Maybe I feel a little lonely after a week of traveling alone (it has been a while since I traveled alone for an extended period!), but I am very grateful that two older American gentlemen are sitting right next to me, chatting the whole time. At least I have something to listen to

They serve Japchae 잡채 as a starter, glass noodles made from sweet potato starch with vegetables and beef, then Bibimbap 비빔밥 (literally: mixed rice) as the main dish. Delicious! 

Full and satisfied, I stroll to the Barrage Vauban bridge, which is actually illuminated. A lovely farewell from a wonderful vacation here in Strasbourg! 

I'm sitting in the hotel breakfast room, in the background there's an acoustic version of 'As long as you love me' by the Backstreet Boys 😍 and I'm about to check out and stroll to the train station. 

Thank you for accompanying me on this journey - I might be alone on site, but I'm not lonely thanks to your many comments and feedback! ☺️🫶 

In the following hours, we had free time and could spend it as we wished. Some members of the choir stayed at the hotel to enjoy the available amenities like the gym or the pool and to rest. Others explored Belo Horizonte on their own, as the city offered many options with various markets and parks.

At 6 PM, we reconvened for a two-hour rehearsal to address any issues, give the choreography a final polish, and prepare for the upcoming days.

Mileage: 159834

Our seemingly final leg in France took us to Capbreton, just a few kilometers from the Spanish border.

Our parking spot was just behind the dune, only a few steps from the sea. When we arrived at 2:00 PM, we jumped right into our suits. We wanted to rent a board on the dune and head straight to the water. With two hours to high tide, we would have plenty of time to enjoy the board before the waves came in.

Unfortunately, the sea did not cooperate. The water was calm, with just a few small waves, and that was all. We reconsidered and postponed our plan for later; maybe it would be better just after high tide at 4:25 PM. In the meantime, we had found websites for tide predictions and wave forecasts and had them ready on our phones.

We spent the hot noon time in Gary's shade while our suits dried in the sun. After twenty minutes of wearing them, they were already soaked with sweat.

Around five, when the tide was at its highest, we tried our luck again. Sadly, the situation had not changed; today we would not be surfing. So, we took off our suits and went swimming until nearly sunset. On the southern horizon, you could clearly see the mountainous Spanish northern coast.

For dinner, we were back at Gary's. After eating, we took a walk around the area to see where the many visitors were from. Many were, of course, from France, but just as many from Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Great Britain, Poland, Austria, Belgium, or the Netherlands; a colorful mix of people, very different from Lit-et-Mixe, where nearly the entire place was filled with German holidaymakers.

Upon returning to Gary, it was clear that summer was coming to an end, as it was 9:30 PM and already quite dark.

We are spending a week in St. Gilgen right by Wolfgangsee. Our hotel is almost directly by the lake, you only need to cross a small street. One day we hiked from St. Gilgen to St. Wolfgang, around 10 km. Initially along the water and then through the forest above the lake with glimpses of the lake. St. Wolfgang is worth a visit, it has many tourists and the White Horse Inn is not that impressive. We returned by boat, taking about 45 minutes back to St. Gilgen. One day I also visited Mondsee, which is just a few kilometers from Wolfgangsee for golfing.

In addition to the diverse lectures, the EAA is always a great opportunity for networking with archaeologists from all over the world 🌍

Additionally, many publishers, laboratories, etc. showcase their products and archaeological services. This includes specialized providers for excavation necessities. This truly warms the heart of every archaeologist 😍📏🪏

At 9 am, we set off on an hour-long journey to Ouro Preto. Upon arrival, we had a good hour and a half to explore the city on our own, and many took the time to admire the colorful streets or visit the first small shops.

For lunch, we gathered at the restaurant “Conto de Reis,” where we could try various Brazilian dishes in a cozy atmosphere. After that, we had a city tour, during which we learned more about the history of the town. The highlight of the tour was a visit to the gold mine “Grande Mina Central,” where we learned more about gold mining in the city. Ouro Preto translates to “black gold” and was the center of the largest gold rush in the New World in the 18th century. After being guided through the winding streets of the town and visiting a few souvenir shops, our tour ended at 3:30 pm. Since the rehearsal didn’t start until an hour later, we had a little time to grab a coffee or stock up on snacks for the evening. We then changed into our concert outfits and tested the church’s acoustics during the rehearsal, and of course, we had to take another group photo before the concert began at 6:00 pm.

The concert was opened by the Orquestra Jovem de Ouro Preto under the direction of Eric Lana, performing two pieces. After this lively start, it was our turn in the concert, where we presented the audience with a diverse spiritual program that included both piano pieces and a cappella pieces. In the end, we sang together with the orchestra “The Lord bless you and keep you,” which was met with great enthusiasm from the audience.

Late in the evening, we made our way to the Hotel Maxi Savassi, which will be our accommodation for the next three nights, and after this long day, we were all very exhausted and looked forward to our beds.

On the first day, in the evening, before we went to the toilet, we saw 4 kangaroos in front of our camper!!!! 🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘

The next day, we went kangaroo feeding at 6 AM. There were a few gray kangaroos and one red one. In the evening, Nora and I took a walk on the beach with Dad and saw a spiny anteater - echidna.🦔

On the last day, we unfortunately had to leave early...😢😢 I think this campsite was the best!!

I visited the park at Shinjuku, which does have an admission fee but is really beautiful and worth it. Right in the city, near the world's busiest train station, you can find plenty of greenery and a quiet place.

I also visited the much more distant Inokashira Park. It offered beautiful scenery in rainy weather. Additionally, the famous Ghibli Museum was located directly in the park. Unfortunately, it is always sold out.

On another day, I went to the Nature and Technology Museum at Ueno Park. It had many different levels and themes. Many animals and dinosaurs were displayed, as well as plants and stones. It dealt with the evolutionary history of humans and other animals. One level focused particularly on the technology for detecting and assessing earthquakes. There was definitely a lot to see and discover. However, I didn't want to take pictures of everything, so I only took a picture of the whale waiting at the exit.

Alsace, a border region between Germany and France, has switched political allegiances multiple times in its history. In 1871, it was annexed into the German Empire. This explains why there are so many architectural reminders of the German occupation in Strasbourg - the capital of Alsace.

After World War I (during which a military hospital was housed in the palace right in front of me), Alsace became part of France again, only to be occupied by the Germans once more during World War II... Goodness.

Next to the palace, there are several former government and administrative buildings here, which are now used as theaters and libraries, among other things.

From the Place de la République, I'll take the tram past Wacken 🤘 to the European Parliament. Since 1979, Strasbourg has been the seat of the European Parliament. How wonderful it is that we are part of Europe and can travel so easily between countries!

I get off at Parc de l'Orangerie. Here I have a second breakfast: Croissant with apricots (the theme almost hit😁). I let my soul dangle and read - the weather is lovely today.

For lunch, I'm back on the Malraux peninsula for a quick snack at a vegan student café. Unfortunately, the quiche is rather mediocre and quite expensive (the prices were nowhere to be found beforehand).

With the tram, I go back to the hotel for a short break. It has become so warm that I change into shorts and sandals. Then I head back out: there's a small market at Kléber Plaza!

From there, I wander aimlessly through the city, searching for a café with a nice view to paint. I thought it would be easy to find, but it turns out it's not.

As I realize I'm becoming tired and grumpy, I stop for a snack and have half a Flammkuchen and pretzel chicken. Unfortunately, neither is very good - I've fallen into the tourist trap. Well, that’s part of it.

After another break at the hotel - thank goodness it's so centrally located! - I set out for dinner. I definitely want to end the day with a positive dining experience. So I decide on an absolute comfort food: Vietnamese rice noodles with tofu.

In the pedestrian zone near the hotel, I quickly find what I'm looking for and manage, together with the patient lady behind the counter, to place my order entirely in French (okay, 30% French, 70% sign language 😂). The food is very tasty, and I'm reconciled with life.

The door opens, and an old man comes out from the entrance right next to me. He addresses me and asks if I speak Italian (yes, a little).

He tells me in a mix of French and Italian, which I understand poorly, that he comes originally from Italy. Then he disappears and returns with a small sample of perfume that he gives me.

Well, you're surprised, right? This is how summer romances happen to me 🤣

I then move on to see the cathedral at night. So what can I say? The lighting is very environmentally friendly - it's actually nonexistent! So I brightened my evening with a scoop of ice cream - passion fruit, super tasty - and then I walked back to the hotel one last time today. Phew, that was a reading marathon for you!

Let's see if there's anything to report tomorrow; I've actually done everything on my wish list!

For the main course, I had char fillet with crunchy vegetables and shrimp. It came with bread, and I ate everything until the last crumb, saying I wanted to make a strong statement 😅

For the 1st time in France

💡 Fun Fact: Petit France is a district of Strasbourg with old half-timbered houses from the 16th and 17th centuries. It, along with the whole old town, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The district got its name from syphilis, which was brought in during the 18th century and was also known as the 'French disease.' The district housed the Hospice of the Incurables, which was called 'La Petit France' - Little France. Later, the nickname was transferred to the entire district.

