Thousands of miles through Europe, from the Netherlands to Greece and back
Welcome.
Forgive me if this is in the wrong place on your forum - my knowledge of the Greek language leaves to be desired, but I figured this was one good way to pick a few things up along the way
Let me just tell you what this is about - the story is as important as the ride itself.
In 1996, when I was 10 years old, my best friend from the neighborhood (aged 11) committed suicide. When something like that happens at that young an age, you’re sad for a few months, and afterwards you go on happily with your life. Just like everything else happening to you as a kid you reckon that something like that is normal to happen, and don’t give it any further thought.
Until you become an adult, that is. Thirteen years later, in 2009, I had to do some college research into mourning high school students. I had picked the subject myself as I figured that with my own experience, it would be a doddle to do.
However, as I spoke to school counsellors about the subject, I came to realize that a death of someone close at a young age is not something normal. I suddenly understood I had been wrong for the past thirteen years, and that what happened in 1996 wasn’t done with me yet. Subsequently, a bomb went off inside my head, and eventually it threw me into a deep depression. This period seemed so endless, I more than once thought of putting an end to it myself.
Thankfully, both my close friends and family gave me all the love, support and attention I needed... it took lots of hard work and perseverance, but in May 2010, six months later and just weeks before my older brother got married, the storm finally settled. I had been lucky enough to go through hell, and come out the other end unscathed and stronger than ever... all thanks to those dearest to me.
Because of this, the number thirteen (the amount of years I lived in ignorance about probably the most important moment in my life) has become a symbol of endurance to me. To never surrender, to celebrate family and friendship, and commemorate those who haven’t been able to live their lives as they wished to. After all, it’s when the going gets tough that we really need someone close to us... and there’s alot of people out there who aren’t as lucky as I have been.
The Project
Now, ever since I was a kid I’ve been inexplicably obsessed about everything Greek, and subsequently it’s been a dream of mine to see your country itself one day. So coming out of that darkest of times, I thought it was about time I went and did something about it. I was going to get my motorcycle license, and ride to Greece. This became The Dekatria Project.
The project took off in October 2010 when I passed my Theory Exam. Almost exactly one year later I passed my final Driving Test, in July 2012 I did a 3500km (~2200 miles) training trip through Great Britain and now, it’s time for the big one. It’s time to bring all this preparation into practice, and turn the dream I almost took away from myself into actual reality.
The route will take me from my home in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy to the southernmost point of continental Greece: Cape Tenaron, the mythical gate to the Ancient Greek Underworld where people would go if they wanted to visit the deceased.
After that I turn around, to go back home through Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Altogether the journey will be around 7000km (or 4400 miles) in length, but I’ll probably go over it. I’m departing the 19th of July, hopefully entering Brindisi in Italy around the 27th. I then board the ferry to Greece, and from there on in I’ll probably take as much time as I want to, probably spending the first week of August in Greece before crossing the border into Albania.
[Continued in next post]
Απάντηση με παράθεση
, since the beginning of the "the dekatria project" thread in advrider.com.
Δημοσιεύθηκε αρχικά από McGyver
