For anyone who craves adventure, Daisy and Charlie are proof dreams can become reality. Together, as DC World Ride they're taking on an extraordinary challenge: cycling around the world. (8 min read)

December 28, 2025

DAISY AND CHARLIE'S RIDE AROUND THE WORLD

Lessons from life on the road.

Kostüme: How long have you been cycling, and where are you now?

Charlie: We’ve been on the road for 114 days now. Since leaving Cirencester, we’ve cycled all the way to Istanbul, flown to Mumbai, crossed Nepal, ridden back down to Kolkata, and then flown on to Hanoi. From there, we’ve continued through Vietnam and into Thailand, and have just reached Krabi, where we’ll be spending Christmas before setting off again on the 26th. Next up is the rest of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and - if time allows - Indonesia and Bali, before heading on to New Zealand, Tasmania, the east coast of Australia, Japan, Canada, the USA, and finally Morocco, Spain, France, and back to the UK.

Kostüme: What inspired the idea to cycle around the world?

Daisy: It started while I was rowing around the UK. Charlie had been thinking about a sabbatical (for a while…) and we both wanted an adventure / challenge. One day, it just became: ‘Shall we cycle round the world?’ From there, talking to people already on similar journeys turned the idea into a plan.

Charlie: Daisy suggested rowing the Pacific together, but I suggested cycling the world instead. Her enthusiasm pretty much cemented the idea in my mind and from then it was going to happen.

Kostüme: Did you have much long-distance cycling experience?

Daisy: None really! Before rowing across the Atlantic, I did cycle the length of Spain with my teammates to reach the race start line, as part of our mission to be the “most carbon-conscious campaign to date.” But that trip was supported — my uncle drove a van carrying our kit and set up camp each night — so it was quite different! Still, it taught me a lot about packing light, problem-solving on the road, and dealing with long days in the saddle. It took us two weeks with only one rest day in Seville. Looking back, that ride — and definitely rowing the Atlantic — helped me realise I can handle repetitive, back-to-back days with minimal comforts. It was the perfect training in disguise.

Charlie: I did Lands End to John O’ Groats at 18, a few long road and gravel rides, and some adventure races. But nothing like a continuous ride around the world.

Kostüme: How did you prepare — physically, mentally, and logistically?

Charlie: So we didn’t do as much cycle training as you might think. We did a short training weekend a couple of weeks before but that was mainly to test our kit. My theory was we didn’t want to be sick of cycling before we started. Logistically we just did lots of research on kit, spoke to Boru Mccullagh who had just completed his round the world cycle, and Duncan Covey who was currently cycling round the world. We got lots of useful insights and advice from them which really helped.

Daisy: Honestly, the packing list was the biggest focus! We spent ages figuring out the perfect setup — from the right bikes to the lightest possible kit that could work across all seasons.

Kostüme: What were your biggest fears before setting off?

Daisy: At the start, we were most worried about finding food, water and somewhere safe to sleep each night. So far, it’s all been fine — the kindness of people everywhere has been amazing. I think Australia will be the real test, with long stretches of road and very little in between, but we’ll figure it out when we get there!

Charlie: My biggest fear is having a mechanical issue that we can’t fix that leaves us stranded. It is still my biggest fear.

Kostüme: What does a typical day look like?

Charlie: So through Europe we mainly camped and cooked for ourselves. We would find a campsite to aim for, preferably one close to a supermarket. We would stop off at the supermarket and buy dinner, snacks and breakfast then head for camp. During the day we would try and do at least a third of the days riding before finding a coffee stop, for lunch we would aim for a LIDL (or similar) and have a large but budget friendly lunch of self made sandwiches.

Daisy: India was completely different. Hotels and food were so affordable, and with the heat, a shower at the end of the day feels like heaven! As you can imagine there aren’t many campsites in India. We were eating a lot of local street food and staying in guesthouses.

Asia has been slightly different, staying in cheap resort type places where you have a hut-like space. It’s been hot in Asia with highs of 35 over the last 2 weeks so we tend to split most of our cycle days into 3 - stopping for a coffee at around 50km, then lunch another 50km later, and then aiming to get to our accommodation by 4 - 5.30pm most days.

We’re thinking we might extend our time in Asia for an additional few weeks in Indonesia to help with budgeting before hitting New Zealand, where we will then return to camping! And cooking for ourselves (wahoo).

Kostüme: What’s been the toughest day so far?

Charlie: There hasn’t been a day where we thought we couldn’t do it. We plan each day so that it’s a manageable distance and climb. The toughest day was probably in France where we had a 20-25mph headwind for 150km. Or in Shahjahanpur when I had food poisoning, but we just decided to stay in our hotel for 2 extra nights.

Daisy: The Annapurna circuit is potentially the hardest challenge I’ve ever done. Back to back days of carrying a heavy backpack on a mountain bike with ridiculous gradient climbs and then adding in the altitude. Summit day was a 3am start in -14 where we pushed our bikes over Thorang La pass at 5,416m was something I will remember for many years to come. This was one of the best and my favourite experience yet on this trip - but by far the hardest!

Kostüme: Travelling with a partner can sometimes be hard! What have you learned about each other through this experience? Do you think cycling together has changed your relationship?

Daisy: We’re very different people. Charlie’s more introverted, and I’m definitely an extrovert. We think and worry about different things, but that actually helps — we balance each other out. It’s made us a stronger team.

Charlie: We’ve learned how differently we handle challenges, fatigue, and uncertainty, and how important communication is when things get tough. Cycling together has definitely changed our relationship. It’s made us more patient, more understanding, and much more of a team. When you’re relying on each other every day, small frustrations come and go quickly, but the shared sense of purpose and adventure only grows stronger.

Kostüme: How do you navigate tension or exhaustion together?

Charlie: When we’re both struggling, we try to remember we’re on the same side. It’s not me vs Daisy, it’s us versus the day. We’ve learned that tension usually comes from tiredness or stress of the unknown and not from anything deeper, so a bit of food and rest goes a long way.

Daisy: We’ve found that breaking the day into small chunks helps: get to the next chai stall, the next 20km, the next town. It’s all about those little wins.

Kostüme: What’s one thing this trip has made you appreciate that you used to take for granted?

Daisy: Sharing moments. Having someone to talk to when you wake up or to laugh with after a long day — it makes everything richer.

Charlie: I think it’s appreciating the simplicity of life and how little you actually need to feel content. A bit of food, a safe place to sleep, and good company can make you feel happier than anything else.

Kostüme: What advice would you give to someone who dreams of a big adventure but feels held back by fear or uncertainty?

Daisy: Just do it. Honestly. What are you waiting for? You are the youngest you’ll ever be right now. The things you learn from stepping outside your comfort zone — the confidence, the perspective — they stay with you forever. We’re taught to follow a certain path: buy a house, save for a wedding, think about the “next sensible step.” But these kinds of adventures teach you so much more about who you are. You’ll never regret going — only not going.

Charlie: I had and still have that fear and uncertainty, it doesn’t go away. You don’t need to be fearless, just brave enough to start and take each day as it comes.

Kostüme: If you could message yourselves at the start, what would you say?

Charlie: Chill out, don’t overthink it, just enjoy it. You will have tough days, but also have moments so beautiful they’ll stop you in your tracks. Take more photos, say yes to everything, and remember that, even when it’s hard, this is a once in a lifetime experience.

Daisy: The best is yet to come. Time will fly, so savour every single moment. Stop planning so far ahead and just live in the day.