Hvis artiklen ikke kan læses på ovenstående billede, kan originalen findes HER på siderne 12-13 i dokumentet.

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

Nicolai i Go’ Aften Danmark, 03AUG2010 (ved 9′00” i klippet)

Cyklen bag mig er min, men er tydeligvis ikke min hollandske førstedame.
Det hvide i min hånd er en gammeldags isvaffel. Det sorte under næsen findes ikke mere.

19 JUL 2010: Artikel i Familie Journal

Glade sommertanker,

Nicolai

Jeg er nu kommet frem til at jeg udstillingen skal rumme to temaer:

1) Ekspeditionen
2) Natur/kultur

, hvor 1) hovedsageligt vil være tematisk fokuseret på den ekspeditionsmæssige del af WT, mens 2) vil være fokuseret på verdens natur- og kulturmæssige mangfoldighed mm.

Ekspeditions-udvalget kan ses herunder (eller som et album her (30 billeder)):

Natur/kultur-udvalget kan ses herunder (eller som et album her (33 billeder)):

Mit mål er at skære hvert af de to temaer ned til ca. 20 billeder, dvs. 40 i alt.

Det vil være en stor hjælp for mig at høre, hvilke billeder du mener egner sig bedst i udstillingsøjemed, hvilke billeder bør fravælges (eks. det ene solnedgangsbillede i “natur/kultur”-temaet, det ene af de to bjergbilleder fra Kina i samme kategori etc.)

Jeg håber at høre fra dig.

Kærligst, Nicolai

En af grundene til dette store sorteringsarbejde er, at jeg har planer om at lave en fotoudstilling (mere om det senere) med udvalgte billeder fra ekspeditionen.

Jeg er nu nået ned på overkommelige 35 billeder og har i lugearbejdet naturligvis måtte ofre en masse billeder, som betyder en masse for MIG, men som ikke egner sig andre steder end i mit memo-kammer. Målet er at komme ned på 12-15 billeder og det er her DU kommer ind i billedet. Jeg har brug for dine kommentarer, ris/ros, idéer - eller forslag til billeder, jeg har overset i kampens hede.

Kriterierne for udvælgelsen har været løst definerede, men jeg er generelt gået efter billeder, der

- forklarer sig selv
- fortæller en historie
- rent teknisk egner sig til et stort format (ca. 70×100 cm, måske større)
- på forskellig vis giver et indblik dels i verden, dels i ekspeditionen
- er relativt simple i sit udtryk (koslagtningen fraregnet )

De 35 billeder kan ses HER eller herunder…

Lov mig at være ærlig her, vær brutal (hvis det er det, der skal til for at nå ned på 12-15 billeder).

Jeg værdsætter dine input.

Kærligst, Nicolai

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

At sidde her i København 4 år og 62.000 km senere, med en tyk følelse af mission completed og sende mentale stikprøver tilbage på rejsen og bare mindes, er en fornem måde at afslutte søndagen på…

Må den kommende uge tage godt imod alt og alle.

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!

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.

Læs artiklen i Kristeligt Dagblad her!

Kærligst, Nicolai

1A. Standard, Holland.
1B. Slideshow, Holland.

21 FEB 2010: Fyens Stiftstidende-artikel (del 1)
21 FEB 2010: Fyens Stiftstidende-artikel (del 2)
21 FEB 2010: Fyens Stiftstidende-artikel (del 3)
21 FEB 2010: Fyens Stiftstidende-artikel (del 4)

Der findes mere medie-relateret materiale HER!

1A. Standard

or

1B. Slideshow

Ciao!

Jeg blev i weekenden inviteret til at komme ind i studiet i DR-byen til et interview på Go’ Morgen P3, landets mest populære morgenradioprogram med mere end 700.000 lyttere (sagde jeg gisp!?).

Jeg måtte op ukristeligt tidligt (skal vænne mig til denne vækkeurs-tilværelse) for at kunne være i studiet før kl. 7 og var i æteren fra kl. 07.18 - 07.23 i morges.

