Peter Mak (left) and Karen Van Toor | Credit: David Holmes

Cycling the world, one revolution at a time
Story and photos by David Homles

They cycled nearly 38,000 miles in six years through 38 countries. They survived severe malaria, rampant rats and stone-throwing Africans. But it took the global financial crisis to end the cycling odyssey of Peter Mak and Karen Van Toor. Last stop: Jeju Island.

Mak and Van Toor arrived on Jeju-do via ferry on Oct. 14, the last stop on an epic personal odyssey that was put into motion eight years prior. In 2000 amidst a barrage of professional and personal turmoil the Dutch couple recognized the need for change in their lives. Their lives had always been comfortable and by all accounts normal, but as Mak describes it, “We felt trapped inside the golden cage we had built for ourselves.” Van Toor added, “In the Netherlands life really starts when you are 65. People live for the retirement years when they are too old to do anything except group travel and die. In other words people exist more than they experience.“

After much deliberation Mak and Van Toor recognized that they were no longer happy with the monotony of their western lifestyle. As a result, they decided to combine Mak’s love for cycling with their love for travel to achieve their next great goal: cycling the world. Mak had extensive experience as an amateur cyclist but Van Toor was a self -proclaimed Sunday afternoon biker. The couple spent two years making all of the necessary arrangements. They invested all of their assets, eliminated all other responsibilities and trained for long distance bicycling. In addition, they also mapped the route they would follow for the next six years.

The adventure begins

On May 31, 2002, Mak’s birthday, the couple started their monumental journey. From the Netherlands they traveled southeast toward Turkey and the Middle East, eventually migrating through eastern Africa. After spending several years in Africa the couple ended up in Asia where they explored India, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, China and South Korea. Throughout this voyage the couple has borne witness to many beautiful things, from African sunsets and majestic Himalayan mountain tops to rare species of animals and incredible cultural sites.

However, their journey was not without hardship. They experienced everything from infected dog bites and scorpion stings to emergency appendectomies, an advanced case of malaria and a significant cycle crash (see side bar). The couple has biked through some of the remotest parts of Africa and Asia which brings a new significance to the phrase, “to boldly go where no one has gone before.” Over a six year period, Mak and Van Toor traveled nearly 38,000 miles (or 61,000 km), eventually landing in Korea, of all places.

The plan to cycle through the world is an ambitious one and Mak estimates that at least another 10 years would be required in order to tour the Western continents and visit other remaining countries. Unfortunately, The pair’s financing has been crippled by the recent downturn of the global economy. Their funding is entirely personal and because of this, they can no longer afford to continue their adventure.

Economic crisis cuts trip short

And so it came to be that while sitting in a PC room on mainland Korea, the couple realized that Jeju-do would be their last stop before returning to the Netherlands to raise more money. Candidly, they say they are saddened by this but that it is just a temporary break in their globetrotting schedule. All things considered however, they are happy to have concluded this part of their voyage here in Jeju. They remark that the island is beautiful and the people extremely friendly. For more information on Peter Mak and Karen Van Toor’s cycling pilgrimage visit their website at http://www.cycletheworld.nl/welcome-E.htm.

Countries Traveled:

The Netherlands, Serbia, Kenya, Cambodia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Uganda, Thailand, Luxemburg, Turkey, Tanzania, Laos, Germany, Syria, Mozambique, Vietnam, Switzerland, Jordan, South Africa, Nepal, Austria, U.A.E., Lesotho, Tibet, Slovenia, Oman, Botswana, China, Italy, Egypt, Namibia, South Korea, Croatia, Sudan, India, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Pakistan.

