The World is Calling

Today, let's rewind to the beginning of our story. 

How it all started, a few tips, and our first stops with the camper on our Europe trip.

With broad grins on our faces and unbelievably good spirits, we set off with the campervan towards freedom. 

Of course, we sang the silliest classics like "Eisgekühlter Bommerlunder" and the weirdest rap songs loudly in the car.

Who doesn't know that?

And that's exactly how it is. Without any time limit or knowing where we'll be next week, Max and I started our big adventure again.

But this time, together.

Back then...

I remember as if it were yesterday, returning from my big trip to New Zealand and moving to Braunschweig. I settled into my new job well, and my chic maisonette apartment gradually got more furniture. Somewhere in between, I met Max. Full of zest for life. He enchanted me right from the first meeting. We went hiking together in the Harz Mountains, ate campfire bread in a cave, and shooting stars streaked across the sky above us. How romantic!

Just three meetings later, Max asked me if I wanted to come along. Come along on the big European trip with his camper.

,,ABSOLUTELY!“ ,

was clearly my answer.

A lot of euphoria set in. 

But wait.

What about my apartment? My job?? My friends? My family? All my stuff?

Emotional turmoil.

This time, I had firmly decided to stay longer in Germany!! No way. Life always seems to turn out differently than you think. Okay. A thousand imagined worst-case scenarios later, I was determined to go. Overhaul life and leave everything behind for a complete stranger. 

A little tip, on how I managed to overcome my fears more easily:

Write down the worst-case scenario,,

so the worst that could happen in your case.

If it's worse than you could bear - Let it go! But I promise you, in most cases, there's a solution!

One of my 1,000 worst-case scenarios, for example, was:

,,Max and I could have a big fight in the camper during the trip, and then I'll be without an apartment, without a job, and without my stuff!!“

So then I thought about what steps would be necessary to make this negative, "possible" event turn out as well as possible. 

Without an apartment : 

Okay, I'd always get accommodation. In the worst case, I can definitely stay with my family or friends 100%.

Then I could just look for a new apartment!

Without a job: 

Okay, I'd always get a job too. But whether it's a good one? Whether I'll like the team then?

Well, Janet, maybe not, but maybe it's even better, and if not, just find a completely different job!

Without stuff: 

Okay, I guess there are some savings for that, right? Just buy new stuff - or even better, look on eBay and get half of it for free. And let's be honest: How much stuff do you really use? I had 1,000 dresses, shoes, and maybe I only looked at 1/10 of them. So I sold all my excess stuff and even got a lot of money for it!

Tada, there's the increase in savings! 

Turn negatives into positives. Somehow it always works out. Except if you don't really want it or if there's something more meaningful to you. Which is totally okay too!

Many people often say to me:

"I'd love to do that too." "Just travel the world and leave everything behind.".“

Not true. Because then you would do it.

Apparently, something else is still the focus for you (the security of money? A steady income? Your daily exercise? Your family? Your friends? Your routine? Your overall security? Who knows, who knows. But goals change, and it's never too late to start. No matter what dream you have. Write it down and find steps to get closer to your goal! Because that's what life is all about: Living. Leben.

"Close your eyes and go for it!"

Ten years ago, I would have thought everyone was crazy if they told me that one day I would see Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, South America, and so many other countries. So many times I left my normal, safe, routine life behind me, and every time I was incredibly afraid. Worst-case scenario. Worst-case scenario. Worst-case scenario! 

Back to the past...

So. I didn't even really know Max. Three meetings? What's that? 

But we were head over heels in love. And when you're in love, you're naive. And being naive isn't always bad! So, with a heavy heart, I quit my beloved apartment, my job, sold my furniture, my clothes, my car - until eventually, I was sleeping on a small water mattress on the bare floor of my apartment. 

Our first stops on the Europe trip...

Okertalsperre & Hahnenklee

Our first stop was the Okertalsperre near Altenau in the Harz Mountains in the Goslar district. Thanks to the beautiful weather, we skated around with our inline skates. Unfortunately, we also noticed the restrictions due to Corona. The restaurant "Der Windbeutel König" was closed and didn't even offer delivery service. What a shame!

