The bus ride from the airport towards the capital Asunción is what we'll probably remember the most. At every bus stop, people came into the bus one after another to sell something. Some carried a large, woven basket on their shoulder, covered with a white cloth. Inside were either sandwiches, pastries, or drinks. Others proudly displayed their electronic devices or jewelry in front of our faces. Next came the raffle ticket sellers, and lastly, you could buy socks or a new pair of underwear. The fact is: you don't need to go to a store. The stores come to you! We had to giggle a bit when we saw how suddenly all the vendors in this extremely narrow aisle of the bus were standing and struggling to get out again.
For the locals, this seems to be the norm because they were happily shopping here. When you looked out the window, you could see more vendors waving frantically, trying to seize the opportunity to sell their goods.
As we continued, we saw old vehicles loaded with groceries. Often, there were cows, dogs, and chickens in front of every house. The background was lush green due to the many plants. The palm trees were particularly beautiful!
Arriving in Asunción
In Asunción itself, there aren't many tourist attractions. So, a few days here are perfectly adequate. In the center, there are some skyscrapers, and everything is close together. Occasionally, you'll find a small park in between.
Unfortunately, these parks are also (like in Sao Paulo) full of tents where homeless people live... When strolling through the city, you have to be careful not to fall into any pits or stumble over wooden pallets.
The most beautiful thing we found here in Asunción were the sunsets with a view of the entire city.
When it came to restaurants and such, we always had quite a bit of trouble finding something halfway healthy because the food here is often fried, contains a lot of sugar, is very meat-heavy, or the restaurant opening hours didn't match our hunger :D. Overall, there isn't really much action here. So, we were determined to move on. We booked a flight to Chile, as Max knows a very good friend from Germany who is currently a mountain guide there. The rough plan was set. We wanted to participate in tours together, celebrate Christmas with the Chilean family, and explore the beautiful regions. Easier said than done. It took 1000 steps just to book the flight. You have to present a current PCR test, register, make a sworn statement, fill out the health form, have your international health insurance translated into English with high coverage, and finally, validate your vaccination. After a huge amount of time, we finally had everything ready. At least we thought so. When we cheerfully and unsuspectingly stood at the check-in counter with our packed backpacks, we were informed of the following: "Your vaccination validation is still pending. No flight without complete validation." Well, that was it. We telephoned until our fingers were sore to get permission for the flight as quickly as possible. No dice. No chance. Validation can take up to 45 days. Too bad that wasn't apparent on the website! So, our plane flew away along with the 300 euros we paid per person. Bye bye! In a bad mood, angry, and frustrated, we spent the whole day somehow trying to get our money back. This involved hours of phone calls and what felt like years spent in the customer office. But thank goodness! Once again, persistence pays off.(We actually had a tariff in which cancellation was excluded)! A new flight was booked for us with only a small price difference. ‘‘hoffentlich‘‘ Yay! This time, we're "hopefully" going to PERU! The COVID measures there aren't quite as strict. We don't even need a PCR test.
P.s. :
"As a traveler, you can't plan anything. Everything always turns out differently than you think!"
Good to know:
For Paraguay, you need a yellow fever vaccination if you're entering from Brazil (costs about 90 euros)and an antigen test (costs about 20 euros)!
A new backpacking journey begins, this time with only carry-on luggage. Despite that, our backpacks still weigh around 10 kg. That's almost too much again, so you probably shouldn't take us as an example. 11 hours of flight time later, we reached our destination, where it's a warm 30 degrees! Thank goodness for the Uber app here in Brazil, making it quite easy and affordable for us to get from A to B.
Poverty
(Even right in front of the sights, you'll find tents. You can see them on the right side of the picture.)
Already on the drive towards the city center, the total contrast between the Google images and reality became visible. On traffic islands, pedestrian paths, and under bridges, you could see tents of various colors set up, where homeless people live.
In one tent, even a child between the ages of 3 and 5 looked out. Their skin was lightly tanned and covered by a white, spacious undershirt. A few meters away sat an old man with tousled hair, a long beard, and torn, dirt-covered feet. He wore a piece of cardboard attached with a thick string as shoes. It's not uncommon to see people here lying randomly on the ground, wrapped in house carpets or completely covered with gray felt blankets.
