• Hobbies:
  • Football (soccer, just to make sure that our American friends understand me). I’ve obviously been struck by the famous Club Bruges disease. Those who don’t know or appreciate THE greatest Belgian football team, should leave this website immediately. US citizens are excused again.
  • But, I also have a soft spot for inviting friends over dinner with good wine and having a nice chat (this is a hobby indeed), when loud music (as my wife would say) is playing. Otherwise I love: close friends, cycling, cooking, playing games (ever heard about Risk) and losing when cards are thrown on the table (don’t enjoy the loosing part, but the rest is wonderful), reading and travelling. So, that’s about it...
  • In summary, I’m just trying to enjoy life. Spending quality time and earning money to do so. Hope you do the same.
  
• Totally dislike:
  • Anderlecht (sorry Manu, I had to…).
  • People who don’t stick to their principles.
  • Double faced and short minded people. Will send you a short list with names if requested by email.
  • People who cheat when playing Risk.
  
• Motivation:
  “By believing in his dreams, a man turns them into reality” (Hergé – Tintin) (thanks Gert)
  
• Best movie:
  “The Killing Fields”
  
• Worst famous movie:
  Lord of the Rings (sorry friends)
  
• Best book:
  Without any doubt “Heroes” (John Pilger). Reports from one of the most famous and best journalists / reporters ever. Amazing, fabulous, impressive!!!
  
• Worst book:
  “The Old Patagonian Express” (Paul Theroux). I really do not understand why this guy is travelling around the world. I cannot get the reason why he writes reports about his travels or even considered doing so. Above all, how could he be able to enjoy it? He doesn’t have any respect for other cultures. A disgrace. Shocking!
  
• Recent other books read worth a mention:
  • “Een vreemde eend in Afrika” (Gert Duson). Travel story from a close, but deranged, friend travelling from Brussels to Cape Town with his old 2CV Citroën. Fantastic! If you understand Dutch, read it! Is being translated into French right now, by the way. Any UK publishers reading this? Please contact me, I’ll get a contract fee! No really, great job Gert, I am amazed.
  • Fever Pitch (Nick Hornby). For those who want to understand me, this explains my “obsession” (according to my wife again) for FC Brugge. Excerpt: ”I fell in love with football as I was later to fall in love with women: suddenly, inexplicably, uncritically, giving no thought of the pain or disruption it would bring.” (Nick Hornby). The best football book ever written. Marvellous!
  • “E, a novel” (Matt Beaumont). Probably one of the funniest books on this planet. A great story with succession of emails within an advertising agency. Hilarious and very, very recognisable!
  
• Favourite food:
  “riz de veau” (mmmmhhhh, I will certainly miss this a lot). Sorry, couldn’t translate it.
  
• Worst food:
  Spaghetti Bolognese (God, spare me!!!) and “chile con carne”. (Ykkes, can’t survive the thought of having this in my stomach when travelling.....)
  
• Favourite actor:
  • Robert De Niro. (without comment)
  • Jack Nicholson. (idem)
  
• Least favourite actor:
  Swarzenegger (will he also be one of worst politicians on this planet? Creo!)
  
• Favourite actress:
  Wynona Ryder (a sexy little shoplifter!)
  
• Least favourite actress:
  Catherine Deneuve (the Glacier in person)
  
• Favourite sport:
  • Cannot mention this again or my wife will kill me, even before leaving for our journey. So, please excuse me on this one.
  • Whatever, I’m also fond of cycling.
  
• Least favoured sport:
  Jogging: just running, all alone, with no purpose? No, thank you!
  
• Favourite website:
  • An easy one: www.clubbrugge.be . Come on you blue and black ones!!!
  • A second one? www.lonelyplanet.com (have a look at the Thorn Three. Great, isn’it? You certainly will meet us there during our trip.).
  
• Best dream:
  • Again, an easy one. Our journey in South America! And believe me, I really dreamt about before leaving.
  • Our children (correction: not now, after the trip!)
  
• Worst nightmare:
  • Altitude or acute mountain sickness (AMS). Don’t really know why (maybe because I’m a serious smoker), but it really scares me. And, I already dreamt (again!) about me getting awfully sick with AMS…
  • Sounds like you could get also horrible nightmares with Lariam and get depressed due to it…. (wait and see. Didn’t try Lariam yet.)

So this trip, is it a dream or a nightmare?
You’ll get the answers on the travel diary...

BEFORE

AFTER