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May 13, 2008 Dečin Our worst nightmare has happen. This afternoon we had a major accident.
John is in the hospital with a double fracture on his ankle.
Waiting for an operation in the morning. Aysha and Isabella are all right. Vienna too. The caravan is total loss.
This is where we are:
Click on the links inside the Table and read more about our adventures. (some of the links gives you additional information from Amazon.com)
Read more about our first trip from the Netherlands to Hungary (1600 miles)
route2008
| March17-2008 | Bakonybank | 6 | | The first trip from Lázi (Hungary) | | 18 | Alsóvasdinnye puszta | 15 | | On a big meadow. Offered coffee by Andras and Agnes after a slow travel. | | 19 | Kisigmánd | 19 | | Close to the cemetry. With oat, sausages and alcohol in the morning. | | 20 | Hadovce (Slovakia) | 18 | | Our first spot in Slovakia. The neighbours baked some pancakes for us. | | 21 | Kolárovo | 18 | | On a camping. The owner didn't want us to pay. | | 22-23 | Neded | 19 | | Eastern! The woman who showed us the spot came back later with Goulash. | | 24 | Sal'a | 15 | | A small spot next to a garage. Also spirits in the morning. | | 25 | Szered | 16 | | A bit strange spot at the border of a big city.
Lots of rubbish besides the spot.Ugh! | | 26 | Trnava | 17 | | On the meadow in front of a factory.
Between truckdrivers. | | 27-28 | Smolenice | 23 | | A big empty spot between houses.
Loads of kids, we let them ride Aysha and Isabella.
Neighbours Josef and Lidia have done ourlaundry! Good people | | 29-30 | Buková | 15 | | On the sloop of a big lake after a hard day of work in the Slovakian landscape. | 31
| LaksárskaNová Ves | 18 | | Close to a ridingschool, under construction | | this month | 200 | 2427 km | |
April
1-2 | Sastín-Stráze | 14 | | Behind a farm at the end of a small village. At last also an Internetcafé! | | 3 | Kuty | 12 | | On a big spot between houses. The owner asking us when we leave. He is very friendly and two hours later he brings 20 kilo oat. An other neighbours brings in hay and two jerrycans water and two coffee!. We are surrounded with little kids and we practice the Slovakian language. Very funny and lots of laughs. | | 4-5 | Breclav (Czech Republic) | 18 | | Our first place in Czech. We need some campingsupplies and a new way for mobil Internet access during our stay in Czech.This city is big enough to have it all. We find an "autocamping", the owner opens it, especcialy for us. | | 6 | Ladna | 5 | | A man stopped us on the road, inviting to his friends ranch. never had such an unespected invitation, turning into an very exciting afternoon, on a foal breeder ranch. | | 7 | Hustopeče | 18 | | City camping and hotel. In the hope we can do our laundry. Bad luck. The hotel-owner immidiatly calls a journalist. Pictures are made, with us and the hotel at the background on request of the hotel owner. We have to pay full price accomodation, next morning! Maybe we have to read this e-Book to learn something! | | 8 | Syrovice | 19 | | Between farms on a private playground. Lovely family, we can stay on the kids playground. Breakfast in the morning! | | 9-10 | Strelice | 12 | | With a wonderfull host, Jan, who take care of the horses when we play tourist in Brno. Jan's neighbours Radic, Dana, Petra, son Radic and Katrina drinking beer and talking to us. Nice people, to remember. Loads of compliments about the horses condition. John who works hard for that, is very proud. | | 11 | Ostrovacice | 21 | | A very difficult driving day. Large rolling hills. The last one we don't take (12 % up-hill) It's not mentioned on our map. Tomorrow we try another route or we have to arrange help. | | 12-13 | Zbraslav | 15 | | Very steep hills, at last we are on 520 meters height! However the horses are wonderfull. So are the fooks inviting us in their garden after a rough day on Czech roads. | | 14 | Jivovi | 24 | | In the middle of the villagecenter on childrens playground. We assure them we only stay for one night. | | 15-16-17 | Ždár nad Sázavou | 29 | | On the lawn of hotel/restaurant Grunt. The city Ždár nad Sázavou is situated on the river Sazava at 580 meters height. The hotel owner has horses herself. The horses, and we, are in need for some "vacation". In this hotel we have free access to internet, and the time for some surprisingly reflection. | | 18 | Űdavy | 22 | | Behind a Pub, not much grass but enough for one night. On our lunchplace an enthousiastic Hafling breeder. "Do he know where to buy a mineral-stone for the horses?". In the evening he delivers one at the carriage! We pay him and off he goes again. | | 19 | Medlešice | 30 | | Behind a flowerstore. Horses on a dumpyard but with good grass. For almost an hour, followed by a photographer from the local newspaper. | | 20-21 | Srnojedy (Pardubice) | 23 | | The Hippodrome racecourse asks 60 Euro to stay there. That's beyond our reach. They give instead hay for free to take with us. The things we experience? You never know...... | | 22 | Selmice | 28 | | In the backyard on a horse trainings field | | 23 | Veltruby (Kolin) | 24 | | In front of a factory. Truck noises in the morning | | 24-25-26 | Podebrady | 12 | | On a camping. We need a postaddress to receive post from home.Everywhere we see the Harbinger of Spring | | 27-28-29-30 | Rozkos (Kostomlaty nad Labem) | 11 | | On a farm from famous Dutch Alle Loman a champion Sulky racer, well-known in Czech because he is racing for The Netherlands as well for this country. We have an article about him inthe upcomming World Cup of Amateur Racing
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | This month: | 337 | 2964 | Total |
| May 1-2-3 | Rozkoš (Kostomlaty nad Labem) | - | 2964- | More about a horse drawn vehicle, and Sulky racer Alle Loman. We also get the chance to visit Prague city with our kids. Our daughter was lucky when she lost her drivers licence a friendly man gave it back. However this Czech Republic Prague article about safety tips can be useful. We didn't have any problems:
This Prague city has stolen our heart! | | 4 | Stará Boleslav | 21 | 21 | At the front of an autodealer | | 5-6-7 | Melnik | 22 | 22 | On a city camping (pleasantly clean showers and toilets!) At last some time for "leisure activity".
