How I started solo traveling

Today exactly 5 years ago I started my solo travel adventures, it all started with the #TourduPisa. Till this date I still have the picture of that trip as the background of my phone. It motivates me every day to get the most out of it.

On a Saturday night I was with some friends having a drink and chatting. Were discussed our Holidays, and I didn’t had booked mine yet. Three couples would meet up close to Pisa (Italy) for a week at the beach. With my crazy head I said I will cycle there… their reaction.. Sure..

I love cycling but on that moment I only had an Amsterdam City bike what looks like the one below. This simple bicycle brought me to the train station, pub and supermarket. That was also the only cycling training what I’d done. The next morning I decided to buy a Cortina touring bicycle on Fietsenwinkel.nl, not a crazy expensive one but after some research I trusted it was a decent bike.

Pisa! Reached my goal :)

Update #tourdupisa: All hostel are booked so i don’t have a choice, an hotel! No problem after 14 days of dorm rooms 🙂 Last night i ate something at the boulevard. Real nice to watch people. This stage i could see that the „tourdupisa” starts to be famous. At the side of the road girls with a lot of make-up yelled at me and give me loud applause. I arrived at the square with the Pisa tower and there was a nice party going on with girls kisses etc 🙂 After the celebrations at the tower square i biked to the camping place were the champaign was served and the beers tast like heaven!

Everybody thats for all the comments and likes!!

Now i’m going to enjoy the sun, see, beach and beer!

How to joke with some cyclists

Update #tourdupisa:Today the English guys left at 6.00 this morning so i turned over and slept again. At 8.00 i started at my own morning ritm. Get my bag packed, check out and get some stuff at the supermarket. After 500 meters BAM! there was a big climb, 7 km but i know that is was the last big mountain 🙂 When i was at the bottom i saw two italian cyclist father and sun i guess. Both on the most expensive bikes ive seen so far. Real Pinarello fans. So after five minutes the guys they saw me ride easy behind them full packed with an „normal” bike and the tempo was going up. Hill up, hill down town in town out, the glasses of the shops helped them to look behind them; i was still there, and don’t give up 🙂 After 12km my legs where killed and took the sweet out of my face. Biked near these guys and said: Grazie!! And turned right at the first supermarket is saw.

Tomorrow the last stage!

Drunk “some” beers

Update #tourdupisa: Yesterday i met the English guys in the hostel, went to the city with them and drunk „some” beers with them. At 2.30 we arrived back at the hostel. Today with a little hangover on the bike again. I thought at the coastline it isn’t so hilly, but damn! Big mistake, 15km climb but also real nice downhill Giro d’Italia parcours. One of the three English guys has toke the train today because of the steep hills. Tomorrow the last big climb, now pizza and beer!

Hard stage, steep hills

Update #tourdupisa:Yesterday i ate in Chinatown, first a portion noodles with fish or something what looks like fish and four spring rolls. I missed some real meat and order some chicken or another time something that looks like chicken. Maybe little nasty for my (dorm) room mates but ive slept real good. You’re on holiday when you forget the time day etc. so im on holiday now. I forgot that i should go today, so i packed my bag and leave Milano 🙂 On my way to Genua, I would write something nice here but i don’t have much energy left: 165 km today, 15km uphill, hostel on sea level was full so i had to climb another 3km with 10% steepness. Mett some English guys today that was nice. And for the lady’s i made a picture from the nicest Italian ass i could find. Ciao!

Sightseeing Milano

Update #tourdupisa: Im arrived in THE pizza country of the world so yesterday i ate Doner 😀 After breakfast this morning i watched the dutch TV program about the tour the france. Love it! And when that was finished i made a sightseeing tour trough Milano. I luched in the Navigli, been up to the Dome, and have seen some squares and big building. After that walk i givved my feet some rest in the park at the fontain, with street music and a ice-cream. I think tonight im going back to Il Navigli for some drinks and diner. I found a nice birthdaygift for Jorik so thats done, i’ll hope ive the right size 😉

I’m in Milano Italy!

Update #tourdupisa: This morning Marlies said goodbye so that was nice, im off for 80 km to Milano. I had t go early because i couldnt checkin between 15.00 and 19.00 and want to see Milano also. The road wasn’t that spacial today, on the border with Italy the guy send me trough with a little wave. But unfurtiantly 500 mtr across the border i was stopt by another policeman because i biked when the light was red. But with al lot of „mi scusi” of how ever you say it i could go further. The hardest part of this stage was in the begin so i made some fun in the middle and end of the stage. Hostelowner explained me some thing about Milano and public transport. For 4.50 euro you can travel 24 hours trough the whole city. I went directly to the Milan and Inter stadium for a tour. On the walk back i found two cellphones. Out of nothing a saw two nuns running they asked me if i had found to phones. Yes i did! Ive been blessed two times so nothing can go wrong anymore 😉