Hazards encountered on trip:

Somersault: 3 times
Terrifying fall: 1 (Karin in Namibia, a drama of the first kind, see Namibia, the Fall 1 and 2)
Collisions: 2(without damage)
Falling asleep whilst cycling: 3 (really true, Karin is very good at sleeping; since we rediscovered ORS it never happened again)
Operations: 2 one appendectomy, one gall bladderectomy
Dental Visits: 11 times in 7 countries with varying success…
Malaria: 1 time (Karen) extremely serious
Thrown at with stones: 10 (8 times in Ethiopia)
Robbed: 7 (mainly small things, but once a handle bar bag with contents)
Lost each other: 5
Found each other: 5
Attacked by ticks: 6
Attacked by ants: 218 (our most frequent tormentors whilst camping as well as in hotels)
Attacked by mosquitoes/flies: thousands of times
Run over by rats: 3 (two times in bed, once in a restaurant, always in India)
Pannier eaten by rats: 1 (in fancy hotel in Islamabad)
Kicked by ostrich: 1
Stung by scorpion: 1
Bitten by dog: 1
Amount of rabies shots: 5

The traveling couple | Credit: David Holmes

My favorite thing to do on Jeju is Hapkido. In Hapkido, I have my blue belt. It took me 7 months to get it. To pass the blue belt test, you have to be very strong and know all the moves. Hapkido is my favorite sport because it’s fun to learn new moves. In Hapkido, I have one friend. My favorite toy in Korea is a Ddung doll. They’re my favorite dolls because they are so cute. What I like about Korea is playing with my friends.

What I don’t like about Korea is people staring at me and calling me names.

The difference between Canada and Korea is that everybody speaks Korean, they all eat spicy food, they all look Korean and they sleep on really hard floor mats. In Canada, some people speak a little Korean, everybody speaks English, not many restaurants have spicy food, a few people look Korean and I only sleep on the floor for sleepovers!

Su Kyung and Lee Seul

Seogwipo has many fun things to do, like World Cup Stadium and Saery World. At World Cup Stadium, Jeju United and other teams play soccer. If you like soccer, come here to cheer! If you buy a Jeju United t-shirt for 2,000 won, you can get in for free.

Water World is also at World Cup Stadium. It’s a good place to play with your family. There’s a swimming park and a sauna. Ah, but be careful when you play in the swimming park! E-Mart is next to Water World. You can buy many toys there!

We like Saery World the most. It’s also next to World Cup Stadium. Saery World has a hot air balloon, a maze park and kart riding. When you ride the balloon, yell, “Ya-hoo!” and you’ll feel great. It’s difficult to find your way through the maze park. We hope you do it easily! The karts are so fast you’ll feel cool even on a hot summer day. But please be careful.

Other fun things to do include the Teddy Bear Museum and Pacific Land. The Teddy Bear Museum displays cute and beautiful Teddy Bears. The last thing is Pacific Land. In Pacific Land you can enjoy an animal show. Monkeys ride bikes, seals play the piano and dolphins play with balls.

We are proud of our town. We never feel bored!

Today I’m interviewing Nik at the modern and bustling KCTV office in Yeon-dong. Kang In-Hee, the production director also sits in on the questions, and I get the proceedings started by asking how he came to be anchorman: “I knew someone who does some English editing work for some other programs here. Through him I learned they were looking for someone to start the English news… they were looking for someone who had a green card [family visa]… I came in and did a camera test and met everybody.”

A typical day in the life has him at KCTV for about 4-5 hours. Translator Boo Hye-Seon prepares the stories which Nik then spends time editing (“adding and subtracting,” in his words) before going down to record between 3-4 pm. The new bulletin for the day will go out a little later in the evening at 7:30 pm.

He’s getting a lot more comfortable these days: “I feel much more comfotable than I did one month ago… it’s a fair amount of experience in a short amount of time.. because it’s six days a week… [even] just sitting in front of the camera has become easier.” I ask if he had any prior experience in this area: “In media or on TV? No,” he says. “I studied acting and did some shows… but that’s as close as I ever got.” So are there a healthy amount of retakes I wonder? “A lot of retakes..?” he pauses to consider for a moment before turning to In-Hee, who chimes in “Not a lot of retakes!” Nik laughs, “Thankyou!”

