Three Nepali men embarking on a cycling tour across Asia to spread the message of environmental protection have arrived in Ho Chi Minh City this week.

Anish Dhakal, 22, Dilip Chhetri, 22, and Nirmal Baral, 39, started their ‘green’ cycling from Nepal in December 2016, having ridden across India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia before reaching Vietnam on Wednesday.

Anish Dhakal, an environmental activist, is the team leader while the other two members are social workers from different organizations.

Anish Dhakal stopped for a photo on National Highway 22 in Ho Chi Minh City on April 19.

“The devastating earthquake in 2015 [in Nepal] made me think a lot. The Mother Nature has protected us for years, but what we have returned to her is just destruction of the environment,” Anish told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

The trio has rented a small house in Cu Chi District and they were scheduled to cycle to various popular destinations in downtown Ho Chi Minh City including the Reunification Palace and some museums.

They will also drop by some schools to spread the ideas of environmental protection to children.

The Nepali cyclists told Tuoi Tre they were very surprised with the warm welcome from the Vietnamese, besides finding local food particularly good and cheap.

“On our way, we were very tired and thirsty because of the heat. A male Vietnamese brought us various bottles of energy drink and soft drink. Wherever we go, the locals welcome us very warmly,” Anish said.

The three Nepali cyclists will stay for four days in Vietnam and they plan to continue their cycling tour to other Asian countries in the next five years.

“After Vietnam, we will come to Brunei. Our group will finish the tour in 2021. We feel happy because we have done something meaningful,” Anish expressed.

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