Taiwanese man who's been cycling around the world for 10 years impressed by S’pore's 'kopi culture'

A decade since he quit his engineering job, Jacky Chen, 47, has visited over 80 countries.

But here is the catch: he's done it all on a bicycle.

Beginning his journey in June 2015 from Alaska, he has travelled through the Americas, Europe and Africa, only returning home to Taiwan in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions before resuming his journey in 2023 where he left off.

Now on the Asian leg of his world tour, he visited Singapore, his 86th stop, on May 26.

“I like the Singaporean breakfast – the coffee, half-boiled egg and toast combination. It is different from how it is eaten in Taiwan and tastes especially fresh and delicious,” he told Mothership.

“I think Singapore has a very special coffee culture. The number of Kopi (coffee) variations is dazzling.”

Asked about his favourite local attraction, he said he liked Gardens by the Bay.

He also noted, “Singapore is a very clean and well-developed city. Although it is a small country, it is strong and has good economic development.”

“Go or die”

Before embarking on an adventure across five continents, Chen left his job as an electrical engineer in Taiwan.

“I read a Japanese book, where (the author) went and saw the world. So, I thought 'Maybe I can also do this kind of trip',” he said, as quoted by VELO, an American cycling magazine.

Travel writer Yusuke Ishida’s biographical book titled ‘Don’t go will die’ documents Ishida's seven-year-long journey riding around the world on a bicycle.

Ishida had also left a reputable job at a large corporation, learning through his journey that the ability to appreciate being alive was a precious gift.

Chen said the Japanese title of the book roughly translated to 'Go or Die', which he used as his motto.

On his Facebook page,  ‘Jacky Chen – Go or Die’, he shares with his friends and family a record of his journey and the people meets along the way.

“I hope I can take all my friends to see the whole world.”

Rolling with the punches

His journey has been challenging, to say the least. According to The Times of Israel, he spends the nights in his tent or finds accommodation through apps like Couchsurfing, which provides a service for users to request free short-term homestays.

After his visit to Singapore, he told Mothership that he was hit by a bus in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on Jun 6.

“My head got hit and needed seven stitches, though I did a CT scan and it should be fine. The doctor told me to go home and recuperate,” he said

He added that the accident left him with many scrapes on his body, which will take some time to heal.

"I hope to recover soon and continue my journey on the road.”

Apart from road hazards, he also encountered bike theft in Vancouver, Canada, where his bicycle was stolen when he was just 5,000km into his journey. CBC News reported that he was eventually reunited with it with the help of local police and a reporter.

A long, long journey

A governmental liaison of Taiwan in Dubai shared that when Chen started his journey in 2015, he had a shaven head.

However, by the time he arrived in Dubai in 2024, his hair, often seen to be secured in a bun, had grown long enough to reach his waist.

However, Chen said that he does not plan to continue his journey for long and has always been on his way home to Taiwan.

“After completing my goal, I hope to organise the records of my experience and share it with more people.”

In 2019 he told Agence France-Presse that he hope to visit 100 countries and travel 100,000km before he is done with his travels.

He said, “100 countries has always been the goal I am striving for. As long as I am on the road, I will try my best to achieve it.”

Top image via Jacky Chen - Go or Die 陳峻永單車環球/Facebook and Shin Min