Finish Line

“We made it!” We have used this sentence after every border crossing, but this time it was extra special. We drove past the ‘Nederland’ sign and headed to Rotterdam over the Erasmus Bridge.

 

We continued on to the Coolsingel and the police escorted us towards the World Trade Center where family, friends and an overwhelming amount of media were waiting for us!

The rest of the day was a blur filled with surprises, amazing moments and wonderful welcomes by very enthusiastic and friendly people.

What’s left to do?

Now that the journey is finished, the real work is just beginning! I have interviewed 8 experts in urban planning in 8 different cities. I need to consolidate this information into a form that makes the information accessible, readable and engaging in order to be able to present this information in my book. This, together with the graphic layout and a critical look at the statements I want to make, will for sure keep me busy in the upcoming months.

How has the experience been?

As an urban planner and insatiable explorer this really was a dream come true. To drive 20,000 kilometers from China to Holland on a road with so much history and culture has just been amazing. I have been thoroughly surprised about the cities that I visited. All the cities had specific identities which I will use as themes in the book.

City	Driver
Wuhan (China)	Densification and Mixed-Use Development
Urumqi (China)	Brownfield Regeneration and Sustainability
Almaty (Kazakhstan)	Public Transportation and Finance
Samarkand (Uzbekistan)	Tourism Development and Planning
Tehran (Iran)	Mobility and Population Growth
Istanbul (Turkey)	Public Consultation and Gentrification
Athens (Greece)	Good Governance and Entrepreneurship
Venice (Italy)	Water, Urban Form and Planning

When can we expect the book?

In early 2015, I expect to have the first draft ready. I am aiming to have the book published in May 2015.

Find out how it all started or relive the experience from the beginning. Check out Maren’s once in a lifetime journey on the Silk Road. (Part 1) (Part 2) (Brand New China)