Living the Dream Solo Around the World Trip

[schalk vd merwe]

Mooi Schalk, dankie vir die lekker saamry! :thumleft:

Cool my maat

 

[McSack]

My camp site for the night.

Wow!  :thumleft: Beautiful Schalk
So clean and don't see any boats on the lake. Is there some kind of rule about boating there?

 

[schalk vd merwe]

My camp site for the night.

Wow!  :thumleft: Beautiful Schalk
So clean and don't see any boats on the lake. Is there some kind of rule about boating there?

I am not sure but as you know the Swiss is super conservative. They do have ferries on those lakes. How is your shoulder ?We should still do that potjie of yours one day.

 

[McSack]

I am not sure but as you know the Swiss is super conservative. They do have ferries on those lakes. How is your shoulder ?We should still do that potjie of yours one day.

Shoulder is almost good as new. I am always keen for potjie . Maybe we should meet up at Orange Elephant again

 

[dieseldawie]

eepwall:

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Italy continue 

I must have traveled very close to the Mugello MotoGP race track and I once again would have loved to have gone there on the Sunday but for now I was on my way to Venice. I have seen many photos and TV programs of Venice over the years and I was keen to get there. I decided to take the highways. Yes highways as you get on one highway and then the GPS takes you on another and another highway. It is amazing how we have come to trust these little electronic devises to take us around the world. In the older days guys like Ted Simon did it only with paper maps. When I did Africa my GPS was not working in Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt and it was a real battle to get through a city. Sometimes I paid a picky picky driver to take me to certain destinations
.
The Road to Venice went through many tunnels as well and there were a lot of curves in the road. Also the average speed of the car were quite high as the Italians are impatient but nice people.

Again reaching Venice, Google took me to a camp site which was very nice. Next to me two Russian guys on road bikes were camping. It did not take long and we were big buddies. And to think our previous government and the Russian government were big enemies. As I travel the world and meet different people even of different religions I find we are all basically the same. We just want to live in peace and enjoy what live has to offer. It is all these governments with their ideologies that stuff things up.

The two Russians already went to the old town of Venice and I asked them what it was like. Their answer were “ like you see on the photos”
The lady at the camp site office recommended that I rather take the bus there as there are no parking at the old city as it is surrounded by water. So the next day I went there by bus as the bus ran right past the camp site. For some unknown reason the photos are out of focus.
As the two Russians said it is like you see on the photos. I walk all over and had a nice beer at one of the street cafés.

After a couple of hours I took the bus back to the camp site. There I got talking to a young German couple who are traveling on two bicycles. The husbands bicycle had a little trailer behind which they loaded their luggage and little dog in. After telling them about my Africa travels they bought my book. I carried 40 books with me which weighed 27 KG. On tar the extra weight is no problem but if I would have to travel on sand it could be a real problem. The book is helping to finance this very expensive trip. I sold the book in Europe for 25 Euro which translates to R 375 a book at the time where in South Africa I was marketing it for      R 250-00. The book sold much easier in Europe than in South Africa and I think it can only be because the Europeans are fascinated with Africa. Only the German people did not buy the book that much although most of them speak good English. The reason why I did the book was because the Zapp family recommended that I write a book as they have travelled for 18 years on the proceeds of their book. But then I am not the Zapp family.

I stayed for two days in the camp and even had my hair cut across the road at an Italian guy who could not speak a word of English.
Then the next day I was off towards Slovenia and Croatia.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Venice sorry a little out of focus 

 

[schalk vd merwe]

More Venice

 

[schalk vd merwe]

The German Couple with their doggie. The doggie and the luggage goes in the trailer. They also bought my book.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

The two Russian guys. His panniers are made of two ex Red Cross medical boxes.

 

[mtr89]

This!!
This is a ride report of note!!
Its taken me the last 2 days to read the whole thing from page one but man its been worth it.
You have had experiences and made memories that a lot of us will only ever dream about.
How much longer are you in Europe for and where to after Europe?
Do you have a route planned?
Thank you so much for taking the time and putting in the effort to write this report.
All the best for the many future miles, I will be following along eagerly.
Stay safe.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

This!!
This is a ride report of note!!
Its taken me the last 2 days to read the whole thing from page one but man its been worth it.
You have had experiences and made memories that a lot of us will only ever dream about.
How much longer are you in Europe for and where to after Europe?
Do you have a route planned?
Thank you so much for taking the time and putting in the effort to write this report.
All the best for the many future miles, I will be following along eagerly.
Stay safe.

