Hector ist der Größte! und andere Reisen…
Running out of plans. Sri Lanka? Blocked. Instead, go to Portugal? Blocked now, too. Marokko? Stopped all ferries or other traffic. Italy? Anything further south and passing by Austria? Forget about it.
So here I am, running out of job & income and nowhere to go. Difficult news for a travelblog. Hoping it passes by soon and will not impact friends and family.
18 months planning… 6 months preparation + booking… weeks of anticipation… counting down the last working days until the job ends and I will live from the air that I breathe and the joy of travelling. Then the headlines turn up seedy.
While I usually try to find positive approaches to upcoming obstacles, the corona virus development is a real challenge. I am yearning for my holidays, for sun on my skin and waves around my body. Thanks to a couple of dentist appointments, I even got my bikini shape just in time. It is not only about me, but includes friends from abroad: Linda will join, coming from another country with different rules or risks and with the plan to spend her holidays in good company (that would be me :-)).
So, what to do?
Of course, I have made up a plan B. And a plan C. D and E as well. F and following letters might enfold when needed. Yet, it is a question of time and money: If the planned holidays cannot be realized, a similar opportunity will come up not earlier than a couple of years later.
I will keep my fingers crossed for a world-wide calm-down of illness in general and of corona in particular. I will keep an eye on the travel limitations of my destinations (stop-over-airports included). I even might spin the prayers wheel that I got from Nepal. And I will be careful of what I am wishing: Mostly, my wishes come true, so I hope for the best!!
Sometimes I wonder: What if I plan less? Be more open for spontaneous action, new encounters, unplanned adventures?
The conclusion is: No. Less plans would lead to more sports (one for the good), but even more, it would lead to more duty-fulfillment. Like last week: I could have used some days off for senseful things. Take care of my car and my flat. Clean the windows, get more of a view!
Truth is: Making plans for any kind of travel makes me see more of the world than perfectly transparent windows.
So I had a great time with my sister during our yearly ski vacations, we had adventures with closed ski lifts, stormy weather and strange people. And we had such a great time together!
I will continue to plan holidays, travels, jobs and financials. And I will take my dirty windows as a proof for the right priorities.
Play it loud, play it proud!
The calm days are over! The cliché of surfer-vanlife that hung temptingly in the back of my head now developped into sonic impacts: I proudly present my Ukulele.
From now on, it will be easy to check out which of my temporary neighbours are petty bourgeois (complaining about noise) and which are cool and open-minded to instrumental-experimental sounds.
Learning something new is fascinating: At first, you don’t know nothing and an instant later you take your first steps, shifting your abilities a 100% up. Try out unknown terrain, fail, try again, get further. Meanwhile, my hands and muscles learn moves that develop from funny sound to recognizable music. My brain learns to read scrum schemes and chords and my whole body learns to differ between hands (playing the strings) and head (singing).
Thanks to the best guitar/ukulele teacher in eastern Munich (Echo Music School), the 2020 Hector trip starts on a much higher level than I had imagined. Now, wherever happy tones float through the air, something like “Here Comes the Sun” or “I’m Yours”, it is highly probable that great little Hector is near.
Travelling is not a synonym for holidays. Travelling is a mindset.
My journeys often come with beach and lazy days. Yet, the main focus is driven by curiosity: See over there, how does it look like? The buildings, the landscape, the people? How is the atmosphere? Let’s go and try local delicacies, buy regional wine, talk to people along the way.
I try to learn at least a bit of the language of each country I go to, with average success throughout Europe and lesser in Asia. I am looking forward to far destinations like Sri Lanka, accepting narrow space in cheap airline seats, praying that the close neighbours are not famous for their halitosis. And I like to discover close destinations: short trips within an hour-ride. Europe with all its trillions of facets. Lucky me, I always liked driving. The longer it takes, the more time enfolds for wandering thoughts and vague reflections of life, the universe and everything.
The upcoming voyage is a triptych of settings: First Sri Lanka, accompanied by Linda, all easy and warm and hopefully with fantastic waves. Main challenges: find public transportations to the next destination and keep the mosquitos at distance.
Then Bretagne: My only preparation is a pile of “Kommissar Dupin” detective stories and a travel book published by Michael Müller. Topped by the conviction that global warming will lead to mild and sunny weather from April on.
