Iran to Ireland: Irish cyclist praises the kindness of strangers

For Tomás, wherever in the world he goes, it is the people who stand out and the kindness he has experienced.

It started from day one, but has continued everywhere.

“When I set-off on the trip to the States, I never thought people would be so curious and willing to take care of me,” he said.

“People see you on the bike and they want to know if you’re ok – if you need money, water, food or a place to sleep.

“It’s been like that in in the USA, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.”

Some countries have really stood out.

“It’s usually the country that we are told might be dangerous. I was told I wouldn’t come out of Sudan in one piece,” he said.

“But Sudanese people went above and beyond – it’s also ingrained in their religion that you look after guests.

“If I tried to camp, it was like I insulted the whole country by having the audacity to sleep in my tent.

“If I stopped in a village and asked where to camp they would say ‘no guest of ours will sleep in a tent’,” he said.

He said that was across the board on his latest trip.

“People would stop their cars and ask if I had somewhere to stay, ask how they could make me feel more comfortable in their country,” he recalled.

“It’s humbling be at the receiving end of such genuine good will gestures.”

Afghanistan, though has been a highlight to date.

“We all know what happened in the last 40 to 50 years and it looks like what a war-torn country would look like, but despite the humanitarian and economic crisis people were still kind,” he said.

“Many people don’t have much there, but they treated me as one of their own.”