It’s been a while since I have been on the road. But finally, time’s up and on this day I put my touring bike with all my stuff on the train. Ahead of me is a few months touring in South East Asia. First, I need to get to Copenhagen Airport where an Aeroflot plane awaits to take me to Moscow and then Bangkok. In the train I am hit with a sudden moment of inspiration as I decide that it would be fitting to do at least some riding in Denmark as part of the trip. I’m familiar with the road to get there, I know it’s about 20 km and most of it is actually a nice ride. Actually, it should not take much longer than the train.

I make a stop to take a few pictures. It is cold as in a deep freezer and it and of course it turns out I have a headwin. All things add up, so it takes a bit longer than I predicted. I even manage to make a wrong turn sending me a couple of km in the wrong direction – and how am I going to find my way in Asia with signs in strange languages I don’t read?

It’s therefore with less time, than I could have hoped for, I finally show up in the airport and occupy a space in front of Aerflot’s counter where I furiously begins dismantling my bicycle before I wrap it up in various protective materials. Nobody seems to care much, in fact the Aeroflot staff just notices my progress. When it’s paying time, the Russian hammer falls hard on my head – the charge for bringing my bicycle is almost half of my ticket. I mutter that I swear to never support anything Russian again. If the huge amount of money I had to pay for my bicycle got me hoping that the staff handling the luggage would actually treat it with care … well, think again. The guy in the odd size booth is obviously in a bad mood or just need to show who’s the king of the territory. Initially he declines to deal with my bicycle as it is to big to fit in the x-ray. I have to explain that I checked that the size confirm to airline standards and that I have had the same bicycle with me before where they didn’t feel the need to make a fuss about it. In fact, my bicycle have been x-rayed more often than I ever had. Guy grunts, x-rays my bicycle (no problem, passes right through) before he walks off with it, while I forget any hope about special treatment and reduces my ambitions from “received with no serious scratches” to “just being delivered in one piece.” Now, I only have to go through the security check and as it is clearly my lucky day, I am pulled aside and asked if I could please empty the content of my bag and explain the use of every gizmo in my bag (filled with photography stuff). That done, I have 20 minutes to run through the commercial hell that constitutes the average airport. I am finally off to Moscow.

In the connecting flight from Moscow I get company by a Russian fellow who have clearly just had a vodka or ten as he’s clearly in a splendid mood. As soon as he is seated his head drop forwards and he falls into a deep sleep. The next couple of hours he spend in this position while leaking saliva down his shirt, much to the amusement of not only me but also the other travelers who find this about as amusing as the movies on display.

In Bangkok’s airport I find my bicycle waiting for me and put up the same show only this time in reverse. Putting everything together before I decide to put the bike on a bus with the assistance of the driver, who happens to be in a terrific mood. I go straight for Chinatown where I find a hotel closely located to the main train station.

To the airport. Last ride on Danish soil for a while.

Back on my bicycle and back on the uninspiring Highway 4, destination Samut Songkhran. I have sketched a plan that involves going to Kanchanaburi and from there to Ayutthaya, thus bypassing Bangkok. I arrives pretty late and check in at the only hotel I manage to find. Searching the Internet I learn that there would have been a alternative route along the ocean. Oh bugger, that comes from not buying a decent map.

Leaving Samut Songkhran I am, however, distracted by the touristy but photogenic floating markets some 20 km ahead, just outside the small town of Damnoen Saduak. The markets and the surrounding area, where the locals grow various crops to sell on the market, seem quite nice. So although I don’t really feel I have time for it (visa running out) I end up staying one day, as this will make it possible to get back there before tourists arrives from Bangkok.  Next day I get there early and take a boat around before the other tourists arrives. It is just as touristy as expected, but as usual I go my own way and soon find myself in quiet areas. I learn there actually is a homestay there, and if I have had the time I would have loved to stay there, rather than in the uninspiring hotel in town. Ask around if you are considering staying.

I don’t know what invisible border I crossed, but something changed when reaching Hua Hin. Two women (perfectly decent ones I should ad!) where flirting shamelessly with me and seemed prepared to leave for Denmark any moment. And now, in Damnoen Saduak I have my first (and probably last) Beckham-moment when a passing truckload of girls start screaming (or yelling) when they see me on the bicycle. That was weird. But it saved my day

I also have my first (and hopefully last) crash! Riding carefully around a sharp bend with a pool of water, the bike slides away under me and down I go. No blood or gore, or anything.

Typical scene from the floating markets of Damnoen Saduak, Thailand. Photo: Joel Schumann, 2010

Hi, I’m Joel!

I don’t know what small miracle brought you here, but welcome to my blog!

I created this blog to share my major interests: photography and bicycle touring in places a little off the beaten path. Two hobbies that mix very well.

Right now!

As I write this, I’m leaving for a four month solo expedition to Asia. When I return, I will let you in on my previous travels that have taken me to places in Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia.

From a recent trip to Iceland. Photograph by Joel Schumann

As of now, the blog is regrettably low on content but I’m working on it right now. So if you stay on for a while I hope you will find some of it inspirational and helpful. If you feel entertained while reading I’m even happier. Give me a chance, will ya! I will do my best to keep things interesting.

So who is behind all this:

As said my name is Joel and I live in Denmark with my family. In case you do not know, Denmark is the country with the worlds happiest people – in stiff competition with Disney World. If you wonder why Danes are so happy, I encourage you to come and take a look! Or maybe just have a look at this site: www.denmark.dk Even though I took part in creating that very site, as a spin off from working in the communications department of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I’m not terribly patriotic.

My background is academic and I have done media and communications studies at the University of Copenhagen, trying to understand how media works. To cut the long story short, let’s just say I believe the perspective of cognitive science provides the most satisfactory answers! Some years ago I launched a blog titled “Why video games suck!” and while I never did much more than this about that project I’m currently wondering if I should bring it back into existence.

If you put a guitar in my hands, I am able to make it cry. Lately, the guitar have been collecting dust and I have instead been working on developing some basic piano chops.

That’s it for now … sorry for wasting your time!