A guest post by Melissa Adams.
I met Melissa Adams at the Southern California Writers Association and knew I had to interview this Gutsy Lady. She’s doing what many of us hope to do: following her dreams. If you’ve never heard of a cycling Safari, you’re in for a treat.
Getting Lost to Find Yourself
You traded Southern California for Amsterdam. Why?
I grew up in L.A., earned a degree in English from UCLA and became a professional travel writer right out of college. I married, moved to Newport Beach and pursued a career as a corporate communicator, newspaper columnist, advertising copywriter and freelance journalist. While raising two children, my husband and I traveled frequently. But the rift in our values grew with the years. I wanted fun, risk and adventure. He was content pursuing a materialistic American dream.
Our 1999 divorce ended a 23-year marriage that lasted 22 years too long. After a lifetime in California, I felt bored, empty and restless as a mid-life single in an upscale beach town—land of eternal sun and sometimes eternal sadness. Glorious Newport Beach had become a cultural vacuum for me; I’d lost my sense of childlike wonder and was plodding along on auto-pilot.
What was the catalyst for change?
In 2007, I took a trip that changed my life. After a week of cycling on the Italian Adriatic with my bike club, I visited my son studying in Florence, then flew to Amsterdam. The minute I landed in Holland’s laid-back capital, I had an epiphany: I was living in a three-bedroom home in a town I’d become jaded about with my cat! My parents were gone, my kids had flown the coop. My possessions owned me, rather than the other way around. Starved for new experiences, I needed a change and was prepared to make one. “I’m moving to Amsterdam,” I announced. And so began My ‘Dam Affair.
Is that the title of a book you’re writing?
It’s an unpublished memoir about my 2008 European adventure. It will be rewritten into My ‘Dam Betrayal, An Expat’s Tale of Scents and Sensibility, a true story about friendship, betrayal and my 2010 entanglement with a Dutch aroma jockey, Dr. Stinky and his Ministry of Nonsense. Stay tuned!
Why Holland?
Since 2007, I’ve been intoxicated by The Netherlands’ beauty, culture, history and quirky residents. Even the weather fascinates me, as I’ve never lived with seasons before. Here, I feel authentic in a way I never did in California. I’m entranced by A’dam’s bohemian vibe, Old World charm and non-snooty attitude toward alternative lifestyles. Dutchies are direct, casual and open-minded, with an egalitarian outlook that eschews authority and welcomes debate. Which makes for interesting discussions. Everyone under 50 speaks English, but you hear many languages on the grachts and straats—evidence of a multicultural population and A’dam’s draw as a world-class tourist destination.
My new hometown is a village where I’m not anonymous as I was back home. Local merchants know me. I meet friends on the street. It’s easy to get around via foot, bike and public transport, so no need for a car. A’dam is also a good base for foreign travel; a 20-minute bus ride gets me to Schipol, gateway to the world. But the best thing about the town is its connectedness. In all my travels, I’ve never found another city where it’s perfectly normal to chat up perfect strangers.
I’d like to know about your cycling.
I’ve been an avid recreational cyclist and member of the Bicycle Club of Irvine since 1994. The group offers something for everyone, from casual weekend riders to elite athletes. Cycling dovetailed with my freelance writing; I’ve ridden and written about bike-barge tours in Italy, Holland, Turkey and the Greek Islands and Egypt.
In May 2011, Beyond Boundaries Travel invited me to scout two South Africa cycling itineraries on the Western Cape and “glamping” (luxury camping) on The Savannah Game Preserve near Johannesburg. Outside stunning Hout Bay, we sang with an African gospel choir, climbed Chapman’s Peak Drive (one of the most spectacular coastal stretches in the world) and visited Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Constantia Valley Winelands and Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years. We pedaled mountain bikes through tunnels hewn of sheer rock, past foraging baboons and a Jackass (African) Penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
Our adventure continued on the Savannah Game Preserve, a 2,500-acre spread on the Vaal River where more than 25 mammal species roam freely. In luxury tents with electricity and full baths, we roughed it like royalty overlooking the watering hole of rhinos, kudus, buffaloes, zebras, jackals, elands, nyalas and duikers.
Here we journeyed “into Africa” with Earth’s fastest endangered cat. Established in 2001 to breed and reintroduce cheetahs to the wild, Savannah Cheetah Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting Africa’s indigenous wildlife and ecosystems.
