Thailand, 21 years later

Sailing with my dad and my sister on the West coast of Thailand.

I have such fond memories of Thailand, what an incredible country!  Over the course of two years my sister and I spent a lot of time there.  We moved to Thailand in grade 5 with my father while my mom went back to school to complete her Masters degree.  We were homeschooled by my dad and we stayed at a beautiful resort called Royal Blue Lagoon on Lamai beach, Koh Samui.  It was a magical time, it truly was unforgettable, everything was so new and I'm sure we were wide eyed the whole time.  We spent the first 3 hours of every morning studying all the required subjects.  My father had the accredited curriculum and all the textbooks.  He did such a great job that when I returned to Canada, I was ahead of my class.  We would spend the morning “at school” and then we would have the afternoon off and my dad would work at the resort.  Dom and I would play in the pool, or chase crabs on the beach; the freedom to roam was priceless at that age.  We would make friends with other kids that stayed at the hotel, I remember meeting families from Germany, France, Russia and countless others.  An education in culture, real world learning at its finest.

Reflections on India

This gentleman was very interested in my bike, so he sat with me while I ate lunch. This was just another experience I had where we didn't speak the same language but we communicated via the bike.  When you cycle through India you're not a tourist, you're a cyclist which is infinitely more rewarding.

I wanted to share some experiences that I had in India that stuck with me.  Even now the memories are still so fresh, I think India is fascinating on so many levels, so here are a few stories I wanted to share: 

Lessons Learned on Top of Arunachala

While I was staying with Olae on Quiet beach, I was trying to find some direction for the rest of my trip.  I was still undecided on where to go next and he recommended Thiruvannamalai because of the temple there.  Am I ever glad that I listened to him, because it was in Thiru that I had one of my most memorable moments to date.  The reason I start this post talking about Olae is because it is a perfect example of how I like to travel.  Synchronicity, serendipity, fate; there are many words to describe following your instincts but there were three "coincidences" that led to my experience in Thiru.  Olae randomly stopping to chat after seeing me on my bike on the side of the road, an unplanned cremation occurring at my beach hut thus forcing me to move on, and his recommendation to visit Thiru.  I plan very little ahead of time because if your mind is still and you are open to suggestions from the Universe, then things like this happen.  At this time, I have to thank Olae for his direction because I enjoyed 4 beautiful days there, merci beaucoup mon ami!

YouTube Videos

I'm not sure why I waited this long to start editing videos.  I guess because it takes a lot more screen time and I'm trying to cut down on my computer use.  I have been posting these to Facebook, but I realized not everyone that has asked for my blog is on Facebook, so I've decided to share those videos here as well!

1. Shahbaz was my Couchsurfing host in Chennai, India.  He invited me along to pick up his motorbike from the shop. We took a Tuktuk into town, hit the beach, went for breakfast, and then rode the motorbike home. One hell of a ride through the busy streets this morning.

Today in Chennai

2. Mahabs was one of my favourite spots in India. This small fishing village has a growing surf scene with Temple Surfboards and Mumu Mukesh surf lessons! If you get the chance pay them a visit!

Intersecting Friendlies

3. Mahaballipuram, to Pondicherry, and finally Auroville on the beach.  Lots to see!

Temples, statues, and bamboo huts

4. Mauritius par Velo: A little tour of the island, from the Southern tip to the Northern tip!

Mauritius par Velo

5. A lot of the Couchsurfing hosts I stayed with in India had adopted dogs off the streets. There are lots of puppies around, and Olae had just picked up this little guy, all of one month old. It's funny he looks big for the first half of the video, must be the HD, then you see him next to my hand...not so big anymore! It was my job to watch him while Olae was at work, son nom est Milou!

Milou

6. Descent from Villars-sur-Ollon to Aigle. 1000 meters elevation change in 10 minutes, AKA flying down a hill on a bike dropping 100 meters every minute. The uphills are brutal in the Alps, but the downhills are glorious!

Villar descent

If you're interested in following my future videos, they can be found here: Alex's YouTube Channel

The Smiling Faces of India

Quick stop for some supplies, turned into another party!

Cycling in India is wonderful.  I might be biking by myself, but I am never alone.  Locals will pull up beside me and 80% of the day there is a motorbike or bicycle riding with me.  This can be a little dangerous as there is always traffic coming, but they insist on riding side by side.  At times I've had up to 5 bikes with me. 

They are so curious here, always asking questions, wanting to know where I'm going, where I'm from.  They will bike with me for many KMs, waving to their friends, making small talk.  It's a lot of fun!

Top 5 reasons you SHOULD see India by bike!