However, the sunset and the incredible view from the dam provided us with the necessary comfort.

Kassel – Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe

With the currently "typical April weather," we headed to Kassel. At Max's request, I'll describe the weather a bit more precisely: By typical April weather, I meant a snowstorm accompanied by bright sunshine and cold wind.

The museum, the Löwenburg, and the castle, reachable with hundreds of steps, were just a few of the many highlights of the beautiful park near the city center. It was so beautiful!

Saxon Switzerland

We headed to the Elbe Sandstone Mountains of the Saxon Switzerland National Park. There we hiked to the classic sights. The Bastei is a huge rock formation with a viewing platform that offers a view over the Elbe Valley and the Lusatian Mountain Range.

Next, we climbed the large, rugged rock group "Die Schrammsteine".

But my absolute highlight was the Häntzschelstiege climbing trail. We put on our climbing harnesses and climbed along steep and narrow rock walls. I felt like I was transported into the middle of an adventure movie. It was

Tip:

Buy yourself climbing equipment. It's actually a free activity that Corona hasn't taken away from us yet!

Oh, and be sure to knock your shoes off beforehand!!!

Stuttgart

In Stuttgart, we met two friends of Max who gave us a private tour. For the first time, I was introduced to the so-called

,,Foodsharing“.

Translated, this means "sharing food." In a small storage room, groceries from large supermarkets or private households are made available to everyone for free. This serves to prevent major food waste. The products are no longer suitable for sale due to overproduction or expiration dates for the companies. But residents also like to add something from their overly full refrigerator.

How often do we throw away food when we could make someone else happy?

Luckily, it had just been restocked, so we happily nibbled on our delicious pretzel snack.

We often used the app: ,,Too Good To Go“

This is an app for your phone where various restaurants offer their "unsold" food. It's just too good to throw away, and believe me, we had huge portions of sushi, fresh pizza, delicious bowls, and 1000 other great dishes, at one-third of the original price. Just give it a try!

P.S.: Pay attention to the reviews, as you can usually tell in advance whether it's worth ordering there!

Würzburg

Living in the city

From our pitch, we had a direct view over the whole of Würzburg. We stood right in the middle of the vineyards, while the city presented us with a unique light show from above. The next day, we explored the city center. We didn't miss the Residence, Marienberg Fortress, the old Main bridge, the Cathedral, and the pilgrimage church. 

The Bodensee

Pure vacation feeling.

First of all, I have to say that the shape of Lake Constance looks like a floating diver. Because of this, I thought more than once that a diving school was in front of us.

The water is crystal clear, the paths are well maintained, and the flowers bloom brightly on every corner. A typical tourist place, but there are hardly any tourists this year. Often, the streets in the city center were deserted.

When we got some food at the Greek restaurant, the current Corona situation became even clearer. The owner explained to us in his Greek accent that he had been waiting for government support for his restaurant for 6 months already, and due to the pandemic, visitors always stayed away. Desperation spread in his voice. How many people have probably lost their jobs in this crisis? A little sparkle returned to his eyes as he handed us the lovingly prepared food. So now all that's left is hope. .  .

And our hope to still be able to see the world, despite massive limitations, eventually led us to move on to the next small towns, like Konstanz, Sipplingen, Überlingen, Meersburg, Friedrichshafen, and Lindau.

And of course, not everything can go well in every city. After my wonderful crash on the grass, due to my non-existent ability to brake while inline skating, I went home to the camper with a few added abrasions.

But as fate would have it, things continued. Upon my arrival, Max's head was halfway into the trunk of the water system. We can count ourselves lucky that it only flowed into the tub at first. After wringing out the cloths several times, replacing the hose adapter, and tightening the screws, we mastered that too. At least we thought so. The next problem arose. Max used his phone as a light source, and when he closed the trunk, he squished it. Not a big deal, if it weren't for the complete hole in the screen. The nerves were more than frayed. In the meantime, Max's hands started bleeding in various places.

In such a tight space, bad moods tend to escalate together.

What a beautiful day!

Next stop: Switzerland