop to check my blog posts, especially the one about seeking travel fund support. I secretly prayed for some miracle to happen, instantly solving my travel fund problem.

There were many responses online. Many people gave support and helped share the post, while others directly expressed disapproval: "I really don't understand how someone can go out to have fun and then ask others to pay for their travel?" Others questioned: "If you said you were going to travel by bicycle, why are you taking a ferry?" The comments varied, and though I couldn't see their expressions, the words felt like fanged faces gnawing at my confidence.

I closed my laptop, trying not to reread those messages and stopping the negative infinite loop in my head. They made me feel helpless and vulnerable. Indeed, I asked myself, what right did I have to ask others to pay for my travel? How many people read my articles, and how much were they worth? I didn't know, and I didn't know what else I could do.

Oh well, I'll take it one step at a time! I still had half of my travel funds left. I just needed to be even more frugal, though I didn't know how I could save any more.

Bidding farewell to Yorg, I continued eastward.

From here to Athens, there was only one road, so I didn't have to worry about getting lost as I did in Italy.

In Loutraki, my Couchsurfing hosts were Evan and Anna, a Greek couple who loved Shaolin kung fu. Anna was learning Chinese, and next summer they planned to go to the Shaolin Temple together for a month of intensive kung fu training.

"Maybe you can teach me kung fu, and I can teach Anna Chinese," I suggested with a smile.

"That's a great idea!" Anna happily agreed. We sat together in the living room around a low table made from two white-painted pallets stacked together.

This apartment belonging to Anna and Evan had a space shared by the living room and kitchen, plus another small room that could accommodate a double bed. They let me sleep in the bed in the room, while the two of them squeezed onto a small sofa bed in the living room.

"We're really happy you came and want to give you a good welcome. Evan's cooking is excellent. Tonight he'll make pasta, and we'll eat together. I love his pasta so much," Anna sat next to me, chatting happily non-stop. Evan had charming blue eyes and always responded to Anna's words with a smile.

Anna glanced at Evan as if suddenly remembering something, clapped her hands and said excitedly: "Min, actually if you stay one more night tomorrow, Evan will have more time to prepare, and tomorrow evening we can have Dakos, a Cretan rusk dish. It's mine and Evan's favorite Greek dish!" She gave Evan a little push as she finished.

"Yes! If you stay one more day, I'd be happy to prepare this dish for us to enjoy together," Evan immediately added.

This scene seemed both adorable and touching. I looked at their enthusiastic eyes and said, "Well, I heard it's going to rain tomorrow, so I might as well stay another day!"

After I said this, the three of us burst into laughter in the living room.

The next morning, Anna took me to visit her parents, bringing back many fresh small tangerines, and we also visited Evan at work. Evan worked in a small shop similar to a bubble tea store.

Evan had another job in the summer. The local beaches were packed with tourists during summer, which was a good opportunity for locals to make money.

"In summer, there are men who specifically try to seduce foreign hotties. Before summer arrives, they take muscle-building drugs so they can show off their muscular (but actually weak) bodies in summer and ask women on the beach: 'Hello! Would you like to have a Greek lover?'" Anna told me as we walked.

After returning home, I found some simple Chinese practice materials online for Anna to start learning and arranged some homework so she could study gradually following the materials.

During a break, Anna told me about her current life situation.

She had previously worked in a clothing store with hours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., then a break until 5 p.m., and then back to work until 9 p.m. She worked six days a week for a monthly salary of just 500 euros. Her boss often asked her to work overtime without pay. Anna felt that almost all her time was spent working, leaving her unable to do what she wanted, and she wasn't earning much money, so she quit. She decided that rather than complaining every day, it was better to take time to reflect on what kind of life she truly wanted.

When Evan returned from work, we went to the park to practice kung fu. I imitated their movements, striking poses with some semblance of style.

"Min, your postures are all very standard! You must have learned kung fu before, right?" Evan asked in surprise. I shook my head.

"I've heard that Asians have kung fu flowing in their blood. Seeing your movements today confirms this!" Anna was quite excited about this discovery.

