Last year while on the road, I had a little talk with a journalist from the Danish paper Politiken. The article - until now unpublished in Camp WT - was published in October 2009.
I had the privilege to give a 3-hour lecture/talk about the expedition for friends and acquaintances a few days ago, on a rocking boat in central Copenhagen…
All-up it was a great experience - and just my third presentation - but boy, it drains all my juices to be the center of attention this way…
Hope all’s great your end too…
// Nicolai
In (the very likely) case you missed the interview I did last week on live national TV (in my native tongue), here goes: (at 9′00” in the clip)
Nicolai on the “Good Evening Denmark” talkshow, 03AUG2010.
On that same day, there was an article (in Danish too) in the national paper, Berlingske Tidende.
Cheers, Nicolai
First of all: thanks for all comments and ideas regarding the photo selection I’m going through. It’s been a huge help and it’s helped me focus. Thank you.
I’ve found out that I want two themes for the exhibition (thanks, Chris 
)
1) The Expedition
2) Nature/Culture
, where 1) is (surprise) thematically focused on the expedition side of WT, whereas 2) will be focused on the natural/cultural diversity of the World.
The selection for the Expedition part is shown below (or view as a standard photo album here (30 photos)):
The selection for the Nature/culture part is shown below (or view as a standard photo album here (33 photos)):
My aim is to cut down each series to around 20 photos (i.e 40 in total) and it’ll be a huge help for me to hear, which photos you think would fit in with the exhibition, which photos could be skipped (like one of those sunset shots or one of the “curvy road” shots from China in the nature/culture series etc.)
I hope to hear from you.
Nicolai
Over the past 3 months I’ve been going through the photos I’ve taken since 2006. 63,000 is the number. Massive task.
One reason for all this sorting is that I plan to do a photo exhibition (more on that later) with selected pictures from expedition.
I’ve come down to an agreeable 35 pictures and naturally, lots of darlings have been killed along the way. My aim is to select some 12 to 15 pictures and this is where I need YOU. I need your comments, ideas or suggestions for other images that I might have forgotten.
The criterias used have been loosely defined, but I have generally selected photos that:
- Explain themselves
- Tell a story
- Are technically suitable for a large format (approx. 70×100 cm, maybe larger)
- In different ways provide an insight into the world, or into the life on the expedition
- Are relatively simple in its expression (minus the slaughter of the cow :-))
The 35 photos can be seen HERE or below…
And please, be honest with me, be brutal if that’s what it takes for me to kill more darlings.
I appreciate any help. Thanks.
Love,
Nicolai
It’s been 3 months to the day since I arrived in my hometown Copenhagen after 1.413 days on the road. Physically, life minus bike is (obviously) a little more predictable, a little less nomadic, but it still inspires and challenges me (or was it the other way around?), in quite different ways than my life plus bike did…
For the past months I’ve been going through most of my WT-related material (photos, audio recordings, videos - excluding my 15 diaries that I’m not ready for mentally just yet. Bear with me, this stuff is heavy :-)), sitting at the table in Copenhagen with my little 10″ notebook, selecting material that I might need/use for my WT-talk/lecture - the main reason for all of this - that I’ll start presenting shortly. TBA.
I’ve received lots of emails lately asking me how life back home is, if life treats my fine, if I’m restless and hear the roads calling already, what I’ve learned about life looking back on the last 4 years travelling the world, if I’ve found myself a little missus (sic!), if I’m happy and all that.
The short answer to most of these questions is that, yes, I’m very happy being back home in Denmark with my beloved ones (missus still to be found somewhere - can’t/won’t hurry that one). I don’t feel restless at all, partly ‘cos I think I got (more than) my slice of that terrific cake called adventure, partly ‘cos my new (which also happens to be my old) life in Copenhagen - and the prospect of giving all these presentations at schools, companies, clubs, libraries etc. - holds plenty of challenge and big-city adventure for me these days. Oh yes, it may all change some day, but until then I’m content and excited about the upcoming summer in Denmark, my first in 5 years.
A longer, deeper answer would most likely suit the aforementioned Qs, but I haven’t really come to any big, final conclusions to most of them, not that I’ve really tried. Don’t really feel any need for that at the moment. When, one day, I sit down somewhere quiet to write my book, I’m sure the deeper answers will come to me, more naturally.
