David cycles from den Bosch to Istanbul (and not for a good cause)

And that experience now lasts eight days, last Saturday he left his city of Den Bosch to eventually end up in Turkey via a ‘tourist route’ that he has carefully mapped out in the past six months. He hopes to arrive there at the end of October or early November.

Two and a half years ago Hattink came up with the idea for his special journey. Photographer and traveling YouTuber Martijn Doolaars inspired him to ‘experience something else’ than what is seen for his peers as normal. “I had never cycled more than thirty kilometers, I just wanted to know what it is like, is it possible to cycle that far and to be alone for that long?” Says Hattink, who graduated in June and now has all the time.

After seven days of cycling, on Sunday he has his first well -deserved rest day in Germany, the provisional conclusion is: yes, that succeeds. The ninety kilometers a day go well, and being alone is not too bad. “I call my girlfriend every night, and because you drive around with a packed bike you have a much faster claim.” He already knew that keeping contact with others is important, he prepared by following other travelers on social media.

Fortunately, big setbacks were not forthcoming. Although he had lost his bicycle glasses six hours after his departure from Brabant. “I had left him somewhere.” When the sun was shining the next day, he grabbed the images of the first day (Hattink makes a daily video report) to see where he had put him down. He cycled back, but the glasses were no longer on the bench.

Even more bad luck? The rack in front of his bag that is on his bike was shot. Perhaps awkward with so many kilometers ahead, but they are overcoming problems and he can continue to cycle.

How did his environment actually react to the plan for this mega tour? Hattink: “On the one hand, my girlfriend did not like it, on the other. It is of course not nice that we have not been together for three months now.” But she supports him on his mission and his family is also behind him. “When I told it, they said,” Do you know for sure? You’ve never really cycled far, “but that just motivated that extra.” I will show that it works, “I think now.”

The videos of his trip can be seen on social media, every day a new video comes online. Now that the number of followers is increasing, the thought did arise in him to raise money for a good cause, but that is not yet the case: “I have not really thought about it at all, I just do this for myself. I am curious about the new experience.”

Tomorrow the day of rest will be over and he will be preparing again for new adventures, again ninety kilometers.