ARTICEL 14
Embracing the unknown
Many weeks have passed since my duration at Bhumi’s farm. So, what to do now? I asked myself. Maybe the north of Sweden or Spain again? Continue traveling, going home, or searching for a job? What am I doing here? All these questions came up, and I had to think and feel what is right for the moment and what I want to do next in my life.
ARTICEL 13
Sweden | Bhumi's farm
My next destination was a spontaneous volunteering opportunity. After my stay in Kölleröd, I headed north to explore some national parks and experience different landscapes in Sweden. I visited the Brotorpet Nature Reserve, where I went hiking and tried kayaking for the first time. The spot was amazing, with plenty of lakes to explore and a calm atmosphere to enjoy the beauty of Swedish nature.
While staying at the nature reserve, I reached out to a permaculture farm located in the south. I didn’t get an immediate response and had already planned my way back south. Fortunately, I received a last-minute reply and got the chance to help out at Bhumi’s Farm.
ARTICEL 12
Sweden | An inspiring place
After my visit to Asnaes, I moved further to Sweden. I spent a couple of days in a nature reserve near Helsingborg and reserved some time for hiking and enjoying the landscapes in Sweden. I found a really nice parking spot in the middle of the forest, with everything you can imagine: a calm space with a fireplace, a little lake to swim in just a couple of meters away, and a starting point for many hiking trips around the area. What else is needed for a couple of days to shut down?
ARTICEL 11
The art residency
My next volunteer stop was in Asnæs, which is in the north of Zealand (Denmark). It is a Learning Community and Education Centre. They host youth exchanges and retreats, so I thought it would be a nice opportunity to meet a bunch of new people from different countries. Ingerlil, the host, wrote to me that they were currently not working on the usual projects around the house (like building a cabin with a professional carpenter, maintenance, landscaping). Instead, they were running an art residency project that had been ongoing for a couple of weeks. I hesitated for a quick second because I don’t have a strong interest in art, but on the other hand, I asked myself, “Why not?” There is always something new to learn. So, I joined the project after my visit to the Mols Bjerge National Park.
ARTICEL 10
Denmark
The weeks in Inneringen ended, and I slowly moved further north. My next destination was Denmark. I wanted to visit parts of Germany as well, but my travel insurance only allowed me to stay a couple of weeks in Germany. So, I moved directly to Denmark.
ARTICEL 9
Working on a Community Supported Agriculture farm
Hey, I’m back, continuing my journey and the blog. It was nearly two months ago that I returned from Portugal. Now, I continue my journey and want to keep you posted about my experiences and stories along the way. I missed living in my 6m^2 tiny house, and I’m glad to hit the road again. I’m really thankful for the opportunity and freedom to continue my journey, exploring other cultures, countries, and alternative ways of living. I hope to share new adventures, stories, and insights about the world outside the living room. I’m sure it will be good. Enjoy.
ARTICEL 8
The way back home
My time at the farm in Al Mansur ended, and I had already spent nearly 5 months on the road. The time so far was amazing, and I got a lot of great impressions from all the places and people. But everything has its end, and my journey was limited to the beginning of April. Well, it was a good reason to stop continuing my journey. I was invited to two marriages and at one of them, I was the best man. So, my next plan was moving back to Germany.
ARTICEL 7
Meeting people from all over the world
After some great weeks in Jorox, I decided to move on. As I had to be back in Germany in the beginning of April, I wanted to do one more volunteering stint in Portugal. When I started my research at the beginning of April, I found a nice off-grid community in Portugal.
ARTICEL 6
Discovering southern Spain
After spending some time in the beautiful Nationalpark Sierras de Cazorla, I drove down the way through the Nationalpark Sierra de Castril and then settled down for some days at the Embalse de Negratin, which is a lovely sea near Zujar. Especially the sunsets at this place were phenomenal.
ARTICEL 5
Exploring the beauty of Spain
After some great weeks in the countryside in Daumazan-sur-Arize, I decided to move on. We had finished the tiny house, and meanwhile, I launched my website. Everything was done, and I wanted to hit the road again. My next destination was Spain. I planned to drive along the east coast and maybe visit some places to volunteer as well.
ARTICEL 4
A new exchange
That decision felt really easy. When I met Helen in Toulouse, we talked for a few minutes and quickly understood each other well. We had a lot in common, and I felt comfortable going to her place to help with daily tasks on the farm. I packed my stuff at the motorhome near Toulouse and took a one-hour ride to the south of France.
ARTICEL 3
Meeting some travelers
With absolutely no plan after my visit to the farm near Grenoble, I headed with my van to a spot in the national park in the Cevennes. There, I found a nice parking spot near a lake. I enjoyed the beautiful nature around the parking spot and made some plans for what to do next. I remembered a guy on Workaway (a volunteering platform for travelers) who was also traveling with a van and stayed over winter near Toulouse.
ARTICEL 2
Volunteering at a farmside
After spending some time planning my journey, I discovered a nice opportunity to volunteer at a unique farmstead. This is no ordinary farmstead; it’s a DIY project created by a former electronics engineer turned farmer.
ARTICEL 1
Where to start ?
After nine years of working I quit my job, moved into a van, and embarked on a new chapter in my life. I completed the van conversion in November 2023, setting out with no concrete plan but carrying a bag full of questions.
Previous journeys
BALKAN
My motorcycle trip to the Balkan countries
In 2019, I took another solo motorcycle trip. This time, I explored the Balkan countries in the south for three weeks. It was a completely different journey than the year before. I upgraded my motorcycle to handle off-road terrain and had special training to get ready. I reached the most remote places and faced some challenging roads along the way. It was an intense trip.
BALTIC SEA
My motorcycle journey around the baltic sea
In 2018, I went on a two-month motorcycle trip all by myself. It was an amazing adventure around the Baltic Sea that I’ll always remember. I packed only the essentials and spent every day on the open road, without a comfortable place to stay. It was just me, my motorcycle, and the natural beauty of the northern countries. This journey changed my life in a big way.