The End of A great trip!

And then the unexpected happened, for my two best friends! I appeared out of nowhere on there birthday celebration in a pub in my hometown on October 11th 2014


Yeah you read this correctly, I'm home, back to where it al started 51 weeks ago!

After 51 weeks of traveling, running low on cash but with a hell of a lot experiences richer, I decided it was time to end my trip! It Has been an trip that I cannot summarise in a few words or even in a few sentences! Some of it, I will never be able to explain. It has been experience that I will never forget, ever, in my life and that I can always fall back on, in times of sadness, joy, in times when life goes by like the wind or when all goes wrong against my expectations! Living such a primitive, happy life will always be a good base to start from in the future. Enjoy the last bits of my travel stories and if you have plans to go, read some of my tips that i'm posting at the end! Enjoy and till we meet again somewhere, sometime!

My last stories:

Im writing my last story from the airplane that is taking me home! From my last blog, to recapture, I flew to Bangkok for one last night with Nina, Zane, Morgan and the two girls from England(Iola and Lotty). It was a great night, one to never forget and one night as typical as a night in Bangkok can be.

After that Zane and me, decided to not depart from each other yet! Instead we went down to the Island of Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. Were we spend a week together, laying on the beach, partying at night with some new friends, diving, eating and kayaking to Monkey beach over heavy seas! Paradise, but still a bit to commercial for my taste. We left Koh Phi Phi towards the border town with Malaysia where Zane and me said our final goodbye and till we meet again.

One of the reasons why I went traveling was to experience new things, do the things I would never take the time for at home. One of these things has been long on my mind, I heard about it from many people along my travels and I found it time to under go it myself. 10 days of complete silence, sitting on a mat for 11 hours a day. Yeah, some will laugh haha, like me, but I made it true a 10-day Vipassana course. I can tell it was a very very very intense, interesting and difficult experience, but 100% worth it. Doing this course with different cultures around me, on a beautiful location, looking over penang and with a teacher who devoted its life to this, made it a time to never forget. This course was held in Penang, Malaysia, where I spend a few days before and after the course. I met some great friends again which in all made penang, to a great time to never forget.

Then it was time, I made the final decision to return back home. Money was running low, realising how great it all has been the last months and how I do miss my friends and family it was for me a clear decision. So I booked my flight and made a few plans for my last two weeks. Two thing I really wanted to do before I go home was doing a trek and go diving again, preferable in a place where I feel really traveling again! Malaysia was a bit to modern for me, it felt like the Monaco of Asia! Indonesia was a place I really wanted to go so that was an easy call, but where? After a few good cups of coffee I booked my tickets to Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia.

Arriving in Medan city, I knew directly why I like traveling! The first night was a big surprise, together with a Belgium guy we went for some food and some palm beer with 3 locals who we met randomly in town. The next day I departed in a overcrowded minivan towards the Jungle town of Bukitlawan, over roads who desperately needed some repair. In Bukitlawan I was taken by a local, whom I met in the bus, to a guesthouse where I met Dedi, a great guy who took me tubing on the river and river-skiing, something I have never seen before. Still I was a bit sceptical for all the friendliness, it could turn out in a big scam, but it didn't! Just honest friendliness. Then I knew, my last two weeks would be a blast! Together with Dedi, a friend of him and his Uncle we, Rebecca and me, went on a 3 day trek true the Jungle! It was unbelievable when we arrived at our first camp and we saw the Oerang utans watching us from the nearby trees! Even when we took a shower in the waterfall, we had eyes on us, a great adventure! Unbelievable, all the other groups would never dare to go that place, just because it was to far, Dedi made it all come true, like he promised!

