Fred Lam Fai is miles away as he clicks through photos of his 3,000km cycling trip on his laptop. An avid photographer, the 29-year-old has captured the clear blue skies of Tibet, the mountain meadows of Yunnan and the serenity of Chiang Mai's ancient temples.
Lam often returns to those images from the trek last summer that he says is 'the greatest thing I've ever done'. This afternoon, however, the chief campaigner of charity Roundtable Community is sifting through his photos for a talk he's giving about the joys of long-distance biking - one of several travel lectures organised by the group.
'These rides reveal scenery at whatever pace that feels comfortable and you can stop whenever you want and take pictures. I can see how a lake shines from different angles as I go along,' Lam says.
'Many Hongkongers are often too busy to savour a place. When you cycle, you can access places seldom visited by others and immerse yourself in a place.'
More hardy types are beginning to share Lam's view, according to the 1,000-member Hong Kong Cycling Tour Association (hkcta.org.hk) and the 300-member Cycling Club. Both groups were formed in the 80s to spread the joys of pedal power, help beginners prepare for long-haul trips and organise runs across Asia and the mainland.
'Back then bicycle touring was the most practical way of exploring the mainland because public transport was still rather underdeveloped,' says Yan Kinn-wai, a long-time member of the Cycling Club and a tourer.
However, the bicycle-hostile rail network in Hong Kong has put a damper on club activities over the past two decades, says the 48-year-old building consultant.