Comments for Bike Ben's Blog http://bikeben.com An intercontinental journey of discovery Sun, 11 Jul 2010 13:11:19 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Until next time… by tatjana http://bikeben.com/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-283 tatjana Sun, 11 Jul 2010 13:11:19 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=446#comment-283 Hi Ben.Nice journey:) You know i think we (My partner and i) got your china map given to us in yunnan. We did 4500 km in china and its been an absolute rescue to us. we've tried to get the kazakh border peole to pass it on to other cyklists. Good luck with next journey Tatjana Hi Ben.Nice journey:) You know i think we (My partner and i) got your china map given to us in yunnan. We did 4500 km in china and its been an absolute rescue to us. we’ve tried to get the kazakh border peole to pass it on to other cyklists.
Good luck with next journey
Tatjana

]]> Comment on It’s like searching for lost treasure by Bianca http://bikeben.com/?p=315&cpage=1#comment-282 Bianca Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:51:32 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=315#comment-282 A magnificent waterfall amidst the dry terrain. Simply amazing. A magnificent waterfall amidst the dry terrain. Simply amazing.

]]> Comment on Until next time… by Hanif Jodeiry http://bikeben.com/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-268 Hanif Jodeiry Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:07:32 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=446#comment-268 With every word of yours I felt like travelling with you on the road - though we actually had such an experience together. 'Friends of a feather ''FLICKR'' together.' Hanif http://www.flickr.com/photos/hanif-jodeiry ' I n unity c y c l i s t s s t a n d united ! ' Hanif http://unitedchainlesscyclists.blogspot.com/ With every word of yours I felt like travelling with you on the road – though we actually had such an experience together.

‘Friends of a feather ”FLICKR” together.’ Hanif
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hanif-jodeiry
‘ I n unity c y c l i s t s s t a n d united ! ‘ Hanif
http://unitedchainlesscyclists.blogspot.com/

]]> Comment on Until next time… by Judy Werner http://bikeben.com/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-261 Judy Werner Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:44:21 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=446#comment-261 Thanks, Ben for your inspiration! We are busy planning a 5 month cycling trip in SE Asia now. It has been fun to follow your blog, now we make our own adventure. Thanks, Ben for your inspiration! We are busy planning a 5 month cycling trip in SE Asia now. It has been fun to follow your blog, now we make our own adventure.

]]> Comment on Until next time… by Karin http://bikeben.com/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-257 Karin Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:26:27 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=446#comment-257 Thank you Ben, it's been amazing to follow your trip and ses your beautiful pictures. I don't know where the road takes you next but I hope I have the opportunity to see you again some time. You are an inspiration! Thank you Ben, it’s been amazing to follow your trip and ses your beautiful pictures. I don’t know where the road takes you next but I hope I have the opportunity to see you again some time. You are an inspiration!

]]> Comment on Until next time… by Oscar Perez Concha http://bikeben.com/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-256 Oscar Perez Concha Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:58:32 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=446#comment-256 Thank you for having shared with us your experiences and for having posted such beautiful pictures. Cheers. Oscar. Thank you for having shared with us your experiences and for having posted such beautiful pictures.
Cheers.
Oscar.

]]> Comment on Until next time… by Rhi http://bikeben.com/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-255 Rhi Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:26:16 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=446#comment-255 It's been a privileged and a pleasure to watch your journey unfold Ben, thank you for being so gracious and generous with your experience. It’s been a privileged and a pleasure to watch your journey unfold Ben, thank you for being so gracious and generous with your experience.

]]> Comment on The End of the Road by Jenni http://bikeben.com/?p=429&cpage=1#comment-254 Jenni Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:58:41 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=429#comment-254 What a great story and a nice way to end a physical, mental and spiritual journey! I am proud of you... not so much for the kilometres under the tires, the mountain passes or the extreme living (yes, those too certainly) but more so of who you have become – by confronting who you are, who you want to become and discovering your strengths and weaknesses. A wise man becomes humble in his greatest moments, in part by confronting his own meekness, knowing that while he has seen much; much is left to be unseen. And maybe it is better that way: that we honour the mystery both by approaching it, breathing it in, dancing with it, but also acknowledging that we can never see or do it all, but instead remain thankful that it exists all the same. There is beauty in the adventure, but also in its end: our memories become part of our own sacred, building conviction in our work and our actions, as individuals and as members of a larger community. As the journey draws close, one can be thankful for what was seen or done; remembered in hearts, words and photographs. (And what beautiful words and images you have shared!) Certainly, there is beauty in living out our adventures, but also engaging our passion and energy in our own ‘small something’ to give back. Your pictures and stories grant conviction and courage, reinstalling zeal to engage my own path to work for our beautiful planet and a hope that the mystery, nature and cultures remain intact for future communities, artists, poets and wanderers alike. You have many talents, many experiences, many passions and many abilities; I am excited to see where they take you. Take care friend and see you next time, Jenni What a great story and a nice way to end a physical, mental and spiritual journey! I am proud of you… not so much for the kilometres under the tires, the mountain passes or the extreme living (yes, those too certainly) but more so of who you have become – by confronting who you are, who you want to become and discovering your strengths and weaknesses.