Top 5 reasons you SHOULD see India by bike

When I told people that I'd be cycling through India, everyone told me it's too dangerous.  The road conditions don't allow it, and that I shouldn't go.  Coming to India with my bike was the best decision I ever made!

1.  Riding through small towns at 6am will give you a glimpse into Indian culture that you won’t get anywhere else. Preparing meals, creating flower arrangements, milking cows/goats, and daily prayers are all included in the early morning routines here.

2.  You’ll start the party everywhere you go!  Stopping on the side of the road is an experience in itself, every single time.  You’ll find yourself posing for selfies with the locals, explaining your bike gear, and giving the locals a shot at balancing a fully loaded bike!

3.  Guaranteed weight loss!  I cycled 86km the other day, and it felt like 200km in this incredibly humid heat.  I drank 6L of water that day, and it still wasn’t enough, I am however trimming up quite nicely.

4.  When you bike through India you are touched by the smiles of the people you see.  When you take the train or bus, so many special moments pass you by.  If you want to stop and pray at a temple on your bike, you just pull over.  If you want to cool down, you find the next coco stand.  

5.  India’s busy streets and lack of traffic controls will bestow upon you the powers of a Jedi Master.  You will learn quickly how to avoid cows, goats, rickshaws, chickens, buses, yaks, dogs, dead snakes, and horrible road conditions. If you survive India on a bike, you can safely say you are prepared to cycle anywhere in the world!

Meeting in Mauritius: Finding family on the other side of the world!

Leaving Geneva and seeing the snow on the mountain tops was pretty surreal after my weekend of hot sun in the Alps.  Arriving in Mauritius and being dropped off at the beach in the photo above, felt like I was transported into a dream world. 

Probably the clearest water I've ever seen.

I am visiting Michel, my dad's friend from when he used to live here in 1971.  My dad spent just over a year here and attended the Lycée school in Floreal.

Cowbells, Gruyere, et les Alps

I'm getting Artsy Fartsy in my old age.

Day 1

L’Etivaz a Gstaad

Distance: 16KM

Elevation: 1150m

More info here. 

After an amazing few days in Villars-sur-Ollon, I was ready to hit the mountains. I want to thank a few people for making this possible.  Christina et Eva etait tellement gentille, elles m'a donner permission pour laissez mon vela dans le chalet pour le fin de semaine.  Sans leur aide je pense pas que mon weekend serait possible.  Merci beaucoup!

I'd also like to mention one of my hosts, I stayed with Sarah Prior in Yverdons-les-Bains earlier that week, and we talked about doing some hiking.  This is the beauty of Couchsurifng, you meet people along the way who are interested in the same activities, and with the contacts you make, hikes like these are made possible.  I was touring the school and preparing for the presentation on Friday and I didn’t have any time to research some hikes.  She sent me an email with a complete itinerary for both days, merci encore Sarah!

 SO MUCH CHEESE!!

Looking down at L'Etivaz

École Beau Soleil - Following in my father's footsteps

This is the school my father attended 50 years ago. 

This is the view from Villars-sur-Ollon looking down to the valley below.

So I biked quite a ways to visit my dad's old school, over 2200kms.  It was the final destination on my trip through Europe, and for good reason.  Not only was it where he spent time as a ten year old, it's also one of the seven locations around the world where he wanted his ashes spread over water.  Maintenant je comprend pourquoi.  This spot is without a doubt one of the most beautiful areas in Switzerland, maybe the entire World.  Called the PreAlps this school is nestled in between glacier mountains, and beautiful soaring peaks.

Updated videos!

I just added some new videos to the "Come ride with me" page.  I have so much video footage, I don't know what to do except share it with you!  There's some beauties in there so click here take a ride!

Take this video for example.  This protest erupted in the middle of Basel while I was rolling down the street one day.  You don't see this everyday folks.

More info here: tens-thousands-kurds-protest-over-isis-inaction-europe-video

The vineyards and lakes of Switzerland

Couchsurfing.com is such an amazing way to travel.  Connecting with the locals is just so important to me.  I have not yet stayed in a hotel, and I don't ever plan to.  

I really lucked into a place in Yverdon-les-Bains, I walked into a vegetarian Meat Free Monday theme night.  Let me explain.  See here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12953772-the-meat-free-monday-cookbook - Paul McCartney and his family started the concept and wrote a book.  

