Because Eelco is from 1976 and i’m from 1980 we have experienced the same kind of pop-music in our youth. Although we also like contemporay music,  every once in a while we have a nineties-hour.

While at work we share the same floor with other people. At time they have listen to the oldest hits we have, as loud as possible

This kind of music ofcourse needs to be shared with our American soon to be friends. That’s why we are compiling a playlist with all our 1990 - 1996 hits.

Some artists we already have: 2 Unlimited, 2 Brothers ont he 4th floor, Vengaboys, The underdog Project, Twenty 4 Seven, Sylver, Snap, Scooter, Robyn, The Prodigy, The Party Animals, Moby, Milk Inc., Mc Sar & The Real McCoy, Mark ‘Oh, Magic Affair, Lasqo, Gigi d’Agostini, Dj Bobo, Def Dames Dope, Captain Hollywood Project and Ace of Base.

What are we missing?
Please help us complete our playlist.

Below is the newest version of our travel map. Since the route wasn’t long enough we’ve added some POI’s We also updated the itinerary, i’ll put that online later in the Route section above.

Great news! We have received the sales agreement of the Buick Roadmaster and we have got the pictures! So, as promised, here they are. The color is called Bergundy. In the Netherlands we would call it ‘Bordeaux-rood’ i think. Now we really know in what car we are going to make this stunning trip. What a car!

It is ugly and big, has a strange exterior-color and the red interior is even worse, but we love it.

Some nice details on the pictures:

- The missing hubcap at the left rear wheel of the car. But no problem, we have some connections to replace them all Hubcaps.com is even offering nice chrome ones.

- The great black front of the car. Pretty agressive for such a slow, big, 2700kg heavy car
- The enormous boot, we are wondering if all our bags will fit

- (We think there is) some damage on the leftside of the car, the damage on the right is just the mirroring of the car next to ours. We will try to have the damage repaired before we arrive in Miami.

- The beautiful large and wide rear of the car with the big breakinglights. Some people behind us will be blinded.

- The backseat of the car are 2 real seats! There is more luxury and space than a limousine :-). To bad, no one will ever sit in the back of the car

- And OMG, we need sunglasses for the color of the leather…

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As you all know, unfortunatly, I have never been to the US. So this amazing trip will be my first familiarisation with the most powerfull country of the last centuries. I’m really looking forward to this trip, but let me tell you why.

First of all, i drink a lot of Coca Cola every day. You might say i’m pretty addicted. No Coca Cola Light, Lemon, Pepsi or whatever for me. Just regular Coca Cola. I think I have an average usage of 2 liters per day, but when there is a good movie, formula 1 or soccer on tv, it can be much more. Than i’ll drink a 2 litre bottle during a movie

In the Netherlands 2 litres of Coke a day is considered a lot. I know it’s not good for my stumach, but i don’t drink alcohol and i don’t use any kind of drugs, so let me have one bad habbit. Well, two, if possible. I like a cigarette at the time also, but not for long. I’m planning to stop in short while, when i receive the key of my new, beautiful house. So, only because i don’t eat that much, i’m not overweight :-). As i have been told 2 litres is nothing in the US. A medium coke at the McDonalds is a litre

Second of all, i like big cars. The bigger, the better! I drive myself around in a nice 2,5 litre 6 cilinder new BMW Coupe, which i’m very happy with. But, when i used to work as a car salesman for BMW and Mini automobiles, the most beautiful engine i have ever driven is the 4.4 litre V8 engine from the BMW 540i, 740i an X5 4.4i. Not only because of the power it’s producing, but maybe more because of the sound the engine makes. Especially when you start this car. First you will hear a high scream which results in a mighty, low roar. Great

But, unfortunatly, it is almost impossible to drive a V8 Engine in my country. It’s because of the strange, extraordinary, and i might say stupid, high taxes we pay here. Let me summarize the stupidity of the Dutch government about their way of bullying the automobile-lover in the Netherlands.

Let pick a nice normal V8 car: a standerd BMW X5 4.8i. For example, this car will cost € 97.350,– ($ 143.367,–). In the US the same car will cost $ 55.275,– (€ 37.533,–). Most of the differences are caused by the Dutch government. € 40.529,– is the tax you pay to the Dutch government to own this car. If you think you are ready to drive then, you are wrong. You also have to pay roadtax (€ 283,– per month) and an extra income-tax (25% of the bruto sales price of € 97.350 = €24.338 x your income tax-scale about 50% = € 12.338 = more than a € 1.000 a month!!). If you think that’s it, you are mistaken. Because, you have to buy fuel. For a litre we pay € 1,55. In comparising, in the US, i think you pay $ 2,20 per gallon. That means a 58 dollarcent a litre, wich is € 0,39 per litre. So, being able to drive a nice car is much easier in the US.

Those are only two reasons why the United States of America seems pretty perfect to me. The country where everything is big, where you can drive a huge V8 or even bigger engine without being punished by the government. The US has the skyscrapers, bling bling, the biggest movie-s(tars), donuts, the biggest shopping malls, and a very service oriented economy. I like that!

And, what also helps, the Dollar is pretty cheap at the moment in comparising with the Euro…

We have a car for our trip! It has everything that we wanted from a car: a strong and big V8 engine, a real American muscle car. The winner is : a Buick Roadmaster 5.7Litre V8 Sedan.

Our car-salesman Mike helped us very well and while i am typing this log he is making up the sales agreement. Eelco and I are very happy with this deal. On monday we will return the agreement by fax and will try to get this beautiful car insured!

Well, beautiful? It’s American, let’s put it like that. Let me tell you some nice things to know about a Buick Roadmaster. Our car is build in 1992 and looks like this.

This is not our car because we don’t have any pictures yet. Mike will send it to us on monday or tuesday, then we can show it to you. A ‘92 Buick Roadmaster has a 5.7 litre engine and give us a lot of horsepower. i can’t tell you right now how much, because wikipedia shows different specifics. Some say it has 180HP and somewhere else it said thats it has 300 HP. Probably it will be something in between.

Some extra details: the car has a 4 speed automatic gearbox, has leather in the same colour as the exterieur of the car (some kind of mix between brown and red), it has a wheelbase of 2,94 meters, has a lenght of 5, 48 meters and width of 1,95 meters. You might say it is a big car

But, we are not partying to early. We are sure of everything if we have the signed sales agreement ánd an insured car… But all of that should be done within a week.

Untill then, for you, and for ourself, some nice pictures of a ‘92 Buick Roadmaster in our colour.