Tjohej!
As usual I went the completely wrong way today and did some extra km. But after some time I found a good road that took me all the way to Aachen where the local pirates was waiting for me.
Started skating quite late though, after 2 hours of breakfast eating every piece of food available in Steffen´s fridge more or less, ehe. But all good, he seemed okay with it. Still though, having slept at so many peoples houses, it's awesome every time that people show me this hospitality.
Oh well, around 75 km today and tomorrow I will go somewhere halfways to Brussels. If somebody can help me with accommodation, please send an e-mail to me. The belgian Pirate party does not reply when I e-mail them, and that's a shame. I will try again.
Was supplied with two great pizzas today by the Pirates and had a nice time both meeting up with the local pirates and talking to Sait, the guy whose house I'm crashing at. And this will be my last meeting with the Piratenpartei for this time.
Short one now, I want to sleep.
Goodnightie!
/Johan Lundström
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
In Mönchengladbach
Haya!
Still alive, and thats pretty amazing after today. As I can't use my crappy map (it has only got the big highways on it) I rely on my compass. Today that didn't go very well. Even though I had a great, energizing breakfast in my tummy.
Started the day with going 12 km extra, as that was the distance I was driven yesterday from Essen centre to Will's house. Then I just skated on the whole day, initially through some really steep slopes. For the first time, I went on a serpentine road (is that what it's called, the road that is winding up the steep slopes as it is too steep to make a straight road?) and then I had some really good downslopes waiting. And the police stopped me as well, as I skated on the road like all the bikers was supposed to do. I should have known, inlines is a toy and for security reasons should always be used on walking paths. Because that is much safer. And a bike on a road is much less likely to be run over by a car than a inline-skater. Right.
Anyway, tonight I had a really nice night after a long day trying to find the right way. A delicious dinner, not BBQ this time though =) On the picture, you see the pirates I met today and my lovely host in Mönchengladbach to the far left.
Tomorrow the pirates in Aachen will meet up with me and they will be the last members of the Piratenpartei I will meet on this trip I think because after that I head towards Brussels.
It's late, too late, now.
Goodnight!
/Johan
Still alive, and thats pretty amazing after today. As I can't use my crappy map (it has only got the big highways on it) I rely on my compass. Today that didn't go very well. Even though I had a great, energizing breakfast in my tummy.
Started the day with going 12 km extra, as that was the distance I was driven yesterday from Essen centre to Will's house. Then I just skated on the whole day, initially through some really steep slopes. For the first time, I went on a serpentine road (is that what it's called, the road that is winding up the steep slopes as it is too steep to make a straight road?) and then I had some really good downslopes waiting. And the police stopped me as well, as I skated on the road like all the bikers was supposed to do. I should have known, inlines is a toy and for security reasons should always be used on walking paths. Because that is much safer. And a bike on a road is much less likely to be run over by a car than a inline-skater. Right.
Anyway, tonight I had a really nice night after a long day trying to find the right way. A delicious dinner, not BBQ this time though =) On the picture, you see the pirates I met today and my lovely host in Mönchengladbach to the far left.
Tomorrow the pirates in Aachen will meet up with me and they will be the last members of the Piratenpartei I will meet on this trip I think because after that I head towards Brussels.
It's late, too late, now.
Goodnight!
/Johan
Friday, July 17, 2009
In Essen
Halloj alles!
So, after having a nice time in Münster meeting up with the German Piratenpartei there I went on skating for Essen. I was prepared for a long day, seeing as I would do at least 90 km that day. I found my way quite easily at the start, but somewhere halfways I had to turn away from the road I was travelling to find a new one. I planned to, at least. It was hard, erh... Spent at least an hour driving around different roads trying to find the right way, sigh. It's not easy to be a long distance biker or skater in Germany, as the road signs for bikers only say the names of small villages that are close. There are no signs saying "Essen 60 km" pointing out my way. Well well, with my compass I managed to find my way at last and bought me some really dark bread for lunch. Was feeling quite tired then, the weather was good but it was really hot outside. And here in Germany I can't really stop for a lunchtime swim.
Oh, and before arriving in Essen I found a new type of feet problem (I thought I had been through them all!). This time I got rashes of the side of the foot. But oh well, it'll be alright once I start doing shorter distances like I'm doing today.
