Better rise than fall in love
 

The title is my philosophy, falling always hurt, especially if it is in love. I feel I am rising in love for the Segway.
I am born in the Netherlands, left at 17 on trips to New York and around the world working on a cruise ship. Got involved with a Swedish girl and lived in Sweden 5 years. Understood real cold weather and decided I did not like it at all. Then started my European travels and North Africa, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, and the Middle East. It was long before the ugly mess that America created there and I hitch hiked (without a penny to my name) happily through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Lived a few years in Amsterdam and inherited just enough to go south again, this time to Greece where I became yacht skipper. Three years later I got my own 36 foot sailing ketch and sailed the whole Mediterranean, , through the Suez canal the Red Sea and back West ward through the Straight of Gibraltar into the Atlantic. Was ocean sailing teacher for a German sailing school and earned enough to stock up and cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean. Sailed all the islands from Tobago to the Virgins and from Martinique to Margarita Venezuela. Settled down on the dual national island Saint Martin/Sint Maarten in 1989 and became goldsmith after my ex split with the money from the sale of the boat. I have my gold workshop for casting and refining low karat gold into pure gold still today. For ten years i was a biker in the sun on my 450 Rebel Honda. The gold price has gone up so much that I am almost out of work now and survive through my wealthy friends donations! After being hit by a drunk driver in 1999 December I walk very difficult and have bad days but the prospect of getting a Segway keeps me looking to the future with hope.
Later more, I'll answer any question.

This managed to irritate me. Way to introduce yourself.

that's a lot of traveling. welcome to a new place to travel to on the net.

DaveA,
Sorry you get irritated, but had you known the friendly hospitality and generosity of the people in the Middle East of my time you would agree that now there is an ugly mess, created by greed and violence, war and destruction. Now You can not travel there (not even on a Segway) as I did hiking on my own two legs; and That irritates Me.

Ditto. Too bad an ugly American is the guy who invented the item that seems to give you hope.

I seem to remember reading in books about how America made that place what it is... Let's see, the Bible was one, as well as the Koran, and several others... And we know that America is the reason that Iraq invaded it's neighbors, and why Iraq and Iran had that long war...

It seems to me that throughout recorded history, there have been great things, and horrific things in the middle east. It is short sighted to blame that situation on one country.

My guess is that it was not too friendly a place to be on the border of Iraq and Kuwait around 1990.

Everyone, lets get back on topic. (New Member Introductions thread).

Feel free to debate in Off Topic regarding the politics of the Middle East, and the West, but please do not hijack this thread.

Thank you,
Sal

Fair enough. But if the Original Poster brought it up, is it really off topic?

It is nice to see a person who is as well traveled and seems to have had so many careers has come to the conclusion of the value of segways the same way that so many of us have...

I am not using it because I am disabled, but I too love the segway. It has a great range of uses, and is a lot of fun to use to boot!

By the Way...
 

... welcome CaptainZen...

(IMHO, off topic to the forum title. Many threads in the past have been moved to the "off topic" forum because they strayed from the original post).

-Sal

CaptainZen,

Welcome, please excuse the somewhat rude welcome from others in the group.

You will find there are a few folks here that although would fight and die for your right to say whatever you please, will still argue the points you make.

Welcome and hope you rise-in-love with your Segway when it arrives.

Dreaming of Civilization
 

Cool reactions here! To stay on topic, I always seem to stir up a little storm in forums when introducing myself, I think too far out of the box maybe.
That the wonderful Segway is invented in the same country that abuses its awesome military power is fine with me. I am very happy for the invention of the Segway but very sorry for the pain and suffering the military brings.
Civilization has not happened yet. Our world is not even in its infancy concerning civilization. We live in a barbaric world where religions breed hate and trouble. I see the military as a super religion, under which all other religions let the devil in command. That is why I am secular, that is: without any religion.
How wonderful would the world be if there was none of it! If all could respect one another and share the riches of creation! And glide Segways!
I know the solution to world prosperity and peace; it is global birth control. Before that happens I will have done many a mile on my future Segway.