Michiel Hartman

A civil engineer who worked the past 5 years for a Dutch construction and dredging company. He had to give up his job and has to miss his girlfriend for the time being, to fulfil this dream.

He was born on 06-01-1972 in Msambweni ( Kenya ) as the second and last son of two medical Doctors. He lived 18 Years in Groningen ( Holland ), 1 Year in Caracas ( Venezuela ), 7 years in Delft ( Holland ), 7 months in Trondheim ( Norway ) and 5 years in Amsterdam .

Travelling experience:
Kenya , Senegal , Gambia , Tunis , Australia , Thailand , Malaysia , Russia (Siberia), Georgia , Kazakhstan , USA , Canada , Venezuela , Dominican Republic and Europe .

Interest:
Marathon running, Soccer, Rugby, Cricket, Biking, Tennis, Squash, Scuba diving, Hunting and Skiing.
History, politics and cultures of different countries and districts. And the personality behind the human being in general.
Michiel was born in Kenya after which his parents took him back to Holland . While he was grown-up in Groningen he was every year confronted with the travel stories of his parents. Like their China trip in 1982 and their trip through Russia in a caravan in 1986. Once in a while he was lucky and could join them on one of their trips. The combination of these trips, all the historical and cultural stories he was told and all the people who came over from all different parts of the world to his parents' house, gave Michiel his interest in travelling.

While biking along the road from the west to the east to follow Marco Polo's footsteps, Michiel hopes to find out more about; the probable slow changes between the cultures, which can be followed step by step. The mixtures, varieties and (non)integration of, and between, all the different races, religions and cultures. All this, in combination with the historical facts (as far as those are the truth).

Other reasons for Michiel to do this trip are: the sportive challenge and social challenges within the group, the personal stories of the people along the road, with their personal joys and problems, which will be heard and shared. And last but not least, the scent and sight of the nature along the road.

He wishes everybody who reads this the courage to make the same trip.

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