"Cycling around the world is my childhood dream and I hope this dream will finally come true," said Guo Dahao, a 34-year-old Chinese who has set off on his dream journey with a map of the world in his backpack.

In New Delhi, Guo told a Xinhua reporter that he has already covered 40 Asian and European countries and will continue his journey through another 80 countries, hoping to complete his grand circuit in July 2008, just before the Olympic Games open in Beijing.

"This global tour is not only a personal goal; it is also a good chance to publicize the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008," said the Beijinger, who started his trip in May 1999.

Guo entered India from Nepal last Wednesday to apply for a visa to travel through Pakistan. He said getting a visa for the next stage of his journey from the country he is in is always the most trying challenge he has to deal with.

"Only with the help of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese embassies abroad can I succeed in getting visas for all these countries," the athletic-looking young man said.

Talking about his impression of India, Guo said: "I like the Indian people, but it's hard to find clean water and food on my way. The roads here are also narrow and poorly maintained. Also, there are no banks in the vast rural areas where I can change money."

Guo said he has always wanted to go around the world by bicycle, because he is fond of cycling. "Actually this is the only hobby I have," he said with a smile.

He said that he was inspired by European cyclists. "When I was a child, I heard about several cyclists who came to China to travel around and explore the nation. When I became an adult, I made my big decision: to cycle around the world," he said.

He started working at a Beijing hotel when he was 19, and only when he was 28, did he feel he had saved enough money to fulfill his dream.

The still unmarried Guo said actually the money he had saved was not enough but that fortunately his parents have supported him in his grand adventure, both financially and spiritually, encouraging him to keep on going, traveling through one country after another.

During his six-year global tour, he has come across many difficulties. His bicycle was stolen when he was sleeping outdoors and his camera was snatched from him in the middle of a crowd. He also had a traffic accident while traveling along the Greek-Bulgarian border and was hospitalized for about two weeks.

The lone cyclist said he has already covered around 40,000 kilometers and plans to travel 60,000 more.

"My plan is to go first to Greece via Pakistan, Iran and Turkey to see the Olympic Games in Athens. After that I will go northward to central and northern Europe and then straight down to the African continent. Then I'll fly to South America from South Africa and cycle all the way north to Canada. I will also travel to Hong Kong and Taiwan before entering the Korean Peninsula, and I hope to arrive in Beijing from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in July of 2008."

He said even though he has suffered through plenty of hardships, he is still enjoying his trip. "Witnessing all these nations for me is really an excellent experience," he said.

"What am I going to do after this journey is over? Well, settle down, get married and have a baby," he laughed.

The patriotic man set off for Islamabad on Wednesday. "See you in Beijing in 2008," he cried, with his 25 kilogram pack on his back.

(China Daily June 28, 2004)