BUSAN - When Mr Philipp Springsguth and Ms Maria West set out from their home in Saxony, Germany, in March, they packed lightly but purposefully: five water bottles, two bikes, a tent and the conviction that they could do anything.

Eight months and 8,000km later, the German couple arrived in Busan after cycling through 16 countries, passing through stunning landscapes, including the arid plains of Kazakhstan, desert dunes of Afghanistan and bustling cities of China.