Overall, everything seems to have been initially well received by both Koreans and foreigners. Some Koreans, however, suggest Nik speaks too fast. But he’s going to continue the way he’s talking on air because first and foremost English News is a news broadcast. Secondly, it’s a way to study English.

After the interview is over Nik and crew take the time to show me the studio where the bulletin goes out from deep in the basement of the KCTV building. Over by the teleprompter that he reads from, I ask if it’s more difficult than it looks: “Yes,” he replies. He’s trying to concentrate on reading and speaking clearly all at the same time. I also ask why, after each story cuts back to him in the studio, he looks up from his papers: it’s something KCTV asked him to do. And does he actually write anything as the end credits roll? Yes, some note taking.

It’s almost midday now and we have to leave as the live, Korean language, lunch time bulletin is about to go out. The anchors sit- sipping drinks, organizing their scripts and practising their lines. From the control room we watch as the production director barks an order now and again. This could be English News one day.

“The first step of this [English News] was to get it off the ground,” Nik explains. “The next step will be… going out and doing our own reports and articles.”

Watching KCTV English News

English News KCTV airs Monday – Saturday at 7:30 pm, with re-broadcasts at 10 pm, 11:30 pm, and 8 am the following day (7:30 am on Saturday).

It can be viewed on Channel 5, or on www.kctvjeju.com at those times by clicking the On Air button.

VOD (with Korean and English scripts) is also available for viewing anytime at the website.

MacLellan’s history with Baseball

MacLellan‘s first encounters with the league came in October 2007 when he went to see Matt Leman playing. After watching for a while, he asked to sign up and five minutes later found himself on the same roster as his friend. But, with the season coming to a close, it wouldn’t be until April 2008 that he’d be able to start.

Prior to joining here, MacLellan had played little league until he was sixteen and busted his elbow. More recently, he played softball with his university while continuing to play for recreation and fun with friends.

In the Jeju league, the level of recreation or seriousness seems to depend on the player. He notes: “[the players] are fathers. They just want to get out and have some fun… I do too, but my competitive edge comes every now and again.” The team he plays for won last year and there are high expectations to repeat the success.

How has the reception been towards the foreigners on the team? “I think it has been a really good reception,” he says. “In fact, the Baseball Association has asked to get foreigners on other teams.” Currently only two (including MacLellan) participate.

You don’t have to step foot on the field to be a part of the proceedings either. There is no admission fee to enter the stadium, so you can walk in and take a seat. Perhaps bring a barbeque, bring some soju and enjoy yourselves in the stands. “When you’re watching the pitches and behind is Hallasan, the sun is setting over right field. It’s just a beautiful place,” MacLellan waxes lyrically.

Be committed

However, he offers this advice for those wanting to sign up: be committed. “If you’re going to sign up, go to every game… it’s representing the foreigners.” And he does make one note of caution. There is a language barrier. “I don’t speak Korean. They don’t speak English… try and get two people to play on a team so you’re not so alone.”

The season has already started and, the sooner you sign up, the sooner you can get on a team and the sooner you can get playing. “It’s a lot of fun,” MacLellan finishes, “baseball is a lot of fun.”

Getting involved

The regular season runs from early April until late October. There is a break in November followed by the playoffs in early December. Games are played once every two weeks with practice on the off weeks. Games have a two hour time limit. To sign up, you’ll need your name, passport, address and 200,000 won. For your money you’ll get 10-12 games, 10-12 practices and food after each. For equipment, you’ll need a glove and cleats.

If anyone is interested in signing up, call Troy at 010-5805-6263. For those more pro-active, visit the association office at the stadium during office hours. Telephone: 064-755-6867 Name: 이 일큔 Translator advised.

The stadium is located within the sports complex behind the bus terminal in Jeju City.