Day 8 of “I am doing this” – Poel (Kirchdorf) – Timmerndorf Strand – Wismar

October 16, 2020October 15, 2020soleil 2 Comments

My short distance walked today – from Kirchdorf till Timmerndorf Strand (both on Poel island)

05:15 AM. It’s raining. And it wakes me up. And I check the time. And I check how long it’ll rain. Basically all day. Wow, it’s really happening now. The sunshine is gone. I try to look forward to at least giving the rain clothes I bought a try. They are squished in the bottom of my backpack since the beginning of the trip. Time to put them on. But first, time to sleep again? Or should I just stay awake and keep writing more posts? I very randomly put on a podcast about the Simpsons – a very shitty one, as the speakers spend the first twenty minutes not talking about the Simpsons at all, but about themselves. Well, it’s still nice to just hear someone talking by the side.

08:00. I wake up. And I wake up unsure of whether I should wake up. It’s still raining so much. But then I realize everyone else is still sleeping and I should take advantage of the shared bathroom. I make some hot tap water coffee and chocolate porridge and enjoy the calmness and the sound of the rain.

08:30. I prepare to pack and pop in another painkiller for my knee. And for some strange reason I feel like listening to Jazz while packing. So I do…

Checking out is simple and fast. The woman who manages the house is younger than I expected and super friendly. She asks me if I’m going hiking and says it’s really nice when I say yes. Can you believe that not a single place I stayed in checked my passport while checking in or anything?

The rain has stopped, maybe for the rest of the day? I head out, wearing my waterproof trousers for the first time. I decide not to wear the jacket yet, as it gets warm under it very fast.

Walking to the main city of the island (Kirchdorf) is alright. There is no rain and it isn’t that cold. It’s really grey though. And I hear lots of cars. And I cross lots of streets… with ugly signs.

But I try to enjoy the wide scenery around me. Slowly I develop a plan in my head. I didn’t eat properly yet, so I’ll head by a café, grab a sandwich and a coffee, eat it by the harbor and then take the bus to the beach – Timmerndorf Strand.

I still contemplate whether I should later walk all the way to Wismar or not. It would be another 3-4 hours, and I would have to walk back the road I took yesterday. As my knee still hurts though, and I still have 2 more days to go on my journey, I will probably just take the bus today.

I walk and walk… checking the nearest café on Google Maps. I’m close enough. There it is. I wait by the door until the customer inside finishes up. It’s a tiny place, with no sitting area, just lots of bread and… only sweet stuff? What? It’s breakfast time! Even for my sweet tooth it’s a disappointment. Okay, moving on to the next café.

The city has a very sad vibe to it somehow. It feels different compared to other cities I’ve seen on my trip. It somehow feels poorer and the houses are a bit shabbier and less “stylish” than other city’s houses. I am surprised, as the tiny village on this island that I was staying in – Niendorf – was different. It was full of big luxurious houses. But I have to be fair. It’s a dark day, it’s rainy and it’s hard to feel a vibrant city vibe in such weather.

The next café I enter is an equal disappointment! Only sweet stuff as well, and no coffee even. Oh well. Two Spritzkuchen (a very sweet pastry you will see on a picture below) it is. Not how I wanted to start my day, but I am left no choice. I also feel a bit out of place, as a customer before me clearly knows the lady working there, and the man waiting behind me also knows her, so they greet each other with so much excitement, while I am just calmly getting my order taken and leaving.

I walk to the harbor, which is also not as impressive as I hoped for. Almost everything is still closed, there are barely any people and it’s quite wet on all benches. I spot a wooden bench that’s more dry and sit on it, having my Spritzkuchen. It tastes okay. Not the best one I had, but enough to fill my stomach. I start to make peace with the situation / morning not working out as I had hoped for.

There are two kids running around, playing in the rain.
Regenmatschpfütze! Regenmatschpfütze! I hear a happy girl screaming next to me and excitedly running through a puddle on the ground. She reminds me to be happy with the little nice details of the situation. And she reminds me of my earlier university days when I used to be so excited about the reflections in puddles of water on the street. And now, seeing them all the time… something has changed.

It’s time to get up. My waterproof trousers can keep the water away, but not the cold going up my butt. And so I get up soon enough and start walking to the beach at Timmerndorf, which is 51 minutes away via foot. I decide to do this to get warm and stay warm.

