Some could rightly claim that Mikael Colville-Anderson or ColvilleAnderson as he is known on Been there, has almost single-handedly made cycling uber-cool. As the brains behind the completely great CopenhagenCycleChic blog, this man knows a thing or two about looking good on a bicycle. And no, it does not involve day-glo. Read on, dear friends, read on ...

For the sake of all Been there readers who don't know about your blog, where is your hometown?
I suppose Copenhagen is my hometown because it is here I feel at home. For reasons beyond my control I was actually born in Fort McMurray, Canada.

If you could have another one, where would it be and why?
A difficult question and so early in the interview! I'm inclined to choose Berlin or Paris, but I think I'll go with La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast.

Is there a pattern to your travel (i.e. you like to go on bike trips) or is it quite eclectic?
I travelled excessively for many years and have found that much of that wanderlust has been satisfied. During the 'travelling years' there was no pattern. Round and round the world I went several times, working as a travel writer and journalist. Now, with children, things are slightly more structured. City breaks, ski holidays and long, long summer holidays.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
The anonymity of travel appeals most. Blending in to foreign landscapes, being a fly on the wall, regarding the comings and goings of a city or a country.

Where has been the most surprising place you have been?
Back in 1992 I paid a fisherman $100 to ferry me across the Caspian Sea from Baku to Turkmenistan. Alone with a wizened fisherman on a rusty boat in the middle of the Caspian Sea was quite surprising.

What essential item do you always travel with?
Pen and notebook.

Have you ever lived abroad? If so, can you let us know where and what inspired the move? If not, is there anything that would prompt you to do so?
I've lived on four continents, in a host of countries and cities. All destinations during my travels. Settling down for a time because of a girl, a job, a good feeling about a place.

Would you describe yourself as a curious (i.e. curious about other people rather than weird) person?
I would describe myself as curious, yes. And then some. I've always felt rather nomadic and rootless in my life, so I am constantly curious to see how other people live in and interact with a place.

Is there something that you always do when you reach a foreign place?
Find a cafe where I can feel like a local and where I'm unlikely to meet other foreigners.

Is there a travel book or perhaps phrase which has inspired you to take off somewhere?
Via the Danish writer Karen Blixen I became acquainted at an early age with the words of the Roman general Ptolemy. Navigare necesse est. Vivere non necesse. He was in Sicily with a fleet of ships filled with wheat to save a starving Rome. The worst storm in memory threatened the journey. He said it was more important to sail [or navigate] than to live. Saving Rome was a more important task than the risk of losing their lives by trying. I have always returned to that quote and various personal interpretations of it.

Do you have any plans for a next trip? What has inspired them?
I think about Tokyo every single day and am working madly on a host of plans that will give me an excuse to get back there. It's amazing place. All of Japan, but mostly Tokyo.

Are you a solo traveller or do you prefer to go with other people?
I despise travelling with others. The anonymity I referred to earlier doesn't exist. You spend your time yapping instead of absorbing. I avoid other tourists or travellers at all costs unless I'm with my family, of course.

Favourite travelling tune?
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2

How old are you?
I'm 40 and married with two children.

Best bike route in Copenhagen?!
The best bike route in Copenhagen is the one that takes you to your favourite cafe or to the home of a good friend's house.

Get inspired and check our Mikael's blog: CopenhagenCycleChic.com.

We would love to meet you too! If you'd like to tell people about your travels let us know: been.there@guardian.co.uk

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