
What happens if you go out of your way to [insert random name of strange town you will likely never visit] just to see the strange human you once had a random experience with?
I went [almost] EVERYWHERE FOR A HUG:I flew to WORCESTER PARK (Well actually I flew to London but then I headed through)A little nervous and unsure about land travel after so many years as a sea gypsy,
I was rather glad to arrive in Europe to these smiling faces:
Megan was privileged enough to know me since primary school.
In 2008 we moved to London together.
She never left.
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THEN: Being awe struck by the fine monuments in and around London. |
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NOW: Being awe struck by God at church |
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THEN: Hardcore and fearless. Playing mini golf. (Johannesburg, 2008) |
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NOW: Still hardcore. Still fearless. Not playing mini golf. |
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Vietnam, 2012. The first day we met. |
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April 2017 Now happily married, living in an actual house, and with a real job. |
I took a bus to BIRMINGHAM to see Fliss and Will
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Australia 2014 Shortly after this picture was taken we stranded ourselves on a sand dune and had to be rescued. |
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May 2017. Shortly before they decided to get engaged. |
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Easter 2008 We worked with Children and chlorine, the chemicals inside the unidentified blue liquid were comparatively good for us |
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Today she’s a happily married, legendary mum! |
I hitched to KRUISHOUTEM (Belgium) to see Ilse and Miguel
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Laos 2009 after a heated game of patong had the cops arrive to break up the fight. They’d just met. |
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Now they’re married with kids and a robot vacuum cleaner and lawn mower. |
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Malaysia 2012 Exploring the land |
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Exploring the sea (after a shipwreck and having to swim for our lives) |
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June 2017 Helena’s wedding day. |
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Marquesas, 2014 Finally finding land (and fresh baguettes) after fifty long days being stuck at sea. |
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Midsummer 2017 Karl’s life is no longer quite as “hairy” as it used to be. |
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My first introduction to Inger was a skype call to tell her her son was in hospital… I’m glad meeting her in person was not with a machete, but a hug! |
In GAVLE I caught up with Marlin who I’d briefly met at some bucket bar in Cambodia, 2009.
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Today she’s still a very interesting awesome woman! But I think she now prefers tea. |
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We did some jungle bashing through Cambodia in 2009 |
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I randomly bumped into him again in Austrlai in 2011 and inherited Karla, the camper van of awesomeness. |
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And this year I was lucky to catch him and his beautiful wife just before kid number three popped out. |
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The Philipines, 2012 She helped me medicate a broken foot with beer. |
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Today she’s a real doctor and even more of a legend (and phenomenal tour guide) than I remembered! |
I kept peddling through to HAMBURG to see Ole
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Malaysia 2016 Ole was busy cycle touring Asia when I met him in a strange surfing town. |
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Having done plenty of cycling himself, he knew exactly how to welcome a biker to his home! |
And then I finally arrived in THE NETHERLANDS, my fatherland,
and cycled to PATRESWOLDE to see Joy.
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South Africa 1985. Yes, that’s me on her back. |
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She’s still as friendly today. But I didn’t let her carry me. |
These pictures speak for themselves!
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Australia 2011. Em introduced me to both the world of outdoor instructing and chicken farming. |
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I still can’t believe that she now has a real grown up job and lives in a house! (and still likes chickens) |
A ferry across to France and a hitch through to BLONVILLE-SUR-MER had me reunite with Damien
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Fiji, 2015 |
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I think I might have been lost in France without him |
I continued the hitch to PARIS to meet up with Rohan.
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Hanoi (Vietnam) 2012. He convinced me to buy a [Chinese] bicycle and cycle with him to Thailand… I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea. But I’m glad I did it! |
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I’m not sure he thought it was such a good idea when we ended up stranded under a fruit stand with a flat tyre in Laos. |
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He hasn’t changed much. |
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And still has the best taste in accommodation! |
I’d last seen him in Pai (Thailand), 2010
Marc was even more interesting than I’d remembered him being.
In ROTTENBERG I found Miki
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In 2015 we sailed from New Zealand to Fiji |
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Today she is still as happy and positive and awesome as ever! |
After hitch hiking to Liechtenstein for a beer,
I hopped on a bus through to PARIS to meet Mylene for lunch.
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In 2011 we camper vanned Australia together |
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Now she’s somewhat settled and employed. But just as beautiful and awesome as ever! |
I hopped back on a bus and took the chunnel to LONDON because the little guy on the right was turning thirty…
I am proud to say that I taught Brendon everything he knows.
and while I can’t take credit for all of Chloe’s life;
for this I can:
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When I first met her, 2012 |
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And still just as classy today! |
I took the subway through to CLAPHAM to meet Kirst
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Roommates in Chaingmai, Thailand (2012) |
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I don’t think either of us have changed much! |
I returned to the Netherlands and met up with Luc and Pluto in BLIJ-BURG.
He was even more happy and awesome than he had been in Saint Lucia (Caribbean) back in 2014.
In GRONINGEN I reunited with Jarco and Folkert who I had met on a plane back in 2013.
I pedaled across the afsluitdijk and headed to HUIS TE HEIDE to see Jairo
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Panama, 2013 We helped each other take boats across the Panama canal |
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Today he’s a family man! |
I cycled to LEIDEN to see Laurence.
I met him in Borneo while I was waiting to board my first sailing boat.
He still a smiling legend!
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I met him in Panama in 2013. In New Zealand, 2014. And again in South Africa, 2017. |
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After completing his circumnavigation, he has temporarily ditched the boat, and found some land (and really cool glasses) |
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One of many random nights out in Chiangmai |
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A not quite as random night out in the Netherlands. Apart from his hair, he really hasn’t changed. |
In DORDRECHT there was Jenny
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South Africa (1987) She’s exactly 17 days older than me. And clearly far more responsible. |
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She’s still 17 days older than me. And still far more responsible. |
And then I finally made it to ROTTERDAM to see Daisy and Jenna
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Daisy is family. Even if he was not born a Gerding. |
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Daisy was my flatmate in 2013 |
It doesn’t matter if they are travelling, or at home.
I may have spent five months running crazy rings around Europe,
but of all the people I forced hugs upon; even those I’d only known for only an hour (or a day, or a week), every single one was a delight!
(And don’t even get me started on all the exceptional people I met on the way to these legends…)I totally recommend it.
Go EVERYWHERE for a HUG!!(Apologies to all the people I skipped. Next time I will plan better [maybe] and I will not let winter defeat me quite as easily [maybe]. But I will be back!!)
1 Comment
Luc van Poelje · November 3, 2017 at 8:30 am
How many smiles did you generate being your awesome self???