Just ten days into his ambitious 365-day solo bicycle journey to Europe, Tiv Dararith was involved in an accident in Vientiane, Laos that damaged his bicycle and left him dazed.

Dararith took to social media on July 3 to explain what happened, and why – despite concerns from many Cambodians, including his family – he was determined to continue on his epic ride.

“I was riding while I was fatigued and hit the back of a parked car at speed. This has delayed my journey by several days,” he told his fans, in a video.

The accident forced Dararith to stay in Vientiane for a week while he was treated for serious facial injuries.

In addition to his physical injuries, his Surly bicycle, which is expected to carry him across challenging terrain across 25 nations on two continents, also sustained severe damage.

“I have a hard time explaining this feeling," said the young man, who plans to spend a year in the saddle to raise money for Siem Reap province’s Angkor Hospital for Children. 

"When I had the accident, I was shocked by the amount of blood coming out of my mouth, and of course, I cannot speak Lao. I was at fault and I wanted to pay for the damage to the car,” he added.

He thanked a young Cambodian who came to his assistance, coordinating with the car owner to arrange compensation for the damage.

One of the most important tasks Dararith faced was organising the repairs to his bicycle. Fortunately, a Lao bicycle mechanic was able to restore the machine, truing the wheels and tuning the gears and brakes to their optimum state.

“This mistake reminded me to be more vigilant and not to try to ride a bike in a drowsy state,” he said.

While taking the time to heal, Dararith found time to meet with Cambodians living in the city and surrounding areas. Many of his compatriots also provided donations to the hospital.

In a separate social media post, he noted that he had also paid a courtesy call on the Cambodian ambassador to Vientiane, adding a photograph of himself and his trusty steed outside the embassy.

Dararith is making history with his year-long, 20,000-kilometre ride from Cambodia to Europe. 

His ambitious mission, which began on June 9, aims to raise $250,000 for the Angkor Hospital for Children to celebrate the hospital's 25th anniversary and help children who are threatened by serious illnesses.

It is possible that he will encounter another man on a philanthropic quest: Oum Bunreth, president of BMW Motorcycle Club Cambodia, recently flew to Germany, where he will depart from Munich on July 5, before travelling through 22 nations.

Bunreth and his BMW R1250 GS motorcycle are slated to arrive back in Phnom Penh on October 25, just in time to celebrate the German Octoberfest. His epic tour is also being staged to raise funds for the medical care of Cambodian children, in his case through the Kantha Bopha Foundation.