I spent the evening accompanied by the Piratenpartei in Essen at the house of the host of the night, Will. He and his wife had made a really nice BBQ with stakes, bratwurst, sallad and other stuff. I'm starting to get spoilt with all this nice food =) ... And breakfast today was great as well, but I think I will have to rest for a while before I go skating! But last evening was another great night of socializing with my fellow pirates and discussing the matters we all care so much about. I realize now that the differences between the Pirate party's in the different countries are quite small, and that to me really proves that we are a global grass root movement joining up behind this phenomena called "Pirate party". We all share the same goals, we all share the same dissappointment of how our democracy bit by bit is getting deconstructed. We share the same view on knowledge and culture politics. This shows that our party has not picked some parts from different places, thus putting together a good platform. It shows that what we are talking about is information politics for the knowledge society. And that from this spawns our views on knowledge, culture and democracy. It's all very tight sown together, and you can't take one piece out without taking another out. You can't say you are positive to integricy but not to free file sharing. You can't say you want an open and free democracy but not want to change the patent system. It's all one question, really. And that is what I've realized now, and it is what most other parties just can't see because they don't understand these questions like the Pirate Party does.
Well, let's leave that for now. I'd like to thank Will for all his hospitality, I've had a really good time here at his house. He is truly a warm-hearted man who has treated me so good - and as I use to say, this is what helps me going on. Seeing the world I'm not bothered about, what I want is meeting the world.
So, today I'm going somewhere halfways to Aachen. The pirates here said Düsseldorf, but it seems to me it's quite close to here and too far to Aachen from that town. So I'm looking for a place to stay that is halfways between Aachen and Essen - if you can help I'm very grateful for it! Mönchengladbach seems like a good place, can anyone find pirates there?
Pictures: So it's me and Bastian of Münster on one picture (the one where I have my skating stuff), me and Will on another and then two pictures of yesterdays BBQ.
Okay, well, I'm off soon, goodbye!
/Johan Lundström
So, after having a nice time in Münster meeting up with the German Piratenpartei there I went on skating for Essen. I was prepared for a long day, seeing as I would do at least 90 km that day. I found my way quite easily at the start, but somewhere halfways I had to turn away from the road I was travelling to find a new one. I planned to, at least. It was hard, erh... Spent at least an hour driving around different roads trying to find the right way, sigh. It's not easy to be a long distance biker or skater in Germany, as the road signs for bikers only say the names of small villages that are close. There are no signs saying "Essen 60 km" pointing out my way. Well well, with my compass I managed to find my way at last and bought me some really dark bread for lunch. Was feeling quite tired then, the weather was good but it was really hot outside. And here in Germany I can't really stop for a lunchtime swim.
Oh, and before arriving in Essen I found a new type of feet problem (I thought I had been through them all!). This time I got rashes of the side of the foot. But oh well, it'll be alright once I start doing shorter distances like I'm doing today.
I spent the evening accompanied by the Piratenpartei in Essen at the house of the host of the night, Will. He and his wife had made a really nice BBQ with stakes, bratwurst, sallad and other stuff. I'm starting to get spoilt with all this nice food =) ... And breakfast today was great as well, but I think I will have to rest for a while before I go skating! But last evening was another great night of socializing with my fellow pirates and discussing the matters we all care so much about. I realize now that the differences between the Pirate party's in the different countries are quite small, and that to me really proves that we are a global grass root movement joining up behind this phenomena called "Pirate party". We all share the same goals, we all share the same dissappointment of how our democracy bit by bit is getting deconstructed. We share the same view on knowledge and culture politics. This shows that our party has not picked some parts from different places, thus putting together a good platform. It shows that what we are talking about is information politics for the knowledge society. And that from this spawns our views on knowledge, culture and democracy. It's all very tight sown together, and you can't take one piece out without taking another out. You can't say you are positive to integricy but not to free file sharing. You can't say you want an open and free democracy but not want to change the patent system. It's all one question, really. And that is what I've realized now, and it is what most other parties just can't see because they don't understand these questions like the Pirate Party does.
Well, let's leave that for now. I'd like to thank Will for all his hospitality, I've had a really good time here at his house. He is truly a warm-hearted man who has treated me so good - and as I use to say, this is what helps me going on. Seeing the world I'm not bothered about, what I want is meeting the world.
So, today I'm going somewhere halfways to Aachen. The pirates here said Düsseldorf, but it seems to me it's quite close to here and too far to Aachen from that town. So I'm looking for a place to stay that is halfways between Aachen and Essen - if you can help I'm very grateful for it! Mönchengladbach seems like a good place, can anyone find pirates there?
Pictures: So it's me and Bastian of Münster on one picture (the one where I have my skating stuff), me and Will on another and then two pictures of yesterdays BBQ.
Okay, well, I'm off soon, goodbye!
/Johan Lundström
Thursday, July 16, 2009
In Münster
Halloy!
