Indonesië

Bergen aan Zee 

Hi Maurits,

I just added Route 77: A Journey Beyond the Horizon into the Memoir & Travel Adventure discussion group on Goodreads because I truly admire how you have approached the story of a life lived across continents, cultures, and faiths. Your book didn't just inform me; it changed how I think about what it means to search for meaning when the ground beneath you shifts, and how the road itself can become a kind of home.

One thing stopped me, and I suspect few people notice it. You were born in Indonesia, but when you were thirteen years old, your father died. That loss was a "spiritual earthquake" that sent you searching. You traveled the world as a hippie, worked on a kibbutz in Israel, and eventually landed in India. There, a Christian family took you in for seven weeks, gave you clothes, food, shelter — and a Bible. Your host challenged you to investigate whether Jesus was the truth or the greatest liar. That investigation changed everything. You became, in your own words, a "Bible junkie". That is not a career highlight. That is a confession. A wound. A choice you made in a foreign land to open a book and let it rewrite your entire life.

You wrote this book for the person who has spent years searching for something they cannot name, the one who has traveled, moved, changed jobs, changed countries, and still feels a quiet restlessness they cannot shake. But right now, those readers who need Route 77 the most  have not yet found it. They are searching for "memoirs about finding faith through travel" or "stories of transformation and self-discovery" late at night, after another day of wondering if they will ever find what they are looking for, in a quiet room where no one can see them questioning everything. And they do not know your book is the answer.

Sophie Friedman

Route 77: A Journey Beyond the Horizon Kindle Edition

'A journey begins in the exotic lands of Indonesia, where a young Maurits Tompot takes his first breath. But fate has other plans, and Maurits faces his first challenge with the sudden loss of his father. As he navigates the twists and turns of life, Maurits discovers his eureka moment in the spiritual land of India. Join Maurits on his captivating journey, as he shares stories of love, loss, and self-discovery. From his role as custodian of the historic Saint John's Church to his passion for art and writing. With Route 77, Maurits takes you on a thrilling adventure, both physical and metaphysical. Get ready to embark on a transformative journey with the author and discover the secrets and surprises that await on Route 77. Where will it end?'