Equipped with three spare tires, food and medicine against malaria, a middle-aged Romanian, Galatanu Virgil, has toured 20 African countries on bicycle.

Virgil, who started his tour from Egypt in January last year, arrived in Nigeria last week and it took him five days to ride to Abuja, the capital of Africa's most populous nation, from its largest city, Lagos.

"My ambition is to cross all the capitals of the world," Virgil, who had already bagged some medals for touring all the capital cities of Europe on bicycle, told the official News Agency of Nigeria on Friday.

As part of his preparation, Virgil learnt how to service the cycle and replace parts without assistance.

Virgil, a former mail man and head of post office in Romania, has no special map or budget for his journey which would last until 2011.

"I arrived in Lagos with 20 dollars," he said.

The globe trotter, who looked unruffled in spite of the rigors associated with such a tour, said that he relied on people for direction and sponsorship from one community to another.

"In some areas security operatives had to assist me by carrying me in a truck to avert dangers or advice me on a safer route," he said.

He however admitted he was robbed in Sierra Leone and lost about 300 dollars to the robbers.

Virgil, who left his wife and five kids to visit all capitals of the world, said he would not return home until after the tour of Asia and America by 2011.

Virgil still has 34 countries to visit in Africa, mostly in the western and southern part of the continent.

Source: Xinhua