WEST BROOKFIELD — Hoping to make friends, discover new places and experience things at a slow pace, two visitors from China passed through Central Massachusetts this week on a two-year bicycle trip around the world.

During a stop in West Brookfield, Chen Han said he and Ma Jing Ru, 20-somethings from Beijing, have traveled through Asia, Africa, Europe and now are heading to Seattle. From there they hope to ride down the coast to southern California. Before their trip is over and they return home to China, they plan to marry.

"We have been traveling for a year and a half," Mr. Han said. "We just want to see the real world and travel carefully by bicycle."

On bicycles heavily laden with their belongings and supplies, it is a slow pace, but that is the point. The pace has allowed them to really discover the countries they travel, and people they meet. Mr. Han has a Facebook page where he is collecting photographs and offering commentary about the trip, including photos of some of the people they have met in their travels.

Starting out in April 2016, the pair first rode across China and Eastern Europe, visiting such exotic places as Armenia, Iran and Turkey. Bicycling through the mountains was challenging, but they eventually headed into Africa. They traveled the continent north to south, visiting Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia and many other places.

"We traveled through Africa to South Africa," Mr. Han said.

All along the way they met people and made new friends, spending nights at homes or camping, he said.

After Africa, they headed into Europe, where they visited Italy, Greece, Germany, Belgium and eventually France, soaking in the culture.

In the United States, they first spent time in New York City before heading to Boston, hoping to visit Harvard University and explore the city.

On their way out of Boston, the couple rode up Route 9, passing through Central Massachusetts on Monday and Tuesday. They spent Monday night in Leicester after knocking on the door of the home of Bob and Dale Tivnan and asking permission to camp there.

"Now we're heading to Amherst," Mr. Han said Tuesday, as he got ready to continue down Route 9.

Their plan was to travel to Seattle, down the coast and down through South America, but they decided to end their trip in the United States after traveling down the West Coast, and head home.

Mr. Han said that in the United States they have discovered how friendly people can be.

"We welcome everyone to join us," he said. "We like meeting everyone on the road."