Beyond game drives and relaxed meals on the preserve, we rode through Tumahole Township, stark contrast to mansions perched on cliffs with to-die-for sea views in Clifton and Camps Bay. We bid our hosts and fellow travelers farewell at a South African braai (BBQ) and roaring bonfire that illuminated Zulu dancers.
Who’s a good candidate for a cycling safari?
Like people, bike-barge tours and cycling safaris come in all shapes and sizes. There are tours in flat countries like Holland and hilly ones like Greece and Italy, where most monuments are on hill summits. Options include guided, self-guided, themed, family and special interest tours. Many are available through Bike Tours Direct and Beyond Boundaries Travel.
Anyone with moderate fitness and desire for immersion in a foreign culture will enjoy cycle-touring. On two wheels you see, smell, hear, taste and experience more than you do in a bus or car in an up-close-and-personal way. Plus, you enjoy the exhilaration of riding a vehicle associated with childhood freedom through exotic destinations.
Do you consider yourself a risk-taker? If so, why?
I consider myself someone who lives life to the fullest, leaving no space for regrets. I re-invented myself after a mid-life divorce with a move that shocked, surprised and puzzled people. For me, the alternative was emotional suicide. I never bloomed where I was planted. But I’ve bloomed on the flip side, in the final quarter of my life. Every day I wake up in Amsterdam is a gift. My only regret is not having 48 hours a day to relish each one.
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Melissa Adams is a freelance travel writer based in Amsterdam, NL. She welcomes questions about cycle touring and adventure travel at melissa@wordgeisha.com.
Learn more at www.wordgeisha.com and www.wordgeisha.blogspot.com.
What a fabulous post! Enjoyed reading every candid word. Maybe even more so since I had the pleasure of spending a few days with Melissa on a press trip. Fascinating lady. Great read!
Lisa Codianne Fowler recently posted..The Naked City
Aw shucks, Lisa. I’ll never forget our blissful days on Eagle Island with Leigh Cort, Capt. Andy & the rest. We were so funny, both of us blind, kayaking with ‘gators and dining on Low-Country Boil off the Georgia coast.
Melissa, Fantastic!!!
I always knew you were so exceptional!! LaDonna
That means a lot, coming from you, LaDonna–a gutsy lady yourself who raised a family, headed up the NBPL & other city depts., then earned a law degree. You were one of the most encouraging & supportive bosses I ever worked for and I was grateful for that back in Newport Beach. I hope you & yours are well.
Melissa,
I admire how you are enjoying life to the max and can write and travel around the world. Where would you really like to go next? Thanks fr sha
ring the benefits of cyling during a vacation. I would like to try that. Have you you tried the Loire Valley bike trips? Sonia
Yes, I have always been fascinated with this gutsy gal’s travels. She writes in such a fascinating way, for a few minutes she makes me imagine being so adventurous myself!. Congratulations, Melissa, sounds like you made a great decision for your life. We love reading about it!
Hi Bonnie,
Just read your great article on Turkey. I decided I must have Turkish blood in me as I consider myslef nomadic and don’t need “heavy furniture” with me either. Never been to Turkey, but hope to soon.
Sonia, I’d love to stay home in Amsterdam long enough to write my book, but I’m headed to Colonial Mexico this month on a cycling scouting tour with Beyond Boundaries Travel (http://beyondboundariestravel.com/biking/mexico/colonialmexico/). I’m sure France would be lovely on a bike and there are many tours available. Personally, I’d like to explore more of the Far East, Scandinavia and Central America. But I’m game to go anywhere…at the drop of a hat!
Melissa,
I’m not so sure about bike riding in Central America, although, I used to ride my bike on the beach to do our grocery shopping on Ambergris Caye, Belize. 5 miles on the sand with a backpack full of food. Excellent exercise for your legs, much better than the gym! You must be in great shape with all the bike riding too. Is that how you get around Amsterdam? Look forward to hearing about Colonial Mexico. Which parts are you going to? How many will you be?
Sonia,
Regarding my upcoming cycling tour in Mexico, we’ll be based at a 450 year-old former hacienda in a sleepy village between San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato in the mountains of colonial Mexico. It’s the dream- come-true of two gringos aching for early retirement, who googled “haciendas for sale” and voila, the lovely Hacienda Las Trancas (http://www.haciendalastrancas.com/Hacienda_Las_Trancas/Home_Page.html), complete with spa, vineyards & stable. Not sure how many of us there will be, but I’m sure it will be another great adventure. Stay tuned!