💡 Fun fact: Kléber was a general who served under Napoleon. His mortal remains rest in a vault beneath the monument at Kléber square. 

Mileage: unchanged

Shortly after ten o'clock, we received a message from Poste France that our package had been delivered. We immediately went to the reception and picked up our eagerly awaited package. Breakfast had to wait. First, the repair had to be done.

When we opened the small parcel, we were in for a big surprise. In addition to the spare parts, there were not only the two books that Sebb had wished for from the home library, but also two jars of jam, band-aids, and a package for entertainment inside. So many kind greetings from the family were simply wonderful!

The replacement of the gas struts was completed after about an hour, everything fit perfectly, and at last, our bed worked as it should again.

Now it was time for the - now very late - breakfast. To celebrate the day, we had baked beans in tomato sauce and fried eggs.

Afterward, Gary was vacuumed, all carpets and runners were shaken out, and everything was tidied up again. After the afternoon nap, we emptied the waste tank and the toilet cassette, topped up the drinking and flushing water, and prepared for our departure tomorrow.

Since Thursday, we had been in one place, tomorrow it would be six days. Considering our travel rhythm so far, the stay felt quite long.

We took another shower - who knew when that would be possible again - and had another delicious meal on the beachfront at 'Chez René'. This time we were offered 'large beers', meaning 1/2 L, which was quite extraordinary since normal beer here in France was only 1/4 L.

We settled on the beach until sunset just before 9:00 PM and watched the waves.

We’re starting the day relaxed today, enjoying our breakfast without any rush.

The family council has decided against a hike/safari at the Waterberg.

Instead, the youth would rather go shopping in the city first. Since today is Heroes' Day in Namibia, we weren't sure about the store opening hours. There isn’t much of a holiday feeling here, so everyone managed to find something for their already packed suitcase.

Afterward, we head to the Cheetah Conservation Fund with mixed feelings, a conservation organization for cheetahs.

Opinions about it vary widely on the internet. And since unfortunately, no one crossed our path in the wild, we go during feeding time (which is supposed to be the best time to at least experience some action).

Unfortunately, we weren’t impressed at all. Unmotivated staff and lethargic animals in far too small enclosures.

It’s a shame; this excursion was supposed to be a fitting conclusion to our really wonderful holiday in Namibia!

At least we spotted a few warthogs on the way back. We had searched for them in vain until now 👀

To top it all off, an email 📩 arrives stating that our scheduled direct flight from Windhoek to Frankfurt will have to make a fuel stop in Angola 🤮. Well, thanks for that; the flight time will thus be extended by 1 1/2 hours.

Suitcases 💼 are almost packed, postcards sent 📨. Tomorrow we aim to arrive safely in Windhoek and return the car at the airport. Then it’s homeward bound ✈️🇩🇪

I’m curious to see what awaits at home 😅

A small stroll in the lively district of Plaka, located right next to the Acropolis, gave me a good overview of the many tourist offerings. The area has a hectic charm with its narrow streets and rows of shops and restaurants 😉

In the evening, the 32nd Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA 2026) was officially opened.

I then headed to the central building of the National and Kapodistrias University of Athens for the Opening Ceremony and subsequent Welcome Reception.

Over wine and appetizers, I was able to reconnect with a few colleagues 😊

The next three days will once again focus on archaeology, but in the form of many lectures, including my own, and discussions instead of ancient ruins 😉

Our thoughts on this are mixed: On one hand, this hill is an example of popular Catholic piety, where the worries, fears, and hopes of people find expression. On the other hand, it is a tourist hotspot where all sorts of kitschy devotional items are offered for sale.

On one hand, this place is a symbol of a resistant consciousness, as during the Soviet era, the victims of the system were particularly honored here, especially after the Soviet rulers sent bulldozers to destroy all the crosses. On the other hand, the cross as a symbol cannot defend itself when it is isolated from the faith and actions of Jesus, and thus becomes so emptied that in the end, piles of (garbage) crosses emerge.

Just before more tourist buses arrived, we continued on to one of the most idyllic campsites of our journey.

Again right by the lake, again almost alone, and this time with plenty of sunshine. It felt like a completely different side of life compared to the Hill of Crosses.

What a journey, I had to let that sink in first.

It was helpful for me that after the tour, there was the Tolminator. Having the festival with Jenni and a bunch of friends as a buffer to reality.

There are so many unbelievable impressions I was able to gather that my mind is virtually constantly replaying images.

It is an ongoing process.

In August, I was lucky enough to attend two festivals (Breeze and DeathFeast).

There was also an undefined feeling that once the final report is finished, the journey is really truly over.

Hello brain, that's nonsense.

I can now accept that holistically, so have fun reading 🙂

Before my journey, I received a guardian angel from a work colleague.

Which, to my shame, I lost within the first few weeks.

Also inconvenient to have it in the same bag as my phone.

Which I took out X times every day to take yet another photo.

Of course, I stopped each time.

In any case, after a brief scare, perhaps I'm a bit superstitious, I concluded that my luck is independent of an object and my guardian angel will be by my side regardless.

Together with the one I received from Jenni, which is always attached to the handlebars.

It worked, I was (almost) always well protected and besides some minor injuries like a dog bite and some scrapes, I made it through my journey safe and sound.

For all necessary repairs, I found myself in a big city and could seek professional help.

Perfectly executed.

I deliberately ignore the broken hoses.

There was always an opportunity to stay overnight, and anyone who might have seen me in my nighttime shelter accepted my presence.

Low points were the moments of missing home, and the many animals killed were unpleasant.

Additionally, it is a stifling feeling that arose from the experienced inequality regarding freedom of travel.

That it was easy for me to enter every country on my tour.

However, the reverse is only feasible to a limited extent and often comes with high hurdles.

Many times, I saw a simple life that is virtually unimaginable for me as a city person.

Even though I grew up in a village with horses, it can't begin to compare to the harsh life of herders and farmers.

The negative and lasting impacts of individual people, typically men, are sometimes extreme. Like Enver Hoxha, who in his paranoia buried the country in bunkers, which led Albania to ruin.

Understanding has so much more to offer.

Albania was, alongside Turkey, the most beautiful country of my journey, and it will hopefully experience an economic upturn to make this beautiful and diverse country with its mountains and coastline more livable.

I absolutely have to come back again.

Overwhelming was also the high level of warmth I encountered, especially in the Muslim-dominated countries, and I hope to be able to preserve some of that.

A major highlight throughout the journey was these encounters with people, which were exciting, educational, and often heartfelt.

As a bikepacker, it's easy to make contact. One of the reasons I love this way of traveling so much. You progress quickly and cover larger distances, yet you're more accessible than when rolling around in a metal box.

Crossing the Carpathians and arriving at the Black Sea was unimaginable.

And then there’s the feeling of having made it to Asia by bike.

Even though in Istanbul it was just a short trip to the other side of the Bosphorus, it was a significant step for a Nicko.

That’s when the feeling arose to start from here again and then head further east.

I'm also happy that my planning worked well in that I finally arrived in Tolmin safe, relaxed, and on time.

I am grateful to Jenni for her support in my endeavor and her endless patience during the preparations.

Which were fundamentally good for me.

Timing worked perfectly with the length of the route concerning my arrival time.

My equipment served me excellently.

I could have spared myself a few of the warmer items.

I also just transported a camera mount without using it.

The solar panel was inadequate, and next time I would replace it with a more powerful model or an additional power bank.

For the water filter, unlike the SteriPen, there was no necessity to use it. Still, it's useful to have if you're relying on it.

I discovered cooking on tour for myself, and as long as there are enough gas cartridges, the stove is great. Although I was initially skeptical, it ultimately paid off.

What’s nice is that I could largely do without my tools. Have rather than need remains the motto in this case.

And everything else has been used at least once, so I was fundamentally very satisfied with my setup of clothes, equipment, and bags.

Much of it was new purchases after the previous items were simply worn out from earlier tours. Or it was about weight. The trial was passed.

I was grateful to have taken the time beforehand to learn knots, which immensely helped me establish and dismantle my camp.

Also, I'm thankful for the printed map on which my route planning was marked.

In conversations, I found it much nicer to show my route than to pull out my phone. Silly practical device.

A big thank you to everyone who accompanied me on my journey.

Whether specifically like Dave, who significantly shaped the start of the journey.

Or all those who supported me during the preparations with ideas, suggestions, and critical questions.

Thank you to everyone who shared in my tour by reading my reports.

All of this gave me motivation and helped me successfully master this long distance.

And also to stay committed to taking the necessary time to write the texts.

Besides the playlist that allows me to relive the days or specific situations, I have the description of my experiences from all the days, and it will take some time until I have processed all the impressions.

Or until I have seen all the pictures and videos with Jenni. She asked!

