Ex-Psychiatrist seeks celibate companions for tour.

A retired Psychiatrist turned cycle-tourist, I'm currently planning a world tour, leaving Germany in summer 2016. The route is largely decided upon, although I'm allowing for variation. Companionship from individuals or small groups for stages of the tour is welcomed. I will contribute approximately half towards your costs (food, visas, accommodation, repairs etc) in exchange for company and moral support. [Note: flights and purchase of bikes or accessories won't be funded.]

There is one strict condition, at the request of my wife (who will remain in Germany): you must have a history of celibacy. This is owing to an unfortunate and embarrassing situation on my last tour (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic) in which myself and a male travel companion became rather too familiar.

I'm particularly interested in those with an interesting life story to tell.

If you don't mind, initially there will be an assessment with me by telephone, lasting about 30 minutes. Please contact me by message or post below in the forum and I'll get back to you.

The headline should have read ........Potential phsychiatric patient seeking attention.

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Needless to say, those with bigoted attitudes towards marginalised sections of society - including the "phsychiatric patient" (sic) - would not make for ideal touring companions.

If you think my request for travel buddies to be celibate invalidates my listing, you might well be among the lucky ones who've not had travel itineraries altered and relationships back home damaged from the consequences of very human actions resulting from a build up of unexpressed emotional tension. Your lack of understanding on the rationale behind my requirements clearly suggests a poverty of insight on this particular issue.

This may be a somewhat unusual request but our Community Guidelines still apply.

KEEP IT RESPECTFUL. Lonely Planet is proud of hosting a global community that embraces different cultures, faiths, attitudes and points of view. Please be respectful of this.

OP, as a new member of the forum, you probably don't appreciate that there is a long and interesting history of trolling on this forum where posts somewhat similar to yours appeared. So when anything a little unusual turns up, people tend to assume its a troll.

The route is largely decided upon... I will contribute approximately half towards your costs... my wife... celibate

You're the psychiatrist, what do you think about what it would feel like to be on the other side of such an arrangement? I think most people would find it very creepy. I've often had holidays with people of very different income level from me, and my experience is that you just can't subsidise people: they may be happy to accept the occasional special treat you pay for, but at a basic level things need to be financially equitable as a foundation for mutual respect. In the 19th century, upper class ladies used to have Paid Companions, but today even boy/girlfriends can often be unwilling to find themselves subsidised companions. I've known one case where a relationship broke up over that. It is always possible you'll find a sponger, spongers exist, but if you find one of those you are probably the one who'll feel exploited.

Even if you were asking for tour companions on a more conventional basis, it is actually very difficult to find companions for long tours, or sections of one. The previous tour you had probably worked precisely for the reason that upset your wife. Most long term touring cyclists have very personal ways of doing things and get disturbed trying to adapt to someone else, unless there is an emotional reason to motivate adaptation. When I was on my long tour, I occasionally met people on the road, and we rode for a while with each other. I think in every case we were both grateful the companionship wasn't going to last any longer. The longest lasted 4 days.

Is Striker back???

Strange the OP talks about leaving Germany and that his wife will stay in Germany BUT he lists his home country as the UK and is currently in the UK.

Do I smell a rat??

Seems like it. There's more strangeness in the post than you mentioned. Don't feed the rat and maybe it will go away.

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