A loaded bicycle beside an open road can make a very large journey feel surprisingly tangible. The essentials are there in front of you: a way to move, bags for what you need and a route that continues beyond the frame.

For South African traveller De Bruyn Joubert, that image belonged to an ambitious project called Around 7 Continents. The story shared in 2014 described a goal, not a completed record.

A river flowing through a wooded Australian landscape in De Bruyn Joubert’s early travel archive
A river flowing through a wooded Australian landscape in De Bruyn Joubert’s early travel archive. Gallery attribution: De Bruyn Joubert.

The ambition behind the early photographs

Business Insider’s June 2014 report described Joubert’s plan to cycle through 70 countries across seven continents over five years. He had begun in August 2013, and the account followed early travel in Australia and Europe.

Those numbers explain the scale of his intention. They should not be presented as proof that every proposed stage was later completed.

The remaining photographs can still supply inspiration without requiring a claim about the final outcome of the whole project.

A smaller trip can answer the important questions

If the idea appeals, start with one overnight journey within reach of home. Choose a route suited to your current confidence and a place to stay that you have arranged in advance.

The purpose is to discover how you enjoy travelling with luggage, stopping along the way and setting off again the next morning. Those ordinary details matter more to a longer tour than the total number of countries on a map.

Our guide to different travel rhythms can help you think about how much movement you actually want in a day.

Test the bicycle with the load you will carry

Before departure, ride a familiar route with your planned luggage. Notice how the bike feels when starting, stopping and turning. Keep the first test manageable enough to make changes comfortably afterwards.

Check that your equipment is secure and that you can deal with basic issues appropriate to your bicycle. Arrange suitable maintenance beforehand instead of relying on enthusiasm to solve mechanical problems along the way.

Carry navigation that works when mobile reception does not, along with a way to contact help if needed.

Build the route around stops as well as distance

Locate realistic food and water stops, accommodation and places where you can rest away from traffic. A long line on the map tells you little about those needs.

Leave time for an enjoyable pause. The best memory of the day may be a small town, a riverside view or a conversation rather than a distance target reached late in the evening.

For photographs, stop in a safe place clear of the road. A dramatic pose in a traffic lane is not a necessary part of the story.

Let the first experience shape the next one

After returning, note what you used, what you missed and what made the trip feel easy or awkward. Then adjust one or two things before planning farther afield.

For a longer journey, our long-term travel framework covers the wider questions of budget, cover and flexibility. Budget-travel ideas can help with costs without turning the trip into a contest to spend the least.

Joubert’s early project offers a striking example of a large ambition. Your own beginning can be much smaller: one well-planned overnight ride, with enough room to discover whether the road makes you want another day.