After a really nice porridge breakfast I left Osnabrück and Matthias with family feeling great. As they warned me, there were quite a bit of mountains to get over but I somehow managed that as well. The biking road was, unfortunately, not always that good as it was just a small village road, so to speak. Still, I had a good lunch just 13 km from Münster and took it quite easy after that, arriving at 5 pm in Münster.
There the Münster pirates met up with me and we spent a great night together, having a BBQ just by the riverside. What great food, and what great guys! Now I just wish them all the best trying to get a seat in the local "parliament". Bed and breakfast was also sorted out by the Piratenpartei and a very nice student called Bastian - danke schön!
So moving on, I'll be going to Oberhausen today I think, and that's why I need to get going now, it's getting late. Oh and by the way, I saw Micke (my blog-helper and manager) has arranged a Donate button. Well, I seem to be running a little bit short of money - I'll sort it out somehow, but if you feel like contributing by helping me economically that would be highly appreciated. But feel free, and don't ever feel like you have to.
So, I'll see you guys, thanks for all the support you're giving me!
(and in one of the pictures you will see Matthias of Osnabrück)
/Johan Lundström
After a really nice porridge breakfast I left Osnabrück and Matthias with family feeling great. As they warned me, there were quite a bit of mountains to get over but I somehow managed that as well. The biking road was, unfortunately, not always that good as it was just a small village road, so to speak. Still, I had a good lunch just 13 km from Münster and took it quite easy after that, arriving at 5 pm in Münster.
There the Münster pirates met up with me and we spent a great night together, having a BBQ just by the riverside. What great food, and what great guys! Now I just wish them all the best trying to get a seat in the local "parliament". Bed and breakfast was also sorted out by the Piratenpartei and a very nice student called Bastian - danke schön!
So moving on, I'll be going to Oberhausen today I think, and that's why I need to get going now, it's getting late. Oh and by the way, I saw Micke (my blog-helper and manager) has arranged a Donate button. Well, I seem to be running a little bit short of money - I'll sort it out somehow, but if you feel like contributing by helping me economically that would be highly appreciated. But feel free, and don't ever feel like you have to.
So, I'll see you guys, thanks for all the support you're giving me!
(and in one of the pictures you will see Matthias of Osnabrück)
/Johan Lundström
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
In Osnabrück
Hallo!
So, I'm in Osnabrück now after another day of zick-sagging all across Germany. And well, I did about 65 km today I think. An easy, relaxing day after a lot of problems with my wheels. You can't see it on the map, but from Rotenburg I went to Verden where my wheels just totally gave up. I then went to Bremen to fix them, which made my trip quite a bit longer.
Bad quality is the cause of the wheel problems, since the rubber of the wheel has started to loosen and fall of the wheel itself. This should not happen to these wheels, especially as these wheels are what they claim to be highest quality. Well well, in Bremen I went to Karstedt sports as usual. The last time I was there, they gave me really good plasters for the blisters on my feet and helped me with my sticks for free. This time I got 7 new wheels and 8 new bearings for... 20 euro! The blue wheels I had before cost 35 euro for 4 wheels and bearings normally cost like 30 euro for 16 bearings. So you see, this was amazingly cheap and I even got all the service with changing wheels and stuff. It's wicked, and I won't use another sports shop than Karstedt in Germany after this. Free advertisment, that's what I give them in return, heh...
If you look at the pictures you will see Fritz of Rotenburg and Josefine of Bremen on them, two amazing people helping me out on this trip that I've already mentionen in previous posts.
And today I'm getting a place to stay in Osnabrück, Matthias of the Piratenpartei and his family is giving me support, food and a place to stay. A great thank you goes to you and your family, Matthias, for all your hospitality.
And the picture with the tent on is my previous night, I slept in my tent at a German family's garden. They gave me food, a shower but most of all a lot of interesting chats. Well, maybe I already said something about that? Well, here it is again.
So tomorrow I'll do another short day when heading for Münster. I will tonight also, with help from Matthias, awaken the Piratenpartei in Germany. Now, actually. We will see what happens tomorrow...
Oh, and the picture of me doing thumbs down is me feeling really low when my expensive wheels are falling apart. Also the fact that the shop I bought them from is doesn't exist in Germany makes me unhappy - it means I can't get my money back until I'm home again. Doh.
Well: Brussels, here I come!
/Johan Lundström
So, I'm in Osnabrück now after another day of zick-sagging all across Germany. And well, I did about 65 km today I think. An easy, relaxing day after a lot of problems with my wheels. You can't see it on the map, but from Rotenburg I went to Verden where my wheels just totally gave up. I then went to Bremen to fix them, which made my trip quite a bit longer.
