Harry and Roelie Morskate left Oirschot at the end of June for a three-year world trip. By bike. They are now in India.
They have been traveling for almost six months and have left more than eight thousand kilometers and fifteen countries on their bikes. While family and friends in the Netherlands are preparing for Christmas, Harry and Roelie Morskate are in the warm India. Christmas trees are hard to find here in the state of Assam.
,, We thought we would miss that run-up to the holidays. The coziness. But in this environment little is reminiscent of Christmas. Further on, in the state of Nagaland, many Christians live. We may get something from the Christmas feeling. "
Harry and Roelie are on a special trip. They sold almost all the belongings, including their apartment in Oirschot, and went on their way on June 29 for a world trip by bicycle. They have subscribed for three years. The first half year is almost over and went well. ,, It's really great, " the two tell us by telephone. There are only two smaller setbacks on their path. Roelie became ill in Serbia and had to rest for a few days. Harry 'joined in a day with being sick'. And since their departure from Kathmandu in Nepal, Harry suffers from an inflamed Achilles tendon. ,, It is still a bit painful, but hey, we drove 110 kilometers today. "
The Morskates do not have to think long about the highlights of the trip so far. Turkey was the first. They had planned three weeks to cross the country. ,, It has become eight '', says Roelie. ,, The Turks are incredibly hospitable, interested and courteous. It is a beautiful country, much nicer than we expected. "
In Georgia, the duo took the plane to Nepal. There the bike was put aside for a while and a ten-day walking tour awaited: the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas, the other undisputed highlight on the trip so far. Much more than in Europe, a bicycle couple from the Netherlands in Nepal and India is an attraction in itself. "There are so many people living here. They constantly drive next to you and then all have three questions: where do you come from, where do you go and finally: can I make a selfie? Yes, sometimes they are a bit intrusive, but well, we will soon pass through areas where we do not encounter a living soul for days. "
They have not yet felt unsafe ('not a moment'), although it is changing in terms of traffic. After all, there are no wide cycle paths outside Europe, but a lot of hectic. Harry, with a smile: "According to me, India is the only country where ghost riding and cutting off are completely normal."
After India 'a heavy pendulum through Asia' is waiting for the pair to fly to Australia from Bali in a few months. But exactly how they drive will remain uncertain. The planned route is only a guide. Harry: ,, We often deviate from it. If we get nice tips, we will take that on. We therefore make far more kilometers than we intended, but this is exactly how we want to do it. "
Source: Eindhovens newspaper, December 17, 2018,
Frank van den Heuvel f.vdheuvel@ed.nl