PRESS REPORT
FRANKLIN COUNTY NEWS	June 12, 2001
World adventures lead to Pukekohe
By JOHN BROWN

ROUND-THE-WORLD RIDER: Richard Gregg had made Pukekohe his home for the last 10 months during his round-the-world cycle trip.

He's had stones thrown at him, confrontations with Indian platoons, fallen down a manhole, travelled through moon like landscapes in Northern Pakistan got married.

In September 1990 Richard Gregg left his hometown of Sheffield in the United Kingdom to cycle round the world and he still at it more than 10 years later.

He is no whistle-stop traveller. He takes the time to get to know the people and surroundings during his round-the-world quest.

Earlier this year his bike brought him to Pukekohe. Ten months later he is now on the verge of pedalling his way on the next stage of his journey. He chose Pukekohe to be his New Zealand base because in the late 80's he flatted in London with Simon Vale from Pukekohe.

And he bumped into him on his travels in Hong Kong and Australia.

Also, Richard is writing a book on his travels and he needed time to put pen to paper and a country town like Pukekohe seemed as good a place as any.

His joumey has taken him to some of the most beautiful places in the world. He hes has pedalled through Eygpt, Sudan, Kenya, Pakistan, China, Nepal, Tibet, India, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.

Richard has also been in a few dicey situations at border posts and confrontations with various military groups, but he has had only one serious injury during his 10-year trek and that was partly due to his own doing, even though it happened in one of the most dangerous places in the world, Kashmir in Northern India.

He was staying on a house-boat and he heard noises outside during the night. He went out to investigate and fell into a manhole tearing his knee ligaments.

He underwent surgery in New Delhi and was forced to return to England to have further surgery and a year-long break to rehabilitate his knee.

Richard returned a year later to pick up his bike and get back on the road. Surprisingly his bike and $2000 worth of equipment was all still there. The only thing that was missing was a coin that he had put on the back wheel to see if anyone had tampered with his possessions.

Although he has seen awesome sights over the past ten years, the most special to Richard is his new wife, Haruyo.

They first met in Laos where Haruyo was backpacking. They met up again in Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia and then in Haruyo's home country of Japan for New Year in 2000.

Richard then went back to Japan from Darwin in August 2000 to ask Haruyo's parents for her hand in marriage and they got married at Manukau registry office in June this year.

The globe-trotting couple are leaving Pukekohe next week, by bike of course, to see the sights of New Zealand before heading off to the Americas.

Richard has many stories to tell and he has passed them on to people as he has travelled through slide show and presentations.

But why did he set off from the UK in the first place, ten long years ago?

"Basically I wanted to escape mediocrity. I was never brilliant at one particular thing and I wanted to do something that would test my limits. Basically I am doing it because I want to," he says.

If you want to know more about Richard's travels and his thoughts about Pukekohe and other places he has visited, his website is www.worldcycle.org.