In between, a few chickens walked around with their chicks. Occasionally, you'd also see a shaggy dog, and all of this was surrounded by old rags, scraps of garbage, and a few shopping carts. I don't want to know how long it would take for someone to notice that there might be a dead body under one of the carpets or blankets. Just a creepy thought! In the background stood huge skyscrapers covered in graffiti, and old trucks drove on the streets, swirling the smell of gasoline into the air.
Five years ago, São Paulo looked completely different. The extreme poverty is due to the economic crisis, and of course, Corona hasn't made things any better!
Shopping and Eating
Here in São Paulo, you'll find one store after another. There's nothing you can't buy, and everything here is packed in 10 extra bags. REALLY EVERYTHING! They even wanted to put our 5-liter canister in a bag (I highly doubt it would have held).
Moreover, there are restaurants or bars on every corner. And I love the restaurants here! Almost everywhere, you can get a buffet meal with freshly grilled meat, cooked vegetables, fresh salad, typical Brazilian dumplings, and much more. The currency in Brazil is the "Brazilian Real" (1 Euro -> 6.33 Real). An all-you-can-eat buffet costs approximately 4.50 Euros per person. Alternatively, there's also the option to be charged per 100 grams of plate weight, which is even cheaper and usually totally sufficient. Overall, I would say that everything here is about half as expensive as in Germany. For some dishes, even 3 or 4 times as cheap. I also especially love the freshly squeezed juices! And FINALLY, there are ACAI berries here again, just like in Australia and New Zealand. The berries are mixed here and garnished with sweet treats like honey, coconut flakes, and oatmeal.
People:
Next, I want to tell you a little bit about the people here. Often, they have a broad smile on their face and are also extremely helpful and hospitable!Unfortunately, they are also quite anxious, which is understandable given the high crime rate.
Within the first two days, we were alerted by 5 different locals to be very cautious. Using a phone in the city? Better not here! While in Germany, it's normal to look at your smartphone all day, here it's rather rare. Even in the car, we were strongly advised against using the phone. In the car?? Unimaginable.
Many windows are tinted. On the passenger side as well as on the driver's side. A local, about the same age as us, told us about her horror story. Strangers broke her car window twice while she was on her way to the city center. They stole the navigation system and other valuables.
Tips from the locals:
In the evening, it's best to avoid being in the middle of the city. Especially not alone. Valuables should be made as invisible as possible (we always have our thin waist bag, worn under the t-shirt) and only safe means of transportation should be used (Uber!).
A little stroll around the city
Today we visited a typical flea market. Just like in Germany, there was a lot of odds and ends to buy here. But what you might see less often is the sale of little kittens and puppies amidst the hustle and bustle. After that, we checked out the famous graffiti area. There we found artfully crafted walls (and people), lots of little food stalls, and even some live music. Suddenly, everything felt beautiful, familiar, and safe again. And all of this just a 15-minute drive from the city center. In the evening, we went to a bar with a Brazilian friend of mine. I know him because we lived together in Braunschweig for a month before he returned to his home country.
In the bars of Brazil, there's only cold beer. Or rather, "ice-cold beer"! The refrigerators are set to -4 degrees Celsius, and on top of that, they serve the beer in an ice-filled bucket. Brazilians take this very seriously due to the very warm/hot weather conditions and despise lukewarm beer. So if the drink doesn't arrive at the right temperature, it's sent back! The most common cocktail here is the Caipirinha, which tastes very fruity and sweet! Also, small snacks on the side are quite normal here. We ate fried "Mandiocas" (a kind of root vegetable) and dumplings filled with cheese and meat. After that, there was plenty of traditional samba dancing!
A brief summary of São Paulo:
We've often been asked what impression we have of São Paulo. It's a mix of shocking and fascinating.
The food there is sooo delicious, the people are lovely, the nightlife endless, and the sights extremely impressive. But here in São Paulo, you experience two sides. The carefree life, but also a lot of suffering and neediness.
P.S.: I would advise against solo traveling here! Especially at the moment, due to the Corona situation, it's difficult to make contact with other backpackers because there simply aren't any, and you shouldn't take the current crime rate lightly.
Good to know:
Upon entry into Brazil, you need a complete vaccination certificate, a health form, a current PCR test, and of course, your other documents (travel health insurance, passport, standard vaccinations...)!
Upon entry from Brazil to Paraguay, you'll need a Yellow Fever vaccination!Just one vaccination ensures lifelong protection!
