Lets have a Big Ass Adventure

Camping out in the wild playing air guitar to Taj Mahal’s Six Days on the Road it was time to just face it. I’m somewhat of a hippy. When it comes to preferences, views on life and society, my total lack of interest in most of capitalism's foundations; there’s just no way way of getting around it for me and my greasy long hair: No job, no home, no woman, no plans, but happy. This story was supposed to be called Badge and Gun, after the title of John Mayer song that I’d listened to nearly every day during my last weeks in Amsterdam. I was going to write honestly about my motives and doubts on quitting the life I was living. About going in a different direction. About leaving behind my home, girlfriend, job, cat, family, friends… What made me change my mind? I guess I just feel good at the moment and I don’t want to emphasize the more complicated turmoil that got me here. Nonetheless, the lyrics and problem behind Badge and Gun resonated like crazy and I still feel like I hád to make a change. The decision was egocentric and I’m still pondering it but to cut things short; let’s just say breaking up is a bitch. The last 6 months in Amsterdam I became increasingly negative with my environment and the lack of even the possibility of something exiting happening. Something that would make my spirit sing, something unexpected. Amsterdam was all becoming a bit too much. Too posh, too clean, too safe, too Netflix. And I drank & partied too much, resulting in weak mental and physical states. The excitement of Baantjers intro tune and it’s promises of riots, red lights, edgy people and people called Dick & the Cock just faded and it seemed like I was only overhearing conversations about mortgages, teething babies and the latest Hummus joint. Fuck all that, was and ís my position. Fuck all that. Now, wild-camping out in northern Italy I look back and I feel like things are falling into place. After 2 weeks in Brescia and a couple of days in Morocco I left my good Italian friends Andrea and Angelo(Mario & Luigi) and I’m finally on the road. Just me, my bike, my stuff and my hilarious jokes that only I have to laugh about. Cycling trough indescribably beautiful sunny landscapes I find myself smiling like a retard and screaming ‘vuile slechtvalk!’ to every bird of prey I encounter. My Big Ass adventure has begun, and most of you know how much I like Big Assed situations. My biggest problems at the moment are small: Upset stomach from time to time, bit to much sun on my big nose, Italian signposts, mosquito in the tent. I enjoy the physical movement of biking, although I’m not fit enough for uphill & headwinds at the moment. I couldn't remember the last time I slept before 01:00, but these days I sleep like a baby at 22:00. My Italian is improving steadily, although it costs me lot’s of energy and concentration to keep up with the conversations. For now is just stick to my Italian fairy tales and standard lines, and all will be well before I get to Napoli. I’m keeping a very open agenda so plans might change all the time. But, roughly I’ll go to Genoa, Livorno, Florence, then down to Toscana to learn about growing crops and, if the roads and my money allow me, I’d like to head down all the way to Napoli before I go back up via the Adriatic Sea. Then, of course, we’re heading straight for Spain. Ci vediamo doppo, Niels.

Ithaka

As you set out for Ithaka hope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them: you’ll never find things like that on your way as long as you keep your thoughts raised high, as long as a rare excitement stirs your spirit and your body. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them unless you bring them along inside your soul, unless your soul sets them up in front of you. Hope the voyage is a long one. May there be many a summer morning when, with what pleasure, what joy, you come into harbors seen for the first time; may you stop at Phoenician trading stations to buy fine things, mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony, sensual perfume of every kind— as many sensual perfumes as you can; and may you visit many Egyptian cities to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars. Keep Ithaka always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for. But do not hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you are old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you have gained on the way, not expecting Ithaka to make you rich. Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you would not have set out. She has nothing left to give you now. And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you. Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

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