A longtime friend of mine, Søren Bang, asked me some questions about this trip that might interest others, here is a cut and paste extract from my answer;
It is very encouraging and fun for me that people show interest in this despite it is nothing more than a documentation of my vacation, thank you.
I would do it again, with the experience I have now I can make the trip quite a lot better next time almost regardless of where I go. The thing is that most of the issues I think was problems on this trip is something I can do something about.
I packed too much gear and since I am the one that have to get it up every hill it is a big deal after steep hill number 14.
I planned too much in too little time, both sights to be seen and amount of kilometers per day. I find that if you start to reach 100 kilometers per day there isn't much time nor strength to do anything else besides eat and sleep because those days drain around 3000 calories out of you in a calm pace ON TOP of your regular calorie requirements and take probably near 7-9 hours to complete on fairly good roads. I would say that for someone who is fit at the start, 60-70 kilometers per day is about good distances and for someone like me who isn't fit 40-70 kilometers perhaps.
I really missed interacting with people on this trip and it was mostly obvious in Albania, the reason for this is that very few spoke English there. In Macedonia and Greece I found that just speaking a little with hotel staff, waiters and when asking for directions was enough for me to avoid the pitfalls mood wise. Speaking with dad and my brother on Skype helped a lot too but it isn't the same as a more direct connection of speaking face to face irl so to speak.
I would probably go by myself if I was going by bicycle as I can imagine that it can require quite a lot of adjusting when travelling with another person - pace, route, sights, respect for moods and activities that both enjoy enough.
I can only see myself going away like this with my brother or my best friend Henrik if I were to go with someone else because you probably need to be very sensitive to the other person and his or hers needs.
My advice would be go. It is quite developing for one self and if you read up from the experience of others who have been in the countries you plan to visit and plan on what type of journey you want, I for one wouldn't have needed all the camping gear. You can do it, I surprised myself countless of times on this adventure, mostly about how determination can move mountains or at the very least push you over them.
It is very encouraging and fun for me that people show interest in this despite it is nothing more than a documentation of my vacation, thank you.
quote:
Originally posted by Heeder
i was wondering, if you were about to do it again, in some other part of the world, would you do it alone again?
I would do it again, with the experience I have now I can make the trip quite a lot better next time almost regardless of where I go. The thing is that most of the issues I think was problems on this trip is something I can do something about.
I packed too much gear and since I am the one that have to get it up every hill it is a big deal after steep hill number 14.
I planned too much in too little time, both sights to be seen and amount of kilometers per day. I find that if you start to reach 100 kilometers per day there isn't much time nor strength to do anything else besides eat and sleep because those days drain around 3000 calories out of you in a calm pace ON TOP of your regular calorie requirements and take probably near 7-9 hours to complete on fairly good roads. I would say that for someone who is fit at the start, 60-70 kilometers per day is about good distances and for someone like me who isn't fit 40-70 kilometers perhaps.
I really missed interacting with people on this trip and it was mostly obvious in Albania, the reason for this is that very few spoke English there. In Macedonia and Greece I found that just speaking a little with hotel staff, waiters and when asking for directions was enough for me to avoid the pitfalls mood wise. Speaking with dad and my brother on Skype helped a lot too but it isn't the same as a more direct connection of speaking face to face irl so to speak.
I would probably go by myself if I was going by bicycle as I can imagine that it can require quite a lot of adjusting when travelling with another person - pace, route, sights, respect for moods and activities that both enjoy enough.
I can only see myself going away like this with my brother or my best friend Henrik if I were to go with someone else because you probably need to be very sensitive to the other person and his or hers needs.
quote:
Originally posted by Heeder
And what would your advice be to the rest of us?
My advice would be go. It is quite developing for one self and if you read up from the experience of others who have been in the countries you plan to visit and plan on what type of journey you want, I for one wouldn't have needed all the camping gear. You can do it, I surprised myself countless of times on this adventure, mostly about how determination can move mountains or at the very least push you over them.
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