2 km done, 1,5 km left to go (since I’m going to the beach, not just to the city)

A few minutes later, being on the path and listening to Ocean Tree (by Feathered Sun, Christopher Schwarzwälder, Nu & Raz Ohara) on loudspeaker, I am glad I made the decision to walk. The scenery is beautiful, despite the cloudy sky.

I don’t see many people, but a few do pass me. At some point a group of older cyclists pass me, I greet them all and a woman smiles at me very widely, while scanning me with her eyes. It put a wide smile on my face. I got scanned a lot from top to bottom by passers by on my trip, but nobody looked as excited as this woman did.

When I reach a crossing, a couple asks me for directions. It gives me a sense of pride to realize that after not even one whole day of being here, I can guide them to some extent. It’s somehow uplifting to have such short, but nice encounters.

Walking further, I see something that gives my soul a sense of joy. I watch a horse that throws itself on the ground, turning itself around on the grass, as horses sometimes do.

It looks so happy doing that and then it gets up and actually just gallops through the field, over and over again, while neighing. A beautiful sight. If only all animals in captivity were given that freedom. I stand there and watch it for like five minutes.

I also like the way the way the street is naturally lit.

After almost an hour, as estimated, I get to Timmerndorf Strand. It’s a strange vibe. It’s clear that it’s a very touristic area, and like many other areas by the beach, it’s interesting to see how dead these places are without tourists. It’s like they can’t be nice without tourists anymore. Their natural beauty is corrupted somehow.

I still try to gather impressions that speak to me. But I’m still upset over not having eaten properly yet, and all that seems to be there is fish, fish, fish. No vegetarian options. I spot another bakery, but they also only have sweet stuff. Seems like it’s a specialty around here. At least they have coffee… so I order that to go and a Laugenecke (a croissant-like piece of bakery) and go sit by the beach.

It’s really hard to walk through the sand. It really sucks you in. I most definitely was not going to take my shoes off anymore. So I just choose a part in the sand, which seems slightly appropriate for sitting, again feeling the cold against my butt, and I eat and drink.

3 minutes in, I put on my gloves again, 7 minutes in, I cover my face. 10 minutes in, I get up and keep walking. It’s way too cold.

The bus is coming at 01:33 PM, and I actually count down the time. I give it another try to find something to eat and settle for some sweet potato fries with mayo.

Let’s just say it was enough to keep me going for a few hours. It’s the best deal I could’ve gotten at this place.

At 01:25 PM I’m sitting in the bus and thinking how relieving it feels right now to not have to walk. I watch the scenery of Poel pass me by. We pass by the same long street I walked yesterday and today and I think – wow, I walked all this entirely on my own. I’m proud of myself. Proud, but tired. Excited to be in Wismar. Wismar. I don’t know why but I always liked the sound of it.

And as I lie on the couch of the place I booked for the last two days, I write the last sentence of this post. I’m excited what Wismar has to offer me – tonight, tomorrow and the day after.

A cozy couch that I fall asleep on as soon as I write the last sentence of this post :)

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Trip stats (the walk from Kirchdorf to Timmerndorf Strand):
51 minutes (in motion) – 4,08 km – 10 m (elevation)

If you’d like to see the whole trip on komoot, follow this link:
https://www.komoot.de/tour/264964412

Day 7 of “I am doing this” – Neubukow – Insel Poel

October 13, 2020October 13, 2020soleil 2 Comments

Today’s walked route from Neubukow to Insel Poel

07:45. I hear my alarm. I’m so deep in my dreams that this is where I hear it. I snooze. 07:53. Second alarm. Okay, well, I can’t snooze again. But this bed is so warm and cozy… what do people do who really camp in a tent for days? I admire them so much more now in perspective.

Okay, up now. New day, new impressions, new adventures awaiting me! I am amused over the fact that I am so tired, yet so excited to go on today’s trip.

I had a really good sleep at least. It was a good decision to close down the blackouts. Body’s quite stiff though, and the knee doesn’t wanna play along. Maybe some yoga stretches will help. I do that for a few minutes, and manage to prepare a hot tap water Tchibo coffee. It actually works! It’s good, does the purpose and feels good to smell while doing yoga. And the yoga actually helps immensely. I feel so much better now. At least regarding the stiffness.

My nose is unhappy though. I take my prescribed Cortisone spray (ugh!) and accept the price of not tasting 60% of the food I’m eating during breakfast. I hoped the daily fresh air would help me, but it doesn’t seem to do much. I’m a bit sad about that. Since my knee is also not in its best mood and still hurts, I decide to take my first painkiller on this trip. So far, I’ve been very patient and careful with my body, and I think one painkiller won’t be such a bad idea.

