Name: sijmen City, Country

I discovered your page because it's practically next to mine on the "reisverhalen-australie.pagina.nl"

my congrats for the message.. ops.. brianboard idea! it made me smile!! :D

Ramon
Don't forget to visit the Dutch Pub in Melbourne

Just tell him Ron send you

See you soon in Sydney for the party night

Ron
Dutch On-Line Sydney

I've been trying to keep upwith your travels, I really enjoy going over the emails. The time it must take to prepare them. It takes me so long just to go through one with all the photos and all. If and when you get to CA, you'll be put up for as long as you need, not to mention Disneyland, oh I mean the beach! Keep up the good work. I always look forward to your updates. John

Brianboard??????

Enjoyed seeing photos and reading about our close friend, Louis down under with you on the Waywardbus. You should know that Louis is quite the traveler himself and, yes, he does probably snore respectfully.

Hi Ramon,

Hi one and all. Sue & I have just got back from dropping Ramon off at Melbourne Airport, for his flight to Tassie, after having had the pleasure of his company for the past 24 hours.

Firstly, to anyone contemplating the thought of "inviting" Ramon to stayforaday....Do it!
Even if he has too many invites for a particular city to stay with them all. At least it gives Ramon the choice and also shows him that his "Project" is still alive and kicking. (I may be off the mark, but my interpretation of his project is to show that there still is good will and kindness throughout this planet. Dispite what some narrow-minded people might think!!)
We had the honor of having Ramon spend a night with us and our four sons(aged 4 up to 9). While the boys are a tad too young to understand and appreciate the magnitude of what Ramon has done, and continues to do, they will remember him as someone who took the time to acknowledge them as individuals and take the time out to make THEM feel special. After all the youngsters of today are the future of tomorrow and I know that Ramon's short visit will never be forgotten by the older three!!(The 4 y.o had just recieved a spiderman dress-up costume and his only real interest in Ramon was showing him how he could cover him in imaginary spiderwebs!!)

My oldest son Todd had asked me to ask Ramon if he could take Ramon to school as his "show and tell"! Some of these "knockers" should perhaps try taking into account what Ramon had experienced in the last few weeks in regards to negativity from the odd writer and his own feelings, (how tired and emotional would you be after nearly 6 months of travelling the way he is!!! CUT THE GUY SOME SLACK!!!!!!!I witnessed first hand as he spent hours updating his website, sorting out photo's and captions, replying to emails etc....... More like hard work then a holiday to me!!)

You are a living legend Ramon!

I hope one day that our paths may cross again.

Until that time

Take care, Don't change & Thank You.

David, Sue (& the tribe, Todd 9, Jarrod 6, Bailey 6, Joshua 4)

Hi Greg

"Sala kahle" is Zulu for "stay well". "Hamba kahle" is Zulu for "go well". "Well" can read "safely". It is polite in the Zulu culture to say this to people when you part ways, or finish chatting.

I am white English, but I use these expressions sometimes to show respect.

For reference, the only (I think) black family that hosted Ramon in South Africa (Stellenbosch) was a Xhosa family, I believe. They are from the same historical root as the Zulus.

Interestingly, most of the so-called "black on black" violence that you may hear about is between Zulus and Xhosas. Our government (ANC) is predominantly Xhosa, hence the intense rivalry with the IFP, who are Zulu.

Ramon, did you pick up any of this while you were here? I hope that you did, since it might help with the ROW understanding how we live in a country that is represented in the international media as being so terrible. But then, with your wonderful reports, anyone who followed you thru SA will appreciate the truth about our incredible country.

Hamba kahle

Brian

Ok, Brian, spill the beans...

What the heck does 'Sala kahle' mean?



Name: MJ
City, Country: Denver
Sent: 11.21 PM - 8/14 2002

MJ gives Cynthia a prize-we live in a great city!

Hi Ramon,

I have a request for you to consider for your page. When reading your reports, at the end you have "Back to index >>". Would you consider adding a "Next" option, so when reading a bunch, we can just go the next report versus back to the index each time? Sometimes you update many days at once and it would be very convenient to just select "Next". Also, sometimes I find myself going back to an old place of interest and just want to keep going to the next report. For example, if I am reading reports from last March, I want the next report. By going back to the index the page is back to August and I have to scroll down to March, and remember the last day I was reading. It may even be nice to have a "Previous" button while you are at it, which goes to the day before the one you are reading. ;-)

Looking forward to your travels in Tasmania.

