10-year-old boy and his 30-day cycling journey through 4 capitals

Sweating profusely, his face darkened by days of cycling in the sun, but 10-year-old Quang Anh felt “satisfied” because he had conquered a 2,800km long route. His one-month cycling journey passed through 4 capitals: Hanoi , Vientiane (Laos), Bangkok (Thailand), Phnom Penh (Cambodia).

Quang Anh's father, Nong Quang Duy, 39 years old, said that last year, after completing a cross-country cycling trip from Lang Son to Ca Mau , the father and son began to hatch the idea of cycling across the country. To prepare for the long trip, in addition to buying bicycles, Quang Anh and his father also trained hard. He also reminded his son of his will to conquer and complete the goal of cycling through 4 countries.

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Nong Quang Anh felt "satisfied" with the journey to conquer the 2,800km long road by bicycle.

Two months before starting the journey, Mr. Duy prepared travel documents such as visa, passport, identification papers and necessary clothes and items for the trip.

"A friend suggested this trip to me. After researching the route, I found that Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand are neighboring countries and suitable for the desired itinerary. I discussed it with Quang Anh, and he enthusiastically responded. So the two of us set off," said Quang Duy.

On the morning of June 1, 2023, the father and son departed from Lang Son, went to Hanoi and traveled along National Highway 1A to Cau Treo border gate ( Ha Tinh ). The next route they chose was Laos - Thailand - Cambodia - Ho Chi Minh City. It is known that on this route, the father and son cycled an average of about 100km per day, in the plains, it gradually increased to 120 - 130km.

On June 6, Quang Anh and his father officially set foot on Lao soil and it took them 6 days to reach the capital Vientiane. According to Duy, the biggest difficulty when arriving in Laos was finding places to eat in rural areas. The residential areas in this area are quite far apart and, in particular, not all places sell food.

In Laos, the 10-year-old boy explored many famous landmarks such as: Lanexang Avenue, Vientiane Library, Wat Hosantinimit, Patuxai Triumphal Arch...

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Quang Anh and his father took a photo at Patuxai Triumphal Arch, Laos.

Saying goodbye to Laos on June 13, the father and son continued cycling to Thailand. There were some difficult sections of the road, the 10-year-old boy had to pedal hard, his knees were tired, he had to stop to rest and regain his strength. However, giving up was not a concept in their minds.

Throughout the journey, the 39-year-old father reminded his son to focus, stay alert, observe everything to learn, expand his life experience and gain valuable practical experience. Going abroad, Quang Anh learned that "Google Translate will never be as perfect as your own existing knowledge. Understanding through the process of accumulation and daily learning is really important."

The father and son visited several landmarks in Thailand such as: the Royal Palace, Sanam Luang Square, Somdet Phra Pinklao Bridge, Khao San walking street... Each destination made the 10-year-old boy feel excited.

On cycling days, the evening will be the time for father and son to rest and stay healthy for the next stages.

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Quang Anh at a rest stop along the highway in Udon Thani province, about 560km from Bangkok.

On June 23, the father and son began their cycling journey to Cambodia. They traveled from the Poi-pet border gate to the capital Phnom Penh. A week in Cambodia helped Quang Anh have impressive experiences during his summer vacation.

Quang Anh completed the 2,800km journey in 30 days, ending the journey in Ho Chi Minh City, as planned. The Lang Son father confided that if he went by car to a certain point, his son would not learn much. But if he rode his bike, he could observe everything clearly, enjoy the feeling of victory when overcoming steep slopes and conquering difficult challenges.

"Last year, my son had many flat tires, but this year, he was more attentive, knew how to move and had his own calculations, so the whole trip we only had one flat tire," Quang Anh's father said, expressing his pride in his son.

As for Quang Anh, the 10-year-old boy said he learned many useful things from the cross-country cycling trip with his father. " I was exposed to new cultures, customs, and enjoyed dishes from different regions. Moreover, I also got to see with my own eyes architectural works that I had only seen on TV and in books and newspapers before," he said, adding that the biggest difficulty he encountered was communication. Next school year, Quang Anh aims to improve his foreign language skills to continue exploring new paths in the future.

On July 3, father and son boarded the train, traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Lang Son.

Following the journey of Duy and his son, many people thought that he was too reckless when taking his son to experience cross-country cycling. However, the Lang Son father said that he had planned in detail for a year and had prepared carefully. During the trip, he carefully studied the terrain and route, arranged a reasonable rest plan, and controlled the speed so that the father and son could maintain good physical condition and complete the goal.

Some pictures of 10-year-old boy Nong Quang Anh's cross-country cycling trip: