Imagine spending your 23rd birthday alone in a doorless shed along Turkey's remote Sakaltutan Pass, hours away from the nearest city, with a bag of rocks as your only protection against a pack of hungry, howling wolves.
Another riveting episode of Discovery Channel's "Man vs. Wild"? No, just a typical day in the life of Tzuo Hann Law, Pratt '07.
While many of his classmates have settled into new jobs and graduate schools, Law has been following his dream of circumnavigating the globe by bicycle for charity.
"I probably won't get to do this again.... No family of my own, no job, no girlfriend, no strings," Law said. "What more can I ask for? The time comes around only once!"
Law started his journey from Los Angeles in late May 2007 and cycled to Washington, D.C., where he and his bike boarded a flight to Dublin, Ireland. He then cycled through Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia and hopes to reach his hometown of Taiping, Malaysia in early March 2008. Writing about his journey on his "Long Way Home" blog, Law estimates that he has covered about 14,362 miles in the past 239 days. He is currently in southern China.
For the final leg of his journey, Law will be joined by the "Ride for Malaysia Tour," a charity ride of young Malaysians organized by Law that has to date raised over $24,000 for charities in his home country.
In a message posted on Law's fundraising Web site, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad, adviser for foreign affairs to the Malaysian prime minister, praised the Duke grad.
"I would be delighted to see how the various races bind together as one when Tzuo Hann cycles into their path and hearts," Mohamad wrote. "Across America, Europe and Central Asia en route home to Malaysia on a bike for 30,000 km. through some truly harsh conditions, this solo rider has made Malaysians proud."
Carrying only a few articles of clothing, some camping gear and his bike accessories, Law said the difficulties of the long journey are twofold.
"The most challenging aspect of this trip is organizing and funding it out of college," Law said. "There is the time lost from delaying getting a job or going for more school and on top of that, the opportunity cost of both. Also, for the past month, the weather has been rather challenging and I can't help but to think of Durham's weather at times. Ugly roads and bad drivers are the man-made pains-in-the-neck while hills and winds are nature's."
Law said some of the situations he encounters are both treacherous and amusing.
"One night [in Uzbekistan], I woke up to a thief tiptoeing towards my stuff, so I yelled at the bum," Law said. "I found out that he ran off with my shoes in the morning, and some melon sellers helped me get my shoes back and apparently gave the thief a good beating in the process."
Law said the most important lessons that he has learned so far apply not only to biking, but also to life in general.
"Uphills are long, downhills are quick," Law said. "It's necessary to have an uphill before a downhill."
However, he remains uncertain about what he will do after he finishes his long ride.
"I am quite sure to be spending 2008 completing the fundraising for this ride, starting another charitable venture or effort in Malaysia, learning Chinese properly and reading law," Law said. "Beyond 2008, things are so uncertain that it's really not worth talking about. A couple of Corvettes and a ticket to space and the option to retire at 40 wouldn't hurt."
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