"You should know, we grew up watching kung fu movies," I said, touching my nose in imitation of Bruce Lee, though they didn't seem to know who Bruce Lee was.

In the evening, Evan prepared the promised Cretan Dakos for dinner, topped with thick Feta cheese. I had eaten Feta cheese in Germany and didn't like its sour taste, but now, for some reason, I was crazy about the taste of Feta melting in my mouth.

"Please! How can you compare our Greek Feta cheese with German Feta!" Anna joked.

The Cretan rusk combined with fresh tomatoes and olive oil, merging with the Feta in my mouth, was absolutely delicious!

Evan said he had added a lot of garlic because he and Anna both liked it, hoping I wouldn't find it too strong.

"Fantastic! Perfect!" I mimicked the Italian phrase of praise, telling Evan I absolutely loved the flavor.

"If you stay one more day tomorrow, I can prepare another dish called Skordalia (garlic potato dip), and we can invite some other friends to gather at home," Evan happily suggested.

"Your food is really tempting me! But I need to check flights from Athens to Istanbul first. I've arranged to book tickets with my boyfriend today, and after booking, I'll know how many days I need to get to Athens."

Due to visa restrictions, I could only enter Turkey through three designated airports. So I planned to fly from Athens to Istanbul, and this short flight distance would cost nearly 300 euros.

I was originally upset about this expensive flight plan but received a surprise from Kamil. He wrote me a letter: "Next month during the Lunar New Year holiday, I plan to fly to Istanbul to celebrate the holiday with you."

"Hey! How are you?" Kamil came online promptly at 4 p.m.

"Hi! I'm good. I've eaten lots of Greek food here; Evan and Anna are really nice. Have you arranged your holiday schedule?" I asked, as I needed to coordinate with his vacation time to book flights.

"Yes, my holiday starts from the second day of the Lunar New Year, so I can buy a ticket for the evening of February 1st and arrive in Istanbul at 10 a.m. the next day."

Looking at the dates, I found a cheap flight at noon on February 2nd, with just over an hour of flying time.

Tsk! To pay so much for just an hour seemed really not worth it.

After booking the tickets and calculating, I had nine days left—plenty of time. After discussing with Anna and Evan, I decided to stay two more days.

"You can stay as long as you want. I'm happy to have you here, and you can teach me Chinese as well," Anna said after hearing my plan, excitedly discussing the menu for the next two days with Evan.

To thank Evan and Anna for preparing so many delicious meals for me, on the last day, I made two dishes in return. Although my cooking skills were just learned on the spot from the internet, their reactions were quite positive, which gave me a sense of satisfaction from my contribution.

🚴‍♀️ Episode 22: Greek Food Journey

I'm not sure if my love for Greek food now is because of Evan and Anna, or because the tangy, garlicky flavors suit my taste buds. Either way, I think I fell in love with Greek cuisine because of these two wonderful hosts.

Closing Remarks

✨ Your Turn: Has a personal connection ever changed your relationship with a particular food or cuisine? I'd love to hear about your taste adventures!

📅 Time Frame: This story chronicles my journey across two continents between November 2013 and October 2014. Published independently in Taiwan in 2021, it is now shared as an English serialized novel through AI translation, connecting with friends worldwide to share this journey of personal growth.

📅 Next Episode: "History Lesson"

[sunne-journe-blog]

This may not seem like much to some, but this is most definitely a #smallvictory for me! The is my longest #distance (that I've actually recorded and timed) I've ridden I think.... ever! So I'm very happy for myself. I actually barely notice that it had actually been that far. A tip from a #newbie .... try listening to a podcast (like #therichrollpodcast ) while riding instead of music. I'm the first to say that I #love #workingout to #music but when you need to go farther and longer, a really good podcast can get you so caught up in the #conversation that you forget that you're #riding a #bike or some other #exercise like #running 😁 #cycling #bikeride #workout #fitness #fitnessjourney #cyclingjourney #richroll #podcast #plantbasedlife #veganlife #plantbasedjourney #veganjourney #healthjourney

[cyclereview]

Spin the District Thrills: Watch the Union City Crit Live NOW!