I used to bicycle a lot, until I hit this city of about 225,000. Even with shared bike lanes on a few streets, and a riverbank trail, I find it too dangerous to get around. Cars are big; drivers are brutal.
I know things are much better in Europe, and I glad for you to know the joy of that experience. But this Bear isn’t biking very far.
Thanks for your story, Gutsy Melissa!
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Hey Bear, I’d be the last one to encourage you to ride in big cities. I mostly leave the bikes to the natives in A’dam and wait until I get out into the countryside to savor life on two wheels.
Melissa, you truly are a gutsy lady. I take my hat off to you and applaud your courage and adventures. Please get in touch with me at ExpatWomen dot com when your book comes out. 🙂
Best wishes, Andrea
Andrea,
Thanks for your post; I’m happy to know about your website. It looks like it has much to offer an expat like me who’s trying to become an Amsterdammer!
Melissa’s story certainly makes you think about taking charge of your own life and not just let it happen to you. Being a Dutchie, I loved reading about her happy experiences living in Amsterdam. According to an HSBC survey/study, many expats find it difficult to make friends in the Netherlands and don’t like it there so much.
Miss Footloose | Life in the Expat Lane recently posted..Expat Life: Let’s Go Native
What an inspirational story of courage and adventure and two wheels!
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Melissa,
I know you came to several of our SCWA meetings, so I mentioned our interview on the SCWA group page. Hope to see some members asking you questions.
A fascinating post, thank you. I’m a keen cyclist and I have to say these cycling safaris look awesome. Melissa, you’re a courageous, adventurous person – good for you! And I wish days were longer too …
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Stephanie,
If you’re into cycling, I encourage you to join a bike club and look into taking a bike tour with Bike Tours Direct and/or Beyond Boundaries Travel. Both offer many options in many destinations around the world. And you don’t have to be that courageous or adventurous. You’re very well taken care of on these tours and you can opt to get in the sag wagon or stay on the boat if you don’t want to ride for any reason. There’s no shame and you don’t need a fancy excuse. I love riding a bike so rarely miss a chance, but there is an out. Go for it!
Melissa,
You are, as Sonia put it, one Gutsy Lady. What a drastic change from Newport Beach. You’ve gained not only a new life in Amsterdam but also a whole new way of life. I envy your being able to bike everywhere (I would if I could but I can’t because of my hip replacement). Will be interested to read your book – sounds like a lot of fun. Please do write about your trip through Colonial Mexico because that part of the country, so rich in history, culture and art, is all too often overshadowed by the beaches and media hype about violence.
Penelope J. recently posted..Encounter with A Narco
Pennie,
I knew you’d find something in common with Melissa as far as writing and Mexico. She’s a fascinating person and I shall never forget when she rode her bike to our SCWA meeting in Fountain valley.
Penelope,
It still feels funny to hear people call what I did gutsy when the alternative was so awful. California just did not work for me anymore, after nearly 50 years.
While riding a bike is easy for me, you can go on cycling safari and not ride a block. All these cycling trips are sagged, meaning a fully stocked van follows you with snacks, mechanical gear & medical supplies. So if you want to be with cyclists experiencing a foreign destination at ground level, go for it! You may find you can ride a few blocks, after all.
And Sonia, I think it’s funny how memorable my appearing at a professional meeting on a bike was for you. I didn’t have a car in SoCal (wrapped mine around a tree, jet-lagged, coming home from a party the day after returning from Europe one year). That made life difficult, but not impossible. In Holland, EVERYONE, from business execs to prostitutes on their way to work in the RLD, rides a bike. And they don’t wear spandex, clip-ins OR helmets. They wear business suits, evening gowns & stiletto heels. When I bought my apartment in the Jordaan, all appeared on bikes: notary, seller, agents. Me? I walked. Why ride a bike in Amsterdam, veering around tourists, tram tracks & Dutchies who’ve literally been riding since before they were born? No thanks, A’dam is so compact, you can walk anywhere…or take a tram for less than one euro. I’m waiting for Mexico in September to get on a bike!