The adventure begins

Good things come to those who wait...or something like that. The first report has been a long time coming and is therefore a bit longer. But no one is forced to read it - pictures often speak for themselves. ;-) So far, there are very few snapshots - I will explain why in a moment, but let's start at the beginning. ;-)

Departure - chaos ensues

My road trip with Rudi started as planned on May 8th - punctual, but quite chaotic. Due to the tight schedule, I had to make some compromises during the conversion - the planned chest of drawers is still missing and there are still plenty of other "construction sites" that cause some chaos in the car. Storing all the things properly and being able to find them again at any time has not always been easy. But as they say, a van is a never-ending project where there is always something to improve. In addition to the chaos in the van, I also had to test all the equipment (like my gas cooker) on the road and I also found out that some things are quite tricky. If you want to cook as eco-friendly as possible while on the road and don't want to change the gas cartridge every few days, you need a standardized gas bottle with a suitable pressure regulator and adapters. Although I had read extensively about this beforehand, I still had to replace some things and realized that it is not so easy to get the right parts in the first place. However, my biggest challenge in the first few days was driving itself. Even though I have had a driver's license for ages, I lacked any driving experience. A road trip across Europe is therefore...a good idea to quickly gain a lot of experience and test your nerves. While on the first day I sweated at every major, confusing intersection, just 4 days later I had to fight my way through three-lane roundabouts and the traffic chaos of Strasbourg in France and was amazed at how I survived without any accidents or breakdowns. However, when it comes to parking, I still fulfill all the female clichés and it can happen that I squeeze myself into a too narrow parking space and then have to wait until my parking neighbor has moved out so that I can get out (without any damage)... And sometimes the waiting can take up to an hour. ;-) Recently, at a gas station, I asked a young French woman to park my car closer to the fuel pump because I just couldn't do it in reverse. You can laugh at me now. ;-) Of course, such situations are incredibly embarrassing, but if you can't laugh at yourself, you've already lost on a trip like this - especially when you're traveling alone. The good thing is that you quickly get in touch with locals and contribute to the amusement. ;-) In addition to all these challenges and obstacles, there were many more - I could write a whole book about it. A road trip has little to do with the usual everyday life and also with a "normal" vacation at first and means (at least in the beginning) a lot of work. Suddenly, it is no longer a matter of course to have a clean toilet, a hot shower, something to eat, or a decent place to sleep at any time. Similar to backpacking, the whole organization and route planning can take a lot of time - especially when you are already on the road and because things are done differently abroad than at home. In France, for example, it is often a challenge to find a public toilet that does not make you gag as soon as you enter...if you can find one at all. I do have a dry toilet in the car for emergencies...but as I said, it is only intended for emergencies and should be emptied promptly. ;-) There are also some differences in traffic rules - but in France, it feels like no one follows any rules. And so you struggle through the first days and weeks until you finally get the hang of everything and can enjoy the "flow" and relax.

The beautiful sides of a road trip and the highlights of the first days

When you are not busy satisfying your basic needs, planning the route, or solving any problems, a road trip has incredibly many beautiful sides. The first few days, I spent meeting some of my favorite people in Leipzig, Erfurt, Schleiz, and Strasbourg. After that, I continued towards the French Atlantic coast to the largest sand dune in Europe - the so-called "Dune du Pilat", a truly impressive place. I stayed there for a few days and spent most of my time walking along the beach for hours, collecting seashells, hiking up and down the dunes, and going for a swim in the sea naked because there was often no one else nearby. The beaches in southern France are endless, and the sunsets are fantastic. I let myself drift without a plan and enjoyed not having to do anything (not even taking photos ;-)) and getting lost in thoughts and daydreams. Since Wednesday, I have been in Capbreton - at one of the many surfer beaches, in a camper van park right by the sea. The camper van parks don't offer much except a toilet and a parking space, but compared to campsites, they are cheap and you don't have to flee from the municipal office at 7:30 in the morning because you were almost caught wild camping. ;-) In places like Capbreton, there is an incredibly relaxed atmosphere and you meet like-minded people with whom time simply flies by - on some days, you don't even leave your camping chair except to go to the toilet briefly - there is a bit of a festival atmosphere.

On a road trip, you never know what the next day will bring or who you will meet. It is exciting, exhausting, and at the same time simply beautiful.

The travel route: What's next?

So far, I have been traveling without much of a plan and I often discarded the only plans I had - partly because of the weather and partly because I have planned too optimistically/ambitiously again. ;-) Actually, I wanted to start hiking on the "Camino Primitivo" - a Jakobsweg (pilgrim route) that leads over the mountains - for about 3 weeks from the beginning of June. However, since the weather is still very changeable and the nights are cool, I have decided to head towards Portugal in about 10 days. Before that, I will mainly explore the Basque Country around San Sebastian and treat myself to a concert by one of my favorite bands (Bad Nerves) there next Friday. At this point, I am not yet ready to park my Rudi somewhere and exchange him for my hiking boots for a few weeks. Now that I am slowly getting into the flow, I want to enjoy him a little longer before facing the next challenge - and I'm sure hiking will be a challenge. My next (planned) stop is Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port - one of the most beautiful small towns in France and a popular pilgrimage site. I will try my best to report again as soon as possible. :-) Hopefully with more pictures...