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Vagabonding

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    With an Albanian family

    24 november 2023, Albanië ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    In my childhood, there was a simple rule for keeping the children's room tidy:
    The toys were allowed to be spread out anywhere in the room and it was allowed to look like it had been ransacked - as long as there was still a clear path to the windows.
    Over the years, I seem to have internalised this strategy to such an extent that no matter how much space I have, I always stretch myself to the maximum. Even in shared accommodation and not always to the amusement of my flatmates.
    Oops 🙊
    This time I spread out my belongings in the house of an Albanian family. The way to the window is clear, so nobody can be angry with me. 😛
    The accommodation is interestingly designed: the communal room and kitchen are used by both the guests and the host family and you get an insight into the family's everyday life.
    Through the many interactions, you get to know the family a bit and there are funny situations with the children and with the grandfather, who gives me a friendly pat on the shoulder after a short guitar exercise.

    Two dogs lie in front of the wood-burning stove, which is always warm, and get a cuddle here and there. Cookie, the cheekier of the two, is known to everyone in the town and likes to follow the guests on their walks.
    He has an unresolved aggression problem - as soon as he has too little exercise, he barks all over the living room and as soon as he gets some exercise, he chases everything, from chickens to other dogs to cars, which he nibbles on the bumper.    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    Exchanging the sword for a feather

    30 november 2023, Albanië ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    A little note for my dear family who are reading along:
    please don't worry, even if the following stories might make you feel insecure.
    I was never really in danger at any time. :)

    In the border area between Albania and Greece, I encountered somewhat more aggressive dogs for the first time. So far I'd had pretty good experiences everywhere and the worst I'd had to put up with were barkers who seemed to be threatened by my heavily laden bike.

    This time I'm attacked from an ambush. I'm pedalling hard up a slight incline when a pack of three dogs chases me from a hill. One of them comes very close to me and immortalises itself with a bite mark in my bike bag. :(
    As I'm too slow to shake them off, I stop and pull out the pepper spray I've always had with me for a few weeks - I'd rather make a dog cry than get a bite mark myself. Luckily, a car comes to my rescue and shoos the pack surrounding me back up the hill. The moment of shock is enough for me to get back on my bike and pick up speed. The animals don't let up and continue to chase me up the hill. To my relief, the car escorts me for several minutes until the pack is out of sight.

    In the evening, I pitch my tent for the last time on Albanian territory.
    I have chosen a huge open meadow - in the distance, shepherds drive their flocks across the land and I enjoy the sunset behind the mountain peaks.
    It gets dark - and then the herding dogs discover me. :S
    They bark from a distance of 50 metres and slowly come closer. I retreat to my tent for safety - armed with a knife and pepper spray in case the animals attack me.
    The barking gets closer and I count four animals that have surrounded my tent. The barking continues for another 10 minutes, turning into a war of positions in which they don't move an inch forwards or backwards. I don't move in the tent and make no noise, while the dogs outside try in vain to put my dubious-looking tent to flight.
    When I realise that the situation is going to go on like this for some time, I swap my sword for a pen and write down the day's experiences in my diary. After 20 minutes, two of the dogs lose interest and leave. The tent won't move after all and its inactivity doesn't seem to pose any danger to the herd. Shortly afterwards, the third one leaves, but the last dog annoys me for another 10 minutes before he also gives up.
    The tent has won!

    Over the next few days, I learn to defend myself effectively against the gangs marauding around here: I no longer give them the opportunity to act out their hunting instincts and now stand still and hurl wild insults, curses and expressions at their heads in a loud voice.
    I'm winning the battle of words more and more often now :D

    However, most encounters are very peaceful and harmonious.
    Most of the dogs are initially intimidated by the bike and yelp, but with a calm voice and persistence they often get involved with me and then get their neck massage.
    Two dogs in particular stuck in my mind because they came towards me wagging their tails as I rolled into the village. You can see them playing in the video. =)

    ... and then I saw two animals that are NOT dogs. :D    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    Rolling into Greece

    1 december 2023, Griekenland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    The goal I've been working towards for so long has been achieved: I'm finally where there are pleasantly warm winters 🥲
    I am in Greece!!!
    🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷

    Greek wine, democracy and philosophy await me -
    but to be honest, I haven't the faintest idea what exactly I want here now. 😵‍💫

    Perplexed, I pull over at the first bakery on the right and order a coffee and apple pie.
    After eating, my head is just as empty, but my stomach is a little fuller.
    I make such a haggard, disorientated impression on the owner of the bakery that he gives me another slice of cake. 😂    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    What do I actually want here?