And then, giving way to a longing that may or may not turn out as a qualified one: South-England!
Years and years, I have been frightened of the left-sided driving. But then, giving in to irrational fears, really?? There are so many idiots on the roads, why not add myself, lost in directions?! Consequently, I decided to ignore my worries and just go for it. Even though the courageous part has won over the weakness, some doubts still remain. Hence, I seek to enforce my driving skills with supporting reminders that get stuck to Hector’s cockpit:
I took over a line from one of my current ukulele songs and slightly adopted it. It shall A) remind me to take the left part of the road (if the road is wider than Hector’s features, that is) and B) to check if some handsome men appear on the left.
The second one is the backup, just like the redundancies they build in high-tech-systems of airplanes, for safety reasons.
Apart from practical reasons (there are none), I like the idea of approaching things from a different angle: perhaps I should use the other side of my couch, drink tea instead of coffee and look for an entirely new mode in daily doings. Rebellious things, such as: “Morgens Elmex, Abends Aronal”!
Life has its ups and downs and sometimes even makes a vertical flip, bringing the world as you know it upside-down. Having realized that, I try to gain more control by doing it all on purpose.
However, let’s get back to where it started: Sicily, June 2019, the cliff called Scala dei Turchi. Having no specific experience nor circus trick at hand, I went for typical, boring tourist pictures in extraordinary landscape. Me, smiling towards the camera and that was it so far. Then, a low voice in the back of my head asked: What if I exercise more focused? I always liked handstand and liked to use it for funny pictures in beautiful surrounding. Hence, I started right there during my last week on Sicily and, tadaa!, it improved within days.
I continued for a couple of weeks and months, adding some handstand training to each yoga session. And I managed to include more yoga sessions throughout my working life. I even went to a handstand workshop with yoga teacher Lucie and improved significantly, proved by playing the sandbox during the September weekend at Zandvoort.
October came with funny sunny weather and with Jacktheyogi who talked me into a bright photo session. These have been my best trials so far!
Then, the balance of work and sports got shifted and I lost track of it. Still, I tried to get some nice postures during early ski days in November.
While the original idea has been to work hard on my skills during winter and get prepared for my upcoming holidays, it is now time take a honest look at my current abilities: Bad news is that I lost the habit of continuous training along the way – being quite obvious in all recent attempts.
Good news is a change in mindset: Once I got started, I lost the fear to fall over, shyness in public or other virtual boundaries. Free your mind and the rest will follow! Here I am now, well motivated for upcoming exercises and looking back on simultaneous handstands with the artist of the day.
Grundsatzfrage: Lässiger Campingbus oder Weiße Ware Wohnmobil? Selbstverständlich der Bus! Deswegen ist Hector auch so schlank (2m Breite) und hat so lustige Proportionen (5,60m Länge). Aus unerfindlichen Gründen umfasst seine Ahnen-Reihe einen Adventskalender, so dass mein Bus mehr als 24 Fächer, Türchen, Klappen, Regale und sonstige Verstau-Möglichkeiten hat – und da ist das Bad als Abstellraum noch gar nicht mitgezählt.
General question: casual camper-van or white mobile home? Sure enough: the van! And this is why Hector is slim (2m width) and comes with funny proportions (5,60m length). For whatever which reason, he has an Advent calendar among his ancestors, leading to more than 24 compartments, shelfs, boxes and further storage possibilities – with the bathroom as general storeroom not even counted in.
Ende 2019 dann: Zu viel Arbeit. Etliche abgesagte Urlaubstage. Kaum noch Zeit für Ausgehen, Sport und Freunde. Was hilft? Frust-Shopping! Und so steht nun ein zweites Faltrad im Keller und die Frage im Raum: wie passt das in Hector?
In 2019, the following situation enfolded: Work, much too much work. Quite a few cancelled vacation days. Hardly any time to go out, do sports, meet friends. Consequently, I tried to compensate missing good times with shopping and, tadaa, I now call another folded bicycle my own. Which leads to the question: how can it fit into Hector?