...#KielReijnen #Vuelta2023 #TrekSegafredo #CyclingDiaries #MonumentsOfGravel #SBTGRVL #GravelRacing #CyclingLife #ProCycling #CyclingCommunity #CyclingInsights #CyclingPassion #CyclingJourney #CyclingInspiration #CyclingAdventures Source link Summary of the Provided Content The content consists of a series of video and article links related to cycling, focusing on various events, athletes, and…

[lisakeepitclean-blog]

Mallorca Recap... Learning something new about myself everyday...

Mallorca trip

I want to take a moment to document this trip.  I have been on many adventures in my life, but on this one, I learned something that cut deep into my core. This was the “perfect” trip for me. It was cycling in Mallorca Spain with a Professional Cyclist who happens to be my massage client. He is full of the type of energy that I desire to be around, and I knew the trip was going to be amazing and drama free. I was also given the opportunity to massage the cyclists on the tour so that was a plus in my book too!

I must admit, I was slightly intimidated with the group going. The group consisted of mostly men. There were only 2 other women besides me. Amy, who I know to be an exceptionally amazing cyclist, and Laura who I have never met, but had already decided that she was stronger than me.  Why did I do that? Why did I relinquish my strength to them? I did you know, before I left, tell myself “you are going to have a great time Lisa, you are not in competition with anyone, and you will simply do the best you can.” But, how could I? Do the best I could that is? I left for the trip by setting myself up for an easy way out before I ever even stepped onto the plane.  To put it simply, I did that because I was afraid I would fail. Now everyone has their own way of protecting themselves from failure. My most favorite method, as I have come to discover, is the power of positivity. If I simply stay positive and act like nothing ever bothers me, well then, I can’t fail, right? This way I never am required to  push myself beyond my own comfort zone. My ex-husband Sean always said “You are the only one I know that comes through the finish of an Ironman and looks like you could do another 10 miles. You don’t push yourself hard enough” At the time, I am sure I didn’t admit the truth in that statement, but after this trip I know he was right.

I got to Mallorca on the third day of the tour due to some prior commitments, so my first day on the bike was a recovery day for everyone else. They had already put in 2 hard days of climbing on the unforgiving hills in Mallorca. We did a nice easy 25-mile ride that left me craving more, so I went back out with Grant (the Pro who was running the group) later in the day for another 26-miles. I felt happy, positive, and confident.  I knew the next day was going to be 80-miles of some intense hills so I already prepared the group for my mediocrity.  I am an “endurance athlete” I said.  I can climb “forever”, but I am not fast! I made sure they all knew my bullshit excuse and hoped that they believed it more than I did.

The next day we got up bright and early and were on the road by 8:30 am. Even with the 5-hour time difference I felt awake, alive and ready for action. The ride was hard, but manageable. Grant put us into a paceline, and we were expected to ride as group in a rotating fashion. I held up for most of it, but had never worked that hard “before” a climb, so my self-doubt was kicked into bit of overdrive. After stopping at an amazing little café, we were ready for the first climb of the day. As we began our ascent, I once again reminded the group that I was the weakest one there, and that I would be climbing at my own pace. I told them not to worry about me, and that I would see them at the top. True to my word I put my music on, slipped it into the easiest gear, and spun my heart out. Honestly, it should have been hard, it could have been hard, but it wasn’t. It was long, but I wasn’t even out of breath.  I finally reached the top and the group gave me a little cheer. Everyone was so encouraging. It was a proud moment for me, or was it? What had I accomplished really? I climbed a hill at the slowest pace possible so that I was 100% positive that I would not fail? Where was the glory in that?

The thing that I love about life, is there is always room for improvement.  I don’t mean just physical improvement, I mean me. The real me. The one who lays awake at night nervous about the success of my career, raising decent children, being financially independent, exploring the world, and running out of time. Each day is an opportunity to learn something new about myself, and right there climbing a mountain in Mallorca Spain. I learned that I am afraid to fail. For if I fail then everyone might see the real me. The not so perfect me.