Breakfast is sweet and simple. Black coffee, bread, butter, cheese and jam. The room is just big enough to fit about 10-15 people. It’s got a very reddish palette and the style gives a funny impression. I enjoy it very much, as it’s calm and I’m the last one to come, and the last one to leave. A woman with Asian features sweetly tells me that I can also sit outside if I wish, and on any other day I probably would’ve went for that. But it’s interesting how much you appreciate being inside, when you have to be outdoors all day long.

My breakfast… and gloves we were given to wear

The breakfast room – look at that funny radio on top of the cheese bar

Back to my room I end up packing in a hurry, realizing checkout is at 11:00 and it’s actually almost 11:00. Where did all the time go? In the end I rush unnecessarily, as nobody is downstairs anyway, and I can just leave the keys in the mailbox.

Off we go. I walk very slowly, enjoying the grey weather that is doing me well. I see the tiny city in a new light, both literally and mentally. As I had arrived quite dead the day before, I couldn’t take in so much, but now I can.

I walk down the Hanseatenweg hiking path, a really well paved one, half bike path, half hiking path. It is windy, it is beautiful. It is entirely empty. Cars pass by, but the path is empty. I only see two cyclists who are taking a break at some resting spot.

Somehow I am in love with the surrounding, in love with the way the tree leaves and the grass move in the wind. I immerse myself in the surrounding entirely. The only really big downside, repeating over the whole trip, is the sound of passing cars, when you are walking parallel to the street. It’s a sound that feels incredibly violent and shocking next to the very fine calmness of the setting that is mostly natural.

I can only stand the car sounds for a few minutes. I put on one track to start the day, fitting to the dreamy, but dark vibe of the weather. A very beautiful instrumental post-rock kind of remix of Bint Al Khandaq by Lost Souls of Saturn. It makes me close my eyes and feel the wind and the surrounding become one with me. It’s only me and them and the music.

I walk and walk, feeling very meditative. I focus on every footstep, trying to be mindful in order not to hurt my knee. I try to walk in a certain rhythm so my energy doesn’t scatter. I realize with happiness that on this trip I have surely become more “sure-footed” – I feel more confident with every step I make.

I am led through a beautiful forest, with high trees, calm and all to myself. I don’t see a single person. At some point a car, and then a few minutes later a minivan need to pass me. Other than that it’s just me and the birds.

It’s funny – the trees make a certain sound sometimes, when the wind moves them. It sounds like a creaking chair or a door that needs to be oiled. Like a sound you’d hear in a thriller movie. They give you the feeling that a branch might suddenly break or so, but it never does. After a couple of days, I got used to the sound entirely and just note it every time I hear it.

Today my mind is calmer than the last days. I am more at peace and more immersed in my surrounding than the last days. Maybe because I’m tired? I don’t know, but it’s a feeling that relieves me.

Some very interesting looking mushrooms I spot in the forest

I feel like I could use some specific music I had downloaded, despite loving the calmness. It’s the soundtrack of Into the Wild by Eddie Vedder, once again speaking to my deepest soul.
It embraces my heart and my wandering soul with the lyrics of the music, and the music itself.

Today, I can also really feel into the movie that the music is made for. I remember Christopher McCandless and his dream to reach Alaska. I remember his desire for a self-chosen exploratory isolation from society, and I remember the feeling it awoke in my soul back then. That movie felt like an escape for me, like a comfort that such a reality is possible, despite its tragic ending. I remember the hope it gave me. And so I say: Christopher McCandless / Alexander Supertramp, I carry you in my heart as I walk the steps of this journey. I carry you, as I walk through this forest. I am eternally grateful to you for what you could awaken within me, just through your journey.

“Society, you’re a crazy breed… I hope you’re not lonely… without me…”

Okay, enough. My journey is not even slightly comparable to his, but the fire that’s inside me comes from a very similar source.

More fallen trees making a nice pattern – yay!

Alt Bukow is my first break point. I have a good feeling about it. It’s a small village, and I find a nice little green area under a tree to sit on. I don’t see anyone – only cars pass by every couple of minutes, but it’s clear they’re only passing through.

A sign greeting me into Alt-Bukow… kind of

The city itself is entirely empty. It’s an interesting observation when entering cities or villages in the countryside of Germany. They often have a certain abandonment vibe to them, although the gardens are always taken such good care of and there’s a car outside of each house. You just… barely see any people.