Eher zufällig stellt sich heraus, dass das neue Rad mitsamt Karton unter den Tisch passt. Wobei „Tisch“ nicht der tatsächlichen Nutzung entspricht: wo andere einen Tisch hatten, habe ich ein Lounge-Sofa, bei dem der Tisch den Mittelteil bildet. Bisher ist der Tisch-Fuß verstellbar, so dass mit nur zwei Handgriffen aus dem Tisch ein Bett (oder Sofa) oder wieder ein vollwertiger Tisch wird. Seit Hector bei mir lebt, habe ich 2x den Tisch benutzt und unzählige Male das Sofa. Daraus folgt: neue Füße braucht die Couch, dann passt auch das Fahrrad drunter!
More by coincidence than by purpose I detect that the new bike fits under the table. While in fact, the table is hardly ever used as such (at least under my aegis), it rather works as middle part of my couch. Hence, the flexible foot that enables either table-function or bed / couch has become superfluous. Time for some handcrafts, let’s get new feet to the table and make it a bike compartment!
Mit nur zwei Baumarkt-Besuchen, einem in den Wahnsinn getriebenen hagebau-Berater und 2 Wochenenden lässt sich eine Fahrrad-Garage bauen. Sogar ich kann das. Akku-Schrauber aufladen (wird kaum gebraucht, wirkt aber irre professionell), altes Tischbein abschrauben, Ansätze für neue Tischbeine vorbohren, neue Tischbeine anbringen, ausmessen: zu kurz.
It takes 75,20 € and two shopping dates with friendly hagebau-consultants and even super-blondie is able to build a bike compartment. It starts with the freshly-charged screwing machine (hardly used, yet such a professional image), remove old table foot, drill holes for the new feet and have them fixed underneath the table. I measure it and note: too short.
Schließlich ergibt sich aus einer wilden Mischung von Schrauben, Tischbeinen und dicken Sechskant-Muttern die nahezu perfekt passende Höhe. Ich beschließe, es als Erfolg zu werten und baue das Ganze umgehend ein. Jedes der Tischbeine hat eine Traglast von 50 kg, die Verlängerungsschrauben halten ebenfalls 50 kg und die kleinen Mini-Schrauben zwischen Bein + Tischplatte sind immerhin zu viert. Natürlich lässt sich der Tisch jetzt nicht mehr in die höhere Kederschiene einhängen, aber wer braucht schon einen Esstisch wenn er eine Couch haben kann?!
Finally, a wild mixture of screws, legs and nuts build not entirely, but almost the right height. I call it a fit and install it immediately. Most of the components enable a payload of 50 kg – I suppose it will do. With the new legs, a higher aim with the table used as such is systematically disabled. But anyway, who would ask for a dinner table as long as the couch is in reach?!
Jetzt fehlen nur noch Verzurr-Ösen die dafür sorgen, dass das Rad auch bei Linkskurven in seiner vorgesehenen Parkposition bleibt. 8 Schrauben und einen Spanngurt später ist das Ziel erreicht und mein kleines Heimwerker-Wunder vollbracht.
Next move is the fixing of the bike. I would rather have it stable not only when driving straight or turning right, but also during curves to the left. Clever girl that I am, I screw steel loops to the side walls of the benches, holding the bike in its parking position.
Vor lauter Schwung schraube ich noch schnell die Halterung für die Ukulele in’s Bad und dann ist für heute genug gebohrt. Ich freu mich schon darauf, alles einzuräumen und voll ausgestattet loszufahren – zunächst per Diesel, später dann per Fahrrad!
Going with the flow, I quickly mount a clasp for the ukulele at one of the bathroom walls and that’s it with today’s DYI tricks. I am so looking forward to packing up Hector and get going soon – first by diesel, later by bike!
Es wird Zeit, die erfahrene Bergfreundin aus der glorreichen Nepal-Ära an die Seite zu holen für eine schöne Herbst-Tour: Die Hochplatte im Chiemgau soll es heute werden, und hinterrücks vorbei an allen Staus beamen wir uns in die Bergwelt.
Today’s destination is the peak of the Hochplatte and, together with my dear hiking buddy from Nepal, we fight our way around traffic jams and approach the Chiemgau.