It was Grant Potter who came down the mountain to coach me up the rest of the way. He said, “Lisa, you’re so much stronger than this! Stop spinning so much, and use your gears. Get up and stand occasionally, put some effort into it. With your small size, you should be flying up these hills!”

 As a coach myself, I NEVER allow my clients the luxury of making excuses. I push them all to face their demons regardless of the fear they feel. I am constantly saying, “welcome fear as a passenger in your life but never let it drive you”. Yet there I was allowing fear to drive me right up that mountain. Sometimes you just need someone to point something out before you see it for yourself.  

It was like the skies had opened and the Gods were speaking to me. What was I doing? Why was I allowing myself the protection of not trying? What was I afraid of?

For the next 4 days, I worked hard. I was sore, but I was exhilarated. I was still one of the last to climb up the hills, but it was NOT because I didn’t put in my best effort!

I am now officially proud of myself. I had an amazing trip, and will never forget the genuine help I received from all the cyclists who attended.

It just goes to show, it doesn’t matter how much you teach, or how much you know, if you don’t apply it to your own life your words are meaningless.

I am always giving advice and I use the words “practice what you preach” a lot. This trip was a lesson learned. I learned that I am only human, that we are really all the same, and that everyone needs a little security to be the best that they can be.

Thank you for reading this story. Follow your dreams, passions, and pursuits. If something seems too easy, it’s is probably because it is! You’ve always got more in you than you think. Stop doubting yourself before you even begin. You’ve always got more! Your failures are the only way you can earn your successes. Explore every side of yourself. Even the scary parts. You’ll be happy you did.

Thank you, Grant Potter, and Amy Good. You two have the beginnings of something amazing and I am honored to have been part of your first camp in Spain.

·      Note- While I’m at it, I want to thank Amy Good for having that nutrition talk with me. Another discovery this weekend is that you cannot go out on an 80-mile ride with one water bottle and a Larabar. I guess that is another one of my “do as I say, not as I do” tricks. Yet another lesson learned. Eat, eat, eat!!!

[luvinside]

🚴🏻‍♀️🚴🏻‍♀️ Stay pretty stay healthy, stay cycling! 💃💋❤️💄 ..salam gowes 5000 kilo dari Magelang 😁😝💪🤘✨ #cyclingjourney #cyclingjournal #cyclingstories #cyclingpic #womencyclingcommunity #womencycling #cyclinglikeapro #cyclinglikeaprincess #travelsemarang #travelblogger #travelblog #travelphotography #travelindonesia #haornas2017 #rekormuri2017 #storyof5000kmride

[cyclingwithjoy-blog]

cycling trip 

[minkahsieh]

Episode 21: Goodbye Italy

14,000 km Back Home: A Woman's Silk Road Journey By Min Hsieh

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Part 1: The Plan Chapter 4: Setting Foot on the Silk Road "I am doing something that will make me like myself more after I've done it."

---

Goodbye Italy – Greece, DAY 59

An hour before departure, I purchased my ferry ticket and sat with others in the waiting room, sheltering from the strong, cold winds assaulting the dock.

Most of those waiting for the ferry were truck drivers. None of them spoke English, but smiles and gestures are international languages, and my bicycle with its massive luggage beside me served as my goodwill ambassador.

Since we couldn't chat, they invited me to join their circle watching them play backgammon. I didn't understand the rules of the game and had no one to ask, so I just sat aside studying how they played.

After some time, someone gestured to ask where I was going.

"Greece," I said.

The person mentioned another place name, but I wasn't certain, so I showed him my ticket.

After looking at my ticket, he started shouting. Suddenly, the entire waiting room was in commotion. I looked at them in bewilderment until someone finally said to me in English: "You! You go! Now!"

What did he mean? Weren't we all waiting for the same 8 o'clock ferry? But looking at the time, it was already nearly 7:45 p.m.!

Several people pointed desperately toward a direction outside, urging me to hurry. Heavens! How did I not realize they might be waiting for different ships? What was I doing?

I jumped up, grabbed my bike, and rushed in the direction they pointed. But the dock was so large, and it was already dark—I had no idea where the ship was.