The journey expressed in a few numbers:

Days: 80

Countries: 15

Kilometers (excluding city tours): 7,169

Elevation gain: 62,650

Fun factor: always 42

And there are already rough plans for the next trip in a few years, and it will again be said:

The most important thing is the first step, and from then on, something always comes up.

Until then, take care, and my respect if you made it this far 🙂

Song of the day:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5G0FOqcpJylO3fDExYFKW2?si=ftCE69jYQc-H-5R9f-rYyQ&utm_source=copy-link&pi=12Kkt5nhQyeIx

Athens hosts a very large number of stray cats, as well as some other animals….

The cats help keep the rodent population under control, but they do not lead comfortable lives themselves. Many are marked by street life, are thin and thirsty, and often sick.

Therefore, much praise goes to the dedicated Athenians who care for the animals, either privately or through organizations like 'Anima'.

Today we finally delve into archaeology 😊

After spending the morning on preparations for EAA2026, the afternoon was free for Ancient Greece.

First, I visited the ruins of the Library of Hadrian, which was sponsored by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. A reminder of the period when Athens was under Roman rule. The former grandeur of the library can now only be imagined through the ruins of its foundations.

Next, I visited the Ancient Agora, the ancient assembly and marketplace of Athens. The history of the Agora dates back to the Neolithic period (evidenced by pottery shards) and it served many functions over time.

In prehistoric times, the later Agora was predominantly used as a cemetery. It wasn't until the 5th century BC that the space gradually evolved into a public square.

With some interruptions and destructions due to wars and conquests, the impressive Temple of Hephaistion was among the structures established in the following centuries. Today, it is one of the best-preserved temples from antiquity across Greece.

Through the emergence of various administration buildings, along with temples and commercial structures, the Agora became the political, religious, and social center. Election events and political debates made it the democratic focal point of the city.

A somber testimony to everyday life is the Agora Bone Well. In this well, which at least dates back to the 2nd century BC, the remains of at least 450 infants and young children were found, as well as some dogs. Current researchers believe that the children ended up in the well over a long period and did not die due to a major event (e.g., a plague). Infant mortality was high at that time, and it was not uncommon for such young children to receive no proper burial. However, this does not mean that there were no grieving parents behind each child. Rather, this should be seen as a behavior that adapted to the worldviews and social influences of that time.

From there, I proceeded through the rest of the Agora to today's museum. There, alongside many, many ceramics (😅), there were also two child burials displayed. Of course, the famous Attic pottery was there, as well as the ceramics shards known as ostraka. These are simply fragments that served as writing materials for e.g., shopping lists since papyrus or parchment was not affordable for everyone.

Something interesting from my field wrapped up the visit. The ankle bones, in the last image, were used as popular dice for gaming. High stakes on the outcomes led to more than a few financial ruins 😬 By the way, people still play and roll with ankle bones 😉

That was quite a long text 😅 But archaeology is worth it!

The next day, we went to Magnetic Island to see koalas 🐨 🐨 🐨. At first, we didn't see any, but then we had a surprise...

We even saw one with a baby!!!! (Picture 1) When we went to the ferry, we also saw some rock wallabies.

Onwards with fun and another island........🏝🏝😁😁😁😁😁

The types of games can be divided into an era before and after the reunification (so before and after the two older ones were involved): before reunification, we mainly played Kniffel (almost 50 games), Binokel (about 30 games), 6 Nimmt (almost 10 games), and Rummy (about 20 games); after reunification, Uno and Skyo became more prevalent. Other games include: Ganz schön clever, Kuhhandel, Hitster, Wizard, Mäxle, Arschloch, Schlafmütze. Of course, the results of the most important games are noted down, documenting who really won and lost how many times. Currently, this still happens analogously in the 'Book of Wins and Losses', but I might let Claude do some cooking here after my vacation. Speaking of AI: the current comic strip realistically depicts a typical Binokel game.

It should be clear that the author of this blog is a bit of a Neuschwanstein fanboy. But who can blame him? The symbiosis of a fairy tale castle and the picturesque backdrop of mountains, forests, and a lake is pure (romanticized) medieval charm (knowing well that Neuschwanstein, although inspired by medieval castles, is of much newer construction, built between 1869 and 1892). So, it was clear that in addition to the spontaneous visit at the beginning of the vacation (the observant reader will remember), an official one would follow. Also on foot (from the parking lot) but with a detour via the Marienbrücke, where a new phone wallpaper was created.

Zugspitze

The visit to Zugspitze was planned from the start for the third week of vacation, as my daughter also wanted to experience it. After we celebrated a large family reunion on Sunday, the next day we scaled Germany’s highest mountain (2962m), or better said conquered it with the help of the impressive Zugspitz cable car. And even though we couldn’t spot the Waldburg (which my dad says is possible on good days), the view was still very impressive. This was my first visit to Zugspitze, and I hadn’t imagined this mountain to be so majestic and awe-inspiring. In contrast, the condition of the Northern Schneeferner glacier was shocking, as it can hardly be called a glacier anymore and will likely lose its status as one in the coming years. Also somewhat disappointing was the 'descent' with the Zugspitz cogwheel railway. Tight, slow, and mostly underground, we would have preferred to take the cable car for the descent in hindsight. Nevertheless, it was a very beautiful (half) day trip.

It was Monday and we had exhausted most of our food supplies, so we needed to go shopping. We could have walked to the local shop on the promenade, but the selection there was very limited and the prices were quite high.

So we got Gary ready for the journey and drove ten minutes to the nearest supermarket. As it turned out, many others were in the same situation, as the market was completely crowded around lunchtime. Our brand of bottled water was sold out, the selection for bread and milk was also quite limited, but in the end, we got everything we needed. When we asked at the checkout about propane bottles, since we had space for a new gas bottle after yesterday, we were directed to the vending machine in the parking lot.

So we went to get gas from the vending machine. It worked like a package station from DHL back home. You entered what you wanted at the terminal and whether you wanted to return an empty bottle, then you paid and in the end, one of the doors on the rack/cabinet opened and you could take out your bottle. Quite simple really, once you knew how it worked.

We stashed the bottle and our groceries in Gary, once again marveling at the space-saving wonder of the refrigerator, where somehow everything found its place.

Then we drove back and parked in our spot again. We plugged the power back in and went to the sea.

The sea was showing a completely different side today and was so calm that the surf schools could only practice paddling; there were no waves today. After a few hours, we ended our beach visit.

Back at the campsite, there was a note on our table, filled with anticipation for our package we translated the paper and were disappointed to find it was just a reminder that our site reservation was expiring tomorrow and we should please check in at the reception if we wanted to extend. Which we promptly did. So we had two more nights until Wednesday.

Our package from Germany had, in fact, begun moving again after the weekend. This morning at 5:27 AM it had been loaded at the export package center and was supposed to be on the truck heading to France, but it hadn’t arrived here yet.

We moved onto our evening routine: showering, cooking, eating, and washing up. This time, we finally had the salad with chicken strips. Afterwards, we sat outside in front of the door, enjoying the evening as we often do.

After finally getting more sleep, we leave our beautiful lodge at Etosha National Park feeling refreshed and slowly make our way back towards the center of the country.

Since we were all quite exhausted from the long car rides of the past days, we decide to head straight to our last accommodation without any major detours.

We just make a small stop at Boshoff Family Wines, one of three wineries in Namibia. Here, only about 7,000 bottles are produced annually.

At lunchtime, we arrive at the Crocodile Farm in Otjiwarongo. Before we take the tour of the grounds, we first refuel with Croco-Wrap and burger. It tastes comparable to chicken. Afterwards, our guide explains in detail the 'production' and keeping of the animals. Lastly, those who wanted to were allowed to hold a 1.5-year-old crocodile.

Our guest house is not far away. Upon arrival, everyone is just glad to let the afternoon drift by.

To finish off the day, we go out for a 'little something' to eat, mind you, all for less than €30!

This morning we woke up relatively early, which not only gave us that quaint door on the way to breakfast, but also a wonderful natural spectacle: While the sun still hides behind the mountain peak, the morning fog crawls over the summit.

Since our boarding begins today at 5:15 PM and we also don’t want to be at the airport too early, we are looking for a stopover on the drive from Franschhoek to Cape Town.

Ever since I mistook the Afrikaans-speaking lady at the cashier in the Cape Town heritage museum for a Dutch woman 🙈, I’ve been curious about how this language actually originated. The Afrikaanse Taalmonument in Paarl, a monument to the Afrikaans language, is just the right place to find out.

The location itself is impressive. The 57-meter-high monument stands prominently on a hill, surrounded by a surprisingly large, well-maintained park with interesting vegetation (and a beautiful spot for chess-playing 🤩). From there, you get a fantastic view over Paarl and the surrounding winelands.

With an audio guide, we walk through the grounds and learn that Afrikaans is primarily based on Dutch, but is by no means simply the Dutch of the white settlers. Its origin tells quite a lot about the history of South Africa.