After my Jungle trip I went North to Banda Aceh, a very strict muslim region! I red in the books that people in Banda Aceh are very hospitable, kind and friendly to tourist! Something I had to try for myself! One an afternoon I was walking true a park and I was invited by a elder men. You want a coconut, Coca-Cola? Yeah please, is there some Noodle Goreng (fried noodles) around, I asked. It was a sort of an outside restaurant, so food wasn't a problem. After a talk, off about an hour the men excused himself, paid the whole bill and walked off!
I tried to at least, pay my parts but he didn't wan't to hear of it, they consider that as inpolite. Surprised and happy to experience Aceh kindness! Other things to see in Aceh where the Tsunami Museum, mosques and some other Tsunami sites. The city was heavily struck by the Tsunami in 2004, suffering the highest rate of casualties then anywhere else,

The last stop in this whole year of traveling was Pulau Weh. An Island off the coast off Banda Aceh. The islands has some major highlights but the most important sights lie under water. Yeah, my last week was focused on diving. Together with Age, my local dive master and great group of divers we had some great dives to the most epic dive sites. With all the friends I met the last days we had a blast on the Island of Pulau Weh!

Okay I will not spare you my last adventure, I almost missed my flight to Kuala Lumpur! Early morning on the day of departure we took off by car to the ferry, that would take us from Pulau Weh to Banda Aceh! Arriving at the pier we saw this major cue. Oeps we thought, we did remember at once, that the ferry of the afternoon before was canceled. Fastferry, soldout! Well fine we take the 3 hour long ferry! Once in cue, the ticket office closed like 10 people before us. Oh, and now we thought! We were with 5 people 4 of us had to take flights that same day, 3 of us had connecting flights to take after that! It would all come out that if we missed that boat we all together would miss around 1200 euro worth of flights! Haha then the clock start ticking, all men for them selves, chaos and fun! Haha, I have to say I could have taken a flight the next day to connect to my flight home! But hey, it is still an adventure so I tried my best to get on that ferry. I found an empty car, waiting to drive on to the ferry! I asked the men inside politely, if I could hop in, and I could! I dragged a dutch friend in to the car as well and viola, we boarded the ferry! At the airport we found 2 more of our group of 5! The results, 4 out of 5 made it on to the ferry, 2 out that 4 paid the guards 25 euro and me and a dutch friend paid nothing(not even the ticket price). The ferry was full till the top, a mechanic from the boat told me it could hold 190 people. I guess there where near 490 on the boat! I just thought wauw, an other great story and an epic way to end my travels!

My last night I spend in Kuala Lumpur with a friend, whom I met during my Vipassana, Mahesh is his name. It was a nice evening with two of his friends in KL, just a bite and a few drinks. The next day I did some last minute shopping, dropped my baggage in KL central train station(yeah a modern day city allows you check in your bag in the city center) and of I went! Train, 7 hour flight, 10 hour stop in Dubai and an other 7 hour flight. Just before I could recognise the flevopolder(a province, men made, in Holland), I hear "cabin crew take your positions for landing", I was thinking, oh yeah, Holland is such a small country! why did I find Dutchies in every outpost I have been in the last year? Our Dutch history plays a major part in answering that question! For myself, it feels great to fly in to familiar grounds as a wiser and richer(in thoughts) men, friends and family waiting to say hello! Well friends in my case, due to the surprise home coming my parents where on holiday them selves. But luckily a magnificent group of friends from Haarlem where there to say hello! I still look at the picture and think why is everyone looking at me! Well 7 screaming girls, yeah the men where all out working, made an enormous impression on them and on me! It feels good to be back home, a place that makes me as happy as I was during traveling!

The end!

I want to thank you all for reading my blog! I hope I have taken you with me, on a journey true Asia! I hope it has inspired you, turned your perspective to the world a bit and helped you with, maybe, a difficult decision: you say you want to go traveling but you never feel ready to make that decision. Every travel will be different from one an other and everyone finds its own way in it. Some might change, some might feel more secure, some might find relieve from home and some will come home just the way they where. It all does not matter, you will find your way in it! For me this blog has been a way to express myself to friends and family, anywhere in the world. It has been a major support seeing the amount of people reading this blog, I do can not believe the numbers myself! Enough of this all:)! If you have plans to travel, have a look at my tips below! Now I feel it is time to close a extraordinary time of my life and continue my life with a new view of how to live it! For myself I refer to it as: "THE ART OF LIVING"!