Currently, in almost EVERY COUNTRY (except Peru), a PCR- Test PCR test is required. The test costs approximately 60 Euros!Many border crossings are still closed. The circumstances aren't easy for us, so we'll need to rearrange some plans and probably won't be able to visit as many countries as planned.
Definitely one of my favorite countries on the Europe trip! 🌍 🌍
1.Faro😍
A MUST SEE for me personally. Faro is beautiful. Especially at night, it exudes a romantic charm.🌹
2. Praia de marinha🤿🐠
A perfect snorkeling spot!
A shiny, golden beach, straight out of a picture book. Add to that the turquoise water. Enchanting.
Pictures speak louder than 1000 words:Pictures speak louder than 1000 words:
3. Kayak Tour – Lagos 🛶
If you're ever in Lagos: Don't miss the kayak tour!
I felt somewhat transported back to Australia.
The huge stone cliffs, in shades of golden brown, reminded me a bit of the Twelve Apostles along Australia's Great Ocean Road.
Impressive rock formations. 🤩!!!
At our next campsite, our camper was literally surrounded by wild boars🐗. A whole family of wild boars!!! We had never experienced anything like it in our entire lives! We could watch them for hours from our window. Especially the piglets were sooooooooo cute! One of the best animal experiences on our trip. Definitely!🙌
4. Cabo de Sao vicente🌭
The last sausage before America!
At the southwesternmost point of Europe, we quickly grabbed a sausage!
5. Lisbon 🚞 🚞
Lissabon ,,🎶 Ich will nach, ich will nach , ich will nach Lissabon. Um von da , um von da, noch einmal anzufang‘ 🎶.
Who doesn't know that song?
So what would Portugal be without having seen Lisbon?
This city has its own style. Whether you're watching the big bridge from the harbor, examining the graffiti on the wall, experiencing a crazy party night, or cozying up in a small retro cafe. Here, you'll find everything.
But what I liked most about Lisbon was meeting up with an old buddy again🎊. I hadn't seen him in 10 years! Now he lives here happily, together with his girlfriend❤️. It's always nice to find out how the lives of old friends have been going.📖
As the saying goes, you always meet twice in life!
6. Cascais👩🍳
A small romantic town with many restaurants, narrow streets, a lively main square, and great lights.
7. Porto🥰
Porto is definitely one of our favorite cities!
Reason for that: The great live music by the water, the beautiful lights, bridges, and many alleys❤️.
❤️
Portugal has truly enchanted us 🧙♂️ The beaches are simply beautiful! Although, I must say, due to the Atlantic Ocean, the water was quite cold 🥶 The campsites were always breathtaking, free, and super easy to find! At first, we were afraid of being chased away everywhere, but there was no trace of camper bans here…🙏
After great effort, we finally made it to the top!💪
We camped here at an altitude of around 2500 meters!
For me, it was the very first time sleeping without a proper tent, right in the middle of nature.
We set up a hammock with a tarp between two trees and made ourselves comfortable.🙂
All the setup made us pretty thirsty, so we went in search of water!
Just half a kilometer further, we found the first stream.
YAY! Water!👏
We had a special bottle with us, which I can really recommend to any nature lover. With this bottle, almost all impurities are removed from the water. You simply click once on the lid to turn on the UV-C LED light. After just one minute, the water from nature is safe to drink. How cool is that? It's a bit expensive, but you'll have it for a long time! (The bottle is called: Quartz Bottle)
Quick snack: Instant noodles
2. Barcelona☀️🌴
Oh beautiful Barcelona.
The narrow streets in the city center, the sweetly decorated shops, the expansive beaches, the street music on every corner.
Definitely, I would also recommend going up to the Riesenrand. From there, you have a beautiful view over the entire city!🎡
Of course, there are also many shopping opportunities! Whether in the store or right on the roadside.🛍
Here you can find everything, whether real brands or fake products. It's funny to see that as soon as the police pass by, people suddenly fold their blankets into a bag and dash away very quickly.😆
In Spain, it was pretty hot! In the camper, the thermometer rose to up to 45 degrees Celsius during the day.😅
Scorching heat! Quite foolish when you had bought a delicious watermelon the day before and had to discover the next day that it had completely burst🍉. We can count ourselves lucky that it was in a wooden bowl, otherwise our whole camper would probably have been underwater. The bowl was almost filled to the top with the fruit water. YUCK! And it stinks, I tell you! With gloves and a bucket, we emptied it bit by bit. Disgusting mess🐷! It stank so much, was as slimy as anything, and we had to throw away our bowl.🤢
Well, you learn from mistakes!
