Alex Sidney joined countless world travelers seeking to leave an impression some six months ago. The 19-year-old Italian man who lives in Britain hopes to claim the title of the first person to tour the world on his tall bike, made up of two bicycles he welded on top of each other.

Sidney started his tour from the Netherlands and this week arrived in Kırklareli, a province on the Turkish border with Bulgaria. Accompanying him is a puppy he found near the Serbian-Romanian border.

A biking enthusiast, Sidney built his first tall bike five years ago. He built eight others and decided to set out on a world tour with the money he earned from their sales. After a "trial" tour of Britain, he left the country aboard a ship in January, arriving in the Netherlands. He saved more money by working odd jobs in the European country, enough to finance his tour. In March, he started his Europe tour.

Following a route along the Rhine river, he cycled through Germany, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Slovakia, Hungaria and Croatia. In Serbia, he found his puppy companion, who was alone like him. He built a special compartment for the dog he named "Nova" on his bike.

Sidney was in Kırklareli on Tuesday, where he visited a cycling academy. "I love riding and getting to know new cultures, new people and nature. This motivated me to hit the road," he told Anadolu Agency (AA).

He was originally planning to start his tour in 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his plans. He now plans to ride toward Asia. "I am planning to visit Cappadocia and only then, I can say that I truly visited Asia," he joked. Cappadocia, an ancient region in Anatolia or Asia Minor, is located in central Türkiye and is known for its volcanic formations called "fairy chimneys."