Indonesian activist to promote green living through bicycles

Use pedal power and save the environment, Indonesian activist Bambang Hertadi Mas, aka Paimo, wants to tell people of all countries.
Paimo cycled into HCM City on Sunday as part of a regional tour to promote environmentally friendly practices.
On his latest trip, Paimo is pedaling through 16 major provinces and cities of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam. Paimo arrived in HCM City from Laos, after biking through Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, Buon Ma Thuot city as well as the southern province of Dong Nai.
More than 30 other bicyclists from the Indonesian community as well as local enthusiasts gathered in District 7 and joined a bicycle rally around the city’s downtown areas before stopping at the Indonesian General Consulate for a celebration.
Paimo, who left his home country on September 14 to begin the 2,565km journey through four countries, told Viet Nam News that he decided to ride around the Asian countries to experience different lives and cultures.
He also hopes to promote peace and amity among nations through his trips, and write later about his experiences.
"Through this journey I would like to send a message to everybody that riding is the most inexpensive and healthy sport. In the past I saw many Vietnamese riding bicycles but now they have changed to motorbikes."
Fifty-one year old Paimo, began riding bicycles to foreign countries in 1980. He has since made more than 20 trips to many countries and historic places in the world such as the Tibetan Highlands, the Himalaya mountains, the Great Wall of China, Kilimanijaro mountain, Island Peak and other areas.
Paimo said a three-month biking tour in 2006 through 5,424km from Bolivia and Chile was the most memorable and challenging one to date.
Next year, Paimo will cycle for two months from Belgium’s Brussels to France, Spain, Portugal, and Marocco. He will leave Viet Nam today, after visiting important places in the city.