    4 december 2023, Griekenland ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Every year - especially before Christmas and New Year - I go through a phase of self-evaluation and reflection.

    What do I actually want?
    The question arises for short-term, medium-term and long-term planning.
    Unfortunately, my Christmas plan is being thwarted these days. The change of plan leaves me a little unprepared and makes me realise how many decisions such a travel routine demands of me every day with its endless possibilities:
    Spend the day here and relax? Would I rather climb a mountain?
    It's going to rain in two days. Then you should have somewhere to stay.
    Winter is coming, then you should be further south!
    Prefer to work today? Read a book?
    Talk to a stranger?
    1000 decisions every day. That's exhausting. 😵‍💫

    As long as I don't have a clear answer, I'll stay. I've found a nice spot by the lake, I'm coping very well with the weather and now I get a visit from the same stray dog every day and play him something on the guitar. 😁
    I've made my decision for tonight: It's going to be a film night. It will be accompanied by wine and chips.
    Cheers!

    Tip from the outdoor kitchen:
    If you cook pudding and don't have sugar, you may use honey mustard instead. Unfortunately, more of the mustard flavour remains and the honey flavour vanishes. 🤷‍♂️
    Bon appétit! 🧑‍🍳    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    Persevere

    10 december 2023, Griekenland ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Time has been passing slowly for 10 days. There's no real sense of elation about being in Greece - instead everything feels like work and I come to the conclusion that I can't enjoy Greece here and now as a cycle traveller.
    I don't feel free, because I have to be in Athens in a few days. My schedule allows only a few deviations and forces me onto the unsightly country roads.

    It is cool and tiring. For the first time, I realise how physically exhausting the constant 'cold' is. I cycle through the world at 10-15 degrees, and it's correspondingly cooler at night. Even with 9 hours of sleep, I'm not the bundle of energy I'd like to be.

    An overnight stay in a hostel could give me a little energy boost, but cheap accommodation is now very far apart (there was some in Ioannina near the Albanian border and then again in Athens, 400km away). However, my mood is not yet bad enough for an overnight stay in a proper hotel 😄.

    There are lots of beautiful views and I find some really great wild camping spots, but I'm just not relaxed enough to enjoy what I get. 😒    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    megara

    14 december 2023, Griekenland ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I stand on a rock and look out over the Gulf of Corinth, the sun's rays reflected in its steel-blue water. A few fishing boats have cast their nets and are dancing on the waves. I can see small and large islands in the distance and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.

    I'm carrying my bike on my shoulders and anyone who could see me now would think I'd had enough of cycling and was about to carry it over the cliffs. In fact, I briefly toy with the idea and smile to myself, then carry it down to the beach and put it back together again.
    Yesterday evening I had chosen a nice beach to spend the night, but it was too uncomfortable for an overnight stay. At the end of the beach, I found a small path that led up a hill with a beautiful view over the water.
    I also got used to the express train to Athens, which rushed past every 90 minutes or so 🙂    Meer informatie

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    At the Gulf of Korinth

    14 december 2023, Griekenland ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I stand on a rock and look out over the Gulf of Corinth, the sun's rays reflected in its steel-blue waters. A few fishing boats have cast their nets and are dancing on the waves. I can see small and large islands in the distance and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.

