Up the middle of the island to Cape Soya, the northernmost point in Japan, then home down the west coast. A dawn cable car into Daisetsuzan, the Ororon Line with Rishiri floating offshore, and the Shakotan capes. An onsen almost every evening.

Three valleys and a pass, flying in and out of Srinagar. The Gulmarg gondola, Razdan into Gurez with the light still kind, and Tulail running towards the Line of Control. Grilled trout by the stream at Daksum, and kahwa at every hour.

Root bridges near Tyrna that are grown rather than built, and water at Dawki so clear the boats look like they are floating on air. Limestone country through the Jaintia hills, then rhinos and an elephant safari at Manas over the new year.

A week of rivers — Baspa, Sutlej, Spiti, and the Chenab beyond Kunzum La. Stone arches cut into the cliffs of Kinnaur, a thousand-year-old room at Tabo lit through one hole in the roof, and the high villages above Kaza.

The Great Living Chola Temples in the order they were built — Gangaikonda, Darasuram, then Thanjavur. Seventy hairpins up Kolli Hills, Chettinad mansions at Kanadukathan, and the road running into the sea at Dhanushkodi. The best meal of the year in a shack on the beach.

Hoysala temples at Halebidu and Belur, carved end to end. Coffee country through Chikmagalur, over the Ghats at Charmady to the coast at Bekal, then back up through Wayanad. Bandipur at dawn on the last morning.

The connoisseur's loop out of Istanbul. Phrygian highlands, Cappadocia, Hattusa the Hittite capital, and the Ottoman timber towns at Safranbolu. Four world heritage sites, and the D010 coastal road ridden both ways.

The greatest hits loop out of Istanbul. Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus and Pamukkale, then the D400 turquoise coast from Fethiye to Antalya. One rest day, and best avoided in July and August.

One way across the spine of Turkey, Mediterranean to Bosphorus. The Taurus, the high steppe, Divriği's carved stone, and the Kemaliye Stone Road above the Euphrates. Over the Pontic Alps to Sumela, then Amasya and the D010 as the finale.