Mari Travels with Tango

Along with the nearing of the end of this journey, everything seems to be getting easier. Today, I only had to ride the about 15 km from Lübeck to this little seaside town, and with the gentle tailwind and my feather-light state of mind, this was no trouble at all. The weather that had seemed decidedly chilly in the morning was now back to summery warm, and my only slight discomfort came from the fact that the inner tube of the front tyre that I had hastily changed yesterday on the train from Osnabrück to Hamburg did not seem to become really hard, no matter how much I pumped it. However, as it wasn't getting any softer either, it apparently wasn't leaking, so I could ride on. As the kilometers rolled by, I found myself in a contemplative mood quite fitting for the end of this trip. Events, people, sceneries, animals (and yes, dances) were flashing through my mind, and with every memory, some important-seeming realisation came to mind. At the same time, I marvelled at how qui...

In front of the Central Railway Station in Brussels, just about to start the homeward journey.   After weeks of making my way across Europe, the first part of the return journey through 3 countries was over in a heartbeat. However, getting here did mean a long day of train travel, with no less than 4 train changes in various Dutch and German towns. I like train travel as such, and the multiple stops made it more interesting,as I had to keep moving the bike and the bags on and off trains every couple of hours. What really made the day memorable,though,was that my equipment started to fall apart. First,it was one of my Ortlieb panniers that had lost a screw and as a result,was hanging periculously from the rack. After half an hour's search in Deventer,I finally found a somehow fitting screw at a locksmith's, and made it to the next train on time. However,things got a lot more interesting in Osnabrück,where I got a mysterious flat while sitting in a café 15min ride from...

Isnt it funny how the event that kind of motivated this whole trip turns out to be the one that the least manages to touch me? My second Marathon del Chocolate is now over, and I must say it was a totally different experience from last year. Then, I was incredibly impressed by everything at this marathon: the level of dancing, the beauty of the people, the warmth with which they all seemed to great each other and the how close friends they all seemed to be. I wanted so desperately to become a part of that circle, to be included in the conversations, feel accepted in the groups of people relaxing on the sofas scattered around the dance floor, be invited by those amazing dancers. I also remember that although I felt slightly intimidated by it all, this marathon was the first one where I started to feel sufficiently at ease to believe that one day, I would not feel like an outsider anymore. I suppose the day has now arrived. I am not an outsider anymore, and I know a great many of thes...

Crossing the final border into Belgium, feeling elated. Often in life, when the thing that one has been eagerly awaiting for so long finally materialises, it does not feel at all like what one expected. The same thing happened to me today riding into Brussels. After all those weeks on the road, often feeling like I simply could not carry on, that the only thing I wanted was to finally arrive, the arrival felt like, well, nothing. All of sudden, not even noticing it, I had crossed from the Flemish-speaking previous town to Brussels, and the only thing that changed was that the signs were now all in French. Thus, I did not even have a chance to stop and take a pic of entering the city, just kept on riding, slightly dumbfounded by the fact that I had arrived. Getting into the city center happened amazingly quickly compared to my hours-long wandering in Berlin, and as it took me a while to get oriented and actually place myself on the inner city map, before I noticed it, I had basi...

One of the rare occasions on this trip where I rode on gravel without difficulties. This morning, as I wanted to get as close to my final destination as possible, I made a conscious effort to get out of my wonderfully warm sleeping bag at the reasonable hour of 8. Despite this, it was not an early start, and I only rode out of the campsite a little before 11 (what I was doing until then, I still don´t know). Add to this the fact that I totally ignored the signposting for a ferry across the nearby canal only to have to return to it half an hour later, and I ended up riding 10 extra km right in the beginning of the day - bloody annoying! However, once I really managed to get going, things started moving fast, and I was able to get much further today than I had dared to hope. Finally, my body seemed to be totally adapted to the cycling, there were no cramps, and even the headwind did little to slow me down. I even followed the marked cycle routes for much of the day, and although t...