"Quick! Quick! Quick!" Looking back, one of the backgammon players had rushed out and was pointing toward one of the ships.

"Thank you!" I thanked him in Italian and pedaled toward the ferry.

The port was huge. It took nearly five minutes of riding to reach the ship, just in time to be the last "vehicle" to board.

"Hello, are you going here?" I double-checked before boarding, but I couldn't pronounce the destination, Patras, correctly, so I showed my ticket to the crew member.

"Yes, dear," replied the crew member, a small man with a long beard on his face.

"Where can I park my bicycle?" I asked, wheeling my bike across the metal plate between the ship and land, seeing the entire space crowded with large trucks.

"Dear, just leave your bike here. Don't worry, I'm here. I'll keep an eye on it for you," the long-bearded crew member pointed to a spot near the stairwell.

I wheeled my bike over and locked it to the ship's structure. Although it was unlikely anyone would steal my bike at sea, the lock gave me peace of mind!

The ferry was much larger than I had imagined, and the wave motion wasn't as strong as expected, but I still swallowed a motion sickness pill.

A ferry ticket cost forty euros, or seventy euros with a bed. After budget considerations, I chose the ticket without a bed. Fortunately, there were sofas in the cabin, but all the more private spots were occupied with sleepers, leaving only the restaurant entrance area.

This was a high-traffic area, not an ideal place to sleep, but lying down could reduce the feeling of swaying. So I decided to put image concerns aside, used my backpack as a pillow, found a comfortable position, and closed my eyes to enter the swaying dreamland, ignoring the gazes of passersby.

Around noon the next day, the ferry finally arrived at Patras, Greece. Although my seasickness wasn't severe, I had taken medication twice and could only maintain a lying position. Each time I tried to sit up, I immediately felt dizzy, but it was still far better than I had anticipated.

I excitedly set foot on Greek soil. Although this was still part of the European Union, it felt somehow different—at least I had never been to this country before.

After organizing my gear, I continued on, trying to find directional signs in the desolate dock, but couldn't find any. "At least indicate the direction of the exit!" I complained to the azure sky.

Riding out of the dock, I randomly chose a direction, hoping to encounter someone to ask for directions. Fortunately, not long after leaving the dock, I met a mother pushing a stroller.

"Hello, could you tell me which way is the city center?" I stopped on the road and politely asked the mother for directions.

"You need to go back in that direction," she pointed toward the way I had come.

How surprising—this mother spoke fluent English. It seemed I had really left Italy.

After riding back about two hundred meters, I saw around twenty people crouching in the bushes on the opposite side of the road, as if lying in ambush for something. They looked left and right at the road, and when large trucks stopped at a scale-like place, seven or eight of them would surround the truck to talk to the driver.

"Maybe they're helping unload cargo?" I muttered to myself. Curious about what they were doing, I unconsciously stopped to watch.

The truck driver ignored these people and drove away. Puzzled, I was about to ask them what they were doing when the mother I had asked for directions earlier approached with her stroller and said to me: "Don't get too close to those people. They're illegal immigrants trying to find ways to smuggle themselves into Italy."

My strongest impression of the term "illegal immigrants" came from "Enrique's Journey." When reading the book, I learned about the protagonist's background and the bitterness that made his journey necessary, and I hoped he would successfully reach the United States.

Looking back at those people hiding in the bushes, I didn't know who they were, what hardships they faced, where they were going, or whether I should wish them well or be afraid of them.

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Closing Remarks

✨ Your Turn: Have you ever had an encounter that changed your perspective on a complex social issue? How did that personal experience compare to what you'd previously learned through media?

📅 Time Frame: This story chronicles my journey across two continents between November 2013 and October 2014. Published independently in Taiwan in 2021, it is now shared as an English serialized novel through AI translation, connecting with friends worldwide to share this journey of personal growth.

📅 Next Episode: "Greek Food Journey"

[minkahsieh]

Episode 20: Indecent Exposure

14,000 km Back Home: A Woman's Silk Road Journey By Min Hsieh

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Part 1: The Plan Chapter 4: Setting Foot on the Silk Road "I am doing something that will make me like myself more after I've done it."