Hi mtr89 The story is still going to Nord Cap in Norway the most northern point in Europe and then back to Holland and Germany. After that I will be doing England and all the British Isles and then down to South America and up to Alaska then Russia etc. But for now it will be mainly Europe. Enjoy some more is coming this week.

 

[mtr89]

Sweet!!
Plenty more good reading for us WD's then.
Enjoy every kilometer

 

[Clockwork Orange]

This!!
This is a ride report of note!!
Its taken me the last 2 days to read the whole thing from page one but man its been worth it.
You have had experiences and made memories that a lot of us will only ever dream about.
How much longer are you in Europe for and where to after Europe?
Do you have a route planned?
Thank you so much for taking the time and putting in the effort to write this report.
All the best for the many future miles, I will be following along eagerly.
Stay safe.

Hi mtr89 The story is still going to Nord Cap in Norway the most northern point in Europe and then back to Holland and Germany. After that I will be doing England and all the British Isles and then down to South America and up to Alaska then Russia etc. But for now it will be mainly Europe. Enjoy some more is coming this week.

Schalk, please let me know when you are in the UK. You are more than welcome to stay over as long as you need and maybe I can show you some of the local sites. Have all the tools you need too if you need to do any bike maintenance.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

This!!
This is a ride report of note!!
Its taken me the last 2 days to read the whole thing from page one but man its been worth it.
You have had experiences and made memories that a lot of us will only ever dream about.
How much longer are you in Europe for and where to after Europe?
Do you have a route planned?
Thank you so much for taking the time and putting in the effort to write this report.
All the best for the many future miles, I will be following along eagerly.
Stay safe.

Hi mtr89 The story is still going to Nord Cap in Norway the most northern point in Europe and then back to Holland and Germany. After that I will be doing England and all the British Isles and then down to South America and up to Alaska then Russia etc. But for now it will be mainly Europe. Enjoy some more is coming this week.

Schalk, please let me know when you are in the UK. You are more than welcome to stay over as long as you need and maybe I can show you some of the local sites. Have all the tools you need too if you need to do any bike maintenance.

Hi Clockwork Orange your timing is perfect. I am thinking of coming in January for a week to do Maintenance on the bike. The bike is in Rotterdam at the moment. I am prepared to pay as well. I do have a socket set which is with the bike. I think I will buy the spares here in RSA as it is much cheaper here. Thanks once again for the invite. 

 

[Clockwork Orange]

This!!
This is a ride report of note!!
Its taken me the last 2 days to read the whole thing from page one but man its been worth it.
You have had experiences and made memories that a lot of us will only ever dream about.
How much longer are you in Europe for and where to after Europe?
Do you have a route planned?
Thank you so much for taking the time and putting in the effort to write this report.
All the best for the many future miles, I will be following along eagerly.
Stay safe.

Hi mtr89 The story is still going to Nord Cap in Norway the most northern point in Europe and then back to Holland and Germany. After that I will be doing England and all the British Isles and then down to South America and up to Alaska then Russia etc. But for now it will be mainly Europe. Enjoy some more is coming this week.

Schalk, please let me know when you are in the UK. You are more than welcome to stay over as long as you need and maybe I can show you some of the local sites. Have all the tools you need too if you need to do any bike maintenance.

Hi Clockwork Orange your timing is perfect. I am thinking of coming in January for a week to do Maintenance on the bike. The bike is in Rotterdam at the moment. I am prepared to pay as well. I do have a socket set which is with the bike. I think I will buy the spares here in RSA as it is much cheaper here. Thanks once again for the invite.

No payment required. And please make sure there is one or two books that we can buy. Got a couple of biking mates that would love to meet you. Will organise a braai or potjie...although it will be lekker cold then. I will PM you address and contact details so we can make proper arrangements.

 

[Aprilian]

Great report Schalk! Enjoyed your book  :thumleft: I assume another book is on the cards?

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Great report Schalk! Enjoyed your book  :thumleft: I assume another book is on the cards?

Hi Aprilian no I belief my wife is going to write a book. Aparrently the title is going to be "How to stay married to a solo around the world bike rider"

 

[TVB]

What an experience, thanks for updating the thread again Schalk!

I am not on the Island any more, end of expedition, looking out for new horizons!

 

[schalk vd merwe]

What an experience, thanks for updating the thread again Schalk!

I am not on the Island any more, end of expedition, looking out for new horizons!

\Climb on your bike and go riding