Thanks,
Joan

RAMON:
If somebody knows how to jump from one report (or database I.D.#) with a link at the bottom of every report, please tell me, because I haven't figured that out myself.

If you know want to go from one report to the next or previous one, try to change the report/?id=# with 1 up or down. That might help you skip the index, but might not always work.



Name: cynthia
City, Country: Denver, USA
Sent: 11.49 PM - 8/13 2002

P.S. I guessed correctly to your next destination...Tasmania. Do I get some kind of prize?

Hi Ramon, I just saw the article in Frommers. This is the first I've heard outside this web site. You're getting around..Not quite celebrity status here yet but it's a beginning. Someone showed it to me and asked "is this the Dutch boy you've been following?" and I was sitting in front of the PC with your site on it. It was a thrilling coincidence. I agree with Brian B. and this is the closest I've been to a place without being there in person...Seeing it through your eyes, ears, nose, etc...

I have just joined your group ! You are going around the world on invitations? I think this is a wonderfull thing! I Imagine, that you will write a book on all your travels, and perhaps even a trillogy, or a series! I have sent you my e-mail address in the send you a personal message link, and hope to hear from you soon, your welcome to stay with me for the day!, and I can give you a grand tour! giant redwoods, the pacific ocean,

I think they got the 9 cents a day by taking the $35 you spent on the domain name and dividing by the total number of days you have been on the road, ~ 400. $35 / 400 = ~ $0.09

Anyway, looking forward to reading about your last 25 days in Australia. I have learned so much about that country that I would not have known if not for your project. You make it possible for those of us who sit behind a desk all day to travel right along with you. thank you for that.

Good luck.

Brian B



Name: Munk
Sent: 1.23 PM - 8/13 2002

Hey Mones, time to get used to coming over to Zwolle for a while, Flying Horse bar's opened again, my washing machine burned so I'm using yours :) and we've got mice. Can you scare them away when you get back?

Hey Ramon,

Now you have my curiosity piqued. How did the Japanese woman find out, and what happened then?

Too bad that the magazine did not get their facts straight before writing the article. The truth is interesting enough.

You can clearly see in your postings that there is far less stress during this last week or so. Good.

I have to wonder about your jacket, too. Perhaps some of these people have seen your site/TV/newpaper exposure and are being courteous by not plying you with questions.

I hope before you posted these fine peoples pictures to your website you let them know that's what you'd be doing.

One last thing. I wonder if the article about the 9 cents a day was taking into account the money you have been given by your hosts (which you note the amount of in your postings), not just money you've spent of your own (which was for your domain name).

RAMON:
1) RE The article: I have absolutely no idea where Frommers Budget Travel magazine got the idea of 9$ a day, because there has never been a 9$ a day thing during my project. It is made up, they could have contacted me about the real fact! Waywardbus helped me out with some money, otherwise I wouldn't have anything to eat and sometime people shout me a ticket for a bus or tram... For myself, I have absolutely no cent in my pockets.

2) RE The Jacket: yes, indeed, like Joan also noticed (below), I was wearing my letmestayforaday-logo-printed-on-the-arm winter jacket during my trip. I only had to wear it in the evening or at the beginning of the day and when we were out of the bus, I guess people have more attention to what we see outside that to what is printed on my jacket. Believe me, up to the last 30 mins of the tour, nobody knew who I was or what I did (and treated me like that). Until that Japanese lady found out....

Hi Ramon,

Great stories and pics of the latest travels, as usual. I note that you are pleased you are somewhat "anonymous" on the Wayward Bus tour. But I also noted in your pics "Walking along the lagoon in the Coorong Reserve..." and in the inset in the "On our way to our first destination to stay for the night, we stopped at this huge sand dune." pic, that your were wearing your "let-me-stay-for-a-day.com" jacket. Did no one on the tour pick up on that and ask about it? Just curious! ;-)

Cheers,
Joan

hello ramon, how are you on the island? you lucky... well, I ain't updated about your latest news (I came back yesterday from my 2-week-holiday: rain, rain, rain..), so I think I'll spend my next days reading the reports - everything is good to avoid the books on my desk ;)

Ramon--
I just got my new "Budget Travel" Magazine, published by Frommers, and there's a little article about your travels and website in it. I was pretty excited, since I've been "following" you for quite a while and telling all of my friends about your travels.

They talked about how you really know how to travel on a budget--- something like 9 cents a day!

Best of luck!

