Now we are five!

January 15, 2023, Nuremberg - Breisach am Rhein: The first night in the motorhome is always difficult for me. Different bed. Different pillow. Did I think of everything? Are all the doors locked, all the windows and blinds closed, the heating set correctly, all the technical devices powered? Of course, I can't do it right on the first try. I have to get up three or four times. And then the sleep is already over. I turn to Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti for help. On my laptop, next to my pillow, he gently investigates me to sleep...

At 9 o'clock the alarm goes off. After a tea and a huuuge piece of marble cake, the more than 400 kilometers to the French border can no longer scare me. It's still raining cats and dogs. I have to wipe the foggy windows from the inside, then I'm off.

It's going quite well. After 250 kilometers with an average speed of about 100 km/h, I treat myself to a break and pull over to a rest stop. I fill up the tank and then look for a parking space, but everything is full. Finally, I find a narrow gap between two huge trucks. One of the drivers is cleaning the windows and I ask him if it's okay for me to briefly stop here on a truck parking lot. "Ohhh," he says, "okay" and waves me off. What he also said: I don't understand a word of German, but don't bother me! I thank him and am about to go on when he grabs my arm, points to my motorhome, and says, "Old?" "2007," I say and he nods. Then he says, "Slovakia?" I say, "Spain." That was my last word for the next 30 minutes. I can't remember ever being so helpless in interrupting someone's flow of words... He kept talking and talking. At some point, I became his "amigo" and had to promise him to visit an aquapark in the north of Slovakia next time. One night's accommodation for 18 euros, a menu for 6 euros, and fuel for 1 euro. We studied maps together and after my twelfth farewell, I managed to escape into my driver's cab. It's rare that I've ever accelerated on an acceleration lane with so much relief and joy.

Five of our ten motorhomes were supposed to meet today in the beautiful Breisach am Rhein, which is already halfway in France. I only know Richard from the remaining 17 participants and I'm really excited. When I arrive at the parking lot, there are two or three vehicles, but I have no idea if they belong to our travel group. Then another motorhome arrives. A woman and a man get out. "Morocco?" I ask cautiously. The man smiles and says, "Yes." ... Yes... I wait. I must have unconsciously expected a torrent of words like from my new friend from Slovakia, and when nothing more comes after the "Yes," I have to take the initiative. "Hello, I am Willi," I say and shake his hand. "Gerd," he says with a warm laugh and introduces me to his wife Ute.

Both of them point to a large motorhome in front of us, which belongs to their friends Wilhelm and Maria, who seem to be on their way. Ten minutes later, they also arrive, and in the course of the afternoon, Richard and Irmi, and finally Volker and Renate complete our group. Together with Tina, a motorhome friend from the Breisach area who joined us but unfortunately cannot join us on the trip, we head to "Zum Humpen," a traditional restaurant that Wilhelm has already scouted out. It will be a fun evening that further increases the excitement for our two-month adventure.

Oh yes: If you hover over the photo with the mouse, you will find the caption.