They say I dream too big, they say I want too much,
They think that it’s reality, with which I’m losing touch,
But all my hopes are real, my dreams; they will come true
That’s why I packed my bags and smile as I say “Adieu”

When in doubt, put it in rhyme…
Just kidding, but I thought I should have some kind of catchy introduction to persuade you guys.

Before I tell you about my Ultimate trip, I must make a confession. I’ve been signed up for the i-to-I newsletter for months now and I’ve been lurking around the site – looking and dreaming. But never more, because I was convinced it was impossible for me to be one of those brave and adventurous people who just went for it and travelled. No, that life wasn’t for me. I was supposed to apply to some top-notch university, study, get a job and live up to expectations. The last few years, I’ve been preparing for that: good grades, extra curricular activities – doing everything so that I could have a fabulous application. But as the deadlines came nearer, I found myself looking up awesome destinations, thinking about how great gap year might be, even starting up a food and travel blog. I started writing my application, but I dreaded the idea of finishing it, finalizing it, sealing my fate.

Then it hit me like a tonne of bricks – I did not want to go to university next year.

I knew that I would regret it if I did not take a year of to see the world and find myself. So I made the difficult decision of putting of university for a year, in order to do what I felt so passionately about. However, when I made this announcement, I didn’t receive support from all fronts (this would include the parental front). People thought that I was daydreaming and that I’d change my mind. But I didn’t and I won’t, because I want this passionately and I’m going to do everything in my power to make it happen.

But I’m sure you guys know what it’s like (at least some of you). Not everyone is a traveller, not everyone is a dreamer, and surely few are believers. But we are all of the above – that’s what makes us the wonderful (would-be) globetrotters that we are.

Now onto my Ultimate Adventure!

As I mentioned, I started up a food and travel blog – so I’m here representin’ my fellow foodies! My Ultimate Adventure would be one of culinary delight – restaurants, cafés and supermarkets of the world beware! If any of you watch National Geographic, you might know the show “Food Lover’s Guide to the Planet”, well I plan on making some major contributions to that show.

I truly believe that one does not know the people of a country, until one goes where the people do their grocery shopping. So visiting a supermarket in each country is definitely a must on my to-do list.
I’d speak to the locals, gather information on the local produce, recipes and other gastronomic trivia and post it as inspiration for foodies all around the world. Traditional cooking to contemporary fusion cuisine: it’s all good.
This would all be part of my attempt to send out a message of peace to the world: “Set your differences aside, pick up you fork and knife and chow down to some international grub.”

But besides food, books are really important too! (read: literary nerd) I would love to visit at least one library in each country! There’s something about books that makes me think: “knowledge is power” and that makes me go: “mwahahah” and anything that gives that evil little giggle is worth visiting, right? But seriously, yeah, I like books.

And being a musician at heart, I would love to have a jam with musicians from every country. I’d love to listen to the music that makes people happy there: folk, pop, rock – whatever the genre, as long as you can dance to it.

The reason I have these three goals is because they are tried and tested and they guarantee a fun time. I remember going to La Bibliothèque Nationale with my friends, just after we had raided the supermarché for baguettes and French cheeses. And the impressive sight of the National Library in Vienna left me awestruck. I have fond memories of late night Bulgarian liquor-fuelled singing. And visiting little gypsy-owned grocery stores in Bulgaria with a group of Americans is something I won’t forget – we talked with the shop owners for hours on end.

Now for mapping out my trip; of course I want to see the world, but in my mind, those are multiple adventures. My ultimate one would be an extended version of the Silk Road with the train as my main means of transport (which I believe is way undervalued – trains rock!).

I’d start from home, which is Holland for me:
• I’d head east to Germany and go through Frankfurt am Main - the Manhattan of Germany
• And Leipzig (in time for the annual Bach-festival)
• Then a day in Dresden, to visit a couple of museums before I head onto the Czech Republic.
• In Prague, I would spend an enormous amount of time just staring at the architecture (while most probably getting mugged for being such an obvious tourist).
• After a long ride from Prague to Warsaw (Poland), I’d visit the old town and go see the Warsaw Mermaid.
• The last stop in Poland would be Krakow, where I’d hopefully (well, undoubtedly) catch one of the many folk, film or music festivals.
• In Slovakia, I’d go to Bratislava’s “House of the Good Sheperd” to see the clocks.
• In Budapest, I’d enjoy some good ol’ Hungarian goulash before, during and after the sightseeing.
• The minute I step on Romanian soil: it’s vampire-hunting time. Starting off in Cluj-Napoca: the grand capital of Transylvania.
• Off to Bulgaria then, trekking through the Balkans and visiting relatives from the western mountains to the eastern beaches.
• That is when I would start travelling on the Silk Road as we know it, in Constantinople (Istanbul).
I won’t bore you with a list of countries that make up the Silk Road, but I can add that I’ll be taking the Northern Route that passes through the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves. I’ve never been outside of Europe so I can only imagine what the trip will be like. Starting off through Persia, then slowly going east: further and further away from the culture and way of life that I’m so used to. I’d follow it all the way to Nara, Japan (probably skipping North Korea for understandable reasons).
And on the way back, I’d go through Seoul, South Korea and in Vladivostok I’d take the Trans-Siberian Express and make my way back home. Where I’d rest for a few months, maybe write a book or two about my travels and culinary discoveries. After which I’d get ready for my next adventure.

I hope I’ve been able to give you a few moments of mild entertainment with my Ultimate adventure. I’d really appreciate the votes. Winning this would mean the world to me.

They say I dream too big… help me prove them wrong.

• gap year
• travel
• europe
• asia