Journeys

  • Journey to the Promised Land 2022

    After a few years of teaching, my feet got itchy again. So I packed a tent, a guitar and a few more things on the bike and headed for the Promised Land. I was very curious about all the countries and cultures on the way, and have long wished to spend some time in Israel.

     

  • Hiking in Norway 2018

    A 9-day hiking trip with tent and cocking equipment in Norway and some subsequent rest days. The articles are in German language (for I kept my travel notes in German). We've been blessed with exceptionally good weather conditions for the hiking. However, apparently this is part of an extented drought period that hit Scandinavia for the past months. So please, let it rain again!

    Norway2018 HikingRouteMap

  • A Andalucia con VW camper van 2014

    Kathrin and I just moved into our new home in Appenzell, Switzerland. There is still more than a month time before Kathrin starts her new job. Travel companion Urs comes up with the idea to cruise down to Andalusia, Spain with his VW camper van. We would go an pick up spring down there. Lots of great scenic climbing spots on the way plus the outlook of camping - what else can one wish?

     

  • Journey to the East 2013

    Marco Polos fabulous journey to the East left wild dreams in my mind since I was reading it as a child. Herrmann Hesses "Journey to the East" did so some years later, as well a a picture book about the Himalayan - the roof of the world. And finally after a long winter the snow melts. Now Kathrin and I are ready to venture out to a long bike journey - to hopefully meet a lot of friendly people and face incredible landscapes and colorful cities from here to the Himalayan.

     

  • Pan America 2011 - 2012

    American writers like Kerouac and Miller influenced me a lot when I was in my Twenties. And I heard lots about the West Coast from American travellers, recommending great national parks and the Route 101 that is sort of famous thing to do for cyclists. So I decided to postpone other planned adventures and flew to Vancouver BC, equipped with my good old pushbike, a tent and a  (warm!) sleeping bag.


    After fantastic landscapes and forests down South to San Diego I teamed up with Kathrin, a great cycling mate. When we reached the Southern tip of Baja California, we decided to move on together, crossed Mexico into Guatemala and Belize. After living in a rented house on the Lake Atitlan we ventured out for snow capped mountains of South America, crossing the Andes from Santiago to Mendoza and moved up North again, to Machu Picchu. After 11 months and 11000 kilometres I arrived back in Germany, with Kathrin...

  • Asia Pacific 2010 - 2011

    Golden and brown leaves falling back home. Migratory birds are leaving. Time to take off for me too. The initial plan was to cycle from Hanoi to Kuala Lumpur, yet it went all different. And good. 6 months on the road, meeting great people, dwelling in great places, sharing great experiences.

  • Tanzania 2010

    One month in Africa, in the Land of Serengeti and Kilimanjaro. One month on tour by sailing boat, bus and jeep. Great sceneries, fascinating wild life and weird contrasts! A night in a safari lodge is about same as the monthly income of a local employee.


    Those travelling to Tanzania should know that most hotels and loges are often priced in USD rather that the local currency – Schilling. Beside those places, everything is paid in Schilling Personally, I prefer to deal in the local currency, and I could always pay in Schilling, however it is recommended to ask for an appropriate exchange rate. Bargaining usually helps a lot to lower utopist prices for taxi, bus and hotels. To quote my friends statement: It’s a good deal if both parties start to cry upon the negotiated price.

    tanzania map

  • Cycling Japan 2009

    On my first bicycle journey I spend almost 4 months in Japan and cycled more than 2000 fantastic miles up and down in the Land of the Rising Sun. First I went to Mnt. Fuji with Robert from Germany, later on my own into the Japanese Alps. There I met an Japanese bicycle traveler. I would meet this guy three times in the following months. I've had lots of luck during an accident, then went on a pilgrimage on Shikoku. My Japanese really improved a lot off the tourist track. Eventually I cycled down to Kyushu. Every day I've had such warm and welcome feeling in this marvelous country.

  • India 2009

    In February 2009 I was happy to escape the European winter for a trip to a country that is so much unlike anything else I have seen before - India!


    Slow traveling with a couple of friends, from Kerala via Karnataka towards Goa. Traveling India is something you'd either love or hate, according to an old travelers saying. For me, it was like flowing in the middle of the river of live, even though I wasn't sure I would enjoy traveling in company rather than traveling on my own beforehand. On the trip, everything developed pretty much automatically in the best possible way - an experience that I haven't had that much before and which still keeps me going the right way if I focus on happiness rather than on worries. We met the right people at the right time in the right places, even though (or especially because) we did not even try to plan to much before. Let's just say, it has changed my life in a nice and chanti way. As for some of the less known places we've visited, I hope they can keep their original and friendly spirit and abstain from building up ugly hotels for mass tourism.

    Om nama shiva ya :-)

  • Asia 2003

    7 months on the road. On the Trans-Siberian Railroad from Moscow via Mongolia to Beijing in January, being the first time in Asia. Heading south to escape the cold. Time travelling in Northern Laos, it feels like Stone age. Long rest and long party nights in Thailand. Suddenly in Japan...

     Asia 2003 Route

     

Hallo Welt