    I'm carrying my bike on my shoulders and anyone who could see me now would think I'd had enough of cycling and was about to throw it into the ocean. In fact, I briefly toy with the idea and smile to myself, then carry it down to the beach and put it back together again.
    Yesterday evening I had chosen a nice beach to spend the night, but it was too uncomfortable for an overnight stay. At the end of the beach, I found a small path that led up a hill with a beautiful view over the water.
    I also got used to the express train to Athens, which rushed past every 90 minutes or so 🙂    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    Athens socializing

    15 december 2023, Griekenland ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    There is said to have been an inside joke in the 90s :
    'What is the capital of Albania? - Omonoia. At the time this was
    a reference to the large proportion of Albanian residents in the Athens neighbourhood.
    A few hundred metres from the metro station, my hostel is in the middle of a district that reminds me more of Morocco: the pavements are rather worn, there are vegetable vendors lined up next to snack stalls and electronic accessory shops - all selling the same thing. How do the mobile phone case shops that have recently appeared actually earn their money? Surely the profits from plastic covers shouldn't be that high?
    Actually, I feel comfortable here despite the dingy impression and I've had very good experiences with Moroccans and Albanians so far anyway. ☺️
    Walking through the neighbourhoods, I try to formulate my impressions. There are gaps here and there in the rows of houses. Destroyed houses fall into disrepair next to new buildings, here and there you can simply look into the cellars of the houses or climb in. There are pavements in some neighbourhoods, but they are not always narrow. You then take to the streets.
    The nearby meat market fulfils my expectations: here you can see fish on ice, sheep without ice (without skin) and everything in between.

    Building here must be quite expensive - if you have to reckon with an ancient building being uncovered at any time when digging the cellar and the house either having to be built on stilts or losing part of its footprint.
    Some buildings seem to adapt to the ruins and have been built around and on top of them - old and new coexist.

    I search for peace and quiet here for a long time - and rarely find it. The sound of the many cars and scooters penetrates every alleyway and mixes into a permanent background noise that I try to escape. Without pads in my ears, I am stressed.
    I finally escape to the city's parks and find a good jogging route, which also gives me a good view of the city.

    In the hostels, I change my strategy and now often talk to new people - unlike at the beginning of my trip, when I was just starting out.
    In contrast to the beginning of my trip, when I travelled through the country for a long time with almost no contact 😃. It's also nice to socialise and that's how I get to know Jonas and Ashley. Together we explore several exit rooms - first on the trail of an investigator in a haunted house, then in a psychiatric institution (with actors) and finally we brew the elixir of life.

    In the evening, I sit together with Napoleon, Cinderella, Princess Tiana, Mr Addams and Mia Khalifa in the games cafe and play charades.
    During our group self-discovery, we also exchange cultural idiosyncrasies and get on really well.    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    Christmas in Germany

    18 december 2023, Griekenland ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    North, east, south or west - at home I feel the best - or am I?

    No matter where I am - it would be the wrong place. I don't feel comfortable in my own skin and oscillate between the need for peace and quiet and the need for distraction.
    Lying in the sun on a beautiful island somewhere would be the right thing to do, but it's not possible at the moment.
    The decision is made: I'm travelling to Germany (the bike stays in Athens with a trustworthy bike dealer).
    The weather back home is particularly troublesome for me, because in Greece I at least had sunshine every now and then. 😬
    I spend time with my nieces and my godchildren. We like to play hide and seek - but I'll probably teach her how to find the really good hiding places in the future ;)

    So the days go by and slowly, very slowly I feel better - not that the time with the family isn't nice, but my typical everyday life has changed.
    I have changed.
    I no longer fit into the old life I left behind and I'm finding it difficult to fit back into my old surroundings. One evening I attend an international meeting in Berlin to socialise more with strangers - strange as it may sound - but that's what I enjoy now.

    Two family events lead to me extending my stay and finally returning to Athens at the beginning of February.    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    Kalambaka (Meteora)

    23 februari 2024, Griekenland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    The monasteries of Meteora were highly recommended to me last year. Geographically, the rock formations there are similar to the German Elbe Sandstone Mountains - but the orthodox monks in the 14th century improved that and crowned the rocky peaks with monasteries. :O
    Initially, the monasteries were so inaccessible that they could only be reached by rope ladders, but older monks were lucky enough to be hoisted up with the goods lift. It wasn't until the 1930s that stone steps were built, making the monastery accessible to tourists.

