Back in July 2011, a former photo editor at the Bangkok Post left everything behind and set off to see the world. But he did not hurry to the airport to catch a flight. Instead he embarked on his journey on two wheels.
Well into his 50s, Sombat Raksakun does not let age get the better of him and it didn't dim his determination to cycle solo around the world and marvel at its wonders.
Now close to 60 years old, the age at which most people retire, Mr Sombat completed his odyssey, with his trusted bicycle, in October last year.
It wasn't his goal to race to the finish line. The essence of his journey was the stops he made along the way and the people he met. This was no spur of the moment trip, but a dream that he'd always wanted to live.
As a boy, he had always wanted to travel the world, though he had no idea he would do it by bicycle.
Throughout his career, his vision of the world was through the camera lens as he made his living as a photographer. But in his teenage years, he had his eye on being an artist; he wanted to study art at Silpakorn University, an institute renowned for producing many of the country's top artistic talents.
But it wasn't meant to be.
An eldest son, his family could not afford to send him to university because the family's funds were reserved for the younger siblings to go to university.
The long and sometimes treacherous ride opens a window to breathtaking scenery.
After graduating from Mor Sor 3 (an old schooling system equivalent to Mathayom 3 or Grade 9 today), he enrolled in a naval college, subsidised by the government. After graduation, he sent home some of his naval officer salary.
Mr Sombat was deployed to naval stations across the country as well as in neighbouring countries for several years before he was struck by the realisation that the military was not for him. However, he was still passionate about photography.
Mr Sombat quit the navy to work as a photographer at The Nation newspaper for four years before switching to the Bangkok Post where, through the 30 years of his employment, he had worked his way up to the position of photo editor. He left the Post in 2010 ahead of his world cycling project.
At the Post, Mr Sombat figured his skill in photography alone failed to meet the demands of the job. So he signed up for every in-house course in English, his enthusiasm for which finally paid off.
With his improved language skills, he was able to work both as a photographer and columnist.
"That's my survival technique. Everything follows the same principle, whether it is cycling, writing or learning English: I give my all," he said.
Former Bangkok Post photo editor Sombat Raksakun cycles his way to the southernmost tip of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. photos by Sombat Raksakun
Before long, Mr Sombat knew his office days were numbered. He found his career in journalism was coming to an end, with new industry trends emerging.
One day, while stuck in traffic for hours, he decided the ideal mode of transport to navigate Bangkok's treacherous streets was a bicycle. So, he went out and bought one one and with it opened up a new chapter in his life.
Mr Sombat said he immediately got down to making plans to traverse the world. Knowledge about military history and world geography acquired during his military service stoked his appetite for exploration.
But Mr Sombat was modest in his ambitions to start with. First, he cycled round his neighbourhood, then went a bit further, across Bangkok. After exhausting places to explore in the capital, he boarded a train to Chiang Mai, taking with him his bicycle which he later used to cycle back to Bangkok.
Building up his stamina and cycling experience, he headed beyond the border to Khe Sanh, a historical battlefield in the coastal province of Quang Tri in Vietnam and later to Dong Ha, Hue and Hoi An.
Mr Sombat makes a brief stop in his journey through Lhasa, Tibet, as he pauses to marvel at the majestic surroundings outside the famed Potala Palace.
After the Vietnam trip, his idea to cycle around the world was gradually coming into focus in 2009.
Despite recognising his plan to cycle the globe may have sounded odd for a person in his 50s, Mr Sombat persevered with his plans.
"I knew it was a strange idea but I still wanted to do it. At that time I was bored with the day to day grind of urban living and constant traffic," he said.
Mr Sombat said it was fortunate that he was physically up to the long journey ahead, the result of regular exercise. However, he said the arduous journey ahead and sometimes harsh geographical conditions pushed his limits both physically and mentally.
He arranged an "experimental" cycling trip to warm himself up for the real thing. He cycled more than 3,000km from Shangri-La in Yunnan, China, to Bangkok. He finished his trip in December 2009. The following year, there was no turning back.
For one full year, Mr Sombat went through vigorous physical training to get himself ready for his journey of a lifetime in 2011.
He and his mountain bike left Bangkok for Chiang Mai where he attended a farewell party thrown for him by his cycling club. He then rode his bike to Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong district and crossed the border to Laos.
Mr Sombat parks his bicycle beside the remnants of a decom-missioned armoured vehicle he encountered on the route through Asia.
His cycling trip was also intended to be tribute to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the occasion of the late King's birthday.
Speaking about his feelings on leaving Thai soil, Mr Sombat said once he had checked through the border and left Thailand behind, he was suddenly frightened by the thought of his endeavours, a feeling that causes many first-timers charting unknown territory to turn back and abandon their expedition.
"It was then that I realised that from now on I will be totally on my own to get through the inconveniences and the unexpected incidents along this trip," he said.
From Laos, he headed to Yunnan and Tibet. When he arrived in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, he was arrested for overstaying his visa. He was later deported to Nepal after negotiating with Tibetan immigration authorities.
Mr Sombat had designed his cycle routes based on his geographical personal preferences, which meant taking a simple straight line was not an option.
Mr Sombat said many times his choices took him through some very rough terrains in exotic places such as Pakistan, for he wanted to experience the most unique and picturesque landscapes the world had to offer.
He travelled to Central Asia because he wanted to explore the legendary Silk Road, which stretches through the region.
After entering India, he intended to cycle to Iran but his visa was not approved so he had to change his route to Tajikistan, a small country in the Middle East. Here, he had an opportunity to ride along the Pamir Highway, a road stretching along the Pamir Mountains through Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia.
He later headed to Turkey and spent three months travelling across Europe.
He then went to Egypt and cycled southward to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, where he made many stops along the way to satisfy his curiosity as to how locals manage to survive in desert.
From South Africa, he boarded a plane to Alaska and cycled along the Pan-American Highway, the world's longest highway, to Brazil and Argentina.
For the next leg of his journey, he caught flights to Japan and later to Korea. He later boarded a boat to China where he started cycling southward to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. However, he had to fly back to Bangkok for emergency surgery after a metal plate that was inserted in his right arm following an accident in Zambia broke.
After his recovery, he flew to Australia and pushed on to Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. His odyssey was completed upon arrival in Bangkok on Oct 10 last year.
Crossing more time zones than he cares to count, Mr Sombat finally completed his journey after nearly six years. Despite the mission's difficulties, Mr Sombat said he never once thought of ditching it half way through.
Other long-distance cyclists may be equipped with travelling gadgets including a GPS tracking system. But he had only his bike, a camera, a compass, some basic necessities and a notebook computer.
Mr Sombat said his experience was well worth the time, energy and money spent, for he came away touched by the humble lives and generosity of so many local villagers.
"It was like a pilgrimage by bike around the world, freeing me of the distractions and worries that I had at the time. It was a very peaceful way of spending a significant part of my life," he said.