Honeymooners' epic journey on bicycle built for two

Kat and Steve Turner began their 30-country epic journey in New Zealand. Photo / www.tandemturners.com

It won't be a stylish honeymoon, but Kat and Steve Turner hope to be sweet upon the seat of a bicycle made for two - for 38,000 kilometres.

The British couple decided not to take the week-at-a-luxury-resort honeymoon option, instead opting to ride a tandem bicycle through about 30 countries around the world, starting in New Zealand.

They began their epic journey in Christchurch on April 29 and cycled the length of the entire country.

"After ten weeks of what felt like non-stop cycling, we finally made it to Auckland; our final destination in New Zealand," they posted on July 26. "We have considered New Zealand to be the training leg of our adventure and without a doubt it has thrown everything it has to harden us up."

They then flew to Sydney and cycled across Australia, and are at present somewhere in Malaysia for the Asian leg of their journey.

So far they have cycled about 10,000km and hope to break the previous world record of 38,143km.

"Why, we hear you cry! Well, we still can't quite explain why we are doing this - but we will have 18 months to work that out," they wrote.

Kat Turner, a 31-year-old Masters graduate in International Law and Criminal Justice, said she was not an intrepid adventurer - "in fact I can't even ride a bike" - but decided to do the journey to experience different cultures and new perspectives.

Steve Turner, a primary teacher, said he was a "have-a-go dreamer" and was probably to blame for the trip. "This really is a plan of epic proportions beyond my experience.

"Besides, this time there will be two of us. I can't believe Kat agreed to it. However, the road beckons us, you only live once and this is one hell of a way to live it."

The couple hope to raise money for charity Practical Action, which aims to build the technical skills of poor people in developing countries.