"Culture-tour" Doennebrink's Profile

Around the world - without money, without planes

Dear VTs

I have always enjoyed travelling and to discover other countries and to get to know better their cultures and people and so I also used chance to work abroad.

In summer 2001 I gave up my home and job and started to travel. The original plan was to travel around the world once - without using planes and without money (forcing me to stop in certain countries to earn my money to continue the journey and thus learning everyday live of the place I stop.

This culture-tour project was never following a pre-fixed route nor a precise schedule. Even after almost three years it is still far away from being completed and has long turned in something which can better be called an Odyseey.

Cycling Westeurope

In July 2001 I started in Muenster, Germany and rode by push-bike 4000 km through Westeurope until I reached Gibraltar. One the way I stopped for more than a month in South France to fill my travel purse working as a receptionist.

Sailing from Gibraltar to England and back down

In Gibraltar I ended up on a sailing boat earning money and sailing experience to deliver the boat to England. From there I headed down to Spain again by public transportation and hitch-hiking until I reached the Canaries.

Sailing across the Atlantic westwards

Joining the crew of a Hungarian sailing boat, I crossed the Atlantic.
Several months I spent on different boats and islands of the little Antilles.

Sailing across the Atlantic eastwards

Another two months I stayed and worked on St. Martin, before I got somehow tired of this very-low-budget way of travelling. So I ended up on a Swedish sailing boat heading east again. We stopped over at the beautiful Azores before we continued to England and along the Continental coast to Belgium.

Cycling Easteurope

But once again at home, I quickly decided not to give up yet, picked up my bike again, cycled southeastwards and after around 3500 km I reached Istanbul.

Istanbul

Istanbul was planned just to be a stop-over, but has developed into a long-term stay since. Job and new friends made me stay here until now,

Turkey and beyond

The last 2 years were just interrupted by some trips around the country and to neighbouring countries like Rumania, Bulgaria, Syria, Jordan and Iraq.
___________________________

But the summer 2004 will see me on the move again. Heading East. Currently it looks like IRAN will be the next country on the path, PAKISTAN or CENTRALASIAN COUNTRIES a possible routes leading later into INDIA or CHINA and beyond.

Though VT, I have already got to know many interesting people, met quite a few and some became even friends. I would love to meet more of you "along the way", because the contact and exchange with the people is the most interesting part of the culture-tour project. Culture is all about people.

So hope to get to know you, meet you and exchange ideas, intersting conversations and, of course, have a lot of fun.

If you have hints or suggestions for my trip, want to know something or think we could meet somewhere on the route or travel together some part of it - feel free to contact me. I am always delighted to see my email inbox showing a new message.

Intro Updated Dec 11, 2006
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Personal Pages (1)

Written Sep 8, 2002

6 photos

Pictures of the last countries visited on the trip

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Comments (27)

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fouads Feb 22, 2010 at 5:24 AM

Happy Birthday to you .. hope you enjoy your time. best wishes
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globetrottette Feb 22, 2007 at 2:12 PM

Happy Birthday! I absolutely love your page and your aspirations...Thanks for sharing.
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nomada Feb 22, 2007 at 2:04 AM

A Very Very Happy Birthday to you, Thomas!!! Still in Turkey? What are you doing there? Regards. Cuqui.
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roza.v.welzenes Jan 17, 2007 at 2:41 PM

Nice homepage, your adventures of life .......impress me!Will come back later to read and see more pictures of your adventures of your travels.:))
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traveldream Apr 18, 2006 at 7:25 PM

Sorry I missed your birthday... Hope you had a great birthday. So where are you now?
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Rumiya Dec 23, 2005 at 11:14 PM

Merry Christmas, dear Thomas!Wish you all the best!
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beatle74 Feb 22, 2005 at 3:47 AM

Happy Birthday Thomas!!! With Love, from Istanbul :)
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tijana2503 Feb 22, 2005 at 1:05 AM

happy birthday!I hope that you liked a trvel in my country.Best wishes from Belgrade
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yuet29 Feb 21, 2005 at 7:13 PM

Where are you now? On the way to Australia?! Happy Birthday ;)
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kymbanm Feb 21, 2005 at 5:15 PM

Great HP :) Happy Birthday from Albuquerque New Mexico!!!