No more job, no more flat. I returned them to their respective owners on the 31st October. It did feel strange. But I have enough other things to worry about. I had to collect my laptop and tent from their respective repair workshops. The former didn’t come back and will never do, so I had to quickly buy another one and wait for a refund of the first one. The keyboard is in French and it seems hard to re-adapt. And the layout is quite cumbersome for typing English. I’ll get key-stickers to stick over the punctuation signs.
I got the tent back today, 2 days before my planned departure. I was thinking of leaving on Sunday, and unless the small forecasted rain turn into a storm, I will leave this Sunday 04 November, to Lucerne.
On the weather side, the mild temperatures of Autumn are abruptly gone. We had snow storms last weekend. It was much colder this week, with temperatures below 0 in the morning and in the evening. It is going better and seems to be around 10 °C during the days now.
I hope those little unexpected events will count towards my quota of bad luck for the trip.
Hi JB,
I hope this message finds you well. My name is Trang and I’m from Vietnam. I currently live in Pointe-Noire, Congo.
I happened to stumble upon your website, and from the very first lines, I was completely drawn in. Your writing didn’t just tell a story, it opened a door. When I read about your journey through Congo and Angola, something stirred deeply in me. Pointe-Noire suddenly reappeared, exactly as it must have been when you passed through more than ten years ago, familiar, intimate, and alive. It felt as if I were watching a quiet film unfold right in front of my eyes.
I couldn’t keep this discovery to myself, so I shared your journey with my husband. He was instantly captivated. He’s an avid cycling enthusiast and once cycled nearly 100 kilometers a day through the provinces of the Mekong Delta back when we lived in Vietnam. Life, of course, has since filled our days with work, family, and children, and that adventurous chapter has been gently set aside. Reading about your journey brought that spirit back to life for us, reminding us of freedom, movement, and the joy of the road.
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful and inspiring journey. I wish you continued happiness, good health, and many more unforgettable adventures ahead.
Warm regards,
Trang Tran
I am so happy to find your fantastic website.
28 august 2022 i am leaving Holland with my bike and tent to South Africa.
And my plan is also via de west coast.
I am going to read it all 🙂
Probably you don’t read this anymore…. Its now 2022. But you never know
Greetz gea.
(its red, the text. But not with a special reason… the computer…)
Hi Gea,
I’m still here, actually in Amsterdam 🙂
Thanks for your comment. Enjoy the reading and most importantly, the roads down south!
Absolut fantastic! Deep Respect. When i find the time, i will read all your posts by country and your route in the next few month. Thank you so much, your homepage is really impressive and lovely made. All the posts and pictures, just great. Not many people have the courage and power to make such a strong decision come true.
All the best from Germany from Alexander
Thanks for your comments Alex!
A brave decision and for sure a great adventure in front of you. Take care!
C’est parti !
Hey there… wish you all the best… 🙂 and keeping my fingers crossed for not too cold weather… let me know when I can see you today for the LP! 🙂