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Indecent Exposure – Italy, DAY 59

After two days of rest, I felt much better. Next time I really shouldn't be so greedy—getting caught in the rain for half a day in near-freezing weather, it would be strange not to catch a cold.

Heading toward Brindisi, I found myself on the highway again, which I disliked the most.

Actually, cycling on highways is quite flat and comfortable, but the cars whizzing past and the monotonous landscape diminish the joy of bicycle travel.

A white van stopped on a small path in the field, adding a visual focal point to this remote, boring scenery. As I passed, I couldn't help but glance back: a man stood behind the vehicle, naked from the waist down, facing the highway and standing straight.

"What is this man doing?" I wondered silently, my heart skipping a beat.

I immediately turned my head back, facing forward and continuing to ride, hoping that guy hadn't noticed my glance. My heart began pounding harder and harder. I didn't dare look back, just pretended to be serious and pedaled desperately forward.

After riding for some distance, I was still safe on the road. I caught my breath and reassured myself that everything should be fine now.

Suddenly, a car sped past behind me toward an exit ramp, honking twice at me. Instinctively looking back, I saw it was the white van. The man in the driver's seat had his window down and was grinning lecherously, exposing his lower half to me. My brain felt like it had been hit hard—I had no idea how long this car had been following me. The blood vessels at my temples throbbed violently. I gripped the handlebars with all my might, repeating to myself: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid!"

The sign indicated Brindisi was still twenty kilometers away. God! I still had to ride twenty kilometers on this road. I just wanted to escape this place quickly!

After a while, my heartbeat gradually calmed down. I tried to adjust my emotions, focusing on the distant road to divert my attention. A blue sedan parked by the roadside once again became the focus of my vision. Behind the car was a person—looking carefully, it was another man standing there, naked from the waist down.

"Damn! Damn! Damn damn damn damn damn!" My heart, which had just settled down, instantly began boiling again. I started screaming internally, completely at a loss for what to do.

Calm down! Calm down! Pretend this person doesn't exist. I'm going to pretend I didn't see him and ride past steadily.

I rode past, good! Don't look back, just like before. It'll be fine, it'll be fine!

"Beep beep!" A car from my left rear honked at me and drove to my left.

It was that blue sedan! He had opened the passenger window, but I decided to continue ignoring the car's existence, riding straight ahead.

"Go away! Go away! Get lost!" I screamed in my heart, but it was useless. He kept driving parallel to me.

My Swiss Army knife was in the hidden pocket on my chest. Perhaps I should take it out, but what then?

The blue sedan, due to its slow speed, was honked at urgently by cars behind, forcing him to speed up and move forward. Seeing him forced ahead, I immediately reduced my pedaling power to lower my speed.

The blue car was continuously urged by several more cars behind, forcing him to accelerate again. I watched the car getting farther away, inwardly cheering loudly!

"You bastard! Get lost!" I kept cursing in my mind. I was truly terrified and didn't know what to do. I could only pray for him to leave quickly.

The blue sedan kept being pushed forward by approaching cars and finally exited at an off-ramp.

This was truly a huge relief—the despicable fellow had finally left! Brindisi was approaching. I'd put in a little more effort to finish today's journey quickly. The adrenaline had already made my entire body tense and unable to breathe. I accelerated, pedaling hard forward, passing the off-ramp where the blue sedan had exited. I couldn't help but look down. The car was still there, and he must have seen me, slowly driving back up the on-ramp to the highway.

Now I couldn't move forward or backward; I could only continue riding with determination. At this point, the blue sedan returned to the highway, again behind me.

He tried to squeeze in on my right side, making me closer to the driver's seat.

The moment he approached, I made a sudden brake, allowing his car to continue forward, avoiding any possibility of getting close to that man. Now he was ahead of me again, and the approaching cars behind forced him to continue forward, so he exited the highway at the next off-ramp.

This time I had learned from experience and didn't speed up. Instead, I deliberately moved forward at a turtle's pace.