    I hike to the three monasteries of the Holy Trinity, Varlaam and St Stephen. In between, I climb the rocks against the spectacular backdrop of the deep plain below me. Fond memories of my time in nature come flooding back. Since mid-December, I have been spending time in big cities and I feel that nature needs to take up more space again in the coming months.
    Soon there will be that time again. :)

    Unfortunately, it is forbidden to take photos inside the monasteries and the interpretation of the Orthodox icon paintings remains a mystery to me, but I really like the way the paintings are painted because of their colourful expression.
    I walk through the rooms like a blind chicken and look at the paintings without knowing their history. A severed head here, severed limbs there - ah yes, you can't seem to get by without violence. But it seems to have its righteousness, because everyone in the painting looks quite happy - with the exception of the decapitated man, who has a sad expression on his face.
    I prefer to concentrate on the type of painting.

    During my later research, I find out a few basics about the production and technique of the icons: a special process is necessary to ensure that the paintings remain true to colour for a long time.
    The surface to be painted (walls, marble, wood) is first primed with several layers of gesso so that the colour can penetrate deep enough. This is then finely polished. The colours are mixed together using colour pigments and egg yolk, which has been known since ancient times as a super binder and makes the colours seemingly incredibly long-lasting. The paintings are then created using the colours and gold leaf.

    Icons are intended to show a window to the divine and are therefore not an image of the real thing. They dispense with perspective, shadows and typical (earthly) lighting rules and reduce the motif to the essentials.

    Adam - a traveller from South Africa - says over a glass of red wine in the evening "The monasteries here are great, but when I saw the Lidl I was happy. I know exactly what I'm getting. And then raves for a long time about the regional sweets you can buy there. =)    Meer informatie

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    A sea voyage is fun

    1 maart 2024, Aegean Sea ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    The crossing to Crete goes as expected. I grab one of the remaining seats and fill it with my stuff.
    The good seats are already gone, a couple of professional ferry guests must have been here much earlier to reserve the couches they are now watching over. Unlike me, they certainly didn't have to ask three other cutters if this was the right boat to take you to the new world. ^^
    Sleeping cabins cost a lot more, so only a few people treat themselves to this luxury and most are content to spend the night on the ferry in one of the armchairs.
    During an overnight crossing on a ship like this, you can carry out all kinds of sociological and psychological studies. I watch with fascination how everyone copes with the situation of limited bedding options and what solutions are worked out for this problem.
    I remember the film Men in Black, in which they are looking for new recruits for an agent position. The selection process includes a written test for which the candidates are given a sharp but fragile pencil and taken to a completely unsuitable room that offers all applicants only a single small table to write on.
    In analogy to the situation on the ferry, the environment is also rather unsuitable for sleeping and so you find only a few people on the cosy couches and the majority in a more upright position in an armchair, some in two armchairs, a few on the floor.
    It's interesting that the ferry companies know that their cabins are comparatively expensive and that most passengers will simply fall asleep in the lounges - but they wouldn't dream of making the seating more suitable for sleeping. Without exception, all the armchairs and chairs have backrests and comparisons with cities and municipalities that use the same strategy to try and displace their homeless people come to mind.
    It is now 11 pm. We've been on the road for two hours and the guests are starting to feel tired. Everyone? Not at all! For one elderly fellow, whom I'll call Rudi, the evening is only just beginning. He sets up his music system and begins to enthral the room with cultural music.
    Some travellers - myself included - keep glancing over at Rudi and then at the waiters who should be concerned that everybody in the room feels comfortable. But instead of telling Rudi to be quiet and sensible, they have a nice chat with him.
    A group of people starts dancing and I suspect that there is a solid reason to celebrate that I don't know about. To avoid disturbing the party and still get some rest, I move to another room.
    In the end, I find a fairly comfortable construction of three chairs, which serves as my bed for the night. The designers hadn't reckoned on me being able to squeeze myself snake-like under the armrests. HA!    Meer informatie

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  • TakeMeFurtherVagabondingReiziger

    Chania

    2 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Straight from the ferry, I pop into a café for a hearty breakfast.
    Then I roll through the town. While visiting the weekly market, it suddenly starts to rain and I seek shelter in a café.
    I sit there briefly until two smiling faces peek out from behind an umbrella and introduce themselves as Tim and Jonas. They are also travelling on bikes, but are working here for the next few months.
    Shortly afterwards, two more persons join us and we have a great chat.
    Wow - I've only had this much contact in Athens after two(?) weeks - the small towns are really lively.