Vor kurzem (2017/2018) war ich richtig gut am Berg: Kondition, Muskelkraft, alles da. Ich nehme an, dass solche Fähigkeiten nicht über Nacht verschwinden, also wird das heute ein entspannter Spaziergang. Wobei „über Nacht“ leicht geschönt ist – seit der Rückkehr aus Nepal kann ich die Bergtouren an einer Hand abzählen.
By now I got used to being a hiking pro: strength, general fitness, mountain skills – all set and proven by numerous tours back in 2017/2018. I assume that once you turn into a chamois, this is going to last forever. Or should I have exercised at least a bit throughout summer?
Kaum überraschend ist das Schnaufen schon zu Beginn des sanften Anstiegs. Belohnt werden wir schon früh mit einer geradezu kitschigen Landschaft, aber ich halte mich zurück und jammere nur wenig.
As soon as the path rises up, I hand over the conversation to my hiking companion as she has definitely more breath left. However, I do not care too much about the strain: the beautiful landscape with picturesque facets rewards me despite of my lack of routine.
Dort, wo es schon ordentlich steil wird, ist ein entscheidender Wegweiser dermaßen unauffällig angebracht, dass der Trampelpfad aller Irrläufer auffälliger ist als der richtige Weg. Zwei fragende Begegnungen später und 20 Minuten Umweg schnaufender stehen wir kurz vor dem finalen Gipfelanstieg – und das, obwohl wir noch mitten in der Vegetation sind. Typisch Herbsttour im Chiemgau: hier muss es nicht über 1.582 m hinaus gehen, auch in niederen Lagen lässt es sich anstrengend wandern.
Later the paths become steep and the signposts rare. The frequent usage of a dirt track makes it more appealing than the real route, and only when facing the unexpected gorge between us and the desired peak we realize the dead end that it is.
Dummerweise führt von der anderen Seite eine Seilbahn bis kurz unter den Gipfel, so dass es am Kreuz recht gedrängt zugeht. Sollen die doch alle gucken, ich versuche trotzdem einen Handstand!
Eventually, we make it to the top. With “top” being a moderate one. Yet, 1.582m height is enough to enjoy a 360° view on distant peaks, on the Chiemsee and on dozens of tourists that took the chair lift “Hochplattenbahn”.
Der Blick von diesem mittelhohen Hügel ist umwerfend: Die Farben, der herbstliche Himmel, das Meer von Berggipfeln… Wie schön, dass meine Bergfreundin mich motiviert hat, auch die letzten anstrengenden Meter durchzuhalten.
Having the best company in my own entourage, I ignore all others. Meaning that I try to ignore their bewildered looks as I try to turn our world upside down. I really should work more focused on my handstand skills, gaining more aplomb for public shows like this. Anyway, the view into the open distracts me from further personal doubts.
Der Abstieg belohnt uns mit zwei weiteren Highlights: Zunächst mit dem Blick hinterrücks auf die Kampenwand. Ich denke freudig zurück an die Bergtour mit Freunden bei der mir klar wurde, dass es kraxelig werden muss, damit ich trotz Anstiegs-Anstrengung Endorphine ausschütte.
The descent offers further highlights with the view on the spectacular Kampenwand where I once started to learn more about hillwalks and what makes them interesting: It is about climbing parts and choosing the right companions.
Schließlich folgt die Einkehr bei einer der urigsten Almen, die ich bisher erlebt habe. Nach Kaffee und Sonne und mit nunmehr bergab führenden Wegen ist auch das Schnaufen leiser geworden. Man sollte solche Ausflüge wirklich häufiger machen!
Finally, we settle down at one of the most rural alp-shacks I have been to. Coffee, sun and the change of direction (now: downhill) make me relax and enjoy our chat that meanders from job situations over to philosophy, people and further topics of interest (life, the universe and everything). What a wonderful day!
… und plötzlich stehen wir mitten im Jahr 2020 und die nächste Reise ist nicht mehr weit. Große Fragen werden aufgeworfen, deren Beantwortung meine Aufgabe sein wird.
… and, all of a sudden, it is 2020 and new adventures are waiting in line. Substantial questions will require empiric studies and lead to a rough plan and great expectations.
