Fanatic road cyclist. Enthousiastic but inept mountainbiker. Likes Africa.
And now up for a challenge: cycling Africa!
Cycling Africa has been on my wish list for a while. Cycling day after day, exploring the continent, the challenge of doing without luxury, living in a small tent for four months... it all appeals to me. It was never the right time to leave everything behind for four months, being it for private or career reasons, but that time has come now!
Having worked mostly in or on Africa over the past few years, I have visited quite a few African countries. But instead of getting tired and moving on to the next continent to explore, I have only grown more curious! So much to see; Sudan's deserts, Ethiopia's highlands, Kenya's savannahs, Tanzania's tea estates, Malawi's hills, Zambia's national parks, Botswana's elephants, Namibia's sand dunes and South African night life.... it will all be new for me, and I cannot wait to see it!
I currently live in Frankfurt, Germany, where I work in German and European development cooperation. I divide my time between Germany and the Netherlands (and my frequent duty trips to Africa). As for the cycling; just as any Dutch kid I grew up riding bikes to get to school, and practically anywhere else. I started mountainbiking in 2004, and bought my first road race bike in 2010. I ride my Trek 8000 WSD (2011) in the beautiful Taunus area near Frankfurt, and my Willier Cento 1 (2013) in the rolling hills of the Dutch south. Wherever I am, I can ride. Training intensity lies between 2 and 4 times a week on the bike, and 2 times a week in the gym, hoping that that will get me ready for the trip!