Till we meet again!

Tot ziens

Auf Wiedersehen

Do widzenia

до свидания

баяртай гуж

再見

बिदा

अलविदा

குட்பை

ลาก่อน

tạm biệt

selamat tinggal


TIPSSSSSS…….
For the fellow travelers out there or for those of you at home, thinking of traveling in the future.
A few tips I wan’t to share with you. Tips for the start of your travels, during your travels and after your travels.


Before:
Inspire yourself, what do you want to see of the world? Ask yourself what is it that you want to see, a different culture, lifestyle, landscapes and so on.
Make a global plan, some plan that you can later trow away again. (Note: every season can be a perfect time to travel.)
Read a travel book, For dutchies I can recommend: Universele Reisgids voor moeilijke landen.
If you fancy photography, buy a decent camera with long zoom function. If you not in to photography make sure your smartphone is empty and have a storage (online/offline) to safe your first 1000 pictures

During:
Be OPEN! It sounds easy but, you are open like everyone else. Have a chat with everyone, people you see and might never talk to back home. They are in some cases the most interesting people you will meet on your travels. Don’t feel shy, your all on the same boat, a lonely traveler. Always on your own but never alone.
Balance your interest, partying is great fun with fellow backpackers and should not be missed in your travels. The local community will also give you great gratification. (Note: yes you will find yourself in a remote place without flowing water, wifi or electricity, ENJOY that to! The 24hour bus ride to your destination is also part of your travels, so if you in no rush, take local local local transport, cheap and great fun.
Be respectful to local culture, remember you cannot walk around in your bikini, true the streets of Laos or let alone India. Look what the local men and woman do around you and dress the same. (Note: wearing a Lungy in Myanmar got us a lot of respect of the local community and brought us a lot of fun.)
Write down your stories and post them to your friends back home. They will love to read it and it is a great document once you’ll be back home. Personally I wrote two blogs, one diary, 3 sentences everyday, and the blog your reading now. With pictures, come stories, so manage them wisely every now and then, send a copy back home.
Bring some small gifts from your home country to give out to local or traveling friends, they will be very thank full for it.
Souvenirs, difficult subject, what to bring, what not? Buy them on the spot, never go back to that one place because you will not find it again. It is quite personal to take souvenirs, personally I got the tip to take things that you will use in your daily life, decorations for your home or kitchen. This way you can look back to that great trip for a long time to come. (Note: My top 3 souvenirs, - A monkey scull neckless, - 1KG wooden Lion statue, - Chopsticks, loads of them.)

After:
Be aware, YOU WILL get a reversed culture shock coming back home! It will be as big as the shock you got stepping out off the train, plane or bus at your first destination. Take your time and have some financial reserves to be able to take your time. It all depends on the time you have traveled and where you went. (Note: in my case, I needed two months and I did made the mistake to think I could start my life again two weeks later. All is now fine if your wondering, but im still going easy;)
Start exploring your own home life again! Once your back, your brain is still in traveling mode, exploring what is around its self, looking for new friends and thinking of a lot of things! What is reality? That is what you want to explore and it starts where it all began, birth. It has been a great time in my travels, coming back home from my travels, seeing my family and friends. Your at home, but it still feels like traveling. (Note: everyone will experience this differently but always keep a positive exploring mind and you will enjoy.)


Well as usual it turned out to be a long blog again. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

If your interested in what i’m doing at the moment. Well that is not much. If you fancy it, definitely give me a call so we can have a coffee together to share stories. For my friends and family that life a bit further away. a brief summary of last month. I Lived in three separate house from friends, spend good amount of time at my parents place. Since i’m home I traveled a bit true Europe, I’m working on a few projects for myself in 3D Printing and Branded Identity, scavenged true a lot of travel pictures(+7500, without pictures of other people I took), I’m looking for a new proffesional challenge and most important of all, I Enjoy every second of my family and friends and good old cosy HOLLAND!

One more last time and I do hope we, me and YOU out there far away or close by, can make this come true!

TILL WE MEET AGAIN!