When the Dutch established a supply station at the Cape in the 17th century, people from very different backgrounds came together: European settlers, the Khoi and San who already lived at the Cape, and people who were brought to the Cape as slaves, primarily from Southeast Asia and other parts of Africa. In everyday contact, Dutch was modified, words from other languages were incorporated, and gradually Afrikaans evolved from that.

We have already encountered some traces of this on our journey without even knowing it. Kudu and Springbuck, for example. And even the somewhat quirky name Dikkop for a bird is Afrikaans and actually simply means “thickhead”. 😄

What I find particularly interesting is that the people who were taken from Southeast Asia also had a significant influence on the development of the language. Many of them were Muslims, and early religious texts in Afrikaans were even written in Arabic script.

All of this is explained in great detail through the audio guide and is also reflected in the architecture of the monument. Its various columns and arches represent the influences from Europe, Africa, and Asia that ultimately flowed together to create a common language.

The longer we listen, the more interesting we find it all. At some point, however, we also notice what we are not learning, and I use the airport Wi-Fi for further research. 🤓

Because the history of Afrikaans certainly does not end with its origin. In the 20th century, the language became increasingly a symbol of the white Afrikaners and eventually one of the languages of the apartheid state – that system which separated people by their skin color and denied basic rights to the black majority population.

In 1976, the government finally attempted to enforce that black schoolchildren had to learn certain subjects in Afrikaans. Thousands of students protested in Soweto against this. The police shot at the demonstrators, and numerous people died. The uprising became a significant turning point in the resistance against apartheid.

And now the time at which we stand here becomes particularly interesting: The Taalmonument was inaugurated in 1975 – right in the midst of apartheid and just one year before the Soweto uprising.

During the entire tour, we do not learn anything about this part of the history. This part of history is also not mentioned in our information sheets. At a monument that otherwise so thoroughly tells about the origins and significance of Afrikaans, we find this gap at least noteworthy.

Another thing catches our attention: For the first time on our trip, white South Africans are sitting here at the entrance and behind the museum cash register. After encountering almost exclusively black or “Coloured” staff in the tourist service sectors up until now, we now register this immediately. Whether this has any significance here, we certainly do not know. But we find it interesting that we even notice this.

Thus, a stopover that we originally intended just to avoid being too early at the airport unexpectedly turns into a pretty interesting encounter with the complicated history of South Africa.

And of course, we are still way too early at the airport. 😂✈️

But now really: The end. 🙈

A cozy morning at the resort

Since we didn’t go shopping on our arrival day, we treated ourselves to breakfast at our resort. Just like dinner, the breakfast menu was very elaborate and extremely delicious. From porridge with fresh fruits to chia bowls, toasted sourdough bread with avocado, sausage burgers, and lemon pancakes, there was a wide variety of options.

This is indeed a lasting experience in the Baltics: There are few people around between the Baltic Sea, rivers, and lakes, amidst nearly endless pine and birch forests.

Quiet - we have found you!

And when we do get into conversation at the campsites, the big questions of life always come up: Where do we come from and where are we going?😃

Wherever we/you have been, it was at least nice or great; it’s very rare to hear 'terrible' or 'never again'. Problems like flat tires or dead car batteries happen, but by the time we’re telling the stories, they’re already resolved. It’s wonderful to see that everyone still has plans and shows curiosity about this world.

By the way, we spend a lot of time poring over travel and camping guides to discuss and ultimately decide the next stops on our journey, as we travel without a 'big plan'.

In camping, the gender roles are also set: The men drive the more or less heavy vehicle to the campsite. Once arrived, the woman takes over and decides on the pitch. Yes, a clear division of roles can make life easier.😀

Yes, even the fishermen can rise early, although not all do so without loud protests. 

This makes us one of the first in line at the Anderson Gate, entering the Etosha National Park.

Passing numerous springboks, zebras, kudus, and impalas, we are rewarded at the first waterhole. 

A duo of two young lions 🦁 is just making its way to drink. We spot the proud hunters from a distance until they are only about 30 meters away from us. They drink extensively before lazily lying down. Two brave giraffes join them a little later. It's amusing how the long-necked ones drink 🦒

Along the Etosha pan, we can observe huge herds of hoofed animals and travel kilometers upon kilometers down. By now, the sun is at its zenith, and the chances of discovering another one of the Big 5 diminish minute by minute. 

At lunchtime, we come across a few elephants, and just before the end, we are fortunate to spot six sleeping lionesses quite close to the road. The meal they had before still lies within reach. 

After almost 8 hours and about 250 kilometers, we reach the Lindequist Gate and arrive at the Emanya@Etosha Lodge, our penultimate accommodation, about 15 minutes later.

A quick lounge by the pool and enjoying a cocktail 🍸 before a 5-course meal awaits us this evening 😋

P.S. Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi here is quite poor again. It only uploads pictures very slowly 😏

To be continued ....

The bus ride there took approximately 7 hours (the longest of this trip) and was only interrupted by a short and a longer restroom break.

Upon our arrival in Itabirito, we were joyfully welcomed; from the bus, we could already see the choir members of the Canarinhos de Itabirito and their choir director Eric Lana and team waving at us, many holding homemade posters high. After getting off, they greeted each of us individually with a long chain of handshakes. :) Then we received a tour of the local station complex, consisting of several buildings with shops selling local crafts and a food wagon.

In this wagon, among other things, Pasteis de Angú are made, traditional dumplings from the state of Minas Gerais. They were originally made by slaves from leftovers, consist of cornmeal and are filled with banana flowers and meat. Today they are considered an intangible cultural heritage and exist in up to one hundred different varieties. We got to try these during a small snack, with fillings ranging from vegan to meat. There, each of us also received a bag from the Canarinhos filled with stickers, flyers, and puzzles. Slightly strengthened, we were then assigned to our second host families and set off with them to our home for the next two nights.

At 8:30 PM, we met again at the Canarinhos school, where we had dinner together in the cafeteria. There were different types of pasta and sauces, salads, and several regional desserts. In the background, a three-member “guitar orchestra” played, some even performing on one guitar with six hands, presenting Brazilian pieces. The evening concluded with a ten-member recorder ensemble. After dinner, we were again picked up by our host families and spent the rest of the evening with them.

Athens is a fascinating blend of ancient and modern, tradition and innovation.

My first tour of the city was quite spontaneous, and as often happens, especially interesting places are discovered.

The start on the hotel roof gave me my first comprehensive view of Athens, especially Mount Lycabettus with the St. George's Chapel at the top.

After that, I continued to Syntagma Square, the central square in the heart of Athens, and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. Both in beautiful sunset light 🌅

While walking through the bustling streets of Athens, I stumbled upon the Kapnikarea Church right in the middle of Ermou Shopping Street. This Byzantine church from the 11th century was built, like many sacred buildings in Athens, on the remains of an ancient temple. What particularly caught my eye was the naturalness with which Athenians practice their faith there. It seemed almost incidental how believers interrupted their shopping for a small prayer, lit a candle, and then moved on.

Even in the metro, I encountered surprising places. In the Athenian underground, not only do metros run, but there are also small libraries and musical surprises to be found….

😊

Today's plan was: the beach! After all, it was Sunday.

So we first slept in properly and then put together a nice breakfast.

Around noon, we packed our things and looked for a spot on the beach. Since it would soon get very crowded near the beach accesses, we hiked a bit north, past the next surf spot. We laid down our blanket about where we had been in the water two days ago.

Hardly had we completed our first round in the water and found a comfortable spot to watch the surfers when we saw something large surface in the water a bit further out. It was too massive for a swimmer, and even for a surfer, it was too far out; it would dive down and then come back up...

The whole audience on the beach shouted and pointed toward the open sea. Then you could see a fin - a dorsal fin, then another one, dolphins, sharks, orcas? When the first dolphin tail (fluke) finally appeared, it was clear what we were seeing, and we watched intently as the marine mammals made their way along the coast a few hundred meters away, displaying the occasional leap. After ten minutes, the group had passed by, and normality returned to the beach.

In the afternoon, we ended our beach stay and returned to Gary. We washed off the sand and salt, then we went to eat along the promenade.

In the evening, we read a call for help by a tree next to the dishwashing area. A family from Swabia was looking for a gas bottle. The five had just returned from northern Spain and had exhausted their gas supplies; it was still quite a distance to Germany, but they still had 12 days. We checked what we had. In our gas locker was an 11kg bottle from Germany with still 7kg of propane and a 9kg bottle from France with 2kg of butane left. The German bottle was our reserve for emergencies, but we wouldn't be able to change it out anytime soon. We thought for a moment, then we brought our reserve bottle to the five. With that, they would easily last over two weeks, wouldn’t need an adapter for the French system, and could simply return the bottle in Germany.

Hardly had we completed the gas bottle deal when the rain came, which lightning and thunder had announced for half an hour.

We spent the rest of the evening again in Gary's seating area, reading and writing the blog post from the previous day.