In the end, I did make it out of Germany, although only just. Am now at a campsite just a few hundred metres on the Dutch side of the border, in a village that just like its Norwegian namesake, boasts some serious hills (full 27 m above sea level!) Riding towards the border, I had to admit that although this had been by far the hardest part of my journey, this time Germany treated me very kindly.With the exception of the "übercool" tangueros in Berlin, I was met everywhere with smiles,and everyone I asked went out of their way to help me (not forgetting those who helped me without asking!).And yes,the men look great! My final impressions were,however, all related to animals. First,I saw an adult cow blissfully suckling another. Then,there was a pair of doves,sitting side by side on a fence,grooming each other with devotion. And finally,a (milking)cow with huge udders,resting in a paddock,with a tiniest calf lying peacefully next to it. I rode out of Germany with...

At the Rhein. As this year's journey does not take me from one sea to another, I had thought there were no remarkable milestones. However,riding to the bank of the river Rhein had an unexpectedly big effect on me. After all, being here means that I have now almost crossed another big country. Am sitting in a riverside café,having an enormous piece of raspberry tart and feeling quite content with everything. It really is amazing how mercifully fast one forgets the hardships. Now,it all makes perfect sense; the endless headwind,the crazy traffic,the loneliness, the boredom and anger with oneself. What remains is a sudden clarity and peace of mind, an acceptance of oneself and a great love for life. Will sit here enjoying this sense of achievement a bit longer, then carry on to Holland still today. ---------- Lähetetty Nokia-puhelimesta

Despite my contemplation on happiness yesterday,today was not a happy day. I woke up from a nightmare I haven't had for years,and although I was able to laugh at it the moment I was awake,somehow it set the mood for the day. Other people's nightmares include running to escape a persecutor,falling or finding oneself suddenly naked in a crowd. Mine are always about one theme:having forgotten to do something important and trying,in vain,to minimise the damage caused by it. Invariably,I wake up anguished and thinking that this time,I've really screwed things up. Little surprise,then,that today's ride was marked with annoyances and delays. The route was winding through every farmyard, there were several heavy rains that my lousy so-called Goretex suit could not take so I had to wait them out,and I got lost inside a forest and was forced to turn back,something I loathe. Still,I think the real reason for my bad mood is that instead of enjoying the ride,I am waiting fo...

Against my expectations, today was actually quite enjoyable. Enough sleep, moderate speed and many stops along with some Magnesium tablets I had got from my hosts in Magdeburg probably all contributed to the fact that for the first time on this trip, I had absolutely no cramps! The absence of pain and the fact that I was not as affected by the headwind as on previous days got me thinking about what it takes to be happy. Firstly, one must be able to do what one loves. Then,one must be exposed to culture,something to enrich one's mind. There must be physical exercise, healthy food and enough sleep. And yes,it is absolutely crucial to share one's life with good friends. (One needs a lover too.) Animals,be they wild or tame, form a part of a happy life, as does being exposed to the elements;the wind,the sun,the rain. Breathing fresh air is essential too. And finally,one needs a job,something that one has to do,like it or not. On this trip, I have had (almost) it all. Bu...

The past few days that would have been pretty bleak because of a strong headwind and intense cramps have instead been painted with bright colours by the lovely people I have met. It started already in Magdeburg, where I was invited for coffee by the people I had asked directions from. An incredibly active and energetic pensioner couple,they told me their life stories while practically force-feeding me a huge lunch. True to my habits,I had only really looked at the map now and discovered that a diagonal route through the country would take me across considerably hilly terrain. Instead,I decided to make a detour North. Still, I was exhausted by 7pm, when a passing cyclist saw me resting my aching feet and promptly invited me to stay with him and his wife in their wonderful house!They were really interesting people and I had a lovely evening with them,staying up late talking. Yesterday,made it to Hannover in time for a milonga filled with friendly,lovely people. Only the cycling ...

