KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 -- Iranian cyclist Arezoo Eskandari arrived in Malaysia a few days ago after a 5,000km ride across Asia, even as growing conflict back home weighs heavily on her mind.

Her solo adventure from China to Iran has become not only a test of endurance, but also a story of resilience and discovery.

"I have been living my best life as a nomad, experiencing different countries on my bicycle," she said in a recent interview.

"This adventure has been thrilling yet challenging, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else," she added.

The 35-year-old psychiatrist from Esfahan began her one-year cycling odyssey in November last year, driven by a desire to see the world from the seat of a bicycle.

After covering 5,000km through Ch...