I was accepted so last minute by these two hosts!  They had a really nice apartment, with huge vaulted ceilings, massive rooms, and a sweet balcony.  I was so lucky to walk into a kitchen in full gear as 6 people whipped up an amazing veggie meal. Yellow curry (made with mortar and pestle), basmati rice, fresh organic veg, homemade humous, and apple strudels!  The strudels were the best part I think.  We all got to make our own with the dough, apples, nuts, and maples butter!  Shape it with our hands, fill the inside and then roll it.  They came out still hot from the oven after dinner, GoldStar to the hosts!  What fun! Great people, great food, great conversation!  Merci a Sarah et Regis!  If you ever visit Canada again, the Yurt door is always open!

Back roads in Switzerland, the road less traveled truly is the best way.  Leo enjoying the view.

Switzerland is one of the most naturally gorgeous countries in the world.  C'est vraiment formidable, I'm almost at the Alps!

 Lausanne was beautiful!  I stayed with Julien whom I met at my Couchsurfer's place in Yverdon the night before. He and his roommate were incredibly hospitable and we went out for beers together to a local pub, then hit la Place de Riponne for some late night laughs.  What a fun way to spend some time in the big city.  Merci les deux!  Lausanne hosted the Olympics!  I had forgotten, lots of really neat Olympic info signs every where in Lausanne, that was neat.

Eating garbage in Luxembourg

I am fully aware of the shock value the title of these blogs create, and I love it.

Screen free

So it’s been raining for at least a week now.  Not just a little mist, like solid downpours for 5 hours a day.  One day I was listening to my music with my phone in my waterproof jacket.  Nothing new here, I’ve done this many times before with no issues.  I put the phone in my side pocket, zip it up tight with just the wire coming out, and then run the wire inside my jacket to my ears.

Suisse military, LSD, Banking

One pedal at a time!

Basel

So my first stop in Switzerland was Basel.  I arrived quite late into town, after dark, and I hadn’t set up any CouchSurfing connections because my phone drowned, and my adaptor for my laptop broke.  But, it was Friday night, and I thought I’d take my chances.  If all else failed I could go to the train station and hangout till sunrise and then ride on from there.

Switzerland is similar to Spain in that you can drink outdoors in public.  I love this about Europe because it means the people gather and hang out together without having to be in a club or restaurant etc.  Generally speaking, people will grab a few beers and head to a park to meet up with friends, I just like this so much because it really does create a sense of community.

Aš esu iš Kanados

So here’s a good story…

I’m chilling at a campsite when I get a message on Facebook from Radoslav.  I played pro volleyball with Rado in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2007.  All the message says is, “Alex are you in the Netherlands?”.  I write back that I am.  He says he lives in the Netherlands.  So I think to myself, it’s a big country, and it’s late what are the chances.  I mean, I’ve biked from one end to the other, literally, stopping in villages all along the way and I never thought Rado would be living here.  So what are the odds we’re close by each other? 

I’m starving, it’s already dark, I still have to bike into town.  So basically I tell him what campsite I’m at, and that it would be cool to see him if he’s in the most southern part of the Netherlands near the border with Belgium and Germany.  I’m quite confident this won’t be happening tonight, as he’s likely somewhere North of here hundreds of kilometres away. I think nothing of it, and I take off on the bike.

At this point in my trip my NL SIM card is dead and I don’t have any minutes left.  So I can only check the internet when I’m on WIFI, which is at the campsite.  I roll back into the campsite, I’m gone maybe 20 minutes.  I don’t even make it to my tent, I just stop to check if he wrote back and he says he wants my cell number.  So I send it to him, not sure if it will work because I’m out of minutes, and I figure we’ll chat and see if we are within distance so we can visit sometime this week.

Phone rings, “Alex it’s Rado, I’m in the parking lot, can you come and find me please I can’t find your tent!” hahaha…what a guy!  I later found out that he saw the URL of the campsite, researched it immediately, got the address, jumped in the car, and drove straight here.  He was walking all over the campground looking for me while I was shopping, and when he gave up he went back to the parking lot.  So I turn around walk 20 feet and there is Rado!!!  So after 7 years of not seeing him, and realistically thinking I’d never see him again in my life, here we are in Vaals in the dark at this campsite just jumping around screaming!!  You can’t imagine, my best friend from Lithuania just showed up at my campsite, what fun!

Being the gentleman that he is, Rado insisted I come and stay with him for the night.  The Lithuanian people are incredibly generous and very welcoming.  I experienced this first hand while playing in Vilnius for the year, all of my teammates were great!  So I grabbed some gear and jumped into the car with Rado.  We had some great laughs on the way to his place in Kerkrade!  We grabbed some beers, and some stroopwafels (of course) and sat around catching up for the rest of the night.  I also got to see Lena!  She lived with us in Vilinius and she was pregnant when I left.  It was just so surreal to see these two again, I gave Lena a big hug! She then brought me a bowl of home cooked soup. Wow…I hadn’t eate hot food in quite some time, not to mention home made.  It was delicious.  I also need to mention the apple and pear cake she made.  I was so hungry I ate the whole thing you are a brilliant chef!