We're taking it easy on our last day of vacation. We're taking the tram and bus to two wineries, enjoying a small tasting here and coffee and a brownie there. Afterwards, we'll stroll through Franschhoek again, browsing the little shops and galleries with all their inspiring art and crafts – I'd love to take so much of it home with me.

Or: Just lock me up for three months with my colors and my memories of Africa. 🎨😉

Perhaps I'll actually take some time at home to put some of these impressions down on paper or canvas. Or perhaps in the end it will "only" be a photo book. Although "only" is probably the wrong word after this trip.

It was certainly wonderful to slow down here. And it was a holiday for the senses: not just for the taste buds – although there was plenty on offer there too. 😉 There's the scent of the wilderness, which is almost impossible to describe. The sounds of the night. The incredible diversity of the landscapes, the colors, the light. Animals that suddenly appeared right in front of us, and people whose stories and encounters touched me deeply. And of course, all the little quirks along the way – one of which, "Katzenellenbogen Rd," will definitely be remembered. 😂

And perhaps it was precisely the writing that led me to perceive many things more consciously. I was a little worried beforehand that the blog might distract me from the actual travel. Quite the opposite was true: To write something down, I had to look more closely, think about it again, and put some things into proper context. As a result, I experienced this trip more intensely, not less.

And now, with this last entry, I'm also no longer afraid of forgetting all those little stories and impressions someday. ☺️

Tomorrow I'm heading home. But I'm bringing a little bit of Africa with me. 🌍

After setting off without a plan, I decided to hike to a train station. However, it was still a long way to go, and I had run out of water. Luckily, the trails were mostly shaded in the deep forest.

Arriving at Tonosawa station, I was relieved and able to admire a small shrine with a pond. From there, I could comfortably take the train home after about six hours of hiking.

This morning we met again at 9 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Church. First, we said our greetings and sang "Happy Birthday" to our birthday girl, Marlene, before the Mass began, which we musically accompanied together with the Coral das Meninas di Canarinhos de Petrópolis. We opened the service with "Locus iste." The girls' choir then took over for the next six pieces, before we accompanied the rest of the service with five more songs. We were delighted by the deeply religious atmosphere, as well as the programs, which recorded the order of the Eucharist verbatim and made it easy for us to follow along.

Afterwards, we had the rest of the day free, which we could spend individually with or without our families. Many used the time to explore Petrópolis. Several of us met up again at the Imperial Museum, the former summer residence of the Brazilian Emperor Pedro II (for whom the city is named). The cathedral and the city itself, with its many small shops, were also popular attractions.

We spent our last evening with the families relaxing and were excited about the change of location the next day.

The alarm clock rang at 6:30 a.m., …

… 6:30 a.m. … That was quite reminiscent of work.

We just had time for a coffee and a biscuit before squeezing into our wetsuits and then heading over to the surf school.

Our surf instructor, Yoann, seemed more awake than most of the eight students at 8:30 a.m. After being equipped with softboards (7.6'; 63 L), we marched single file to the beginner spot. There, we first received some theoretical information about the ocean: how to recognize a suitable spot for our skill level, how waves work, why the sandbar is crucial, and why it's important to know the current tide and how it will develop. This was followed by information about surfing itself: how to get on the board, how to steer it, and what we could achieve that day. Then it was finally time for the first practical session in the water. The first goal was "planing," which meant choosing the right whitewater, paddling, and then learning how to steer the board while lying down. The second theory session covered how to stand up using the classic, proper technique without touching the board with your knees, but there was also instruction for those who preferred to stand using their knees. Yoann immediately warned us that standing up on the board would be difficult today; the waves were very close together, nice and low, but quite energetic for beginners. And so, for us, standing up on the board was out of the question during our first lesson today.

When we sat down to breakfast with Gary at 11:30 after almost two hours of training, we were pretty exhausted. Since it was already lunchtime, and it was Saturday, and all that, we took a long nap.

Late in the afternoon, Ines discovered a pair of grasshoppers in the hedge behind Gary.

For dinner, we made another one of our salads with arugula, bell peppers, garlic, and mushrooms. We'd also bought some frozen chicken strips from the corner store to add to the salad. Unfortunately, when we opened the package, they turned out to be chicken liver pâté. Perhaps we should have used our phone to translate after all.

Ines even found a few more people to play beach volleyball with later, so despite the loud music we skipped the mussel and chips party on the beach promenade and frolicked a bit in the other sand.

Today we’ll be getting up a bit earlier 🥱 Our safari in Etosha National Park starts at 6:45 AM.

We are already in line at the Anderson Gate by sunrise, waiting for the gates to open.

The morning breeze hits us cold at first, and we’re grateful for ponchos and warm blankets.

In the morning hours, we can spot many different residents:

▪︎ Antelopes (Springbok, Oryx, Impala, Kudu, Hartebeest)
▪︎ Wildebeests
▪︎ Zebras
▪︎ Giraffes

▪︎ Jackals
▪︎ Eagles, Falcons, Yellow-billed Hornbills (Sazu)
▪︎ Ostriches
▪︎ Ground squirrels

And our highlight at noon is a herd of elephants (27 in total) at the waterhole 🐘 It’s a joy to see both big and small having fun in the water. They express it loudly 🎺

Unfortunately, it has become quite warm now, and most animals are taking a siesta, hiding in the shade of the trees.

We’re unsuccessfully hoping for a sighting of another one of the Big Five ☹️

At 4 PM, we return to our lodge and relax by the pool to end the day.

Tomorrow, we’ll be getting up early again 🐓 We’ll continue through the Etosha National Park to our next lodge.

Cross your fingers for good sightings 🦁🦏🐆🐃▪︎ Eagles, Falcons, Yellow-billed Hornbills (Sazu)
▪︎ Ostriches
▪︎ Ground squirrels

And our highlight at noon is a herd of elephants (27 in total) at the waterhole 🐘 It’s a joy to see both big and small having fun in the water. They express it loudly 🎺

Unfortunately, it has become quite warm now, and most animals are taking a siesta, hiding in the shade of the trees.

We’re unsuccessfully hoping for a sighting of another one of the Big Five ☹️

At 4 PM, we return to our lodge and relax by the pool to end the day.

Tomorrow, we’ll be getting up early again 🐓 We’ll continue through the Etosha National Park to our next lodge.

Cross your fingers for good sightings 🦁🦏🐆🐃

The drive out of Cape Town this morning feels oppressive again in parts. We pass by densely built, very impoverished-looking neighborhoods for kilometers. We feel almost relieved when the city is behind us and the landscape becomes more rural. Somehow, we expect to leave the visible poverty and stark contrasts behind as well.

Stellenbosch appeals to us immediately. A small, vibrant university town with cafés and restaurants, old trees, and beautiful, well-maintained houses. The university's botanical garden is small but remarkably pleasant, featuring tall palm trees and small bonsais, each labeled with its respective creator's name. And the theological faculty is a dream of a building.

Overall, Stellenbosch surprisingly feels very European. The architecture, the old houses, and the Dutch-sounding names – some could just as well be found somewhere in the Netherlands or Northern Germany.

In the local museum, we visit four houses from different periods of the 18th and 19th centuries. They were inhabited by wealthy Dutch and German families who held important positions in the city. The furniture, tableware, and decor differ little from what we know from European local museums or the cabinets of our grandparents and great-grandparents. In one of the houses, we see an upright piano, of which our guide claims only six exist in the world. In another room, there is a surprisingly modern shower by the standards of the time.

At the door of each house, we are greeted by a woman dressed as a domestic servant of that time, who leads us through the rooms. All are black South African women from Stellenbosch.

Something about it feels strange to me. We, white European tourists, are being shown the houses of the then white European upper class – by black women in the role of domestic staff.

One of them speaks English with an accent that I assume to be Dutch. I ask her if she is from the Netherlands. She looks at me in surprise. No, from Stellenbosch. I probably hear the influence of Afrikaans. The European history of this city clearly doesn't just reside in its houses.

When we later arrive in Franschhoek, we first see closely packed small houses on the mountainside that appear to be sliding down the slope from a distance. Then comes the Franschhoek from the travel guide: wineries, restaurants, galleries, well-kept historic houses, and guesthouses in front of a spectacular mountain backdrop.

Our guesthouse is also beautiful: an old, lovingly furnished house with a garden, complemented by a new building part that fits very well. We are delighted.

Later, I look at the place on the satellite image. And only now do I realize what we didn’t understand from the ground.

Franschhoek seems to consist of different worlds: generous properties and lots of greenery on one side, extremely densely built areas on the other. The “sliding down” houses from the entrance of the village are partly simple houses and informal dwellings, partly uniform small houses in more orderly structures that look like subsidized housing. Next to it lies the wealthy wine and tourist town, with some cultivation areas in between.

Clearly, we fell victim to a misconception this morning. What troubled us during the drive through Cape Town is not a phenomenon of the big city. Even smaller towns are divided into very different living environments – we hardly noticed that in the pretty center of Stellenbosch.