Sure enough, as I expected, the blue sedan seemed to grow impatient waiting below and drove back up, appearing ahead. When he discovered I was still behind, he wanted to stop at the on-ramp but was again urged forward by cars behind.

I realized he didn't seem to have the courage to do anything to me on the highway, but this harassment had already made my entire body tremble. I could only deal with it cautiously.

This cycle repeated several rounds. Sometimes he would still get behind me, but he only kept forcing his car closer. I could only continue pretending to leisurely move forward slowly, waiting for cars behind to push him forward again. My entire nervous system was stretched to the breaking point.

Finally, I reached the end of the highway. As I returned to the surface road, I desperately rode toward the city center signs, rushed into the crowd and traffic, stopped, and took out my phone, pretending to make a call.

The blue sedan passed by me at this moment, held down the horn, and turned right to leave.

I was safe! I was among people—this bastard wouldn't dare do anything to me!

My hand holding the phone was shaking, and my foot supporting me on the ground was also trembling violently. Tears began flowing from the corners of my eyes. I was truly frightened, but thankfully nothing had happened. I breathed deeply and quickly, trying to gather my emotions. Today's journey wasn't over; I needed to pull myself together quickly. The ferry to Greece at 8 p.m. wouldn't be delayed because of my sadness and fear.

Steadying my emotions, I went to a pharmacy to buy motion sickness medication. I recalled feeling like I was about to vomit my stomach out on the journey from Taitung to Orchid Island a few years ago. Back then, Kamil was taking care of me, so I didn't worry even when I vomited to the point of near unconsciousness. This distance compared to the Orchid Island experience would be "a small witch meeting a big witch," and I was alone this time. Despite knowing I'm prone to seasickness, something was wrong with my nerves that I still planned such a route. My heart weighed the decision between trying three methods—sea, land, air—and the physical suffering, with the former winning out. So now I had to face the consequences of this stubborn decision.

There was still plenty of time before the ferry departed. Now I needed to solve a few more problems.

I found a café to sit down, wrote a farewell diary entry to Italy, and published a blog post seeking travel fund support.

Before departing, I had estimated that my travel funds would be completely spent in Italy. I'm very grateful for the warm hospitality of Couchsurfing hosts along the way, allowing me to still have half of my budget. But the journey home had not yet reached even one-third completion, and ahead lay substantial visa fees. If I didn't quickly find a solution, the time to suspend my plans wouldn't be far off.

So I thought of an approach—initiating a sponsorship plan on my blog, from the perspective of paying to read my travel articles, hoping that people who enjoy these stories could support me in completing this journey together.

After posting the article, I wrote a letter to Kamil: "Hey, I just encountered a pervert! He followed me in his car for a long time. I was very scared, I just kept riding and riding, thankfully he finally left. I'm about to take a ferry to Greece. I'm already starting to feel seasick. I don't know what to do if I vomit until I pass out like last time. I've bought seasickness medication. I wish you were here."

After writing, I read it twice, then deleted the letter.

I was scared and wanted to cry out, but I was more afraid he would reply: "Riding to Italy is enough," or "You can return after reaching Greece."

I took a napkin and wiped the unceasing tears from my face. This was my own choice; I didn't want to complain about it. I just felt very helpless, with no one to rely on or hide behind. Besides, the next stage of the journey was about to begin, leaving no time even for self-pity.

Looking at the empty chair at the next table and the lazy, idle waiter nearby—the entire café had only me, just like this journey home.

Tears wiped dry, I forced myself to stand up again. Now, I had to face the problems of the next stage of the journey.

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Closing Remarks

✨ Your Turn: Have you ever encountered a threatening situation while traveling alone? What strategies did you use to keep yourself safe and escape danger? I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences and safety tips.

📅 Time Frame: This story chronicles my journey across two continents between November 2013 and October 2014. Published independently in Taiwan in 2021, it is now shared as an English serialized novel through AI translation, connecting with friends worldwide to share this journey of personal growth.

📅 Next Episode: "Goodbye Italy"