It was amazing to hear about Rado’s beautiful family, his first son is 6 now and he just had a second baby.  Felicitations Rado!  He has a new home and he has a great job in the Netherlands.  I’m just so happy for these two because they are Quality with a capital Q.  Rado gave me a real bed to sleep on, and I was very grateful for that.  It was just brilliant to spend time with him again, something I’ll never forget…ah the joys of traveling abroad.

This picture is taken at like 2AM.  Rado just started yelling "Alex, Alex come here, let's make a picture in the bathroom!".  So we did.  Be well Rado, et mercy beaucoup encore.

Bike touring in Europe

Hiking near Echternach, Luxembourg

What a second, someone looks a little out of place. Can you find the Canadian goose?

This was a long day of climbing switchbacks in the Ardennes. 

Hiking in Calpe

So it’s a well known fact that I am afraid of heights.  Well, not everyone knows this, but I have confirmed it.  Many times.  I can’t handle it.  I get sweaty, my heart races, I get all panicky, I worry about falling off the edge.  It’s a phobia at its best, because there is usually no threat of danger.  It’s just a simple irrational fear, and it grips the very centre of your core.

So we went hiking in Calpe, the usual "no threat of danger" did not apply here.  It has steep cliffs, with no guards, and it juts straight up out of the ocean.  It appears as though it’s an island from afar, but upon further recon it is indeed attached to the mainland.

I digress, ok so I recorded some videos at different stages throughout the climb to journal my ascent into the clutches of total fear.  

WARNING: These videos are rated Mature.  The subject matter may contain vulgar language, including swearing in several languages, cursing out my friend, and taking the lord’s name in vain.  If anyone takes offence to such vocabulary, then viewer discretion is advised.  

PS: I don’t remember swearing at all while climbing hahahaha, it wasn’t until I watched the videos that I realized how bad it was.  I think it’s hilarious because I don’t swear that often, it just shows how frightening of an experience it was for me.  I was wigging out due to the height of the climb, and the sheer cliffs all around me dropping into the utter dark abyss below.

Germany and Luxembourg!

Riding in Luxembourg. Amazing bike trail from Aachen to Troisvierges. 

Sunset after a long day. Slept next to the cows that night. I could hear them chewing grass all night. 

Morning mountain mist in Germany

Is this a wild orchid?

Another campsite in Germany

The Ebola outbreak and my trip to Ghana

So one news item that I have been following while travelling, is the current crisis in West Africa.  Ebola has killed thousands and has been called the modern day plague.  WHO doesn’t think it’s slowing down, and they have predicted scary numbers before it runs its course.

Ghana has not reported anyone testing positive for Ebola yet.  Although, neighbouring countries have.  There are people fleeing to Ghana through the mountains though and there are no checks at the airport.  With everything that is going on in that part of Africa I have decided to cancel my trip to Ghana.

It’s the smart thing to do, but I’m still disappointed.  I was really looking forward to seeing that part of the world, especially the library and the university where my grandfather worked.    Accra Ghana was one of the cities where my father lived while growing up.  My grandfather helped build a library there and they spent a few years in West Africa.  Off the coast of Accra is one of the locations that my father wanted his ashes spread, and I had plans to do just that.  This spring I went through the lengthy process of securing a Ghanian Tourist Visa so that I could travel there.  Paid $95 CAD and went through a lot of paperwork, including getting a yellow fever shot.  All for not, as I have a three month Visa that expires on October 3rd and I won’t be using it.  

My father actually had two very serious bouts with malaria while in Ghana and finally a doctor told my grandparents he had to leave because another round with malaria could be his last.  So they sent him to Switzerland for boarding school, and that’s where I’m headed right now!  I’m currently in Larochette, Luxemberg on my way South to Villars-Sur-Ollons where my dad attended Ecole Beau Soleil!

STOLEN: Red 1988 Miyata 610

It is with a heavy heart that I must report the theft of The Red Snapper.  She was an unbelievable companion on this trip, and I will miss her dearly.

I have been to Amsterdam 4 times now.  I am aware of the bike theft.  I never leave my bike unlocked, I always lock it to something, and I always lock it under a light.  In addition, I go and check on it every half hour just to be safe.  I have done this every time I have visited Amsterdam and never had a problem.  The night it was stolen was no different, there was only about a 25 minute window when they could have done it, and they found a way.  Just bad luck I guess.