Du kan høre hele interviewet på linket herunder:

Interview med Nicolai Bangsgaard på Go’ Morgen P3

Sådan så det hele ud…

Interviewet kan som de meste andet medie-relaterede WT-stof også findes på Media-linket på forsiden.

(Alle rettigheder forbeholdt DR)

Vi holder et Midnight Madness Everything MUST Go Freak Show, Zülle (mit alter ego) og jeg. Hold dig ikke tilbage. Det gør jeg ikke. Hvordan kan jeg næsten det, med kun 30 WT-km tilbage?

Nicolai (fra Roskilde)

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.

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)

1b. Slideshow From France

You can also see the WT Gallery on Flickr.

Nicolai (Middelfart, Denmark)

What Else Could Be New?

WT Route Map 2006-2010

The Homecoming - Article in Danish paper…

…and as always:

WT Hall of Fame

**** 1.410 days, 62.008 km, 53 countries, 6 continents ****

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).

Så kan jeg snart ikke trække den længere. Den fysiske del af WT-ekspeditionen nærmer sig for alvor sin afslutning (jeg forventer den åndelige del vil fortsætte), og den vil jeg gerne dele med dig.

På lørdag den 20. februar 2010 kl. 12.00 vil jeg trille ind på Rådhuspladsen i København (se ruten her), hvilket officielt betyder afslutningen på det, som har været min drøm, min virkelighed, mit ét og alt (og Danmarkshistoriens længste cykelrejse) gennem de sidste 1.410 dage.

Jeg håber du har mulighed for at være der til at dele dette store øjeblik med mig.

Hvad der herefter skal ske (med mig, med cyklen, med fremtiden, med boligen, med kærligheden, med livet, med drømmene…blandt andet), er én stor åben dør. Og det er vist bedst sådan lige nu.

Tak for opbakningen og opmuntringen gennem de sidste 4 år.

Kærligst - og på forhåbentligt gensyn,

Nicolai

Rute til Rådhuspladsen, Kbh.

62.000 km
1.410 dage
53 lande
6 kontinenter

(All rights reserved: Fyens Stiftstidende)

Det første link er en lydfil fra mødet ved den lille snefyldte grænseovergang.

10FEB2010: DR Syd Radio. Ankomst Danmark

Det andet link er et radiointerview, der blev sendt live for få timer siden i DR Radio Syd.

10FEB2010: DR Syd. Radiointerview

Alle rettigheder er forbeholdt DR.

Der kommer mere nyt omkring min ankomst i Danmark. Hold dig tæt.

Nicolai (Sønderborg)

09FEB2010: DR Update-indslag fra DK-ankomsten

Alle rettigheder er forbeholdt DR.

Nicolai

I had a few minutes to spare before the border crossing into Denmark, scheduled at 12PM. And I needed a little something to take care of those butterflies inside of me…

For now, you’ll have to imagine all the emotions that went through my head at this point, just 100 meters from the isolated Danish border post. Suffice it to say, it was a salty, strong moment for me. Unforgettable.

Happily back in Denmark.

For months I’d been waiting for this moment…and true friendship rarely disappoints.

Since the departure from Denmark April 10, 2006 I’ve cycled through 53 countries on 6 continents and now, 4 years later, it’s almost over.

Tomorrow, Tuesday February 08, 2010 I’ll thus cross the Danish/German border at noon, 12.00PM at the Niehuus/Padborg crossing (see this link for more info).

Officially, the WT Expedition will finish at the Raadhuspladsen (Town Hall Square) in Copenhagen (more info to come on www.worldtravellers.dk).

If you feel like sharing that (personally) epic moment with me, well, see you tomorrow at the border at 12.00PM/noon then.

Nicolai (in Flensburg, Germany. 5 km to go…)

PS. Yes, I do drink hot coffee…

When you have this…

…you usually get this…

Having been on the road for - what time-wise corresponds to - a whopping 200 consecutive charter holidays was worth a bit of celebration. And it made it easier to justify another ridiculously expensive night at a German gasthaus…

Number of times I fell off the bike on this stretch of icy roads: 3

Shooting in a German bäckerei (bakery)…

6 continents, 52 countries, 1.400 days, and 61.500 km later I’m in Holland, only 500 km from home.