I start to read up on it. The numbers make the satellite image even clearer: In the last detailed census, around 17,500 people lived in the Franschhoek area – about 12,600 of them alone in the densely built-up settlement on the outskirts.

And as so often in South Africa, one quickly comes back to apartheid and its consequences. The former spatial segregation by skin color still shapes the cities today. The laws have been gone for more than 30 years, but their effects remain.

In the densely built areas, mostly black and Coloured South Africans live. Many work in agriculture, at the wineries, in restaurants, hotels, and guesthouses, or in private households – thus also in that world that makes Franschhoek so beautiful for visitors.

Tourism creates jobs and income, but also makes housing more desirable and expensive. Houses become guesthouses and vacation properties, while living in the attractive areas is hardly affordable for people with low and sometimes even middle incomes.

And suddenly I think of a meeting from the morning.

When we began our visit in Stellenbosch at Aunt Sophie’s café, the staff asked us if we were here for the first time and where we were going next.

“Franschhoek.”

“That’s far,” she said. Then she looked at us: “You are rich guys.”

We were taken aback. Franschhoek is over 30 kilometers away. For us, a short drive. But she didn’t say it jokingly. It sounded heavy.

Maybe she meant something entirely different than kilometers.

Some distances apparently cannot be measured in kilometers.

And while I’m still pondering this and getting a bit lost in thought, it’s time for dinner.

They have a “Winter Special” from May to August. With a snowflake. ❄️😂

You can’t understand everything in one afternoon. 🙈

Up towards the Strasbourg Cathedral, or in French, Cathédrale Notre-Dame.

Every evening, since July 3, 2026, and until August 30, 2026, a light show transforms the gigantic 142-meter high facade into a canvas.

The show starts at 10:30 PM initially, but in August, it begins at 10:00 PM. The unique sound and light show lasts for 10 minutes.

Tip: The first round is always very crowded. Just wait for the next or the one after that, and it will be less crowded. A new round always starts after a 5-minute break.

Shortly before midnight, it's over. Speaking of the end: The show runs until the end of August. Admission is, by the way, free.

And for those who missed it this year: Next year, the spectacle is planned again, this time with a completely new theme.

The Trans-Flores Road rivals any Swiss mountain road, not in terms of elevation difference, but in the number and sharpness of the curves. From Labuan Bajo in the west to Maumere in the east, a distance of 550 kilometers, the road winds in serpentine fashion almost constantly. This, of course, affects travel time: by bus, one must plan for 15 to 16 hours. Not only for this reason have I divided the trip into three stages.

On July 28, 2026, a minibus picks me up almost on time in front of the «D’Alvin Homestay» in Labuan Bajo. It is one of the most comfortable I have ever traveled in: wide, soft leather seats with ample leg space reminiscent of business class on an airplane. My first destination is the town of Ruteng, about 150 km east of Labuan Bajo.

Shortly after leaving Labuan Bajo, the road begins to ascend. The curves follow the terrain's contours. The road is paved and generally in good condition, but in some places so narrow that cars can only pass slowly and cautiously.

We drive through moist, cool forests – a pleasant change from the tropical heat in Komodo National Park. Then, fields of subdivided rice terraces open up; on the slopes grow bananas, vegetables, and coffee. Flores takes pride in its coffee. In the scattered villages, we pass wooden, concrete, and brick houses with rusty corrugated iron roofs, satellite dishes, and occasionally a few family graves in the garden.

And again and again churches; Flores is one of the few Indonesian regions with a predominantly Catholic population. In Cancar, near Ruteng, for example, is the parish church of St. Maria Fatima, built in a wild mix of architectural styles with columns, pointed arch windows, hexagonal tower tops, featuring a huge statue of Jesus above the portal, with a much smaller figure of his mother Mary above it.

Latin Male Names

In Ruteng, I check in at the Kopa HillTop Family Guest Home, a nearly new private house; as the name suggests, it is situated somewhat elevated above the town. Adi, the owner, whose full name is Hadrianus Djedoma, is 60 years old, was a banker in Jakarta, and retired early. (Many male names in Flores have this Latin suffix -us: Petrus, Paulus, Marianus, Gustavus; on an Indonesian island, it sounds at least as pompous as it would here.) Adi now works as a volunteer for his parish and explains to me how Catholicism came to the island.

As early as the 16th century, Portuguese Dominicans began missionary work in the east of Flores and on offshore islands. Previously, animism and ancestor worship had been practiced here, where not a main god was worshipped, but the spirits of ancestors and those that ruled in nature. Animal and food sacrifices played a central role in their worship – and in averting misfortune – and there are also reports of human sacrifices in some regions of the island.

By the way, this island is ethnically and linguistically diverse: On over 14,000 square kilometers (one-third of the area of Switzerland or comparable to the German state of Schleswig-Holstein), about two million people live, which can be divided into five to six language regions, in which numerous different dialects are spoken.

Catholic Focus Country

In the mid-19th century, the Jesuits took over a large part of the missionary work; they worked in Flores until the early 20th century. From 1913, the Society of the Divine Word, officially the

The girls' choir opened the concert with three Brazilian pieces, and we were quickly impressed by their skill. We followed with a varied program, ranging from Brahms to Rihanna, and then sang the songs we had rehearsed earlier as a grand finale. Immediately after the concert, we took a group photo, and many also took the opportunity to have a photo taken with their host families.

We spent the rest of the evening with our families and were excited for the next day.

The first work week is done.

This Monday, we started with our first tasks and got to know the team.

While Franzi will be working in housekeeping and the kitchen, Julian will handle guest tours and take care of minor repairs and maintenance.

In the first days, we tackled various preparation tasks together.

The first guests arrived on Thursday, and we realized that not only we as newcomers but everyone was quite excited until their arrival.

Unfortunately, Julian also had to cope with a setback, as he did not pass the bus driving test on his first attempt.

Unfortunately, the practice prior was a bit lacking, and there were Canadian rules that were not followed. Additionally, the examiner was incredibly unfriendly, which did not help either.

After digesting the failure a bit, the tasks like mowing hiking paths on the enormous property (with a new ride-on mower) and splitting wood (with a hydraulic splitter) at least brought some joy.

Franzi does housekeeping for 5 days and on 3 evenings, she assists in the kitchen with washing dishes and plating meals.

Alongside, we both have additional small tasks that will change again with the winter.

Besides work, we were also able to admire our first northern lights. As it is currently only dark for about 4 hours, we had to stay up late for this. It was definitely worth it, but we naturally hope for even more spectacular northern lights during our time here.

Since we live on the property, it’s not a problem for us to do multiple shifts a day, and we can usually set our own working hours.

In our small apartment, we have one room. Because the second room is unoccupied, we also use it a bit as a storage and workout room. We don’t have to share the kitchenette and the bathroom, so we have set everything up nicely and already feel quite comfortable.

We are still learning something new every day and gaining more confidence step by step. We are curious to see how everything will come together in the next weeks when even more guests arrive.

Julian's new test is unfortunately not until mid-September, so he cannot do tours until then. We both hope that the second test goes well because we really like it here and the team is great.

Until then, we hope to present ourselves well throughout and always perform our tasks excellently.

We feel very comfortable, and the team is super nice. Everyone supports each other to provide guests with a great experience.

The standard is definitely very high, which also puts some pressure on us since each task is new for us. Many of our colleagues have learned the trade, and for them, it comes quite easily.

Next week, we will delve a bit more into our tasks :-)

It continued to rain.

In the morning, we took our time to enjoy breakfast leisurely, with breakfast eggs!

When the rain eased up around 11:00 a.m., we set off to be overwhelmed by waves, beach, and wind. The wind blew steadily and strongly from the sea, as it often does. The beach stretched for kilometers to the north and south, a nearly endless stretch of soft, yellow sand, just as one dreams of. The sea relentlessly pushed huge, green waves onto the sand, surprising us more than once with a particularly vigorous wave that left us wetter than planned.

When we went for a swim in the afternoon, with the sun beginning to shine, we got our first impression of the power of the water. The waves here were something completely different than what we had experienced recently.

We spent the evening playing in the motorhome again. Wind, sand, and water would be plentiful tomorrow. 

After about 14 hours of somewhat restless travel, we arrived in Torshavn yesterday at 3:00 AM.

Today we explored the first part of the Faroe Islands and visited three very beautiful fjords.

Unlike Iceland, the Faroe Islands are much greener, and we haven't seen a single tree so far. The weather isn't really better, but it's a few degrees milder.

P.S. Unfortunately, no photos from the Faroe Islands, as Elfriede's iPhone cannot connect to the network.

We will pack up our tents early and head towards our second to last destination, Etosha National Park.

The weather is perfect, and today we are looking forward to a nice hotel complex with a pool for relaxation and putting our feet up. Therefore, except for a small detour to Vingerklip - Finger Rock, we drive directly to our lodge, Taleni Etosha Village, right at the Anderson Gate.