    I spend the afternoon with Tim and Jonas and then we head west for a little while, where Balos Beach and its lagoon are already waiting for me.    Meer informatie

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    Balos Beach

    3 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Today's programme: a trip to Balos beach and its lagoon.
    I fight my way along a really good gravel track to the upper part of the headland.
    My plan to spend the night up there is thwarted by the signs prohibiting everything - there's no room for interpretation in case of a discussion. 😬
    This leaves me a little less time to marvel - but it's enough. The view is extraordinarily good.
    The colour scheme at this location couldn't be more beautiful: you walk along a path of ochre-coloured sand with small blue stones. Small green bushes grow to the left and right of the path. Then you can see the lagoon with its turquoise blue water and the island behind it, which rises out of the water with rich grey rocks.

    In the evening I quickly find a nice place to sleep on the beach in a well-preserved garden. 🥰    Meer informatie

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    Elafonisi Beach

    4 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    The route through the mountains is long but fun. Nobody else is likely to get here - especially not by bike - Komoot once again finds the craziest routes. 👍
    In one of the mountains along the way is the Cave of Saint Sofia - or the Cave of God's Wisdom. My assumption that this may be just a small niche in the rock is dispelled when I see its dimensions.

    There are several stalagmites in the centre, estimated to be around five metres high.
    Arrows to the left indicate a circular route. Here we go.
    First stop: a small hut on the edge of the cave. The dark little room doesn't exactly inspire confidence, but I guess no one is going to hurt me in this religious site.
    I continue the walk behind the stalagmites and a little deeper into the cave. It's pitch dark here and it takes me about three minutes to get round. Back at the entrance, I realise that the tour really was longer than I thought.

    Elafonisi Beach wasn't really pink, just a little bit. The colour has to build up again.
    On the beach I meet up with Amelie and Olivia again, who I had already bumped into in Chania. Because it's almost sunset time I have to get going again as the best spots in the forest are probably already taken.

    The evening and night are very windy. I'm at the riverbed and at first I have trouble putting up the tent and then it's not so pleasant inside. I'm constantly worried that the tarpaulin will tear and as soon as I've calmed down, a strong gust of wind comes and pushes the fabric into my face. 😑    Meer informatie

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    14 days in Chania

    5 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    It's amazing - the two weeks here fly by and every few days there's a new connection or activity. While working in the hostel, I meet Theo, who takes me into the mountains and gives me an insight into Cretan cuisine. We share dishes of eggplants, mushrooms and bread and everything tastes so delicious. 🥰
    Sated, we drive through the mountains in his silver-grey speedster and I enjoy the view without having to work for it on my bike. 😊 Shortly before sunset, we have a coffee with a view over Souda Bay.

    I meet up again with Tim and Jonas, the two German cycle travellers, for a coffee party on the beach. There is coffee, cake and some nice trash music about having coffee and cake with friends.
    And we scrabble. 🤓

    A few days later, I'm sitting at a snack bar in the pedestrian zone and squint at a huge poster of a ship hanging in the foyer of the building across the street. It's the municipal art gallery. My interest draws me to the entrance area of the building. There, Anthony and his colleague tell me that there is no exhibition on at the moment, so they can only show me a short slideshow of the most important works rather than actual paintings.

    We quickly deepen the conversation over a coffee and shortly afterwards I'm sitting with Anthony in a local restaurant having a lesson in Greek - covering the culture, the alphabet and pronunciation. I finally pass the final test when I toast the mayor of Chania, who had bought us a lemonade shortly beforehand. What a day!