Two weeks later, we left Barcelona and immersed ourselves back in nature 🌿:
3. Valencia🍹
Speechless. Just speechless. These stunning architectures of Valencia really blew us away! 😯
See for yourself:
Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències
We whizzed through almost every city with our e-scooter🛴!
Totally cool! Here in Valencia, there were even charging stations!
Shopping is of course also possible here! Colorful!🛍
-
4. Costa Blanca⚓️
Ohhhh how beautiful the coastline of the province of Alicante is! Totally in love!🥰
During our exploration, we even came across flamingos.🦩
How awesome is that!!!
The next days, we snorkeled endlessly🤿! I have never in my life seen so many huge fish in one place😍. It was simply indescribable! We had a snorkel mask that covered the entire face. I can only recommend it! Of course, it's not suitable for diving, but that wasn't really necessary here! Huge schools of fish swam around us, in their various colors.🥰🐠
The clear water provided excellent visibility.
Just perfect!💕
The cave was also particularly cool!!!👻
Nothing is better than watching a fantastic sunset after a long day of snorkeling!🌅
After we continued driving, we found a new campsite along the way.
But OOPS😧. It didn't take long, and we were chased away. There was an overnight ban 🚫. No problem!
We could still admire the turtles in the water!🐢
Besides, our new campsite wasn't bad either!😌
5. Marbella🌺
A perfect day to stroll through the city and admire the beautiful colors of the flowers!
6. Alhambra🏰
Alhambra is a really pretty city castle located in Granada. Especially great were all the flowers!💐
Gibraltar⛰
Hike up to the top
Wow. Gibraltar was definitely worth it! Gibraltar is a British overseas territory consisting mostly of a large limestone rock. Right on our arrival day, we climbed the 426-meter-high rock in quite a heat.🥾
The best part: Sweet monkeys crossed our paths multiple times.🙉
When we conquered the rock, we arrived quite sweaty!😅
But we had an amazing view!😍
In the underground tunnels of the rock, many ancient stories are hidden 📖:
Great Siege Tunnel
An incredible light show underground. Definitely a highlight in Gibraltar!💥
SAINT MICHAELS Cave
7. Tarifa🏝
A dream for kite surfers🌊
Oops. Where have we landed here?
Beach party despite Corona? In Tarifa it was possible!🍾🎊
At every beach bar, you could hear the sound of drum music from afar. The sun shone stronger and stronger every day. The sand was bright yellow, the water clear. It didn't take long, and we were invited to BBQs or parties by other campers.
A huge mile full of like-minded people 😃.
The surf fever quickly caught on, so Max immediately bought himself a new kite surfing equipment and spent days on end in the water.🌊
Definitely still on my MUST DO list - but at that time, I had no experience at all, and other things were the focus for me.
You arrive in Tarifa and are overwhelmed by the so-called "Beach-Vibes", "Party-Vibes", and "Surfer-Vibes".
Great place!
8. Cádiz⛴
Port city in the region of Andalusia
It's time😍. Janet turns 26 years young. How time flies….. Max was super, super sweet and distributed 26 red balloons throughout the camper for me. Additionally, he woke me up early in the morning at my birth time and surprised
I contemplated the candle on my muffin... But what does one wish for when one is infinitely happy?🤔
9. Gijón🌊
Fantastic views of the sea! Many skyscrapers and wonderful sights!
10. Santander 🏦
Santander. The bank. We know it!
We took a look at the city. Once again, we zipped through the streets with our e-scooter, and what did we see: magnificent trees, the vast sea, small beaches, impressive sights, well-kept houses, and a clean city. Beautiful! 😊
What could be tastier than good Brie cheese with crunchy baguette? Perhaps a fresh crêpe filled with white chocolate!
I loved France not only for its food but also for its impressive cities, beaches, and mountains.
