In each and every country it’s the same old story… I actually do not want to repeat myself, but I can’t help it that I meet so many nice people. People who I want to thank for their generosity, people who I want to introduce […]
All posts filed under: English
Tough tears (EN)
“When I regained consciousness, I didn’t know where I was. Around me were staring men and scantily clad girls with heavy makeup. I had never seen this, not even in movies. I was scared, very scared. I had never left my parents before. I was […]
Beginner’s luck (EN)
Will I still be able to do this? It seems like ages ago! Do I still have what it takes? Will I still be able to ride mountains? Was my bike that heavy before?
The hooker
[Blog post for bikepacking.com] I turned off onto a side road up toward the pass, hoping I’d reach it before dark. The golden hour was settling in, and the surrounding mountains were draped in an intoxicating red. Despite being blinded by an abundance of natural […]
Behind the scenes (EN)
January 22nd, 2018. It was still early when I went through dark Kathmandu. I passed the impressive Bouddha Stupa. Around, clockwise, muttering monks and nuns. I was on my way to the bus stop.
Cool (EN)
‘My’ altitude is around 4,000 meters. And everything above.* Where you have passed the tree line. Where the landscape is rough, bare and overwhelming. Where you bump into a lost yak or into a mosquito which is not only in search of blood but also […]
Wild animals (EN)
“To whom can I donate my tent? It’s not completely ruined, but no longer sufficiently reliable for the extreme conditions in which I often camp. I can certainly please some homeless person or perhaps a sherpa or … maybe you know someone?” That was the […]
Treasures (EN)
I melted. Despite it being barely fifteen degrees. I felt the warmth. The warmth he had for his country. I heard it in his words. His beautiful words. The words of an eight-year-old boy who proudly spoke to me in English: “We are poor, but […]
Friends of the road – India
[‘Friends of the road (Vrienden van de weg)’ bestaat enkel in het Engels, excuses hiervoor] ‘Namaste!’ In an overpopulated country like India, it’s normal to meet many people. But I had no idea that many of them would be so kind to me. I would […]
‘Same same’ but different (EN)
You feel me. You hear me. You see me. You always look away when you notice that I am still around. You look away when I keep an eye on you. You pretend nothing happens. I find it funny. I love it but sometimes I’m […]
‘More’ mere (EN)
“After October fifteen, the government is no longer responsible for what can happen on the road to Chandra Tal. This is because of the extremely cold climate and unexpectedly heavy snowfalls. Tent camps have broken up. No one is there anymore.”
Explorer of the year (EN – NL)
[Nederlandse versie onderaan] Somewhere at the end of December, not only my mailbox was pleasantly surprised, but me as well. Full of disbelief and blushing cheeks I got to read that Bikepacking.com, the American website for everyone who likes cycling through mountains and valleys with minimum […]
trien trapt 