    Today, 18th March, is "Kathara Deftera" in Greece, the "pure Monday", which corresponds to the German Rosenmontag. Now the fasting period begins, which is supposed to cleanse the body and soul. People everywhere are enjoying the good weather and time with their families and friends and flying kites 🪁. My programme starts earlier this morning because I want to run the first few kilometres of the day along the beach and harbour promenade with the local jogging group (I don't miss out on the unique invitation to the event).
    In the afternoon, I organise a 'small' excursion with my flatmates to a festival 'a few beaches away'. We hike and hike and hike and ... the festival seems like a mirage on the horizon and always one bay away. 😜 My hunger comes and goes, but the pleasant conversations with the other travellers make the time pass quickly. We finally arrive and have to watch as the last remnants of the traditional lentil soup are scraped out of the pots and distributed right before our eyes. With a sad look on her face, the nice lady behind the counter explains that unfortunately there is nothing left for us. 🤷‍♀️
    I briefly peer into one of the pots and if I had my silicone scraper with me, I could easily scoop three more meals out of the large pots. 😋
    We find another beautiful rocky bay and jump into the water. It's pleasant as long as I keep moving and yet - my whole body is shaking as I try to get back to land ten minutes later. I never thought I would be so sensitive to the cold. A sunbath warms me up again and then we hike back through the countryside, past wild thyme and a few other plants that I can't identify.
    As the sun sets, you can still see some of the hexagonal kites in the sky.
    The memory is still vivid the next day because I can feel every muscle. 😇    Meer informatie

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    Kares Askyfou

    23 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Oh boy, my legs are untrained again. I've been crawling up this hill for two hours and stopped so often, even though the gradient isn't really that steep. A podcast provides me with a distraction, which makes it fun even if I‘m crawling along at walking pace. 😬

    In Kares Askyfou I roll over the ridge and see a wide plateau in front of me. I stop off at the Panorama Café and enjoy the altitude I've gained with a homemade cake dripping with honey. It replenishes my energy reserves in no time and I swing back into the saddle of my trusty steed.

    Then we ride down the hairpin bends while the views remain fantastic. 🚴‍♂️💨

    If you have the feeling that the Balkans are dangerous, please have a look at the road sign in the gallery. I’ve seen many holes in many signs so far. 🫣
    Maybe that’s why the geese are so happy here, or at least that’s what I gather from their behaviour. 🤨    Meer informatie

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    Vacation on the beach

    24 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    I’ve got so much time today.
    I spend the first half of the day half dozing, half reading in the sun. My clothing is dangling on the washing line.
    I doze off again. 😴

    In the afternoon, I round off the exhausting day with a slice of chocolate cake and watch the hustle and bustle.
    Outside, warty ducks are having fun on the café terrace. The owner comes out every few minutes and kindly drives them away. He shoos them around the corner, which is less than ten metres. As soon as he turns round, these disrespectful creatures do the same and waddle back outside the café. I watch the scene about ten times before packing up my things. Meanwhile, the endless cycle begins again.
    Luxury for today: there's a strong wind but I've found an abandoned room that gives me shelter. If someone had told me five years ago that I would one day finish my studies and then be happy to sleep in an abandoned house with no door - I would have found it hard to believe. But here we are. 😁    Meer informatie

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    Hinterland Experiences

    25 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    The day starts well with breakfast in my wind-protected guardhouse. 🏰

    The first hills soon appear, but overall it's easy to make it to Plakias. There, a children's parade passes me accompanied by marching music. They are all dressed in traditional costumes and try to walk in step. It seems strange. Today is the national holiday of liberation from the Ottomans.

    A little further on, I catch a glimpse of a heron sunbathing. That makes for some great motifs 📸

    The next highlight (or low light?) is the Preveli palm beach. 🌴
    I don't understand where exactly the path runs through the palm trees and how it can be used, as there are prohibition signs with ambiguous statements on both sides of the river. 😵‍💫 The right side of the river looks unkempt and points to the left side of the river, the left side of the river is under water and even more unsightly.
    1/7 points for Gryffindor.
    I'm still taking photos and am about to turn back when three geese get in my way and want a piece of my apple. They threaten me with their necks stretched out and slowly come closer. The biggest one keeps nipping at me to get something and I feel like I did back in the school playground. They get something and I take advantage of a moment of their inattention to slip away.

    We go up more hills. Somewhere on a bend, a daring crab sits on the carriageway. When it sees me, it raises its claws to fight. I carry it to safety and build it a stone cave where it can hide and think about its life.