We also meet Jan. A young Czech man, coming up with special Travel Opportunities | | 8 | Záluži | 25 | 25 | Near the river labe. This morning the police checked our papers. Every thing all right. | | 9-10 | Brozani Nad Ohri | 15 | 15 | On a camping again because we are in need of a blacksmith. The way we find addresses, this horse drawn journey stops on the road asking some people and get the answers in Dutch!! | | 11 | Lovosice (Usti nad Labem) | 19 | 19 | On a Yaghtcub. The owner offers us a shower and brings two cold sizzling beers to the caravan. Cheers! | | 12 | Ústě nad Labem | 30 | 30 | Near the Labe. Ústě nad Labem is a big city with a train crosspoint, trolley bus lane and the approch road to the highway into Germany. Loads of trucks behind and next to us till we reach the more quiet road. | | 13 | Decin | 25 | 25 | Accident | | 14 | Decin | - | - | After the accident | | 15 | Ústě nad Labem | - | - | Another hospital, waiting for further action. Arrangements about travel insurance keeping us busy. | | 16 | Ústě nad Labem | - | - | Action: A Dutchambulance, picks the both of us up. Home on saterday. | | 17 | Netherlands | - | - | Finally a Dutch Hospital. The plaster is removed and at last treatment for John's ankle. However still no operation. We are send home waiting till his ankle is more or less normal. We are making plans for the near future.
Aid and Assistance We receive hug amounts of emails with encouragement after the accident. We can’t tell you how much it helps reading this emails. Returning email question is a donation button on our website. Aim of telling you about the accident was, and is, not to collect money but to inform everybody reading our blog. However, we admit that we are facing a big financial challenge bringing back the horses and organizing our life. Thea and John Verhoeckx 
For every donation received we give our E-Book back in return, just to say:THANK YOU!
| | 18 | Netherlands | - | - | Back to the hospital.X-ray shows that John needs new plaster again. | | 19-20 | Netherlands | - | - | If everything goes thedoctor wants John get his operation Wednesday May 28. | | 21-22-23 | Czech | - | - | Hours and hours of talking, planning and after 100-1 ideas we decide to leave the Caravan in Czech. Only personal stuff we pick up. Not a happy journey back to Czech! | | 24-25-26 | Netherlands | - | - | We staying at our family. Organizing our life again. | | 27 | Tilburg Netherlands | - | - | Admission into the hospital | | 28 | Tilburg Netherlands | - | - | John on the operation table. It did not come up to our expectations.We hoped for an outpatient treatment but now John has to stay for another week in the hospital. | | 31 | Tilburg Netherlands | - | - | The effect on John's ankle is much worse than we thought. A big wound on each side on the ankle and an open wound on top of his feet. Eight screws in total and a metal plate attached to the bone. In the future maybe a skin-transplantation to cover the upper-wound. We both are very depressed after this message. | | this month | 132 | 3096 | total |
| June , 1-2-3-4 | Waalwijk (Netherlands) | - | - | A new hospital. Close to the place we live: Kerkdriel. | | 5-6 | Kerkdriel | - | - | Three weeks after the accident we have life changing decisions to make | | 7 | Kerkdriel | - | - | John is home from the hospital. Not alloud to walk, not even with crutches! Only a wheelchair so he can keep his leg up. Together again.
Also surprisingly, amazing, confusing news from Czech. More about that later. Now we have to celebrate John's homecoming....... | | 8 | Kerkdriel | - | - | Not only news about equestrian transport!......muchmore news! | | 9-10-11 | Kerkdriel | - | - | We are in the process of bringing back the horse drawn caravan. Petr from Czech repaired it and now we need transport. Old friends are searching for possibiltities. Its heartwarming and overwjhelming the help we recieve.
Good News: Aysha and Isabella are back home!!! maybe we see them this weekend. | | 12 | Tilburg | | | Major setback:
After a routine control in the hospital the surgeon is telling the bad news. John needs another operation. He has an inside infection where the metalplates are fixed on his ancle. He is back in the hospital for another week with an antibiotic drip. We hope for the best. | | 13 | Tilburg | - | - | The operation went well. The wound is clean now. John is in a low mood however, making the best of it again. I brought his notebook and my hero is at work again!
Aysha and Isabella are doing well . Because of Johns operation we can't see them yet. | | 14-15 | Tilburg/Kerkdriel | - | - | After examination and the bacterial culture results John needs antibiotic through a drip for the next two weeks. He stays in the hospital. | | 16-17 | Tilburg/Kerkdriel | - | - | John's positive attitude and humor in life carries him through the day. Not to forget viewing the European Soccer Tournement. | | June 30 | Rosmalen | - | - | Mind Boggling events within three days. Our Horse Drawn Vehicle is Back in Holland.
The Haflinger Hurdle is complete again.
We moved into our new home!
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UTS Wiersma Leeuwarden
Back to our route when we traveled in 2007
End of Maps, back to horse drawn caravan Homepage
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