Bad quality is the cause of the wheel problems, since the rubber of the wheel has started to loosen and fall of the wheel itself. This should not happen to these wheels, especially as these wheels are what they claim to be highest quality. Well well, in Bremen I went to Karstedt sports as usual. The last time I was there, they gave me really good plasters for the blisters on my feet and helped me with my sticks for free. This time I got 7 new wheels and 8 new bearings for... 20 euro! The blue wheels I had before cost 35 euro for 4 wheels and bearings normally cost like 30 euro for 16 bearings. So you see, this was amazingly cheap and I even got all the service with changing wheels and stuff. It's wicked, and I won't use another sports shop than Karstedt in Germany after this. Free advertisment, that's what I give them in return, heh...
If you look at the pictures you will see Fritz of Rotenburg and Josefine of Bremen on them, two amazing people helping me out on this trip that I've already mentionen in previous posts.
And today I'm getting a place to stay in Osnabrück, Matthias of the Piratenpartei and his family is giving me support, food and a place to stay. A great thank you goes to you and your family, Matthias, for all your hospitality.
And the picture with the tent on is my previous night, I slept in my tent at a German family's garden. They gave me food, a shower but most of all a lot of interesting chats. Well, maybe I already said something about that? Well, here it is again.
So tomorrow I'll do another short day when heading for Münster. I will tonight also, with help from Matthias, awaken the Piratenpartei in Germany. Now, actually. We will see what happens tomorrow...
Oh, and the picture of me doing thumbs down is me feeling really low when my expensive wheels are falling apart. Also the fact that the shop I bought them from is doesn't exist in Germany makes me unhappy - it means I can't get my money back until I'm home again. Doh.
Well: Brussels, here I come!
/Johan Lundström
In Diepholz
Hey!
So I found a really nice family in Diepholz giving me food, a shower and a place to put my tent. This is so amazing, I'm meeting with so much interesting people and I'm learning so much, every day. Awesome.
Cheers,
Johan
So I found a really nice family in Diepholz giving me food, a shower and a place to put my tent. This is so amazing, I'm meeting with so much interesting people and I'm learning so much, every day. Awesome.
Cheers,
Johan
Sunday, July 12, 2009
I Bremen
Hej!
Är pa ett internetcafe, 3 euro per timma sa jag skriver kort denna gang.
Fran Lübeck tog jag mig till Hamburg, där jag tyvärr inte hittade boende. Det var ju fredag. Men men, jag hasade in mig pa ett hotel och killen där tyckte synd om mig, jag fick ett rum de inte brukar hyra ut. Billigt, men utan fönster och litet. Aja, 20 euro, de funkade.
Lunch varje dag blir bara mackor, och ibland skippar jag lunch da det regnar konstant. Jattesvart att hitta nagonstans att ata sin mat, finns inga bord och absolut inga med tak. Sa jag bara aker, vad annars ska jag göra? Har ju inte rad att äta pa restaurang...
Kroppen mar sadar, har blivit for mycket mackor. Men igar fick jag rejal kinesmat efter att ha networkat pa en lokal pub i Rotenburg. Fick mig boende hos en underbar gammal man. Valdigt kul, han talade inte engelska. Jakligt snall men svart att snacka.
Maste ga nu.
Ja, nej, nu har jag internet igen en liten stund. Jo, jag fick mig boende idag, en otroligt trevlig och härlig tjej later mig krascha hos sig. Ska fixa bild imorrn när jag är pa inlines, ingen fara.
Nej, riktigt snällt av henne och kvällen har bjudit pa mycket intressanta samtal. Det visar sig att Josi, couchsurfern som erbjuder soffa, studerar spanska och studerar miljö... Kanske jag träffar henne i latinamerika en dag.
Ska säga ocksa, gjorde en riktigt omväg idag men fick stora problem med mina hjul. Problemen började i Danmark, men jag sket da i det och bytte först däck när jag var i Tyskland. Da bytte jag ut ett däck, men nu börjar allt fler ge sig. Och detta är de däck jag köpte i Sverige ganska nyss, självklart gar det pa garantin. Men det finns inga Team Sportia här, alltsa maste jag betala för nya hjul... Och för intresserade sa är problemet att hela däcket börjat lossa fran hjulramen, vilket gör att hjulet beter sig som om det vore ovalt = skakar som setan, är jobbigt och skapar massa friktion mot inlinesskon. Hade inget annat val än att avvika fran mina planer och aka hit till Bremen. Men det angrar jag inte nu när jag sitter här med otroligt trevligt sällskap och varm säng som väntar.