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
In Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, we found a campsite on a mountain. Except for a few donkeys in the background, there seemed to be no one else around. Haha. That would have been nice! After just a few minutes, a Frenchman approached us. He wore a loose, half-buttoned shirt and shorts. His hair was grayish, short, and a bit tousled. With a loud "Boooonjoooouuur," he greeted us loudly, trying his best to stand upright and suppress his swaying. A blind person could have guessed from his first sound that this man was definitely drunk. To our misfortune! The Frenchman talked and talked. Things that were not particularly interesting and, BY THE WAY, not understandable to us (due to his language). After hundreds of remarks, he started speaking English. That didn't make it any better. Now he told us about the donkeys he owned, his non-existent wife, and his life. Somehow, one could feel sorry for this man... When he finally got closer to our camper, we decided to look for another campsite.
And OFF we went.
Welcome to Saint-Tropez
Best crêpe in France!
Our campsite was only a 10-minute walk from the center. What more could you ask for?
Free campsite right by the water. Off to Hyères.
Off to Hyères
In Hyères, it wasn't easy to find a campsite. We first drove up the castle hill: That was not a good idea!
Then it was back down again backwards, winding. What fun!
Finally, we parked on a meadow with a view of the castle. Not bad either!
Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer
After the beautiful sunset, we made some fresh pizzas with our Omnia oven!
Via Ferrata
The scariest Via Ferrata
Like in a horror movie! For some, a hanging bridge is probably already a scary experience, but the fog here tops everything!
Even though I didn't really see much: I knew it went verrrrry deep down!
No Risk – No Fun.
Nîmes
Bullfighting in the amphitheater
For the first time in our lives, we visited an amphitheater where a bullfight took place.
With mixed feelings, we finally sat down in one of the many rows. After being supplied with beer, it started. At first, we only saw the fighters in their white clothes standing in the middle of the amphitheater.
What now? No red cloth? No.
Suddenly there was a short warning signal, after which the big bull, somewhat cautiously, marched into the fight with his powerful horns. The goal was now for the white men (fighters) to touch the bull's forehead and to do so without getting injured.
It got exciting!
After a while, someone finally managed to touch the animal's forehead. Oh my goodness... Now quickly. He ran for his life and "SLAP" - he collided with the barrier. Our breath stopped. In seconds, he was pulled over the railing by several staff members. Lucky again, I'd say! The bull also collided with the barrier shortly afterwards. That could have gone wrong! The game was so exciting that I couldn't look away for a second. "Deux Euro". "Deux Euro" echoed through the speakers. Every time the bull's forehead was touched, the player received 2 euros. Risky 2 euros. Life-threatening 2 euros. The game continued. Occasionally, the bull slammed into the barrier with full force. It also happened that the bull protruded half over the railing because he had such speed that he struck over. Horrible to watch. Only the next day, traditionally, the head of the animal was cut off alive with the help of a knife. The horns were then pulled out and proudly handed over.
Shocking tradition. We agree on that.
We don't need to be part of such a "game" again.
Montpellier
On the way to Montpellier, a large truck drove in front of us, from which a big stone hit our windshield.
Great!
The windshield cracked bit by bit. So it was off to the workshop as quickly as possible. Fortunately, we were ADAC members, so we received reimbursement for a hotel night worth over 100 euros + transportation.
Crazy. One phone call and everything was arranged! It's definitely worth being an ADAC member!
The next day, with our repaired windshield, we found a new campsite in the middle of nowhere. After a quiet night, I prepared breakfast. Suddenly we heard a strange noise from outside. We opened the camper door and behold:
As if out of nowhere, the white horses appeared. It was like a dream. A magical world. Indescribable!
Cassis
Right by the Mediterranean Sea is the beautiful fishing harbor with the pebble beaches and clear water.
Quick Conclusion:
France was a great experience. Every city here just has its own charm, and it was once again totally easy to find good & free campsites! Perfect.
Marignane
In Marignane, we scored a great (and as always, free) campsite right by the sea.
What a beautiful campsite!
Plus, there was also a great sunset with pink clouds.
2. It is one of the wealthiest countries in the world 🤑
3. The capital is: Monaco-Ville 👈
4. . coastline is 4km long 🏖
5It has a Mediterranean climate ☀️
6. The population is approximately 39,000 residents 👨👩👧
7. The locals are called Monegasques 👈
8. Residents do not pay taxes!!💸❌
9. . Half of the citizens are millionaires 🕴
10.Constitutional monarchy ⬅️
A Day in Monaco 🇲🇨
The small Monaco
My dad knew right away what this place is famous for: Right! Formula 1! 🏎
Here, the racing cars zoom through the streets once a year!
First, we strolled along the beautiful harbor, which was filled with huge yachts!