    Then there are another 1000 mountains and journeys through small mountain villages through which hardly any cars dare to pass: Drimiskos - it's a dead zone. Time stands still, not a soul to be seen. The alleyways are narrow and unclear, everything is a bit crooked. As I have now broken through the cloud cover, the town is still shrouded in fog and the feeling of loneliness intensifies. Feelings like in Silent Hill come up. I do come across one or two people. At the end of the village, a flock of sheep is eagerly waiting for me and comes trotting up bleating. These are actually the first sheep that don't immediately run away from me. 🤗
    I'm sure they haven't seen anyone else today and are happy to have company.
    With their yellow fur, they look quite friendly and sniff at my hand.

    In the evening, I camp on an old bridge directly over a river. I hear all kinds of animal noises, something I haven't had for a long time. A little paradise. 🥰    Meer informatie

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    Mátala (Tourist Trap!)

    28 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Mátala is one of those places where something cool once happened and has been mercilessly exploited ever since.
    In the 60s/70s, the small fishing village was a magnet for hippies who lived in caves from Neolithic times.
    There is certainly not much of the original charm left, as there are now 3 shops for every cave and so the small village is teeming with restaurants, souvenir shops, cafés and the like. Naturally, admission is charged to visit the caves. Even the supermarket has adapted its prices to tourism and charges a hefty surcharge for the goods. 😱

    Now I can at least count myself among the travellers who can say: "I 'did it'." .
    I was there, I took photos and then left again. It took me about 15 minutes in total, but I sacrificed 170 metres in altitude 😭

    bye bye 👋    Meer informatie

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    <24hrs in Rhodes

    30 maart 2024, Griekenland ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I'm on a short stopover in Rhodes and very glad that the season hasn't started yet.
    Some of the restaurants here are still closed, which gives me the opportunity to enjoy the area in peace and quiet.

    Zie vertaling
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    A pottpurri of impressions

    31 maart 2024, Turkije ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    That was probably the second most relaxed of all my border crossings so far. I'm standing between all the other passengers with my heavily laden bike, blocking the aisle of the small customs building.
    The man at the X-ray machine kindly asks me to put the large black bag and then any other bag of my choice on the conveyor belt. 🤭

    I actually wanted to find an official campsite, but they have all closed and I get the impression that everyone is very relaxed, so I camp wildly on the first night. ⛺️

    Over the next few days I wonder what happened to Ramadan. Exactly a year ago, I used to hide away to eat and drink in Morocco, but Ramadan doesn't seem to be such a strict affair here.

    The first chant of the Muezzin in the morning wakes me and also positive emotions and memories of my time in Morocco. It males me feel safe somehow.

    In the first few days, I gain a lot of impressions.
    Now I can finally say that I drank tea from an ekoçai 201!!
    There's one thing that brings tears to my eyes here: the pollen flying around 🤧    Meer informatie

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    Pyrospectacle at the Barber

    2 april 2024, Turkije ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I have an important job to do today: I have to get rid of my hair. 🧑‍🦱

    I went to the hairdresser and was kindly informed that they only serve ladies. (Small but subtle difference here: Men go to the barber, women to the kuaför).
    I was kindly escorted to the nearest barber. There I had a Çai and then we got down to business. It was quite an experience.
    I briefly explained what kind of hairstyle I wanted and the boss got started.
    My hair was washed, then cut. He asked if I wanted the beard off.
    - No, thank you.
    Should it be shortened?
    Now I had the feeling that he didn't want to let me go half-done and wild, so I agreed to the shave.
    He rubbed his hands together and the magic began.

    The first step was to apply the foam. A great feeling, it was really fine and soft and the first experience of this kind for me. He started with the knife, often taking some skin between two fingers to tighten the skin for cutting. So he tugged at my facial muscles and in no time the beard was off.

    Then he applied a soothing after-shave lotion, which was rinsed off after a short time. I was bent over again and his hands ran over my face to wash everything off. In his tight grip with his hand in my face I felt like a child again being washed by my parents 😜.
    I leant back and he dried my face.
    I had taken my glasses off so I couldn't see clearly what he was preparing behind me.

    Two cotton wool balls were plucked up and he cleaned my ears in one swift movement. 😮
    I hadn't gotten over it yet when he was already preparing the next stage of escalation. I squinted my eyes to see it better: A wooden stick with...
    Whatever it was - now the thing in his hand was on fire 🔥!

