EUROPE

MY VAN ARRIVES IN ANTWERP, BELGIUM

I’m flying to Brussels and after a short bus ride, pick up the van and begin my European adventure.

I’m super excited to visit relatives and friends in Germany and then head south to Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia for some awesome hiking! I have a list of 26 national parks I’m going to explore in these countries.

I’ll meander through Bulgaria via more hiking and head towards Moldova, ending up in Romania. My plan is to shift over to bicycling, and go thru the Carpathians south to the Danube River, heading east to the Danube Delta on the Bulgarian side.

It’s a loose itinerary. I have no idea how it will unfold and will be navigating with curiosity!

GERMANY LAUNCH

Spring is here and it is lovely noticing what is blooming in Europe! Most obvious are the vast patchwork fields of Rapeseed. The flowers are at the peak of vibrancy - radiating a bright yellow color. Rhododendrons are waving from the sidelines as pink, white and purple hedges. These waves of color are punctuated with stately sweet smelling Chestnut Trees (Castanea sativa) speckled with signature whitish yellow sprays of flowers.

As I drove from Antwerp, where I picked up my van (EZ PZ), to northern Germany I set Google maps to avoid highways. I have been driving through small towns linked by agricultural areas and forests. Something that stands out is on every road I take, there is a bike path. It is great to always have the option of travelling on a separated bike path.

NAVIGATION BY INTUITION

Following my intuition I take time to meander and notice my surroundings. I decide to check out a Stellplatz for RV travelers. There are hundreds of these 'stop places' all over Europe where you can park your van for the night. There are usually 10-20 sites, without picnic tables or amenities, and some sites have electric.

I pull into a site without electric. It is just 10 euro for 24 hours. There is also a machine where you can put in 2 euro to fill your water tank. Thank goodness for the two fun couples parked next to me who take on figuring out how to make my American hose attachments work with the German one. Success!

In northern Germany I spent time visiting friends and relatives, and eating really good food! Then I head south and stumble on a windmill museum at the end of a driving day, and enjoy walking through the almost vacant site where there is also a wooden Russian style church. Fortunately, a restaurant is open and I enjoy a delicious white asparagus soup!

On Mother’s Day, I visit Lydia who was a volunteer at my farm may years ago. She lives with her family in Gera, where she has a cut flower business and makes beauty bloom everywhere!

My next stop is Southern Germany where I’m reunited for a dog sit with Secondo - the smartest water loving, frisbee catching dog ever! When I’m finished wandering hiking trails with Secondo, I watch a nest of white storks next to my cousin’s home.

Post dog sitting, I cross through Switzerland south of the Bodensee and wind my way into Austria. I have a long driving day as I want to reach Hohe Tauern National Park. My intuition is telling me to spend the night there and I arrive after dark having no idea what to expect. The next morning I wake up to the most stunning scenery!

Thank you so much to my family and friends for hosting me in Germany! Big hugs to: Eleanora & Wolfgang, Hermann & Elina, Monika & Jorg, Berndt & Gabi, Hilli & Helge, Lydia & Fred, Luitgard & Walter and Martin! You all are the best!

It's been an incredible start to this new adventure! I will soon be leaving the familiarity of the German language, and exploring places I missed last year when I was touring on my bike.

More fun up ahead!