I was heartbroken...oh the drama...I knew this trip would provide its fair share of stories, but this one is a gut wrenching loss.  It's not the value, the bike was only worth $150.  It's the fact I built that bike, when it was stolen a piece of my soul was ripped out...I knew every inch of that bike and we put on some serious kilometres together.  We saw France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Spain together and I will never forget those memories...

Unfortunately, I will never see it again.  RIP - The Red Snapper - May the wind be forever at your back and the sun on your face!

So after the boys left I spent three days going to all the bike shops in Amsterdam.  I went to the police and filed a report in hopes of maybe getting it back.  I was showing photos at the bike shops, and asking if anyone had seen it, I went to the markets to try and find it.  I even went online every 2 hours to see if anyone was trying to sell it on the Amsterdam Buy and Sell.  Eventually I gave up on that idea and starting to look for a new bike.

Then it hit me, I am in Amsterdam, the greatest bike city in the world, and I have a chance to pick up a Dutch bike!

After over 20 bike stores, comparing prices, doing research and finally coming down to my choice I went with the Santos TravelMaster 2.8.

This is a game changer.  Some stats: it's an aluminum frame, which means it's much lighter!  Hydraulic brakes, instead of needing every ounce of my grip strength to slow down my old bike (I could barely stop it), I can now use one finger to come to a dead stop.  I've even left skid marks, it's that good.  Instead of 18 gears, I now have 30...that's probably the biggest improvement.  I had it custom built to my measurements, they built it at the Santos factory for me on rush and I picked up off the floor brand spanking new.  It's a Dutch built bike which is used by world travellers.  I read several blogs where people had taken this bike around the world.  Now that I've been riding it for a week, you couldn't pay me to go back to the Miyata.  I loved that bike, but in 26 years the improvements in design have been phenomenal.  Sort of like driving an old ford work truck and then buying a new Ferrari...it's that much of an improvement.  Looking back, I actually can't believe how old the Miyata was!

So all is well that ends well.  I spent a pretty penny on this thing, I have two locks, and I'm getting over the feeling of having spent too much.  But as the store owner said, this will be the last bike you buy and you'll be able to use it for the rest of your life!

I bought my bike from Eric at http://www.vakantiefietser.nl  There were a few stores that sold this bike, but the reason I chose his store was because they specialized in touring bikes and he was a world traveler himself.  He has some videos here as well http://vimeo.com/vakantiefietser

The first day I went in, I spent an hour and half with his staff.  We talked about all the varieties and styles available and discussed what I needed the most.  They invited me to stay for coffee and lunch which I thought was very generous of them.  I saw many other stores but when I came back and said that I wanted to purchase from them, Eric also offered me to stay at his house for free!  Just a great guy and in general very welcoming and helpful.   Here is a pic of his guest room:

So from a dark place of mourning and loss came this incredible opportunity to learn from the best, be inspired by his travels, but most of all pick up the BEST DAMN BIKE I'VE EVER HAD!  I spent a lot of time thinking about how this loss translated into a gain...and through conversations with Eric, and reading about the TravelMaster...I am rethinking my trip.

My original plan was to bike around Europe, then send my bike home and continue on by foot.  After hearing of his travels around the world, and watching his documentaries, I've decided to bike around the world as well.  So there you have it, the trials and tribulations of this Wandering Wwoofer have created an opportunity to see the world by bike...et voila!

Back to Amsterdam

So before the boys had to fly back to Canada, we decided on a trip to Amsterdam.  This was a lot of fun and I was excited to show the guys my favourite city.  They were both rookies and had never been!

I also took this opportunity to box up my bike and bring it back with me to the Netherlands.  The boys left their bikes in storage in Madrid as they were flying out from there.  My plan is to bike from the Netherlands and go South into Germany, Luxembourg, and finally Switzerland!

Alicante to Madrid

 We finally made it to Alicante, rested up for a few nights, and then took a train to Madrid.

 Train Stop

 Retiro Park in Madrid

Madrid airport

This was a great night in Alicante. Scott really needed some rest so we stayed with Ericka, our acouchsurfing host. This was a great night and we all made Paella!! Ericka from South America, another surfer from Poland, and two guys from Canada!!  I love the Couchsurfing community!!

Hiking

So we pulled over at this lookout restaurant to ask more about this mountain in the distance.  We found out that you can climb it so we abandoned all plans to go to Alicante and changed direction to summit this mountain.

 Tunnel on the way up.

 Oh man, it was sketchy.  I am afraid of heights, and I was freaking out here.  I have some amazing videos that I will post, but for now this will have to do!  I have so many photos and videos it's overwhelming...so hard to choose!

 Cats lived on the top!

Back on solid ground, thank god, and looking back on our summit hike!