"Imagine us, lying in the blazing sun, at the front of the yacht, with a cocktail in hand. Yes! That,would be great! 🥰
We found the luxurious Casino de Monte Carlo particularly impressive 😍: ..:
Lastly, we wandered through the streets a bit.
Somehow, a really cool place! 😎
Quick Conclusion:
For us, a day in Monaco was completely sufficient, as the place is very small. But as you can see in the pictures, it was definitely worth it! It's just perfect to finally take out the chic dress 💃 and stroll through the streets. But also, sipping a cocktail or two 🍹 at the harbor and watching the many yachts is definitely fun! ☺️
As a camper, it's a bit more difficult to find a parking spot for the night here! 😉
With our camper van, we definitely stood out here! Italians mostly drive small cars, like Fiats or similar vehicles. That's more than sensible considering the narrow streets. Often, we couldn't even make it around the corner or had to take a completely different route.
So, never trust Google Maps 100 percent. It will lead you to the most bizarre places.
When we crossed the border, there was no check at all. I had read online beforehand about what to consider before entering: negative COVID test, entry form, and so on. None of it was checked. Just like when entering Switzerland or Liechtenstein.
But that doesn't mean that COVID is not taken seriously here. Some of the citizens take it more seriously. So, it wasn't uncommon to see joggers running alone through the forest wearing an FFP2 mask. Even when cycling up a steep hill, they don't forego protection here. Restaurants, shopping centers, and bars were open again as usual. You didn't need a test to buy a new pair of shoes or enjoy your pizza in the restaurant. A piece of normal life returned.
What is Italy without a delicious Aperol Spritz? One of my favorites in Italy is definitely the small treats that you get for free with your drink.
That's the life!
Lago Maggiore
A Place of Relaxation
Lake Maggiore is one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy. If you want a relaxation vacation, this is the place to be.
There are many small mountain villages, and there is a quiet atmosphere. For us, it was almost too quiet.
Venice
The City on the Water
For Venice, you first have to buy a ticket for the water taxi. Otherwise, you can't get there! Instead of cars, boats drive here. Eventually, we made ourselves comfortable and set off. It was like in a picture book. The houses on the water are colorful, have many small windows, and stand close together.
An incredible panorama!
In the city itself, we walked around and visited the sights:
St. Mark's Square, Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Basilica, Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, Burano, and everything else that was an absolute MUST.
We also met Max's family, with whom we enjoyed delicious pizza right next to the water and explored the area together.
Mailand
An endless long bar mile, delicious & large pizzas, and endless sights.
Milan is a BEAUTIFUL city and definitely worth a visit!
Boccadasse
It was also beautiful in the Boccadasse district in Italy. The pastel-colored houses near the water were very impressive!
Rocche del reopasso
Harness on and up we go!
Once at the top, we had an incredibly beautiful sunset!
A little hanging out does good too!
Italy also has great beaches!
Ponte dei Salti
Ponte dei Salti is also known as the "Roman Bridge". A simply impressive stone bridge with two large arches.
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?
Our intoxicated state, without any drug consumption, is probably thanks to our dream of traveling the world. At this point, I must quote something that reminds me of my indescribable trip to Australia, almost two years ago, with my good friend Jessica:
"PLANLESS PLANS WORK OUT"
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.
Würzburg at night
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.
The huge mountains, the brown-colored cows with bells around their necks, the yellow flowers on the lush green meadows, the cheese on every corner, the Swiss accent, and last but not least, the currency, the Swiss Franc.
Our first destination was the beautiful Lake Walen.Crystal-clear, turquoise water.
The perfect spot to quickly mix up a nice milkshake in the camper and get cozy!
Of course, we also did some hiking. In the mountains, it's an absolute MUST in Switzerland. But who would have thought that we would also be lucky enough to see snow avalanches? Just amazing!
"We did it, high-five!"
In this picture, you can see the small snow avalanches sliding down from the mountain, creating an incredible noise.
While we couldn't close our mouths from amazement, others were calmly fishing.
Eventually, we continued our journey: And once again, we saw the wonderful, radiant, yellow flowers in the meadows.
From winter to spring?
Why not end the day with a nice barbecue?
A few days later, we went hiking again.
This time, we made a campfire and grilled again.
While the fire flickered below, the stars began to sparkle in the sky. It felt like we were the only people on the planet.
Just us and nature.
