March 28th, 2025
Which is coming from me—the guy who’s leaving in three days to literally cycle to the other side of the world (kinda). But it’s true.
But first, let’s distinguish between meaningful and memorable.
The most memorable? My very first trip: cycling from Zurich to Milano, traversing the Swiss Alps, failing miserably at producing anything resembling a fire, having to reroute the entire trip because guess what, Switzerland’s idea of what a mountainbike trail entails is wildly different from Belgium’s, and pedalling uphill for what felt like an eternity.
With all due respect to the glowing hills of Belgium, you are nothing compared to the absolute massiveness of the mountains.
But the most meaningful, especially in light of my upcoming journey, was the second annual bike trip with one of my best friends.
To give you some context: these weekends kick off with us posing a life-altering question to each other, one that must be answered by the end of the trip. The question I got hit with was: How do you envision your life now that you’ve chosen a path without children?
A question that, unsurprisingly, gets a person thinking. Because, honestly, ending up alone on my ochre-colored sofa (I know what you’re thinking, but it’s actually really pretty) doesn’t sound all that appealing to me.
It was through our conversations that weekend that I realised how easy it is to get hung up on, or even jealous of, someone else’s travels, forgetting that you—yes, you!—have it in you to write your own story. “So, uhm, I dunno, let’s explore the world by bike, I suppose?!” Were my famous last words.
Of course, saying it is easy. Doing it? Not so much.
It’s making sacrifices: selling off your childhood dreams like your motorcycle, buying only secondhand clothes, saving up and skipping more vacations than you’d like. Ask me how I know. It also means quitting your job and leaving loved ones behind.
—But I also know it’s possible.
So, this is my answer. This upcoming trip will be my baby, my child, my project, my how-the-fuck-do-I-handle-this-situation—which, I believe, is the default mode when raising a child. And I couldn’t have embarked on this journey without the help, support, and love from the people closest to home.
Here’s to you, to us, to our trips. No matter how big or small.
I love you.