Click here for the WT Route Map 2006-2010

Nicolai (Enschede, Netherlands)

Dutch Word of the Day: Bromfiets (=scooter. (Fiets=bicycle, Brom=the sound of a scooter)

Text missing for now…

The Walk…

Though part of me is itching to get back to Denmark, to get this WT-thing over and done with, hanging out with Sofie here in Zonhoven (east of Hasselt, northeastern Belgium) - which will only be my second and last stop-over in tiny Belgium - has paused me for a moment, and, really, there’s no rush getting back.

With nigh on 1.400 days in the bag, what’s another few days?

Such a lovely dad (thank you so much, Papa Jan)…

Weird Belgian signposting…

At night Sofie and I go to the movies in neighboring Genk, then a quick kebab in Hasselt through the snowstorm (above). All good!

Indoor comforts are supremely on the agenda today. I don’t leave the house today at all. Don’t take pity on me. It’s exactly how I wanted it to be. Tennis semi-finals from Melbourne keep me glued to the TV set all morning.

I have a long chat with Sofie’s Papa Jan - a Jack of all trades, as Sofie said - about his seafaring youth on the Seven Seas e.g. Papa Jan even dismantles the Dannebrog on my bike and gives a good scrub and wash. Very kind.

The TLC makes the flag real red and alive as when Carolyne made it in Adelaide in 2007…

Chilling with Sofie (and her family), sharing stories about our love for (almost) everything Australia, watching a movie…it all eats away the afternoon. Feeling very good here.

Leaving Namur proper turns out to be more complicated than expected. In town I manage to find the bike route (Ravel) that Nicolas recommended last night. It’s snowcovered though, so I opt for the road running parallel to it, hoping things will stay parallel. Bad choice. Gradually, the main road veers off the bike track, up to a 150-200 m plateau north of Namur, leaving me in smalltown territory, with no map, and no way of navigating with the sun since the sky’s cloudy and lousy.

After 16 km cycling I suddenly recognize a shop sign that I passed 45 minutes earlier, just 3 km north of Namur, and realize that I’ve been cycling in circles (well, just one circle, but that was more than enough). Frustrating. Especially, since I have a rare appointment today and I’m already running late.

Sofie has invited me to come and stay with her and her family in Zonhoven. Halfway between Namur and Zonhoven we’re supposed to meet up in Landen at 1PM from where we’ll ride back to her house. I hate being late, so for the next 3 hours solid I just kick the pedals hard (my knee luckily agrees to this plan) and focused, and make it just in time, with the biggest hole in my stomach.

I’ve now entered the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, and this province, Limburg, is literally plastered with fine-fine cycling paths. Sofie’s done her homework and we stay on mostly car-free bike tracks all the way home (ca. 55 km).

Sitting in In De Zwaan Restaurant near Hasselt (Belgium) just a few hours after we’ve met, it feels like I’ve known Sofie much longer. It’s great company, the atmosphere’s right, and the food’s super delicious (and plentiful - Hungry Wolf likes). And did I mention the Westmalle?

In Zonhoven I get my own room, complete with TV, wifi, DVD, elevation bed (love it!), and it all feels wicked. Will stay some days here, I’m sure…

After a good, solid gnocchi lunch with Nicolas and Sophie in a Italian restaurant, I head off for a bit of sightseeing. Namur’s impressive citadel is on top of most tourists’ agenda in town, I guess. Rightly so…

My left knee was somewhat sore this morning so I turn to the trusty Ibuprofen again (the last dose this time around). I’m pretty careful walking up the stairs to the citadel and as long as I keep the grandpa speed, things are all right.

I hardly meet other people on the massive citadel, and the joy of sniffing around foreign towns is back, full-on.

Nicolas, Sophie, and Raja all know perfectly how to make you feel at home (less so, when Raja is in his warrior-must-destroy-all-mode). I really love it here and feel sad that the departure’s waiting at the other end of tonights’ sleep…