Different sounds echoed from the forest. A hint of pure freedom.
The next day, we blasted the music in the camper! Allow me to introduce: DJ MAX
At the climbing trail Zwillingsstieg
Oh my God, is that high!!! When we climbed the mountain, I stood rooted more than once and initially had no idea how to proceed. The climbing trail we chose this time was not for beginners, and I clearly felt that. Max motivated and helped me enormously, so I managed to get through it without dying.
Brave is not the one who does not know fear, brave is the one who knows fear and overcomes it.
Khalil Gibran
Of course, we didn't want to miss out on city life, so we also visited the beautiful city of Zurich. Lively. Enchanting. Beautiful.
Lastly, we visited the largest waterfall in Europe:
,,The Rhine Falls“
As always, we found great pitches again. It was super easy to stay overnight for free in Switzerland!
Sooooo... after long action-packed days between adventure and work:
Put your feet up in front of our own little camper cinema!
Haha. Okay. As everyone can see in this picture, we were the typical "beginner backpackers"! Our backpack was way too big and stuffed to the top. 🎒 Of course, we didn't need more than half of the contents, but who knows that beforehand?
In retrospect, we panicked way too much about forgetting something important. 🤦♀️
Note: There are shopping opportunities in other countries too. 😄😄
🕰🕰 Just before the trip ....
1 year in Australia. But alone? I have to say, I was a real scaredy-cat 😟. I asked around with my friends, but nobody seemed interested in joining me. Why not❓😂…
Plan B: Look for a travel companion online 🤔. After a few attempts, I finally found Jessi. She is the same age as me, had roughly the same idea of the trip, and comes from Bavaria. Perfect 😍. It didn't take long, and we booked a flight from Munich to Australia. But beforehand, we almost talked on the phone every day and planned the trip step by step 🗺. "We need this, we'll order that, this is important ... Bla bla bla." I can tell you one thing: We didn't need more than half of it! When the backpack was eventually bigger than we were, we finished our packing list. Plus, we had to clarify 1000 other things (deregistering residence, quitting jobs, etc. 🤮). After all the huge effort, the time had finally come. It was kind of a weird feeling to go exploring the world with a 'basically' stranger. But Jessi seemed really great, so I was confident. Finally, we met at the airport in Munich. We got along super well right away! I was super happy, excited, and sad at the same time. I talked nervously the whole flight out of excitement. 🤩
"Sorry again Jessi 😂🙏"!
Also, I just want to mention how grateful I am to have had you there for this big step! Who knows if I would have even gone... And now? Now I'm still traveling around the world to this day. A big thank you! 🥰
The plan starts without a plan! 😛
The bad news on October 11, 2018 👺👺
Vom Flughafen ging es los nach Bangkok! We booked an open-jaw flight (1 week in Bangkok and then on to Australia). At least, that was our plan !!! 😂 However, during the wait, we received the first message: "Your flight is delayed by one hour" 🙄. We were annoyed, but we talked about how it could have been worse. No more than 10 minutes later, the next message came, "Your flight will not arrive until the next day due to technical problems" 😠. Yes, now we were there. Completely planless, confused, and lost at Cologne Airport. We've come a long way ... Now it was time to get information at the counter, which of course was also associated with a huge queue! And of course, we were at the very back of the line of all passengers. We waited and waited ... 🥱
In the queue, we met two other backpackers. Funny enough, they had the exact same destination as us, so we could pass the time chatting. When we arrived at the counter, we were offered two options.
Option 1: The airline takes you to a selected hotel, and the costs are covered, or
Option 2: You book a hotel independently for up to 250 euros per night, but you only get reimbursed for the costs a few months later.
With the other two backpackers, we opted for Option 2 and booked a fancy hotel in Cologne 😍. The funny thing: Our new replacement flight was already early the next morning, so we only spent about 5 hours in the overpriced hotel. Ultimately, the flight cancellation was the best thing that could have happened to us. We received 600 euros compensation, a completely new flight, a luxury hotel stay with a talking robot 🤖 (which even explained the way to the toilet), made new friends, and last but not least, we also received a lot of shopping vouchers for the restaurants at the airport. Perfect. 🥰
25Hours Hotel The Circle with robot greeting!
