Year 2011 has been a wonderful year and I could not have asked for more to end my tour with a visit to a newly born nation, South Sudan. It was lovely six days visit and I would like to thank the few people in Juba for making me feel so comfortable. With the organization of Siddhartha Shrestha, I had several interviews with the local media. I would like to thank him from the bottom of my heart for being more than just a good friend; he was helping me since the moment I stepped into the border of South Sudan, Nimule. I would like to thank Alpana Pradhan Amatya for her assistance in every way she knew she could give her support and lastly, I would like to give a big thank you to Ram Prasad Padhya for letting me stay at his house and being a great host.

I am now back in Kampala and I will be celebrating my eight years since I started on the world tour. In the early morning of 25th December 2003, I left behind my family, friends and started on my, what seemed very ambitious dream of doing something for our Earth. Eight years this Christmas, it still seems like a vision in a far-fetched way but here I am living the ultimate dream. With my passion of cycling, of world peace and environmental protection – we have all come this far; 81,700 kilometres, 78 countries and 6 continents.

In the year 2011, I manage to cycle through a total number of eight countries – Mexico, USA, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan. In the entire year of 2011, I have cycled a total distance of 9,700 kilometres.

2011 has been a wonderful year for the world. More and more people are starting to go green everyday and are getting wary of the hard truth of global warming destroying the way we will perceive life five decades from today. The number of cyclists has drastically increased. When I first started on my tour, it was so rare to meet cyclists cycling through country to country but today, cyclist have increased 10 folds and that means one less passenger on an airplane, one less passenger on a diesel, petrol filled vehicle. I always believe a small gesture will eventually play a big role at the end of the day.

My overall impression is that local, national and world leaders are beginning to listen to their citizens and implementing policies to better protect environment. People are also realizing in today’s world of internet and social media, we can collectively say no to corporate greed and we can build a new eco-friendly economies. Corporations that neglect environment from their business model risk their longevity as we are growing more trees, reserving rainforest, going vegetarian and we are eating organic. We are using more environmental friendly products, we are walking to work. It might all be to be healthy but maybe, we are also doing it for the world is my hope everyday. In all these ways, we are all doing a part for the world and I hope more will see the goodness of cycling around.

It has also been an amazing year for me. 2011 was the year I got the biggest media coverage when I was in Mexico. We also officially inaugurated Furtemba Sherpa Foundation and we hope to do many wonderful things, especially social works. The most recent charity we did was donating 10 wheelchairs to HDCS, a childcare centre for disabled and handicapped children in Nepal as a Christmas gift. Sonam T. Lama, kindly sponsored a new bicycle for my tour. My other sponsors have been generous with me, supporting me further with new camping equipments, laptop, mobile and clothes besides my expenses.

As always, I have been blessed to have the opportunity to meet all the great people during the entire. With so many positive things happening around me, 2011 has been the true pivotal period in my tour so far. I am back in Uganda, Kampala to celebrate my eighth year anniversary as well as Christmas. I would like to give my heartiest thanks to Sachin Rajbhandari and Pancham Lama for organizing a party in my honour. In the year of 2012, I plan to cover another 17-19 countries before I eventually finish my tour of the African continent of some 49 countries by the end of 2014.

I would like to thank each and every one of you for your endless support and belief in me all throughout my journey. My succession is because of your faith in me. Please keep being a part of my passion, I wish you all Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. I wish you all succession, happiness, wealth and health. Keep in touch, take care. Stay safe.