A wise man becomes humble in his greatest moments, in part by confronting his own meekness, knowing that while he has seen much; much is left to be unseen. And maybe it is better that way: that we honour the mystery both by approaching it, breathing it in, dancing with it, but also acknowledging that we can never see or do it all, but instead remain thankful that it exists all the same. There is beauty in the adventure, but also in its end: our memories become part of our own sacred, building conviction in our work and our actions, as individuals and as members of a larger community.

As the journey draws close, one can be thankful for what was seen or done; remembered in hearts, words and photographs. (And what beautiful words and images you have shared!) Certainly, there is beauty in living out our adventures, but also engaging our passion and energy in our own ‘small something’ to give back. Your pictures and stories grant conviction and courage, reinstalling zeal to engage my own path to work for our beautiful planet and a hope that the mystery, nature and cultures remain intact for future communities, artists, poets and wanderers alike.

You have many talents, many experiences, many passions and many abilities; I am excited to see where they take you.

Take care friend and see you next time,

Jenni

]]> Comment on A different reality by Hanif Jodeiry http://bikeben.com/?p=299&cpage=1#comment-252 Hanif Jodeiry Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:00:24 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=299#comment-252 {Please read the explanation at the bottom} --- Salam Ben! Yorulma(Azeri)/Khaste nabashi(Farsi)! Nejasan(Az)/Chetori(Fa)? Yaxchisan(Az)/Khoubi(Fa)? It is so great for me to see that you are enjoying your trip and especially the hospitality you were so eagerly looking for in Iran. While I acknowledge the joy of your present tour through Iran to have left a more marvelous impression on me than you could have anticipated, and the hospitality you have elicited from the locals to have been greater than anyone can imagine (and which you truly deserve thanks to observing and respecting some of the cultural norms that exist in the Iranian society and that are quite different from yours), I deem it necessary to make a confession that your perfect skills in establishing a relationship is so eye-catching and admirable. Your acquaintance with the locals will enable you to explore the new horizons of the Iranian culture (differences and similarities can only be found after comparing and contrasting them with and against each other). I wish you can easily sort out your issues with the visas required for the rest of your trip. In case you need any help, I will be very glad to be at your service. Our cycling experience from Tabriz to the foothills of Mount Sabalan was so pleasant for me. The time we had together in Tabriz, the acquaintance I made with Mohammad Najafi (Stefan’s friend who accompanied us in bazar), the patience you had for my hasty packing for the unexpected trip, the route we covered from Tabriz to Ahar, the hospitality that Mohammad Salimpur offered us in Ahar, the delicious Spagheti you both made for the dinner, the trip we had to Babak Castle in Kaleybar with Mr Salimpour, the lunch (Shishlik+Koubideh) we had before Meshkin and the wonderful company of Agha(the Landlord with the Landrover)+Mansour Imani+Ahmad agha+Mohammad Maharami in Kapaz for dinner were all part of the enjoyable tour we all shared. I won’t forget the friendly recommendations of yours about the issues that would have never unveiled themselves to me had you not mentioned them so tactfully, ranging from the ’statistics, interviews, photography and meals to cycling and ”months”!!!’ They were so precious and dear to me and will be forever! I’d rather not bother you with a heavy load of emails – which are almost shortened for the sake of your precious time – targeted at pointing to the chief subject rather than the details. My object in writing the following lines was not simply to amuse your readers; neither was it to gratify my own taste, nor yet to ingratiate myself with my own conscience: I wished to tell the truth – thanks for everything. Tashakkor! I wish you and Stefan a safe journey… Enjoy the ‘REAL’ hospitality which certainly is a ‘different reality’! Khodahafez!!! --- I remeber that I had posted this on your website a few days after your departure but the strange thing is that somehow it was not uploaded. I think maybe my internet connection failed at the time of the upload. Perhaps that's why it was not posted. I know it is hard to believe but I REALLY posted this. It would sound a bit odd to re-post something about the event that took place a long time ago (specially now that your journey is over), but as my conscience is my witness I had posted it - honestly. {Please read the explanation at the bottom}