On long journeys, the mind has the opportunity to go wandering in any direction it pleases,and although this often results in daydreaming about food or sex, there are times when one stumbles upon important realisations. Today,after a pretty easy and effortless ride on mostly empty country roads, I had such a moment when arriving at a campsite by a river that had a vaguely familiar feel to it. Upon walking to the riverbank, I had an almost physical sensation on being back in Africa, on my favourite river bordering Namibia and Angola. The opposite bank had exactly the same shape, the air had the same, heavy quality, there were herons and storks flying overhead... The only thing missing were the acacia trees and the elephants browsing them! In a flash, I realised how much I still love and miss Africa. No amount of tango can ever replace those years, and the longing to return will probably stay with me all my life.In some strange way, this is a comforting thought despite its sadnes...

My camp looking peaceful in the morning light. No sign of the mosquitoes,  you'd be fooled! Despite the fact that I had no particular reason to prolong my stay, leaving Berlin was a chore. Although my host James had printed out a detailed route for me, I managed to make a wrong turn at the very first street corner. However, I only admitted this to myself half much later, and thus, an hour later, was back at where I started. Not surprisingly, I felt miserable, and once again, was kicking myself for the stupid idea to carry on cycling. However,once I got on the right street, finding my way out of Berlin was easy, and with the vary favourable conditions, I ended up covering a fair bit of ground today. Actually,the absence of wind and the flat terrain together with moderate temperatures made the going even enjoyable,and I had to admit it was not all bad after all. Found a campsite well before dark,and was just giving myself a pat on the back when it happened: an army of the...

Setting off from Berlin.  Although I like the city itself, my previous trip to Berlin three years ago left me feeling truly inadequate as a dancer and uninteresting as a person. Because of this, I was curious about how I would feel now, when my dancing experience has increased so much. Often, upon returning to a place one sees it in a completely new light, and I must say I was hoping this would happen to me and Berlin tango too. Unfortunately, despite the nice experiences at the High Noon Marathon, this time around has not proved much better. The moment the marathon was over and I was visiting local milongas, I was confronted with the same, seemingly quite typical Berlin attitude that local tangueros have towards strangers. In most places, even bigger tango cities like Amsterdam or Paris, there is always at least some curiosity when a new tanguera walks in to a milonga. True, it may take a while for her to be invited, but once she has danced with someone, it will usually ...

Although I thought this could not happen, I think that I have now discovered my personal limit for how much tango is good for me. During the previous two years, I have been travelling abroad to dance more or less once a month, and although always wondering how it would feel to be doing more, have actually felt quite happy with it. However, this summer things have sped up quite a bit, as there has been a tango event basically every two weeks ever since June. And frankly, I think this is a bit too much for me. The past weekend I participated in a really well organised event, the High Noon Tango Marathon here in Berlin. The atmosphere was friendly, there were lots of very nice people and I had a good deal of wonderful dances, but still, I felt slightly detached from it all. True, the considerable physical exhaustion caused by the bike ride in pretty extreme circumstances may have affected my ability to enjoy it all to the fullest. Or then, just maybe, I am slowly growing out of the most...

Just arrived in Berlin, about to go dancing at the High Noon Tango Marathon. It was a really, really hard journey, and the last couple of hundred kms I was not having much fun of it. However, given a little bit of rest, good food and the company of my dear friends, all will be fine. Will write more soon, but right now, the only thing on my mind is getting onto the dance floor.

If I thought the wind had shown its force yesterday,today was far worse. Ever since the morning,my legs felt heavy and every km seemed 10times as long. And the wind was still so strong that riding downhill, the bike was brought to a halt if I stopped pedalling! Still, I felt sad knowing that my stay in Poland would soon be over. There are so many reasons to love this country;the wonderfully friendly little dogs,the smiling people all greeting you as you cycle past,the beautiful,ever-changing scenery and the countryside full of all kinds of animals, the omnipresent village shops selling all you can think of... And,my personal favourite:the most considerate truck drivers in all Europe! The one thing that makes you glad to make it out alive is the totally crazy speeding,regarless of road conditions.Judging by speed,you would think there is someone giving birth on the backseat of every car.Little wonder that the roadside is full of crosses marking deadly accidents! Still, I'll...