Job: Business Intelligence Engineer 

What that means: I do computers 

I’m taking a two-month leave of absence from my job at Urban Outfitters to do a bike tour through Southeast Asia. I’ll be flying into Hanoi, Vietnam with my bike and some gear, and then cycling through Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. And if I have time and I can get a visa, I’d like to visit the Yunnan province of China too. I’ll probably be cycling about 2,500 miles. 

This is a solo trip, and I don’t speak any of the local languages. I like the freedom of traveling alone and the exposure—you’re forced into meeting people and experiencing more. However, with solo travel comes some extreme emotional swings. For a couple of days you might feel really lonely, but then you’ll have an incredible experience, like staying with a local family. The generosity of strangers might be the most rewarding experience of bicycle touring. 

There are really no specific places I want to visit in Southeast Asia. I’m going to experience the culture, have an adventure and log some major mileage in a foreign land.  -Eoin