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Why 2016?
I want to have a college degree before I leave, which I will get in June 2016. I've been planning this trip (in various stages) from 2012, so I don't want to postpone it longer than necessary.
why alone?
I already planned a big trip for 2016 when I met my boyfriend. The plan was adjusted and we'd go together. But then we took a next step in our relationship and bought a house. My boyfriend decided he'd rather stay home because of this new development and so I go alone. Travelling alone isn't so scary as a lot of people think and offers a lot less stress. You'll meet other people really quick, but it's true that you won't be able to share everything you experience. I like travelling alone, because it gives me a sense of freedom that I haven't experienced elsewhere yet... .
Why Asia?
I only have a year to travel, so I have to limit my options. America is out of the question because I'm still trying to do this without flying, or avoiding it as much as I can. Africa doesn't appeal to me enough to stay there for a year. The main reason might well be that there is one certain country in Asia that I'm madly in love with... ;)
Why on a bicycle?
In 2011 I cycled for 3 months in Japan and I loved the feeling of independence, freedom and the unique way of experiencing a country. You move slowly enough to get a real feel about a country, but quickly enough not to get bored too quickly. Besides, I hate walking! :)
Which countries will you visit?
The first part of my trip will include Russia (Moscow), Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan, a small part of Kyrgyzstan and China. The second part will include South East Asia, but which countries I"ll visit will be decided once I'm there. The third and final part will include China, South-Korea and Japan.
What is a challenge?
A challenge is a way for you to be involved in my trip. It will make my trip a lot more interesting, as I'll need to incorporate these challenges into my routines and be forced to change views for some of them. For more information you can always click on "challenges!" in the menu.
Isn't this trip dangerous?
Of course there are dangers along my trip, but that's also true for staying home. The difference is that I don't have a lot to fall back on when something does happen. On the other hand it's safer to travel on a bicycle. People don't see you as the tourist with money (bicycles are often for poor people that can't afford a car (or at least that's the perception). Outside of tourist-filled places there are a lot of people that are just interested in you and don' want to rob, hurt or kill you.
why aren't you taking a cellphone with you?
I'm not a big fan of electronics in general, especially those that control your life more than you'd like to admit. Currently I still don't own a smartphone, because a cellphone for me is something to call people with and send text messages. Everything else is handy, but comes at the price of it becoming necessary once you have it.
The only time I'll need a cellphone (in my opinion of course) is in case of an emergency (when I get into an accident, get robbed, get attacked, get very sick, ...) . The problem is that when you are in an emergency like that you have lots of questions: - Can I reach my cellphone? (can I move, can I reach the bag with my cellphone and open it, ... ) - Is my cellphone charged? (shouldn't be a problem) - Can I type on it? (is it stolen, broken, can my fingers type on it, can my brain understand what to do, ... ) - Do I have money to call? (shouldn't be a big problem) - Do I know the emergency number in this country? (shouldn't be a big problem) - Do I have a signal? (not the first time I heard stories about people with a problem and no signal...) - Can I tell the people on the other side what has happened to me? (what if they don't speak English or French?) - Can I tell the people on the other side where I am? (I don't have a GPS and I'll be looking at my compass more often then at my map...)
=> The chances that all of these questions have a positive answer is quite small. This means that taking a cellphone and a charger with me is more trouble then useful. I need to put money on it, buy local SIM-cards, keep it charged and working, ... . So I decided not to take one with me.
why aren't you taking a plane?
When I was planning "my world tour on a bicycle" before it got cancelled the start of this idea was "Last time my bicycle got damaged and I don't want to experience that again". I discovered that you can do such a trip without flying and that it shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Although it's quite easy to reach Asia without a plane, I'm not sure if we'll be able to keep this idea alive. Some countries are not accesible at the moment over land and sometimes the visa duration is a lot less when travelling over land. So the "no-plane" idea has evolved to a "challenge" for myself. As a plus I also think it's a lot more adventurous to travel this way.
What? Visiting countries where there is a lot of danger?
I'll always keep in mind how situations evolve and change my plans accordingly. For now I don't think I need to take extra measures to keep me safe. As my boyfriend said: "Since Brussels has become so dangerous, it might even be safer over there". All is relative, but I will stay vigilant and avoid areas that I really think are dangerous.
I discovered an error or writing mistake in your website. What do I do?
Let me know! :) Send me an e-mail with as much details as you can and I'll send you a thank you mail! :)
I have some suggestions or questions (about the website, tour,...). What do i do?
Let me know! :) Send me an e-mail with as much details as you can and I'll send you a thank you mail! :)