At the entrance, we are greeted by a few kudus on the side of the road. After a quick check-in and putting on our swimwear, it’s time to relax and let our souls unwind for the rest of the day.

He comments that actually "everyone" from Zimbabwe is here. It's easy to enter the country; you just need a passport, and the prospects are promising. He initially had a shop and employed locals. However, he had bad experiences with them: they were unreliable, often didn’t show up for work, and never came in on weekends. His explanation for this is rather sweeping: they were not socialized in a proper manner and weren’t ready to work. That is why no one wants to hire them.

Still, he is convinced that everyone has a chance here. He hasn’t lost hope for Zimbabwe either. He believes that the situation there will change someday; he just might not live to see it.

Upon reaching the Waterfront, Cape Town looks completely different again. It is lovely here and even on a winter day with drizzle, it’s quite busy. However, due to the weather, we can’t see Table Mountain. We wander around for a while before heading to the ferry terminal for Robben Island.

It’s been nearly 40 years since “Free Mandela!” was written on my tote bag and I boycotted South African grapes. Such gestures suddenly seem so small compared to what symbolically happened on Robben Island.

We walk through the former prison, past the double fences. Then our guide begins to speak – and it quickly becomes clear that this is not just a story he learned at some point.

He was incarcerated here in 1986 at the age of 19.

He recounts the conditions in the prison and how the incarceration conditions for political prisoners gradually improved.

While he holds up a board listing the food rations, which clearly shows that black inmates received even less than the other prisoners, he allows us to take his picture, even encouraging it.

They tried to stay physically and mentally healthy. They knew what they were there for: for a great cause, for the liberation of black South Africans in their own country.

“Freedom is essential for the human psyche.”

When outer freedom is taken away, one must strive to remain free internally. They supported each other and learned from one another – among them were teachers, lawyers, doctors, and people with a host of different experiences from across the country. The prison bizarrely became a place for exchanging knowledge and experiences. This also helped them to stay mentally healthy.

I ask him when he decided to return to this place and do exactly what he is doing today.

He hesitates.

He was very young when he went to prison and in his mid-twenties when he was released. For a short time, they received some support, but never real compensation. He didn’t even have money for a tube of toothpaste.

The job here in the former prison was very difficult for him at first. Even today, there are days when it’s not easy for him to be here.

But he knows why he does it.

He wants to tell stories. To as many people as possible. So that we listen and carry the messages forward.

Because actually, he states, it’s not just about having no separate facilities for black and white people. It’s about something much more fundamental: about meeting each other with humanity.

What educated and intelligent people do to one another, wild animals would never do.

I recall our animal encounters from the past few days and am so moved that a few tears silently run down my cheeks.

Sometimes his explanations sound almost like those of a preacher – not in a pompous way, but because they so evidently come from the heart. Time and again, it all comes down to the same thing:

Humanity.

The tour ends with a view of the prison yard and the cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years. It is suffocating.

Back on the mainland, we want to see a little more of Cape Town and walk through the rain towards the city center. Passing by the financial district, the way to our first destination, Bo-Kaap, seems endless.

The noticeable amount of security is striking. Men and women in yellow vests seem to be everywhere. Eventually, we ask one of them for the best way and learn that the security personnel are not actually responsible for the buildings they stand in front of.

“For the public,” he explains. “To prevent crime.”

We encountered some signs labeled “Crime Hotspot” during our journey yesterday.

It’s still raining, and it’s getting dark. So we give up our city tour on foot and call for a taxi again. This time, a young Kenyan drives us past the main attractions in the city center as per our request. He, too, has left his home country. Although he has been here for ten years, he only knows three other Kenyans.

Bo-Kaap is as colorful as in the postcards, but surprisingly lifeless – despite the many parked and passing cars. Perhaps it feels different in summer. We can only take photos through a narrow gap in the car window. “For security reasons.” 😬

Between modern buildings, beautiful historical structures occasionally appear, but we do not discover a center that we’d like to wander through for hours right now.

Perhaps that’s not even necessary today.

Our strongest impression of Cape Town on this day is not a building or a sight.

It’s the people and their stories.

And tomorrow, we will leave the city again and head to the Winelands – another accommodation and likely another entirely different side of South Africa.

Day 2 starts with a real highlight. We're going on a safari 🐘 After nearly an hour, our guide spots a small group of 5 desert elephants 🔍. There’s also an 8-month-old young bull 💞 that we can later observe while he takes a nap 😴💤
So close, what an experience 🙏 Unfortunately, we have to head back all too soon.

For the rest of the day, we feel a bit lost. We would have loved to enjoy the amenities of a pool right now (but sadly we didn’t have one, actually for the first time on our trip 😩) The thermometer shows nearly 40° 🥵 Water in the desert is just a scarcity 😢

On a whim, we decide to head to the Petrified Forest. The ancient, tree-like remains here are about 300 million years old.

To wrap up the day, we climb the hill at our camp and enjoy the sunset before heading back to the tents ⛺️.

Today we explored a few more corners of Toronto. First, we took the ferry to the Toronto Islands to enjoy the city skyline. The islands are more of a recreational area for the residents of Toronto, featuring large parks and beaches – otherwise, not particularly exciting. However, the view of the city was definitely worth the 15-minute ride.

Historical and Culinary Toronto

Back on the mainland, we had lunch, and then continued to the historic Distillery District. From there, we moved on to St. Lawrence Market for a dessert, then briefly returned to the hotel to recharge.

Shopping and City Life

In the late afternoon, we briefly visited the Eaton Centre (shopping), marveled at Dundas Square – essentially Toronto's Times Square – and then wrapped up the day at Nathan Phillips Square.

After a restful night in the Erongo Mountains, we are awakened by a breathtaking sunrise.

Our destination today first takes us through the small town of Uis, where we make a brief stop at the Cactus and CoffeeTea Garden.
Energized, we continue on, passing by the Brandberg, the highest massif in Namibia.
Due to the increasingly rising temperatures, we decide against a hike to the 'White Lady', a rock painting that can only be reached after a walk of about 1 hour.
Instead, we drive straight to today's end destination, Damaraland.
Upon arrival, we quickly join a tour to the rock engravings of Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the richest archaeological site in Namibia.

Sweaty, we arrive at our lodge for the next 2 nights.
A simple tent camp with outdoor bath 🚿🚽 and, to the dismay of the children, NO WIFI!

Hence, this is only the report of the last 2 days back in civilization now 😉

From the temple, there is a stairway that leads uphill over 200 steps to a smaller shrine. However, upon reaching the top, there was still more to explore—a hiking trail. I encountered two women having a picnic there, in the midst of nature. They were very kind and offered me food and drink.

Afterward, I embarked on a long, unfamiliar hiking path over twists and rocks. Rarely have I walked on such a demanding trail. It would have taken more pictures to illustrate this. Throughout the journey, I encountered not a single person, and the longer I followed the path, the more I understood why.

When I finally reached the end of the trail, I stepped onto a distinctly more pleasant hiking path and was greeted with a breathtaking view. Just around the corner, there was a great view of Hakone and the famous Mount Fuji/Vulcan, which, at 3,776 meters, is the highest mountain in Japan. It just didn’t want to show itself properly.

After that, I began my return journey, which was not entirely easy, as seen in the next post.

At 12 o'clock, we gathered in front of the SG, said goodbye to our parents, and after a final speech, we left for Frankfurt together with Thomas Kammel, Tatjana Lenk, Alwina Meissner, and Carmen, Olaf, and Ella Roese at 12:30.

There, our first flight to Lisbon took off with a slight delay around 8:00 PM. We arrived in Lisbon around 10 PM (local time) and walked to our next gate, where boarding for our connecting flight to Rio had already begun. Around 11 PM, we took off, and after a late dinner, most of us tried to get a little sleep.

Upon arrival in Rio de Janeiro at 5:30 AM local time, we gathered our luggage and set off in search of our buses. These took us directly to the first highlight: we traveled to the cog railway that took us to the Christ statue. After everyone had made it to the top after a long wait, many photos were taken of the impressive statue of Jesus and the breathtaking landscape of Rio (including the first monkeys). Naturally, this was the perfect opportunity for the first group photo of this trip, even though it was quite challenging to make space for the entire choir among the crowds. After about an hour and the first Caipirinhas, we headed back to the next stop: Copacabana!

Once there, we first had lunch and were already able to soak up the atmosphere of this famous neighborhood. After that, we took the second group photo before having three hours of free time. The majority of the choir jumped into the stormy waves of the Atlantic, while others played soccer with locals on the countless soccer and volleyball courts or went shopping in the surrounding streets.

Afterward, we continued by bus to Petropolis, where we met our first host families, and so after an eventful day, we set off in different directions.

