Staff writer

Shakespeare's Richard the Third may have given his kingdom for a horse, but Petr Plonin and Nikolay Davidovsky's slightly more modest sacrifice is still nothing to scoff at.

The two Russians have been traveling the world for five years in a jerry-built wagon pulled by Vladimir and Belgian draft horses in what they call "The Horse-Drawn World Tour." They are campaigning for energy conservation, wildlife preservation and the increased use of horses for labor and transportation.

With no formal sponsor, they are sustained entirely by the goodwill of others and their own enthusiasm. The pair completed the first leg of their journey in one year, traveling 12,000 km across Siberia to Sakhalin Island. The feat won them a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The adventurers then spent a year traversing Europe, after which they went to the United States. They trekked from New York City to San Francisco, passing through 17 states and living out of their horse-drawn wagon the whole way.

Now they are tackling Japan. In an interview Monday in Yoyogi Park, where the two are staying while in Tokyo, Plonin explained how horses are the perfect vehicle for communicating their message. "Horses bring people together, because everyone likes horses. Unfortunately, the animal is being forgotten everywhere," Plonin said.

Also unfortunate is the fact that Plonin and Davidovsky have been unable to afford horses for the Japan leg of their trip. So the unflappable adventurers have settled for bicycles instead.

The two arrived in Toyama Prefecture on Nov. 6 after getting a free ride to Japan with a Russian shipping company. They then traveled from western to eastern Japan on a souped-up pair of secondhand cycles. They have stayed in tents outdoors every night of their trip.

The Japanese winter, however, has been a breeze for the travelers. "I have no problem sleeping in snow," said Davidovsky, a member of the Russian Rescuers Association and a specialist in survival in extreme conditions.

Still, the journey across Japan has not been easy. They have received less help from strangers here than in Europe and the U.S., where they were often treated to meals at people's homes. "Japanese people are very friendly," Plonin said, "But they don't have the tradition of inviting people into their houses."

Navigation through the Japan Alps was also difficult but nothing compared to the capital. Plonin, who wears a compass on a string around his neck said, "We got lost two or three times on the way here, but we get lost every day in Tokyo."

The duo's world tour began when Plonin, a geologist and graduate of the Moscow Polytechnic Institute, had the idea to trace a journey that Russian author Anton Chekhov took across Siberia in the late 19th century. He invited Davidovsky, a friend and fellow resident of the Russian city of Ivanovo, to accompany him.

During their trip around the world, the travelers have stopped to talk to students and share their vision of "peace, love and preservation of our planet." Along the way, they have collected signatures and photos, filling up eight "guest books."

They are proud to have been made honorary citizens of several U.S. cities and to have met influential European and American politicians, including French President Jacques Chirac and New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman. "Christie Whitman," Plonin says. "Guest book No. 6."

In Japan, a country where even used clothing is expensive, money has been a problem. So far, the travelers have survived primarily on dried food brought from Russia, asking only for hot water at restaurants. Pinching the few pennies they have, even drinks from vending machines are off limits.

After a planned New Year's climb up Mount Fuji, Plonin and Davidovsky will ride up the eastern coast of Japan to Hokkaido. They hope to get donations of money for such expenses as the ferry ride from Honshu to Hokkaido and to buy warm clothes for the severe northern climate.

When they finish their Japan trip, they want to return to their families in Russia. The travelers then plan to write a book about their experiences.

Donations to "The Horse-Drawn World Tour" can be sent to Andrei Koloshin, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Azabu Branch, account number 0005-144-006-9804. For more information, call (03) 3378-2513 or fax (03) 3379-3407.