„Whatever you are searching is searching you!”

4,000 kilometres of inner joy on two wheels. July 2018 … a typical Bruxelles evening, with some clouds in the sky, two friends at the table of a terrace in Place Jourdain. Where, according to Belgians, you can find the best „Frits” – fried potatoes in the world. Just as the Greeks say that Baklava is Greek, the Belgians claim that Frits were fried for the first time in Belgium. And … they really have a passion for them. You will be amazed to see a half an hour queue for a cornet with … nothing but fried potatoes. And a sauce, of course, 6-7 kinds, lucky I did not forget the sauce, because the sauce does everything.

We go back to the two friends … An interesting discussion in Belgium can be accompanied only with a beer. I was about to say a good beer, but beer cannot be other than good in Belgium. If you want to make a ranking and try all the beers, it takes at least a two-year term, and then you have to take it all over because you will certainly not remember which one you liked more.

So, I was with my friend, Calin, on a terrace, enjoying a beer after a long day at work. Even if they start talking about job, motorcycles, cars … men, until they finish the first beer, they talk about life, philosophy … and other interesting topics as the number of beers increases.

On Calin, I have not known him for a long time, but with some people you do not even need a long time to create a „bridge” between the hearts that will allow for another level of communication. Discussing and changing opinions, telling Călin that I feel that every day I receive „messages” and that some I feel to pass them further, he asked me why I do not write a blog. At that moment, in my mind, I also asked myself … WHY NOT? I replied that I do not think that today anyone reads blogs anymore.

„It doesn t matter how many people will read. What’s important is what impact your writing will have, even on just one person! If a single person reads and finds an answer, a help in what you wrote, the mission is fulfilled! „

So, the week was not over and I already had the first article published on the blog. I did not know it was just the first step…

Iasi, September 2018 … Sorinel … „It would be good to collect your blog articles in a book!”

I already had a number of written articles, including the series ” 4000 kilometres of inner joy on two wheels”, so on the end of October, starting from the articles on the blog, I started on this „road”! What’s the result? ” 4,000 kilometres of inner joy on two wheels „. What is it for me?

A physical materialization of an inner experience! It was and it is an act of courage! Courage to expose me, share what I see, what I believe, how I feel, what I live. A form of „soulful exhibitionism,” because I have shown myself to you as I am, „uncovered” by shells.

It was at the time of writing, my way of filling a void of communication that I felt. It is a „yell ” of longing and pain, but also a reappearance of inner joy, joy of the moment, of all that is beautiful in and around us. And last but not least, it’s a love statement.

It is another way of presenting the beauty of my country, Romania, the history and the beauty of the people who lived and live in it.

What is it for some of those who have already read it?

„It’s history, it’s geography … but most is life, searches, experiences and your feelings! At the end, with these you will stay! They are yours and you will have them with you from now on, all your life! „- Mihalache Pavel (My Father)

„Every chapter has in it a” auuu it hurts me! „But also a joy! It is authenticity, sincerity and creativity, all dedicated to one purpose: the fulfilment of love! – Preda Cristina

„The way each title illustrates perfectly what you will  find in the chapter, I really liked it. I was delighted to discover that I was not alone … that I was not the only one looking and trying to see beyond the appearance of things. It is very beautiful and courageous! – Nina

„I liked the book a lot. I could not wait to get home from work to read it. It made me think and helped me by changing my approach. It has even materialized in changing the job immediately after and is very good right now. Thank you! PS: I gave a colleague to read it too! „ – Dana

„4,000 km of inner joy – a way of retrieving, leaving behind the daily routine and returning to its origins. The joy of finding something constructive in any day by day activity! „- Dan

Thank you all who made this book possible! Those who have had a direct contribution are already mentioned in the book and in the rows above. But indirectly, all of you who I met in my life, have had your contribution and thank you.

Thanks to my colleague Richard, who made it possible to translate this book. How? He learned about it and told me he would like to have it even in Romanian. It was the necessary spark to make me translate it, because I wanted my gift for him to be total. Richard, my colleague with whom I spent three years in the same office, from which I learned on live the finnece of English humour. An encyclopaedia of life experiences ready to share at any time, and from which I learned, beyond professional, seeing him together with his wife Pauline, that for love distance can represent anything but never an obstacle.

Special thanks and my brother in law Sebastian, who helped with the printing, editing the covers and the time of his life offered to make it possible for this book appear at the right time!

I thank all those who have given time from their lives to read it. If you want to give me a gift, you can send me a little comment about the book. Criticisms, corrections and different opinions are welcome, because progress is born from different opinions too!!

For all those who want to travel with me by reading the book, I can send it by post. I managed to make it available both in Romanian and English. For details, write to me on the email address you find in the contact.

Ionut MIHALACHE