—
Salam Ben! Yorulma(Azeri)/Khaste nabashi(Farsi)! Nejasan(Az)/Chetori(Fa)? Yaxchisan(Az)/Khoubi(Fa)?
It is so great for me to see that you are enjoying your trip and especially the hospitality you were so eagerly looking for in Iran. While I acknowledge the joy of your present tour through Iran to have left a more marvelous impression on me than you could have anticipated, and the hospitality you have elicited from the locals to have been greater than anyone can imagine (and which you truly deserve thanks to observing and respecting some of the cultural norms that exist in the Iranian society and that are quite different from yours), I deem it necessary to make a confession that your perfect skills in establishing a relationship is so eye-catching and admirable. Your acquaintance with the locals will enable you to explore the new horizons of the Iranian culture (differences and similarities can only be found after comparing and contrasting them with and against each other). I wish you can easily sort out your issues with the visas required for the rest of your trip. In case you need any help, I will be very glad to be at your service. Our cycling experience from Tabriz to the foothills of Mount Sabalan was so pleasant for me. The time we had together in Tabriz, the acquaintance I made with Mohammad Najafi (Stefan’s friend who accompanied us in bazar), the patience you had for my hasty packing for the unexpected trip, the route we covered from Tabriz to Ahar, the hospitality that Mohammad Salimpur offered us in Ahar, the delicious Spagheti you both made for the dinner, the trip we had to Babak Castle in Kaleybar with Mr Salimpour, the lunch (Shishlik+Koubideh) we had before Meshkin and the wonderful company of Agha(the Landlord with the Landrover)+Mansour Imani+Ahmad agha+Mohammad Maharami in Kapaz for dinner were all part of the enjoyable tour we all shared. I won’t forget the friendly recommendations of yours about the issues that would have never unveiled themselves to me had you not mentioned them so tactfully, ranging from the ’statistics, interviews, photography and meals to cycling and ”months”!!!’ They were so precious and dear to me and will be forever!
I’d rather not bother you with a heavy load of emails – which are almost shortened for the sake of your precious time – targeted at pointing to the chief subject rather than the details. My object in writing the following lines was not simply to amuse your readers; neither was it to gratify my own taste, nor yet to ingratiate myself with my own conscience: I wished to tell the truth – thanks for everything. Tashakkor!
I wish you and Stefan a safe journey…
Enjoy the ‘REAL’ hospitality which certainly is a ‘different reality’!
Khodahafez!!!
—
I remeber that I had posted this on your website a few days after your departure but the strange thing is that somehow it was not uploaded. I think maybe my internet connection failed at the time of the upload. Perhaps that’s why it was not posted. I know it is hard to believe but I REALLY posted this. It would sound a bit odd to re-post something about the event that took place a long time ago (specially now that your journey is over), but as my conscience is my witness I had posted it – honestly.

]]> Comment on The End of the Road by bridget http://bikeben.com/?p=429&cpage=1#comment-251 bridget Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:14:35 +0000 http://bikeben.com/?p=429#comment-251 HI Ben This is fantastic!! A sensory overload indeed that will live with you forever! I feel a bit sad that the trip is all over ..... amazing reception you received in PP, that must have been such a high and a really great way to wrap it all up. These stats are also really fascinating - quite something that you met up with some 80 cyclists and rode with 28 ... and the photos - shooooooo, which reminds me - how did the exhibition go - do you have photos of that? Look forward to hearing your news and new plans .... hi to Babs and enjoy the comfort of 'Home'! Hugs bridget HI Ben
This is fantastic!! A sensory overload indeed that will live with you forever! I feel a bit sad that the trip is all over ….. amazing reception you received in PP, that must have been such a high and a really great way to wrap it all up.
These stats are also really fascinating – quite something that you met up with some 80 cyclists and rode with 28 … and the photos – shooooooo, which reminds me – how did the exhibition go – do you have photos of that? Look forward to hearing your news and new plans …. hi to Babs and enjoy the comfort of ‘Home’!
Hugs
bridget

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