Bye Bye Camilla

Today I sold my good old faithful Camilla. A loyal, reliable companion. I took her on my first solo trip to Wales in the spring of 2023, navigating the left-hand traffic and dealing with a broken fuel pump relay. I was determined to visit Snowdonia National Park in Wales. My first overnight stop was in the Eichsfeld area. The car had endured various issues over the preceding months—luckily during the dealer's warranty period—and just when I was set to leave that morning in Eichsfeld, she wouldn’t start! Ultimately, she was towed back to the shop, and I spent a few extra days in Dresden. After having the fuel pump replaced, she still faced starting issues when I picked her up from the garage, only igniting after I turned the key multiple times. Regardless, I decided to set off—even if it meant pushing the car onto the ferry! I managed to get on the ferry after about 5 minutes of turning the key in the ignition without any trouble, but the descent took significantly longer to start. A truck was behind me, and I panicked, turned the key repeatedly in the ignition, and after about 10 minutes, the engine finally roared to life. I was shaking, excited, and relieved that I could drive off the ferry without further issues. Surprisingly, this starting problem hardly occurred while I was in the UK.

During this journey, Camilla felt like my home. She was also my sanctuary when I traveled to Scotland to give birth to Olena. With pregnancy, my needs began to evolve. I craved a permanent spot, space, a warm shower, and now with Olena, it’s much easier to have a fixed location for a while that offers space for us and cooking. She is very active, climbing, crawling, needing room, and I dislike having food remnants scattered throughout the car 😄 - In short, it’s time for change!

However, upon selling Camilla and inspecting her closely, I regretfully found out that she had issues with her axle, turbocharger, one of the brake calipers, etc.- all of which would incur high repair costs—leading me to accept the garage’s offer and sell her for export. Part of me feels nostalgic, recalling the adventures I shared with her—a trip in the harsh Scottish winter—so cold that the chocolate spread and massage oil froze in the car— and so lovely and special with the festive atmosphere, the snow, the anticipation, and thrill of my pregnancy... An instance when I was unable to tackle a frozen hill in the Highlands, somewhere remote, and slowly rolled back, my legs trembling with fear afterwards... The effort of pushing Camilla through snowy conditions and the worry whether we’d reach our Christmas getaway safely, given her worn-out tires.... Each night spent outdoors with her at the most stunning, breathtaking places, where I felt a sense of safety and comfort with her....

...And another part is relieved, looking forward to new beginnings, fresh energy, and reduced monthly expenses.

What will become of my blog name now? - At the appropriate moment, I’ll decide whether and how I wish to change it, but for now, it still feels fitting to continue this symbolic journey with Camilla a bit longer—until it feels right.

Safe travels, Camilla, I wish you a wonderful new home that will cherish and take care of you! Thank you—from the depths of my heart—for your steadfast companionship, but now it’s time for something new! ❤️

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