Land of the unlimited possibilities ?

After 10.000 kilometres the Yamaha needs some maintenance. Not much, but with all the stuff that it is carrying for a journey like this, it's quite a piece of work and including blabbering with passing people it just takes the whole day. In lack of a place to tinker I start early in the morning on the pavement of the little hotel I'm staying at. Just when I turn out a plug to let the oil run out of the frame Danilo, a cool Italian, comes around for a chat. I don't pay attention very well and the oil spurts out of the bike, going every place except the right place. It is a terrible mess and it leaves an oil spot of 2 square metres. Bloody bloody }~s-…! We start running with newspapers, plastic bags, clothes from the lost and found and nervously burst out laughing. When a policeman comes around now, you need to have quite a story to explain that you are not changing the oil, and we're not such close friends already… If all is nice and tidy again, the man in blue comes to check the scene. They have been tipped off by someone who told them that we were causing an environmental disaster. In our worst English we lie as hard as we can and they don't believe much of it. Half the motor is spread over the pavement so it is no use sending us away. All together I've saved up fines for 1.000 guilders and even have to appear in court on the 26th of September in Nevada. But on that date I have other appointments…


The land of unlimited possibilities has its limitations. The democracy they think so highly of, is often more appearance than reality and is, just like in Holland, often criticized. Democratic dictatorship would sound more appropriate. The police is very obviously present everywhere and take defensive action for even the smallest offence. For driving to close behind a police car (how do you measure that?) I was stopped by a young police officer, coming straight from his body building class, his rudeness was as big as his muscles. To get a beer you have to be 21 and show your passport everywhere. On the other hand you can drive a car when you're 16 and there are weaponstores everywhere. A left-over of the Wild West ? In spite of the strict policy, drugs is very visible present and with Mexico, one of the biggest exporters of the world, around the corner, it's and endless and hopeless job stopping it. The many homeless, so obviously present here in California, that I speak have a minimal existence and are treated like dirt by the official authorities. The gap between rich and poor is really a disgrace. Because of the international Big Brother politics a course of "dancing to their tune" is forced upon many countries. The election of mr. Bush probably won't do much good to that and is observed disapprovingly by many Americans. Of course my judgement is coloured because I am born in our little liberal Holland and understand that generalizing is the hydrochloric acid of objectivity.

On Tuesday, September 11th I leave for Mexico. The frontier is closed because of the bombardment on Twin Tower and after 2 hours I give up. Later on, back in the little hotel I see the unbelievable extent of the disaster in New York. It goes completely beyond my imagination. I cannot help thinking about the lonely minutes of people, knowing that they're your last minutes. Many people watch TV dejectedly, flag are half-mast high, discussions everywhere. Power, fanaticism, fundamentalism and hate bring out the worst in people and this is one of the most bitter examples of it. And isn't it usually so that the ordinary people are to suffer for it ? The policymakers of the fighting parties are usually high and dry, enjoying their wine, caviar and women, in the meantime making more plans. Terrorism and legal terrorism, that we often nicely call politics, are the cancer of our society an it will never be really alright.

In spite of those negative thoughts, this country with its beautiful National Parks, the frankness of the often uncomplicated Americans and the enormous dimensions left quite an impression on me…