CURRENT MISSION

Meet the world while cycling

ABOUT ME

This is the difficult part (I would like to say, like many others do: 'meet me, and find out').
I am a rather modest person. Sometimes talkative, sometimes quiet. I like to be in the company of others, but don't mind being alone.
I will try to write more about myself later...

Currently I am cycling on a long distance trip. I left home in the Netherlands in September 2010.
After Europe, Middle East, Iran, Central Asia and China, I arrived in South-East Asia.
In Indonesia I slowed down a lot. I was more or less living a couple of months in Java, just cycling a little bit.
At the moment (February 26, 2014) I am in Tana Toraja, Sulawesi.
My longest cycling trip so far lasted 4 months (2008), so this is a bit of a challenge I guess.
I travel alone (and I think I am good at it ;-) ). But then it is much more fun (or even necessary) to meet friendly people in places you've never been before. It's like the icing on the cake! So maybe we can meet for a drink or chat. Or even cycle together for a couple of miles?Now and then I will be looking for places to stay as well. Any help is welcome!

PHILOSOPHY

"Wie goed doet, goed ontmoet"

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

At the moment I am traveling, so I will only ask for a couch sometimes. I will be glad to host however, once I am back in the Netherlands! Learning a lot about hosting now! ;-) I would also enjoy meeting other couchsurfers/travelers as well during my trip.I referred some special friends to join CS. And they did!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I surfed my first couch in Turkey, hosted by the very hospitable Güzin and Ahmet. As "nearby traveler" I also met some nice members of the CS community in Izmir for a drink and a chat.Surfed couches in Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and, of course, Iran. I am learning a lot about hosting now ;-) One day, once settled again, I would love to put my lessons into practice. For now I can only offer you a place in my tent...

Interests

Cycling and traveling obviously. Reading. Geography. Maps. Foreign languages. Sports (volleyball, soccer)

• culture
• books
• cooking
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• cycling
• sports
• soccer
• volleyball
• cartography
• geography
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Read after cycling or currently reading (not necessarily a list of favorites):
Orhan Pamuk - The Museum of Innocence
Orhan Pamuk - The New Life
Virginia Woolf - To the Lighthouse
Tom Rob Smith - Child 44
Paul Coelho - The Alchemist
Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion

For some reason (why?) I haven't been reading at lot lately. I want to find a way to enjoy reading again during my trip

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Carrying my bicycle and panniers along part of the Lycian Way footpath in TurkeyTravelling on a cargo ship from Egypt to DubaiCycling in Chinese winter from Kazakhstan to Lanzhou
Sent a postcard from Laos to Iran (where it arrived after 6 weeks): Amazing!
Talked my way into Kazakhstan with a visa which was not ...eh.... so valid any more (I knew that)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach the Dutch language. And maybe I can help you with some other languages as well.
I can teach you how to repair a bicycle (well most of the time I know how to do it).
I want to learn about culture and language of the countries I am cycling in.
I love to cook for more than one person (because that what I am doing all the time already).
I am interested in which books you can recommend me to read during my travels.
And I can share some of my travel stories, if you like.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands

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