In the summer of 1997, Tim Doherty set off alone on a daunting round-the-world cycle tour, which turned out to be even more awe-inspiring than he could have hoped. For this book, he has taken the most fascinating and humorous experiences from his diaries and woven them together into a collection of true short-stories. With many beautiful photographs, sketches and maps, "This Breathtaking World" is a vivid and very personal account of life on the road. The title has a double-meaning, as the author is a chronic asthma sufferer. Tim encountered many problems, but the varied cultures and fantastic scenery along the way were his daily rewards. What remains with him most, however, is his impression of the people in each of the countries he cycled across, their remarkable generosity and hospitality. Tim completed his tour successfully, finishing up in his home town of Sheffield, England, more than two years after he'd cycled off from there, having pedalled a total of 21, 688 miles.