12. I can shoot with a pistol, and more...

Right now, I have time for 'special interest' things without asking anyone. First of all: Weapons are evil and should never be freely accessible, in my opinion. But somehow, I enjoy shooting, and I'm not bad at it – no idea why... Until now, I've only shot with rifles, including hunting calibers with significant recoil (keyword: 'shooting cinema'). Recently, I spoke with a very nice policewoman about how it feels to shoot with a pistol (which is hardly possible in Germany just like that), and it's a funny coincidence that exactly where we're waiting for the shuttle to Eden, there's a poster for a 'Shooting Range'... I do some research, and it looks like they have a large selection of weapons, but I can't find much more online. And since the navigator shows me (as it almost always does here) that I have 15 minutes, I head out to gather more information (Can I really do this? What do I need to bring, ID, suitable clothing...?). In the end, it becomes adventurous again: I have to ride my scooter over a rather narrow bridge (unsuitable for cars!), and afterwards a short, uneven downhill stretch. The scooter nearly slips away from me; I catch it while sliding both feet on the ground and I already sense: I will probably regret this on the way back uphill...

At the destination: lo and behold, I am allowed to, and immediately, in shorts & top. I decide to shoot 10 rounds with a Glock, 9mm, and receive a brief introduction - which is again difficult due to the language barrier with the two gentlemen assisting me... Suddenly, I get to shoot, I, with a 'real pistol', it all happened quite quickly. I focus, inhale, aim, exhale, hold my breath - and pull the trigger. The recoil is unusual because it's both-sided, but I'm proud of myself: I didn't flinch due to the loud bang, even with hearing protection on, and I hit the target! I want to set the pistol down for some reason, and both men shout '4 more times!'. So I shoot four more times, take a short break to catch my breath & reload, then take 5 more shots. All 10 hit the target, and at least the two act nice as if they are impressed. After all, there's one 9 among them - I don't think that's a bad result for the first time. But that's enough adrenaline for today, I thank them and leave still buzzing.

My question about whether I can take a picture with the weapon gets misunderstood, and they take my phone from my hand and press the Glock into my palm. So, one pose for the camera, then another shot of the pistol alone, and I'm already out. Wow! I'm still slightly trembling, and I'm as happy as a little child for having fulfilled this wish. I make my way back surprisingly without problems, bolstered by enough courage & gas. By now, I'm so confident on the scooter; neither sand (there's a lot of it) nor the dogs that occasionally stray onto the road bother me, I elegantly maneuver around potholes and speed bumps, and most of the time I remember to turn off the indicator...

There are plenty of street dogs here, but unfortunately, I see very few cats.

Being the big mouth that I am, I promised someone a postcard - although I should have been warned in Istanbul! Apparently, no one writes them anymore, and finding postcards is already difficult - but first, stamps, and a mailbox…! So, if you receive a card from me: I don't want to hear a word about the motif - it was hard enough to get this one!

One more detail that only people who have been here (or in other countries with similar sewage systems) would likely know: Toilet paper (if available) must never be disposed of in the toilet but in the always-provided bucket next to it. Since we tourists tend to forget this repeatedly, the silliest signs exist on the topic ('You flush it, you fish it' - if you flush it, you have to fish it out). A water hose is available in every restroom for this purpose. And at

Eden, you have to pour water from a large bucket into the toilet bowl with a bowl to flush... You should definitely not drink the tap water, and even for brushing your teeth, it's advisable to use the water from the mandatory water bottle (which is offered cheaply everywhere here)...

My biggest challenge right now is to write a Nubbel speech – while the street carnival in Cologne is already in full swing. I find it really hard in this environment, especially since you have to mentally grapple with the things that didn’t go well in the past year. I'm considering playing some Kölsch music to get 'in the mood', but I decide against it - it just feels wrong, and later I might start missing the carnival here…! This is something I look forward to all year; I take leave and celebrate the tradition - only that my vacation days are now gone, and I will be working on Rose Monday (and Violet Tuesday) for the first time in my life!)... When I get home, the 'Zoch' (carnival parade) goes through my 'Veedel', and I'm very curious how my jet lag will turn out...

Oh yes, of course, I also explore the island from time to time, look for a nice beach, and occasionally lounge a bit lazily...