A proud Yorkshireman, Mr Watts has been riding on a Harrogate-made bike christened “Hendo” in honour of Henderson’s Relish, a popular condiment in his home city.
While he admitted homesickness had yet to kick in, he was given a “surreal” reminder of Yorkshire during a recent homestay in rural Turkey.
“I was staying with a host family and the guy said to me ‘this is my favourite programme’ – it was Our Yorkshire Farm.
“It was so random and it was all dubbed in Turkish. I couldn’t believe it had made it out to Turkey, that made me miss home a bit.”
Mr Watts said travelling on cycle routes had taken him away from popular tourist destinations and allowed him to experience the “true culture” of the countries he has visited.
“Experiencing the really remote rural areas and interactions with people, it pulls you out of your own social bubble,” he added.
“I’ll pick up things from each culture, I’m sure, and hopefully bring some back home – and introduce them to some Yorkshire culture.”
So far he has spent just €15 (£12.96) on accommodation, with most of his time in Europe spent wild camping.
Meanwhile, everything he needs for his trip is strapped to Hendo.
“That’s my life for three years pretty much,” said Mr Watts, who has spent most of his working life in hospitality.
“It’s a strange feeling, it’s quite liberating.”