Next up are some islands....😃😃😎😎🐨🐨

When we arrived, we learned that there are crocodiles in the sea! Unfortunately, we couldn't go swimming. 😢

On our first full day, we went snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. It looked so beautiful!! We even saw a turtle 🐢 🐢!!! She was so cute... We named her Linda.

The next day we played games by the sea and went swimming in a pool. It was freezing cold. We continued our journey the following morning. Onward to the next campsite! 🏕🏕🇦🇺🇦🇺

On land, their somewhat awkward waddling gait makes them seem as if evolution could have tweaked their locomotion a bit more. But legs are overrated anyway – as the rock hyraxes at Boulders Beach demonstrate. 😎

I'm reminded of Eckart von Hirschhausen, who uses penguins in one of his stories about happiness as an example of how crucial the right environment is: On land, a penguin seems slow, clumsy, and somehow out of place. But as soon as it gets into the water, the little waddling bird transforms into an elegant, incredibly fast swimmer.

The underlying message is roughly: Maybe there's nothing wrong with you – maybe you're just not in your element right now. 🙄

And then there's this traffic sign: "UNDER YOUR CAR?" 😂 Apparently, before driving off, you not only need to look in the rearview mirror, but also under the car.

The fact that we then drive to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope and experience the spectacular Chapman's Peak Drive almost becomes a side issue for me.

It's just so hard to beat penguins. 😉

Today we wanted to reach one of our intermediate destinations. Lit-et-Mixe, a surfer's paradise on the Atlantic coast, was to be our home for a few days. We had already tried unsuccessfully to reserve a spot at the campsite several days ago and were now hoping for one of the unbookable transit pitches.

Therefore, we had already decided yesterday to move our morning routine forward by two hours to have the best possible chance of getting a spot.

After a restless night, in which it felt like people were arriving and departing from the parking lot every hour, we started our next leg through Nouvelle-Aquitaine earlier than usual, while in the camper van next door Scooby-Doo was still watching over the sleep of his passengers.

We passed through some areas where there had recently been fires; the traces were unmistakable.

After a two-hour drive, we reached our destination and… we were lucky. Yippee!

Here at the campsite at Cap de l'Homy, we booked for four days with the option to extend. We wanted to take surfing lessons, and besides, it was time to get our "normal" bed working again. Since mid-July, we'd been sleeping on the sofa ( https://vakantio.de/ueberall-und-nirgends/hubbettgasdruckfeder ), which was okay, but it meant the seating area in the living room was permanently blocked, and the bed in the cab remained unused. We'd already sent the replacement springs to Sebb's family; now it was time to forward them to France so they could finally be installed.

On our first walk by the sea, we finally saw the waves we had been looking forward to all along.

However, throughout the afternoon there was nothing but rain, rain, rain, and that was also the forecast for the following day.

So what could we do?

We unpacked our games and first fought our way through dungeons, and then we tried to defeat the pandemics. It took several rounds.

Later, when we walked to the surf school in the rain to book our course, the owners were in the process of canceling the afternoon course due to a thunderstorm and scheduling all the participants for the following day. There were no more slots available for us on Friday, but that suited us just fine, as the weather was supposed to be better on Saturday. The only downside was that the course started surprisingly early at 8:30 a.m. But there was nothing we could do about it; tides are tides.

For dinner, we had the best 'dinner in the world' for the first time in days: pasta with tomato sauce, garlic and fried bacon.

Due to space constraints, I'd only packed eyeliner and mascara. Unfortunately, the eyeliner tube wouldn't twist up any further. Surely there was still some product left inside! So I simply broke it, and sure enough, about three millimeters of it appeared. However, my attempt to use this precious piece with tweezers ended with it falling onto the brown patterned carpet and disappearing forever. 🙈 With the remaining bits on the tweezers and a little mascara, I at least managed to elicit a comment: "Oh yeah, you look completely different!" 😂

Since we needed a few things anyway, we then drove to a supermarket – and found it almost worth seeing. Huge mountains of avocados, oranges, sweet potatoes and pumpkins, an entire wall full of eggs, spices and other groceries for self-service filling, and in between, beautiful bouquets of proteas and other South African flowers.

I wander through the aisles in awe, photographing mountains of vegetables. Apparently, I've reached the point in our trip where I'm not only fascinated by elephants and lions, but also by avocados and eggs. 😂

The ride on the Montenvers cog railway and the subsequent glacier visit are certainly an experience, but also highly frightening.

Nowhere else is it so vividly demonstrated how far climate change has already progressed.

The ride on the old cog railway leads to France's largest glacier, the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice). From the mountain station, a cable car takes visitors down into the valley above the receding ice sea.

After the construction of this cable car in 1988, three (!) steps were sufficient at the end of the tour to access the glacier directly. Now, a stairway with well over 500 steps has had to be built leading down. Along the way, small information signs with dates are attached to the rock faces. They clearly show where the glacier's ice was located just a few years ago.

The progress of global warming could hardly be documented more clearly. Every climate change denier should take a trip here.

Now for the enjoyable part of this excursion. We had changeable weather that day, with thick clouds, some rain, and brief sunny spells. The weather conditions weren't suitable for a classic hike high into the mountains due to the potential for thunderstorms. In such a situation, the detour from Chamonix to the Mer de Glace is the perfect solution.

Access to the Montenvers rack railway (Chemin de fer du Montenvers) begins at Chamonix station on a slightly separate track. The railway was officially opened in 1908 and has served the current route continuously since May 1909. In its early years, it operated under steam until the line was fully electrified in 1954.

From 1961 onwards, several cable car systems were built successively to ease the arduous descent to the ice for visitors. The most modern system was opened to the public in early 2024 and officially inaugurated in spring 2025. The relatively short ride down is truly impressive. You gaze upon the bare, gray rock faces and immediately understand that only a short time ago, enormous masses of glaciers lay here.

In addition, the journey offers a fantastic panoramic view of the striking granite needles Les Drus and Les Grandes Jorasses.

Once at the bottom, the long staircase leading to the ice grotto awaits. In this fascinating ice world, water is now dripping from every corner, but it is still possible to walk through the interior of the glacier.

Incidentally, a hiking trail also leads back down into the valley from the cog railway's mountain station, alongside the tracks. If it hadn't started raining again, that would have been a nice option.

Although this excursion was quite expensive at €49.70 for adults, it was well worth the expense. It was a trip that left a lasting impression.

Estonian painting in a former fish cannery,

huge boulders in the water and on land,

Wonderfully secluded pitches by the sea, provided free of charge, breakfast also by the sea, of course.

Hike through an old fishing village along the beach and through pine and birch forests, stopping at "Altha Körts", a quaint restaurant with Estonian specialties such as Baltic herring and dark garlic bread.

And again and again, peace and solitude by large and small bodies of water.

After Kamakura, I went to Odawara, where there's a substantial castle that's beautifully illuminated in the evening. In the evening, I went back to the coast and then had sushi at a typical Japanese restaurant.

The next day I took the train and bus to Daiyuzan Saijoji Temple. There was plenty to see there, including beautiful scenery and man-made waterfalls. However, I couldn't see everything because I suddenly found myself somewhere else, as you'll see in the next post.

Reading tips

Because of Darksiders and our extensive game sessions (besides Yahtzee and Binokel, we also regularly play Rummy, 6 Nimmt!, and Kuhhandel), I'm not reading as much as usual on vacation, but I've still managed to read two books so far ("The App" by Arno Strobel and "The House of Girls" by Andreas Winkelmann; both German thrillers, both highly recommended). Since there's unfortunately no new material from my "regular" authors Stephen King, Sam Feuerbach, and Thariot at the moment, I'm looking for some fresh reading material. So, if anyone has any recommendations for fantasy, horror, or science fiction, please share them. At this point, I'd like to give a shout-out to Sam Feuerbach and Thariot: both independent German authors, one (Sam) mainly writes fantasy, the other (Thariot) mainly thrillers and science fiction. Sam, in particular, always writes his stories with a great deal of wit and has a penchant for unusual characters. In general, I recommend all of his trilogies and series, although the Krosann Saga is a clear standout. For those who prefer (German) thrillers: Sam and Thariot have written the two trilogies Echtzeit and Instabil together... absolutely fantastic reading.

1 Ramen 1

2 eine Horde Halbstarker

3 privates onsen 

4 mein Fahrrad...zurück zum Anfang 😢 ... Es waren dann laut komoot 661,3km...plus die Nara-Runden und Einkaufsfahrten... 

5/6 der kaiserliche Garten in Kyoto. 

7 ein paar Ebisu im Ebisu Schrein. 

8 Tempel in Kyoto. 

9 Ramen in Kyoto. 

10 Garten in Nara.  

11 unter Mühen. . . Das dritte Paket in die Heimat. 

12 Frühstück im Nara Ryokan.

13 Zimmer im Nara Ryokan.

14 yummmiiiii Ramen im "next".

15 des nächtens. . .

16 Abschied von Nishimuratei und Mayukasan. 🫠

17 Abendstimmung am Teich.

18 das Reisegepäck.