    He held my head with one hand and with the other he flicked the burning cotton wool into my face with a wooden stick.
    The whole thing must have looked pretty funny from the outside, but I had to pull myself together - at least in my head it looked funny.
    After the fire bath, a soothing cream was applied and a little gel was put in my hair.

    His hand massaged my neck, then my spine, then my arms and finally my hands, which he pulled on briefly until my fingers cracked.
    Now he was done. And I was feeling like a newborn.

    What a show! It's even worth coming back with snacks and watching the show! 🍿    Meer informatie

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    Hiking the Lieschen trail

    7 april 2024, Turkije ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Tam da sıkıcı olmaya başlamıştı ki Split'ten Jolanda ve Andreas ile tanıştım - aslında İsviçreliler ama onları Split'te tanıdım.

    Oh - so sorry, I forgot that the blog is written in English 🤭

    I was about to get bored just before I met Jolanda and Andreas from Split - they're actually from Switzerland, but I got to know them in Split. They are doing workaways on their trip, i.e. they volunteer for board and lodging in various projects.
    Their next travel project is the Lycian Trail, which they plan to hike over the next few days. And as I'm always happy when someone takes on responsibility, I just tagged along. 😊
    I don't have to plan anything, they've already done that. I get to sit back, relax and make silly comments from the second row. 👍

    The route runs along the coast and stretches over 500 kilometres. In between are the butterfly valley, the blue lagoon and lots of nature.
    We were also able to experience flawless tourist areas, so we got the whole package. 😁

    The real highlight was finding a truly magical waterfall in the middle of the forest. In front of the waterfall, the water collected in a natural pool in which we took a dip. 💦 The forest was a little lighter here and was framed by mountain slopes to the left and right. What didn't quite fit into the idyllic picture was the group of young Turks who had turned this place into their training camp. 😅
    Exercise music drifts through the forest and one of the boys was eager to organise his power workout. 💪

    I will remember this trip for a long time. We reminisced about campfires, messing around together, identifying star signs and birds.    Meer informatie

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    Visiting the Hamam

    10 april 2024, Turkije ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Our time together with Jolanda and Andreas is coming to an end and we round off this section with a visit to the hamam. This is the first time for all of us and fortunately we are guided through the procedure by professional hands. Out of ignorance, luck or a lack of alternatives, we visit the hamam on the last remaining day for the two of them, which coincides with the Eid at the end of Ramadan. We are looked after by the master almost alone. ✌️

    Once you've experienced the procedure for yourself, every step suddenly makes sense, but during my previous research I was quite confused by the many steps, to say the least. My compulsion not to be unpleasant almost tempted me to memorise the sequence in order to be prepared.📚

    Without a list, the three of us sit here in the steam sauna. I'm almost a little cold, because I'm used to saunas at around 90 degrees from my family and it's much cooler here. On the other hand, the minty scent really tweaks your eyes 🥹

    Andy is the first to go and is led to the centre of the room. He is then scrubbed and soaped up. The master swings this giant cushion in the air and then squeezes it over Andy, who largely disappears in a bubble of foam. Somehow the master's hands find Andy, who is now thoroughly scrubbed.
    His hair is then washed.
    Luckily, he wasn't quizzed, so I don't have anything to worry about without a to-do-list. 😅

    I will remember the soaping in particular. It feels like being tickled by a cloud.    Meer informatie

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    Sometimes it is better not to show the inclination1Found two penguins. Haha ☺️1

    Out of the city and into the green

    18 april 2024, Turkije ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    I've been working since Jolanda and Andreas left. I went to the same café in the morning, worked there for hours, drank coffee and listened to music. I returned to my standard sleeping place in the evening and started all over again the next day. How boring. 😮‍💨
    Today I set off spontaneously after work. After a quick shop and without much preparation, I chose the route into the mountains that promised the least amount of tourism.

    After the first 20 minutes outside the city, I'm back in the adventure. everything is new, everything is strange. I discover unknown terrain and am later rewarded with a great spot by a stream that really refreshes me. 💦

    In the evening, I try my best to keep the nearby ant colony from working. They are still very busy after dark and I try to break the will of the collective with mulberries raining down from the sky. Take that! 🍇    Meer informatie

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