Besonders stolz bin ich auf meine Lernkurve. Als Hectors Reifen vor einigen Jahren schwedischen Boden berührten, stellte ich just in dem Moment fest, dass mein Navi keine Schweden-Karte enthält. Wenige Jahre später will ich testen wie gut sich englische Campsite-Adressen finden lassen und merke: an der französischen Küstenlinie ist Schluss, Großbritannien ist nicht vorgesehen. Jetzt bin ich gespannt, ob mir mit dem reflexartig bestellten neuen Navi wertvolle Abenteuer-Momente entgehen (nämlich dann, wenn das Navi auf den letzten 15km vor Zielankunft ausfällt) oder ob es ähnlich 98%-zuverlässig ist wie das alte.
Meanwhile, I am proud to be such a smart girl. While years ago I realized the missing Scandinavian maps in my navigation system only when reaching Swedish ground beneath the tyres, it now is different. I have realized the missing GB maps way earlier, when trying to look up randomly a campsite: obviously, my current TomTom’s horizon is limited to the French coast line. We will see if we miss adventurous moments with the upgraded version I immediately ordered. Only time will tell if it comes with the same 98% reliability, working well for hours and suddenly breaking down 15km before the destination will be reached.
Kurz: Hector nimmt schon mal Anlauf, der Flug nach Sri Lanka ist gebucht und ich übe wohl besser noch etwas Ukulele, damit ich nicht wegen akustischer Mängel von den schönsten Stellplätzen vertrieben werde.
While Hector is all keen on getting started (already), I rather get some more practice with my ukulele. Otherwise I might endanger peaceful times on the most beautiful spots, due to the strangest noise that I tend to call music.
Of course, I would go and meet Linda at any place. Still, it is even better since she lives in a charming apartment in Zandvoort. Hosted like this, I consider it my duty to bring sun and fun whenever I go see her.
First place to go on Saturday is the beach, what else. As I started recently to improve my handstand-skills, I spend almost all of my energy with the hands on sandy ground, exercising hard until I fall over from laughter.
Linda, sun and a beach is one of those combinations that never fail. We have a good time and she tolerates all my jumping-up-and-down, my trial-and-error and my look-this-was-a-good-one.
The day passes by easily with sunny hours at the sea, cycling through the dunes and productive conversations about common holidays. The evening comes with nice dinner and a George Michael Tribute concert in a neat little town.
The concert is much better than I expected, supported once more by our lust for dancing. Imagine hundreds of people, all sitting well-behaved in their seats. Then bring the focus to the side, where two grown-up girls use the wide stairs for barefoot dance-moves all over.
Sunday even outperforms Saturday. Strong wind makes us rent a pair of sun loungers + wind shield, half way between the beach bar and the rough sea. Not that I lay down for long – working on handstands and body tension is just too tempting when put in such a wide sandbox.
The evening perfectly suits our talents: A beach party offers fun and house music from the afternoon until late night. Relaxed atmosphere and people of all ages (except for twenty-something-youngsters) lead to a wonderful evening.
Not only that best company (Linda + dancing friends) welcomes me at the beach; out of the blue I spot folks that work on simple, yet nice-looking acrobatic partner moves. It is no surprise that within instances I join them, followed by Linda and her friend.
Once more: Playing the sandbox!
The rest of the day is dancing, laughing and dancing. During the evening, I stop for a moment and reflect the Then, the Now and the Upcoming: By then, just a week ago, I have been hiking in the Alps, with Hector and Jack, terrific skies full of stars and typical Bavarian rural scenes. Now I am here in the Netherlands for friends and barefoot dancing. Upcoming in another week will be the Oktoberfest with typical dresses, drinks and its own, special vibe. Having all this compressed into a mere 20 days is like stepping from one world into another supported by futuristic technology. I shake off the thoughts and continue dancing – here and now and (probably) forever.
Before I fly back, we use the rainy Monday morning for a trip to Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum. It is only in front of the building that Linda recognizes what I have been aiming for – my Dutch pronunciation is that bad that she only understood “museum” while the name of it remained cryptic. Once there, we find beauty and pop art and contemporary art and message-art, all settled in the most charming building. If not for the people and the fun, the Netherlands would be worth a travel at least for arts and exhibitions.
We enjoy last hours together until it is time to wave goodbye. It will take half a year until our next trip: See you soon – another day, another beach.