Ramon, Thankyou for staying with us when you were in Perth, (July 9, 2002). I loved having you here, sharing time with you. Madeleine loved having someone new to play Play-dough with. Brendan I and both appreciated the conversations about literature.

G'day Brian, yes, four photo albums, not counting the 300 digital photos we took (so I like photos, ok? Get over it!) :)

Hi Patty in Brisbane

Thanks for your message. I hope it was four albums, not just four photos! ;-)

Seriously, though, it's good that we can put our sporting rivalry aside (you are in the Bi-Nations with NZ, we are in the try-Nations...) and bring the world closer together.

But then, Ramon is seeding all of this. Hey Ramon, did anyone ever tell you that you are achieving a huge amount more than you may realise? It's true. You are doing an incredible job.

sala kahle, each of you

Brian


Name: Allen Bettis
City, Country: Spring, Texas U.S.A.
Sent: 11.07 PM - 8/6 2002

Hey Ramon!

I can't wait till you come to Spring, Texas. If you need any assistance getting here let me know.

Compliments for Margot for that story in the Cairns Post as posted on the front page of your website. Loved that radio piece of you in Perth. Opening eyes and mind!

Ramon, it sounds like your break back home will arrive just in time. Enjoy your last month down under.

I think it does not matter, what the cheese country of the world is. I just found it very nice of Rod to offer cheese and bratwurst...and helping out to get a visa for the USA!

...and I am European also.

Cheers
Chris

I might just buy into this debate a little.

If you have had Ramon to stay with you, you will realise the enormous stress he carries with him everyday. He can't really relax - he's in the middle of a fairly significant project that has a certain momentum - and he knows better than anyone does what it takes to maintain this momentum. Even when he's 'relaxing', he's still working on his plans: reading emails/invites, worrying about his next lift, sponsors, columns in newspapers back home, is his mobile charged up enough, what is the public thinking, how should he construct his project in the coming months... etc. etc! On top of that, of course, he still has to be a person and a guest. But, he has to do this everyday, because his 'work' is not a Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-5 job. He can't leave his work at the office. I even wonder whether he sleeps very well most nights, because his body and mind and pretty stressed and fatigued. Plus he is pushing himself to the max, as is his nature. No wonder some back troubles have caught up with him!

A couple of years ago, I traveled through SE Asia for 6 months with my wife. It was tough going sometimes, but even we got tired of being on the road everyday. We took a couple of small breaks, but somedays were just tough! And we had the BIG difference of being able to share the workload associated with constantly travelling, finding accommodation, food and transport. Let alone being bothered to enjoy the moments in between! Ramon rarely has the luxury of 'taking a day off' - each guest expects (and deserves, however) their due respect and reward for their donation towards Ramon's project. The difficulty, I believe, lies in the 'daily' and 'ongoing' nature of the project. Staying only for a day is perhaps fine for a few months or even up to a year if someone is superhuman, but Ramon's project has been going on longer than that. Is the nature of the project sustainable for so long? Ramon has had some small 'breaks' of sorts (e.g. a pretty isolated couple of days in the resort in N. Queensland), which I don't think he enjoyed much at all - he is a people person, a citizen of the world. So just 'getting away from it all' probably won't do it for him. I'm sure most of his hosts try to make it as comfortable for him as possible, but this won't take away most of the things he still has to do/organise/worry about. The stress is constant (sure, with peaks and troughs), and no wonder he is fatigued.

Another difficulty is that there is little point in travelling just for the sake of it. If an increasing amount of time is spent looking after the basic needs of a journey, leaving little time or energy to actually enjoy it (and let's face it, he's been through/to some pretty amazing places where we'd all love to go - some would say he owes it to himself and all those who can't travel to enjoy it), then it's time to call it quits for a while. Take stock. Think about something else than letmestayforaday.com. That’s probably the only real way to take a break and get his mind off things. Destress. Be at home. Chill out. But this is Ramons call - it’s his project, and he knows himself best. Nobody has the right to tell him what he should or shouldn't to (except perhaps his Mum - where is Mrs Stoppelenburg telling him to come home?) - all we can do is provide some advice, encouragement and support. And not give him a hard time. Ramon is well aware of his public responsibilities and duties - this is exactly one of the things that stresses him out. Nobody should think they can 'rescue' him by offering him a break, because it just isn't possible at the moment. He's not even the type of person to take such a break/'get away from it all'. Better for him to rally for the last month, do his best, get home and then sleep for a month (with the phone off the hook!)

Hope this helps.