Chapter 1.

Jeej I’m on my way again. With mixed feelings I’m getting in the bus to get back where my journey ended. My bike is hanging on the back of the bus waiting for her first journey. My head is still spinning and energy is running trough my veins. After a impressive visit at the Princess Maxima Centre and saying goodbye to the lovely people around me, i look stunned trough the bus window.  Flashbacks of the last months in the Netherlands are passing trough my mind.

It has been very nice to feel solid “Dutch” ground underneath my feet after the heavy experiences in Greece. It has been nice to know what to expect, to know how it works and to feel safe. I’m grateful for the positive change it made. I’m grateful that this gave me the opportunity to spend time with friends and family.

Connection arises in my opinion when we invest in each other. Invest to listen at each other and to take time for that. For me that’s how connection, understanding and love arises. The last months has been a investment in my beloved ones around me who I’m gonna miss so much again. And I especially wanted to invest in my 2 little nephews, Gilles and Mees.

Everybody is changing all the time and i love to see that but to see how a baby become a child is something so special. When my nephews saw me again they’re both a bit scared for me. A strange guy with a beard who sounds like my dad (my brother) or mam (my sister) , that’s weird. For me it was a bit painful to see them being scared of me even dough i fully understood it. I knew this could be the result of my choices but the confrontation was hard and beautyful at the same time. We also dont feel save with someone right away. And this is one of the beautyful things about kids, being a mirror for us. The feelings are pure, and unpolished without any conditioning.

It showed me what i don’t want, i don’t want my nephews to be scared of me. I decided to invest in them and spend time with them as much as i could. I enjoyed every little step they took. After seeing Gilles a couple times he came standing next to me in the kitchen. He looked at me and raised his arms, ready to be lifted. I go down on my knees and crab him, he put his little arms around me neck and holds me, my heart melted. I felt that i turned from a scary hairy man to uncle Jitse.

It was weird to see my friends. Not only for me but also for them because it was so unexpected. One of my buddy kept telling me that i was a “artificial appearance”. “You are not really here , you are a ghost” so said me friend Marco Vet.

It was special for me to see the beautiful things everybody is doing. Very often i got to hear “nothin changed here”. But a lot of things has changed! Friends who are going to live together, buy a house, became dad or mam, new jobs and new projects are going on, just beautiful to see! It makes me very happy to see everyone is doing what the love. To hear their stories on the phone is different, so i’m very happy i saw it in real live.

And the cherry on the cake came to me end of May in a cafe in Amsterdam, called Blanca. We started chatting and found out we both have the same passion…biketravel!

Shortly after we meet in her yoga studio in Amsterdam where the energy between us is sparkling. From that moment on everything went really fast. We go camping together in a old timer VW van and I visit her in Ibiza. Traveling together is there from the start. We enjoy every moment we have together and the magic between us is indescribable.

I feel grateful that i met her and that i had to change to get to know her better. And the best thing of all is…in November Blanca is going to join me on my journey. I have to squeeze myself sometimes that all this beautiful things are happening to me!

Back on the saddle! The “plan” was to go back to Greece/Turkey. Because I didn’t feel comfortable with flying i decides to go by public transport. Tuesday 23/7 i got in the bus to Munich to visit a friend. We spend 2 days together, saw a amazing concert of Tash Sultana and relaxed at the Isa (big river of Muchen).
Next the bus to Budapest where the public transport journey ended. The only option to get near Greece is to go to Romania. But that doesn’t feel like a save option for me to start cycling again. So change of plan start cycling for Budapest to Greece trough Serbia and Bulgaria.

In Budapest i stayed in Shantee House, a amazing place with a laid back atmosphere. If you are in Budapest definitely check out this hostel! “Accidentally” i met 4 bikes in this hostel. With one of them (Kornilus left on the picture) I’m cycling to Serbia. My bike adventure has been started again, wooehoooe!