After nearly a month wandering across Europe, Vanilla and I rolled into the Czech Republic and settled onto Pitch 93 at a campsite near Cheb.
It’s funny how the little things become memorable on a trip like this. A new flag on the Find Penguins map. A different language at reception. A handful of Czech Koruna changing hands. Another chapter added to the story.
The economics made me smile too.
A full night on a campsite with electric hook-up, my own pitch, facilities and tourist tax came to just 470 CZK – about £16. Not much more than the price of a couple of drinks back home, yet enough to buy a peaceful night in another country.
Earlier in the day, Vanilla enjoyed one of the cheapest fuel stops of the whole adventure. Czech diesel worked out at roughly £1.34 per litre, making it feel like Europe was giving us a little reward for venturing off the usual tourist trail.
As darkness falls over Pitch 93, the fridge is humming, the batteries are charging, and tomorrow the compass swings west once again.
Next stop: Wolfsburg, Germany.
For most people, it’s simply the home of Volkswagen.
For me, it’s a pilgrimage.
From the little red Polo I owned at nineteen (complete with red spray-painted wheel trims) to the four GTDs that followed, and now Vanilla herself, Volkswagen has quietly been part of my story for decades.
Tonight, though, is about enjoying the moment.
One more country.
One more memory.
One more stamp on the map.
The road home is getting closer, but the adventure isn’t finished yet.
May 29 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C