Off to Thailand 🇹🇭
A week in Thailand 😊
In the middle of the night, around 00:30, we arrived in Bangkok at the airport without any plan. Unfortunately, the other two backpackers already had accommodation, which was fully booked. However, during the flight, we met two other travel enthusiasts who gave us a hostel tip. We already had to write down the accommodation we were staying in on the plane - so the tip was extremely helpful. 🙈
In the night, Bangkok is very lively, but our hostel was hidden in an alley. Overall, the hostel was very clean. And for 6 euros per night, for a private room, you really can't complain. 🤑
At Home Guest House - Our first accommodation for 6 euros per night for 2 people
Everything felt so unreal. Suddenly we were extremely far away from home 😟. But it felt good. We just did it. 👏 The only thing that didn't feel particularly good were the 1000 mosquitoes. Ohhh, how I hate them!!! 😠
Travel Hack: BITE AWAY STICK! Best stick in the world against itching, believe me! 🙏😄
Khaosan Road🎉
Bangkok's famous backpacker street
"Jí zhòng" and they've already clinked glasses with us! Mega friendly and open-minded people you meet while strolling through the night markets on the street.
Bangkok's streets are always crowded!
A few impressions from Bangkok 🥰🥰
Excursion to Wat Pho ⭐️
Ohh, the beautiful Wat Pho. Already on the way there, we were fascinated by the beautiful park. Wat Pho is a Buddhist temple located in the center of Bangkok. Definitely worth seeing! 😊
It was particularly impressive when we were able to witness the prayer ritual of the Buddhists. A calming and loving chant. 🥰
Afterward, we encountered some squirrels in the park that we could feed by hand! How cool is that??? 🤩
Do you see the squirrel?
Pataya😳
Not really worth a visit...
Our hostel was only 5 minutes from the beach! Cost: 6 euros per person. Not bad!
However, when we took a closer look at Pattaya, we were more than disappointed! Trash was everywhere, and the water was more gray than blue 😭. For this reason, we moved on the very next day! 🚐
Plastic pieces everywhere... 😤
Quickly back to Bangkok 😌
Here, we first booked a great accommodation for a sweet 8 euros per night. We could jump straight into the pool from our room! 🏊♀️
In the evening, we toasted to our work and travel journey! 🍹
Delicious cocktails at the Mojjo Rooftop Lounge & Bar
When strolling through the streets, you always come across new exciting things in Bangkok. In the photos, you can see how the Buddha is worshipped and other rituals are performed (lighting candles 🕯, incense...)! The best thing about the place of the new accommodation was (Sorry - unfortunately, I don't remember exactly where it was) that there were no tourists far and wide (except us, of course 🤭)! Hardly anyone could speak English. Communication was done through gestures and actions 😄
Here's what you should know before going to Thailand:
The standards are definitely not like those in Europe.🧼
Lots of environmental pollution. Tap water is not drinkable! Hygiene in many places is rather borderline.
2. The people are very generous and helpful. 😇
Small example: We asked for directions in a store. She stopped her work and accompanied us to the destination.
3. The weather is humid and hot! 🥵
Well, maybe it was so extreme because we were there during the rainy season. An air conditioner is a MUST HAVE!
4. The streets are full of scooter riders! 🏍
It takes a bit of courage if you want to ride around here alone!
5. Mosquito alert 🦟
Get yourself a BITE AWAY Stick or something similar... You'll need it! 😉
6. Impressive sights! 🤓
At every corner, you'll be amazed, believe me!
7. Endless food & great street markets! 🥥
Probier doch auch mal eine Heuschrecke, wie ich. Schmeckt nach Pommes. Ihh gitti gitt. Du glaubst nicht, wie sich die Einheimischen auf dem Markt an dem Anblick erfreut haben, wie ich diese Heuschrecke in meinem Mund zerkaue! Vieeelleicht sollte ich bald mal das schöne Erinnerungsvideo hochladen ? 🤔
Conclusion: I will definitely fly to Thailand again one day. There are still many places to discover! 🤪
Next Stop: Stay tuned 😛
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My name is Janet Dannehl, and I have been a passionate travel blogger for over 4 years! The travel blog Janetsworld takes readers to various destinations around the world, describing experiences and tips from the real-life adventures of a globetrotter.
On my social media channels, I regularly share my lifestyle, travels, and various adventures with my audience.I place particular emphasis on authenticity, so I only showcase products or services with which I can personally identify. I am particularly interested in topics related to sports, outdoor adventures, nature, photography, fashion, and accommodations.
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