For now, I try and focus on finding a suitable balance between the complex, exciting, opaque systems of modern big-city life and the simple, nomadic, in-control-with-my-6-bike-bags way of life on the road. The differences between these life styles are downright gigantic.
Thanks for popping by.
With love - as always,
Nicolai
Simply click HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE in the Québécois newspaper, L’Exemplaire.
It’s down at the bottom of the pdf-file that opens in a new window.
Now there you go, Francophoiles…WT’s for everyone!
Many people around me have been asking me, naturally, how it is to be back in Denmark after 4 years on the road, if I’ve gotten used to being back, and whether it’s been an anti-climax getting back.
In my mind there’s no single answer to these questions. There’s no simple way to put it. No simple way to describe the plethora of complex feeling and emotions that have been running thru me over the last 23 days since I arrived here in Copenhagen. No matter how I think about it, though, I can’t call it an anti-climax. How could I possibly do that? With most of my best friends around me, within easy reach (yes, we travel by bicycle in Copenhagen), with one of the greatest cities on Earth under my feet, and with endless opportunities to design my time/life here in Denmark.
So What Have I Been Doing Lately?
Days have generally been quite busy. All the doors that I left shut behind me in April 2006, have slowly been opened again, and I’ve officially become a Danish citizen again (with library card, health insurance card, fitness member card, mobile phone number, registered at the unemployment union - all very exciting stuff, you see).
Visits at the unemployment benefit office (a few), visits at the gym (spin classes, pulling weights, looking at people looking in mirrors, jacuzzi-laxing) (a lot), social meetings, crazy late-night drinking bouts (debauchery style) with my mates, informal meetings with sponsors (# 1 and 3 on the list, fyi), different interviews with different kinds of media, hanging out with Pablo at “home” (cooking, laughing, movie-watching, chilling, blabla-ing), preparing a mayor WT-presentation/talk that I plan on giving around Denmark later this year (the “WT-book” will come, but will have to wait for now).
Socially, my first 3 weeks in Copenhagen have been wonderfully rich and quite overwhelming. My loved ones are just as lovable as I remember them and as I hoped (read: knew) they’d be. And still there are many faces that I haven’t seen yet. It’s going to be a darn fine spring in CPH.
A Nomadic Soul On A Mental Journey?
All the inner excitement I’ve felt lately has made it rather hard for me to sort of slow down, to kick back, and just ponder on this new situation and all the what-nows. I do occasionally find the trap of getting caught in everyday life trivialities surprisingly near, it’s so easy to somehow mentally “forget” all the beauties (never mind the snowy months of winter cycling up thru Western Europe!) of the last 4 years’ experiences, and I’ve promised myself to never ever get lured by that trap (unless I want to).
My nomadic heart and soul has been greatly fuelled on the road, and hopefully it will find some juice in my current challenge, the transition back to life a little more stationary, from being a travelling nomad in the physical sphere, to being a travelling nomad in the mental (spiritual?) sphere.
The Moral Support
Over the last month I’ve received hundreds of emails, with congratulatory and very positive notes and thoughts. My guestbook is also the glad recipient of comments, ideas etc. I sincerely thank you all for the support. As stated before, I quite literally couldn’t have done this without your never-failing, moral support. Thanks, guys and girls.
What About The Future of the WT-site?
People have been lamenting (I do feel with both of you) that they won’t be able to get their daily WT/travel fix now that the journey is over. But cry not, ye’ all. Though the physical journey is over, my never-ending hunger for sensory flow and journeys into the unknown won’t stop just because my bike’s in the shed.
This, my home-coming is just the beginning of another journey, even if this new journey might take on a much more mental quality. I hope you’ll come along this journey too. I will keep you updated about my mental and - less interesting - physical whereabouts. Check back on WT (and Facebook, if you’re playing that game) any time soon.
Check out the latest visuals from The Netherlands, a.k.a. Holland…
1A. Standard, Holland.
1B. Slideshow, Holland.
