1x1 – Ich wollte einfach nur irgendwas Geiles machen
"I just wanted to do something awesome" Tobias and Matthias want to cycle from Germany to Vietnam, following the historic Silk Road. Where did the idea come from?
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1x2 – Equipment für ein Jahr auf dem Fahrrad
"Equipment for a year on the bike" - If you want to cycle for a year, you need a lot of stuff. How much gear will the Manpower Express bring along?
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1x3 – Generalprobe mit bepackten Fahrrädern
"Test ride with packed bikes" - Eight days before diving into their biggest adventure, Matthias, Tobias and Waldemar do a practice run for half a day.
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1x4 – Tourstart!
"The journey begins!" - Manpower Express is rolling. When starting in Heiligenstadt on August 1st 2018, it's one of the hottest days of the year. 39°C (102°F) promise lots of fun.
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1x5 – Hitze, Berge, One-Pot-Pasta
"Highlands, Heat and One Pot Pasta" - It's still hot, hills are in the way and Tobias shows off his cooking skills.
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1x6 – Straight Outta Kantwurst-Paddelwurst
"Straight Outta Kantwurst-Paddelwurst" - Tobias, Matthias and Waldemar cross the first border into the Czech Republic. Now the tour actually begins.
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1x7 – Tut einem der Arsch weh? und andere brennende Fragen
"Do your butts hurt? and other urgent questions" - The first 1.000 km (600+ mi) are dead and done. In Hungary the boys look back and bid their farewell to Waldemar.
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1x8 – Reiseduschenouvertüre
"The Reiseduschenouvertüre" - After Waldemar went back to Germany, Matthias and Tobias follow the Danube for a bit and then fight heat and a sandy road on the Puszta plains of southern Hungary.
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1x9 – Der verrückte Maximilian: Zornstraße
"Der verrückte Maximilian: Zornstraße" (Crazy Max: Road of Anger) - While crossing Serbia, Tobias and Matthias reach the Iron Gates and meet an extraordinary cyclist on the way.
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1x10 – In der Walachei... da ist halt Walachei
"Wallachian Desolation" - Headwinds, plain fields and hardly any infrastructure - that's Wallachia in south-western Romania.
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1x11 – Es geht auf jeden Fall nur noch vorwärts
"The only way now is forward." - Bulgaria, Thrace, Istanbul - Europe lies behind the Manpower Express. After 3.000 km (1,800+ mi) they reached the western end of the Silk Road and a new chapter is about to begin.
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1x12 – In Safranbolu zum Barbier
"At the Safranbolu Barber" - Safranbolu was an important Silk Road hub with an amazing old town - and it presents the perfect opportunity to visit the local barber.
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1x13 – Panndemonium
"Breaking Down" - Matthias and Tobias want to reach the Black Sea coast in Samsun to replace some parts on their bikes.
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1x14 – Von 0 auf 2470 Meter Höhe: Die bislang härteste Etappe
"From 0 to 2470 meters above sea level: The toughest stage yet" - Tobias and Matthias picked up their Iranian visa and now have to leave the coast and go into the mountains. The toughest day is right around the corner.
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1x15 – Flaggenprobleme und Mutantenhunde: Die letzten Tage Türkei
"Mutant dogs and flag problems: The last days in Turkey" - After 41 days, big bad dogs and being mistaken for terrorists, Matthias and Tobias leave Turkey and ride their bicycles to Iran.
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1x16 – Basar, Taarof und Malzbier: Erste Tage im Iran
"Bazaar, taarof and malt beer: First days in Iran" - Matthias and Tobias visit the famous bazaar of Tabriz and learn that the Iranians are seriously hospitable people.
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1x17 – Kaputte-Beine-Blues
"Leg Days Blues" - Who would have thought that cycling for thousands of kilometers might take a toll on the legs?
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1x18 – Teheran: Stadttour und Propaganda
"Tehran: city tour and propaganda" - In Tehran Tobias and Matthias apply for Chinese and Turkmen visa. Meanwhile they learn a bit about the city itself.
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1x19 – Teheran: 3 Wochen Zwangspause
"Tehran: 3 weeks of forced hiatus" - Still waiting for their visa, the boys are stuck between embassy-runs and killing time.
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1x20 – Tobias hat Geburtstag. Motivation im Keller
"Tobias' birthday. Motivation hits rock bottom." - It's Tobias' 30th birthday and Manpower Express has to leave the Iranian capital as they have 18 days to reach the border to Turkmenistan.
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1x21 – 213 km an einem Tag: Weg zum ersten Bier nach 6 Wochen
"213 km in one day: The way to first beer after 6 weeks" - It's the longest day for Tobias and Matthias as they go to the border town Sarakhs. Once in Turkmenistan they finally have a beer to celebrate Tobias' birthday.
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1x22 – Turkmenistan (Die Folge mit der Maus)
"Turkmenistan (The Mouse Episode)" - After hearing many weird stories about Turkmenistan before, it turns out that pretty much everything is true.
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1x23 – Teigtaschenthementage in Usbekistan
"Dumpling Days in Uzbekistan" - Winter is coming and kebabs get replaced by dumplings as Matthias and Tobias arrive at the next Silk Road hub in Samarkand.
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1x24 – Der Zug/Der Dieb/Das Wiedersehen
"The Train / The Thief / The Reunion" - The boys are stuck in Samarkand but need to arrive in Kyrgyzstan on time to meet an old friend.