Annars sa tuffar det pa, fötterna mar faktiskt ganska bra nu när vägarna blivit jämnare. Men gardagens middagbjudning av Fritz, gubben jag bodde hos i Rotenburg, bjöd pa problem. Jag har länge undvikit glutamat, smakförstärkare, men i kinamat finns det ofta just mycket sadant. Tror det var därför jag madde daligt hela natten och kande mig konstig under dagen. Men men, jag blev mätt i alla fall och blev bjuden pa väldigt gott plommonvin av den otroligt gästvänliga Fritz.
I övrigt sa far vi se vilken väg jag tar, kanske via Münster där tyska pirater tydligen äntligen hör av sig och verkar existera. Eller ja, det är det jag tänker faktiskt. Om det nu finns bra platser att sova pa vägen dit. Men men.
Sköt om er, jag fortsätter kämpa pa här i landet Tyskland, som bjudit mig pa mycket men framförallt manga intressanta möten. Man lär sig verkligen nagot varje dag.
Tack för detta. Vet inte vem jag tackar men... känn Dig träffad om du önskar.
Tjosan!
/Johan L
Är pa ett internetcafe, 3 euro per timma sa jag skriver kort denna gang.
Fran Lübeck tog jag mig till Hamburg, där jag tyvärr inte hittade boende. Det var ju fredag. Men men, jag hasade in mig pa ett hotel och killen där tyckte synd om mig, jag fick ett rum de inte brukar hyra ut. Billigt, men utan fönster och litet. Aja, 20 euro, de funkade.
Lunch varje dag blir bara mackor, och ibland skippar jag lunch da det regnar konstant. Jattesvart att hitta nagonstans att ata sin mat, finns inga bord och absolut inga med tak. Sa jag bara aker, vad annars ska jag göra? Har ju inte rad att äta pa restaurang...
Kroppen mar sadar, har blivit for mycket mackor. Men igar fick jag rejal kinesmat efter att ha networkat pa en lokal pub i Rotenburg. Fick mig boende hos en underbar gammal man. Valdigt kul, han talade inte engelska. Jakligt snall men svart att snacka.
Maste ga nu.
Ja, nej, nu har jag internet igen en liten stund. Jo, jag fick mig boende idag, en otroligt trevlig och härlig tjej later mig krascha hos sig. Ska fixa bild imorrn när jag är pa inlines, ingen fara.
Nej, riktigt snällt av henne och kvällen har bjudit pa mycket intressanta samtal. Det visar sig att Josi, couchsurfern som erbjuder soffa, studerar spanska och studerar miljö... Kanske jag träffar henne i latinamerika en dag.
Ska säga ocksa, gjorde en riktigt omväg idag men fick stora problem med mina hjul. Problemen började i Danmark, men jag sket da i det och bytte först däck när jag var i Tyskland. Da bytte jag ut ett däck, men nu börjar allt fler ge sig. Och detta är de däck jag köpte i Sverige ganska nyss, självklart gar det pa garantin. Men det finns inga Team Sportia här, alltsa maste jag betala för nya hjul... Och för intresserade sa är problemet att hela däcket börjat lossa fran hjulramen, vilket gör att hjulet beter sig som om det vore ovalt = skakar som setan, är jobbigt och skapar massa friktion mot inlinesskon. Hade inget annat val än att avvika fran mina planer och aka hit till Bremen. Men det angrar jag inte nu när jag sitter här med otroligt trevligt sällskap och varm säng som väntar.
Annars sa tuffar det pa, fötterna mar faktiskt ganska bra nu när vägarna blivit jämnare. Men gardagens middagbjudning av Fritz, gubben jag bodde hos i Rotenburg, bjöd pa problem. Jag har länge undvikit glutamat, smakförstärkare, men i kinamat finns det ofta just mycket sadant. Tror det var därför jag madde daligt hela natten och kande mig konstig under dagen. Men men, jag blev mätt i alla fall och blev bjuden pa väldigt gott plommonvin av den otroligt gästvänliga Fritz.
I övrigt sa far vi se vilken väg jag tar, kanske via Münster där tyska pirater tydligen äntligen hör av sig och verkar existera. Eller ja, det är det jag tänker faktiskt. Om det nu finns bra platser att sova pa vägen dit. Men men.
Sköt om er, jag fortsätter kämpa pa här i landet Tyskland, som bjudit mig pa mycket men framförallt manga intressanta möten. Man lär sig verkligen nagot varje dag.
Tack för detta. Vet inte vem jag tackar men... känn Dig träffad om du önskar.
Tjosan!
/Johan L
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