Except for a few visuals from the expedition, this might not have your greatest interest (it’s all in Danish/gibberish)…
21 FEB 2010: Article in Fyens Stiftstidende (part 1, Danish)
21 FEB 2010: Article in Fyens Stiftstidende (part 2, Danish)
21 FEB 2010: Article in Fyens Stiftstidende (part 3, Danish)
21 FEB 2010: Article in Fyens Stiftstidende (part 4, Danish)
There’s more media-related WT-stuff HERE!
This is it. The final log update is here. I’ll miss see it growing and growing.
In the unlikely case you’d happen to be interested, the infamous WT Hall of Fame has just been updated.
We’re having a Midnight Madness Everything MUST Go Freak Show, Zülle (my alter ego) and I - don’t hold yourself back. I don’t. How could i possibly, with only 30 km to go in the WT era?
Nicolai (from Roskilde)
Nyborg -> Roskilde
Distance (km) : 75
Time on bike : 4h 11m
Brutto time: 09.30 – 15.15
Avg : 17.1 km/h
Max.speed: 31.0
Total (km) : 62.148
Altitude: 20 m
Difficulty: 2½
Middelfart -> Nyborg
Distance (km) : 75
Time on bike : 4h 35m
Brutto time: 11.50 – 19.05
Avg : 16.2 km/h
Max.speed: 30.1
Total (km) : 62.084
Altitude: 10 m
Difficulty: 3½
(UK version only)
As expected, the last few hundred meters to my parents house in Middelfart - the house where I grew up - were emotionally very heavy pedalling. Massive waves of emotions, of relief, of utter joy & happiness, of longing, of being back, of accomplishment had been rushing through me over the last few days, and now - after more than 1.400 days on the road nonstop - I was finally back home with my loved ones.
Seeing them all standing in the driveway, waiting for me, with Danish paper flags all over, was without a doubt one of the strongest moments in my life, and the tears automatically started flowing, freestyle. I don’t really remember the last meters towards the open arms of my mum, my dad, and my sister, but the hugs were the best and deepest the world has ever seen. So unreal. So good. (See photos from my arrival here)
After 5 days with my parents in Middelfart, I’m getting ready (practically rather than mentally) for the very final leg of the WT-expedition which will bring me back to Copenhagen, where it all started 4 years ago.
I’ll be leaving tomorrow (Thursday) and will arrive on Saturday 20FEB2010, 12.00 PM/noon, at the Rådhuspladsen (Town Hall Square) in central Copenhagen (see my planned route into Copenhagen here).
Undoubtedly, this, too, will be a very special moment for me. The official end of my dream, my reality over the last 1.414 days. If you happen to be in the ‘hood, come and share the moment with me. I’d be happy to see you there (tears allowing)…
It’s been quite a while since I went out for dinner with my parents last time. More than 3 years. Vietnam seems sooo far away now.
Late in the evening there’s a knocking at the front door. Childhood friends, Jens (of earlier WT-fame) and Thomas surprisingly drop in for a happy chat and a cold beer. Wonderful and how I’ve missed just hanging out with good friends, speaking my native tongue, cracking jokes and sharing anecdotes together.
No, it’s not quite over yet.
I’ve just made a visual presentation of my time in France, that turned out to be much colder, much longer than expected. I also made much more great friends all over France. C’est la vie.
1a. Photo Album From France (86 photos)
You can also see the WT Gallery on Flickr.
Nicolai (Middelfart, Denmark)
What Else Could Be New?
The Homecoming - Article in Danish paper…
…and as always:
**** 1.410 days, 62.008 km, 53 countries, 6 continents ****
I wonder if he’s missed me as much as I’ve missed him?
Most of the day’s spent trying to get organized, re-packing my beloved bike bags for tomorrow’s take-off, leaving everything behind that I don’t absolutely need, and stocking up on off-bike clothes for my arrival (and first weeks/months?) in Copenhagen.
Being reunited with my old wardrobe anno April 2006 is a feat that cannot be overestimated - and is all part of my on-going process of becoming a “normal” (or less Lycra-clad, at least) citizen again.
WT-media-wise, the highlight of the day is Line, a journalist from the Danish newspaper Fyens Stiftstidende, who pays me a visit at home with her photographer Asbjørn for a longer interview (come back shortly for the article, in Danish only).