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1x25 – Wandertag auf den heiligen Berg: Silvester-Urlaub in Kirgisistan
"Field Trip to the Holy Mountain: New Year's Eve in Kyrgyzstan" - Tobias and Matthias celebrate New Year's together with Waldemar and Luisa, visit the Kyrgyz holy mountain and finally get new tires for their bikes.
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1x26 – Kirgisistan: Fahrradfahren bei -10°C
"Kyrgyzstan: Riding Bicycles at -10°C" - After their break in Osh, Tobias and Matthias head towards the Chinese border on the Pamir Highway at -10°C (14°F).
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1x27 – Winter-Blues in Kirgisistan: Mit dem Taxi nach China
"Winter Blues in Kyrgyzstan: Taking a Taxi to China" - The guys have to reach China before January 19th. But Matthias' busted knee and the extreme conditions force them to take a taxi through the bizarre landscape.
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1x28 – Flug aus der Überwachung: Von Xinjiang nach Xi'an
"Away from Surveillance: Flight from Xinjiang to Xi'an" - When Matthias and Tobias get a taste of the Chinese authority in Xinjiang, they pull the ripcord and fly to Xi'an - the oldest of the Chinese imperial capitals, which also marks the Silk Road's eastern end.
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1x29 – Xi'an: Terrakotta-Armee und Keules Pandaprügelpläne
"Xi'an: Terracotta Army and Keule's Panda-Punishing Plans" - While waiting in Xi'an for their bikes and equipment, the guys explore the ancient city and make emergency plans for when the pandas attack.
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1x30 – Neustart in China (Versuch Nr. 1)
"Reset in China (First Try)" - Manpower Express is moving again. The boys head towards Sichuan - the promised land full of pandas and a warmer climate.
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1x31 – Neustart in China 2: Zwischen Dreckwetter und Achsbruch
"Reset in China 2: Nasty Weather and Axle Fracture" - The police sent Tobias and Matthias back to Xi'an. On an alternative route they run into trouble of a different nature.
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1x32 – Neue Wegbegleiter! Zu fünft zur Drei-Schluchten-Talsperre
"New Companions. Cycling to the Three Gorges Dam in a Team of Five" - Manpower Express is joined by two Chinese cyclists and a friend from home. Together they visit the mighty Three Gorges Dam.
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1x33 – Keule am Abkotzen, Otti am Verrecken
"Keule Pissed Off, Otti on the Brink of Croaking" - Tobias (Otti) gets sick and Matthias' (Keule) patience gets tested.
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1x34 – Das Changsha-Schisma - und endlich 10.000 km auf dem Fahrrad!
"The Changsha Schism - and Finally Surpassing 10,000 km!" - The clock is ticking. The boys separate from their Chinese friends. And they finally reach the 10,000 km mark (6,000+ miles).
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1x35 – Glücksbringer, Selfies und eine Machete
"Lucky Charms, Selfies, and a Machete" - Cycling through southern China, the Manpower Express meets some fans, a dog and the destroyer of plants. Gifts from a local host and cyclist Ivan make sure the guys are well protected.
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1x36 – Matthias wird 30: Das Ende des China-Kapitels
"Matthias Turns 30: The Closing of the China Chapter" - The last days in China are wet and dirty. Also Matthias is the last one to turn 30 on the road.
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1x37 – Hello Vietnam!
"Hello Vietnam!" - Finally in Vietnam. Tobias and Matthias indulge in local customs and plan a well deserved break on the islands of the Ha Long Bay.
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1x38 – Der Fuß der Anstoßes: Reha am Strand von Cat Ba
"The Foot of Contention: Recovery on the Beaches of Cat Ba" - Feces hit the fan when Tobias injures his foot on Cat Ba island. There are more weeks of waiting and another change of plans.
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1x39 – "Da liegt er, der Kollege": Otti und Keule in Hanoi
"So that's where they put the guy: Keule and Otti in Hanoi" - The boys explore the Vietnamese capital Hanoi and take a round trip to Bangkok to renew their visas.
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1x40 – "Warum nennt ihr euch Manpower Express?": Fortsetzung mit frischem Fuß
"Why do you call yourself Manpower Express?: A Fresh-Footed Continuation" - It's the moment of truth. Will the foot hold up? Also the guys struggle to find something to complain about.
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1x41 – Über den Wolkenpass: Nur noch 1000 km bis zum Ziel
"Over the Ocean Cloud Pass: Only 1000 km to Go Until the Finish" - Manpower Express is riding along the South China Sea to Da Nang. The Ocean Cloud Pass marks the last barrier on the way to Saigon.
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1x42 – "Wieso kannst du nicht wie dein Bruder sein!": Unterwegs mit Waldemar
"Why Can't You Be More like Your Brother!: On the Road with Waldemar" - Waldemar joins in Da Nang for the last 1,000 km (600+ mi). His taste in bicycles used to be better and it's hot. Very hot.
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1x43 – Der Endspurt
"The Final Spurt" - The last days are tough. So Tobias, Matthias and Waldemar take one last break at the beach to wind down and grill.
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1x44 – Finale in Saigon: "Wie viele Länder hatten wir denn eigentlich..?"
"Finale in Saigon: How many countries were we in, again..?" - The journey ends. After exactly ten months and 13,007 km (8,000+ mi) Manpower Express reaches its destination - Saigon's Main Post Office.
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1x45 – Epilog: "Hängt ihr noch zusammen rum?"
"Epilogue: Do you still hang out together?" - Matthias and Tobias are back in Germany. How does it feel to come back after ten months on the bicycle? And why did they do the whole thing in the first place?
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