Preparation is everything!

Three weeks later, I find myself back on the pilgrimage path. Pipa and I are spontaneously setting off again, late once more. Today's route was a dream! Most of it followed the Rhine. Of course, it was Sunday again, and the tourist office in Schaffhausen was closed. I could have rung the parish office to get the pilgrim stamp, but I didn't have the courage to do that. Later, I learned from a choir member that there’s a stamp available at the Allerheiligen Monastery. The next time I’m in Schaffhausen, I’ll collect it. Unprepared as I was, I was dressed completely inappropriately. Tight black jeans, no sunscreen, let alone provisions. Since I never eat breakfast, I brought a tiny cereal bar with me. I hadn’t actually planned on walking far. Just a short stroll, maybe an hour at most. But I got into the flow, and Pipa and I continued walking. The pants were a burden, especially as it got hot in the afternoon. I felt immobile and limited.

As I crossed the Feuerthalen bridge, a very peculiar pain overcame me. I was walking away from Schaffhausen, a place that evokes a sense of home for me. At the same time, I found my pain absurd. I would be wandering for just a day and then return to Schleitheim in the evening. I need to change my perspective, I thought. I’m walking towards Santiago de Compostela, not away from Schaffhausen. As soon as I reached the Zurich side in Feuerthalen, those thoughts vanished. From then on, I continued on the Schaffhausen-Zurich trail. Passing by a brooding swan and various water birds, alongside the beautiful Rhine. And just like on the first day in the unspoiled forest of Beggingens, I thought: “What if the best part of the journey is exactly this segment? What else is there to come?” Oh yes, the inner journey and all… I know! 😉

Flurlingen was also lovely to walk through; I had never perceived this village so sweetly before. Once again, I crossed a bridge to Neuhausen to continue walking on the other side of the Rhine. It feels strange to read the street sign “Rheinfall.” I know where it leads. I grew up here, and many beautiful childhood memories come to mind. The Neuhausen side is relentless; the sun beats down fiercely from above, and you walk on asphalt. Before I reached the Rhine Falls, I sat on a bench next to an older gentleman who was looking at his phone. I didn’t feel like talking, didn’t even ask if the seat was free, and just sat down with my back turned to him. Now the cereal bar came into play, and I realized I had nothing to feed Pipa. My face must have been crimson; I was carrying such heat inside me. At some point, the gentleman stood up silently and left. When I decided to leave too, I wondered what just happened? I’m usually a very open, friendly person! I felt a little bad for a moment. I thought I need to be more open on this journey. On the first day, I didn’t encounter a soul, so that question didn’t arise at all.

I rarely experience feelings of anger. Mostly only in situations of injustice. But even then, it’s very rare for me to boil internally. However, at the Rhine Falls, an inexplicable anger welled up within me. There were plenty of tourists. They were meandering exactly in the bottlenecks. The small child, the elderly man with a walking aid, and the fascinated Chinese woman. Of course, they are enjoying their outing! They stroll, take photos, and chat. But I like to move briskly while hiking, and it really drove me crazy, and I wanted to shout out loud! I was aware of the absurdity, so I grumbled internally. Then I had to laugh again; what must the people think when they saw me rushing past with my dog, occasionally snapping a quick photo?