My view while taking a break. I love the color contrast of the trash cans, the building and the sky. I also love the strongly falling shadows. Funnily, the building says “Youth Club” – it looks like it hasn’t been visited in a long time though.

My break food consists of salty seeds, a drink and a muesli bar

After my break, I am led to walk parallel to many fields. I pass by wheat fields, which are beautiful. I have to stop a lot to make photos or videos. Sometimes the motion of certain elements needs to be caught, too, so I capture it on video.

The only thing that becomes a little tough about walking next to the fields is the smell of cow poop, used as fertilizer. In a way it’s not a bad smell but… after a while it’s somehow harder to bear.

And me, covering myself in safety from the sun and the wind

My second longer break comes in a city called Friedrichsdorf. I sit on a bench in front of a pond, rest my tired legs and close my eyes.

My resting spot in front of the pond in Friedrichsdorf

I realize that I’m quite sleepy, despite sleeping long and well that night. I enjoy the surrounding so much, so I do my grounding exercise, mentally noting things I hear.

The wind… the rustling tree leaves… a cock crowing in the distance, cows mooing, cars in the distance… a barking dog…

The sun warms me, while the wind chills me in a perfect combination. It feels like a sunny Winter day in Egypt. I’m really thankful for the weather.

I mentally note some visuals, like a white mushroom, bubbles in the pond, shadows on a house wall, and crying trees, before I have a couple of snacks – like a stolen packaged sunflower seed bread from the breakfast buffet :D – and my espresso chocolate shot. And I make a mess. The liquid inside it flows down my hands and gets sticky. Faaaail.

It’s time to keep walking. The path goes mainly alongside beautiful fields…

Eventually I am led to another hikers’ path parallel to the street, and after a while, I see the water in the distance. My heart warms up. It reminds me of the times I used to travel with my parents by car to the sea, and we’d all happily spot the sea on the horizon, pointing it out and knowing that we are almost there.

That’s the sea appearing in the distance

And that’s the sea again from a closer spot

Fulfilling my newly explored love for panoramic shots

I am approaching the island. Finally. But somehow these last 4 km take ages to pass. I am overwhelmed by the views around me, but I am tired and annoyed by the cars passing by. They are so loud and it’s impossible to tune them out. And at this point I am so tired I don’t even want to listen to any music anymore. So I just walk and take it, trying to focus on the mind blowing surrounding I am getting the chance to witness.

Just so you get an idea – the coming photos are all taken at this area – walking down bridges crossing the water to get to Poel

Here is the view a bit zoomed out, showing m

I am sincerely always so fascinated by such moments

…and to my front.. ugh! I’m telling you – I was stopping for a photo every two minutes

Crossing the last bridge before entering the island

Although the orange color of the fence is really… well, hard to like, I love the way it contrasts with the color of the water

Now that’s what I call a sincere greeting!

As soon as I reach the 1,5 km mark to my destination, I keep staring at my phone every few seconds, as if that will make time and distance pass faster. It doesn’t. But I am so tired! And then I realize that I hadn’t updated the destination to guide me to the guesthouse… again. So I do. And it adds another 1 km to it. So I still have to walk 2,5 km. Okay… no choice but to stick to it now.

Finally I reach the guesthouse in Niendorf, a tiny village on the island. I let myself in (the hostess left me the key in an envelope in the mailbox – I catch it by chance, right before I am about to ring the bell). I get in, and nobody’s there. Yay! Sincerely, yay, as all I want to do is just fall into my room and bed and talk to nobody.

It’s a very stylish house, put together with a lot of love. I love my room with a view right away.

I have a warm shower and a comfortable evening, writing down notes and letting the day pass revue. It’s so beautifully quiet, but an annoying guest talks on the phone till about 11 PM, and it sounds like she’s sitting with me in the same room.

Ugh. well, nonetheless I am eagerly waiting for tomorrow. I am excited to see more of the island and then finally to head to Wismar, in disbelief over the fact that I have actually almost made it.

And now… recharge, girl.

(I finally put that plastic cup to use and made hot tap water cocoa-flavored porridge for the first time in it – yay!)

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Trip stats:
21,9 km – 4 hrs 44 minutes (in motion) – 4,6 km (average speed) – 100 m (elevation)

If you’d like to see my full route on komoot, follow this link:
https://www.komoot.de/tour/264582032/zoom

Day 6 of “I am doing this” – Rerik – Neubukow

October 5, 2020October 5, 2020soleil Leave a comment

Okay, today was a really tough day. I’m tucked up in bed as I write this, so I can look back and be really happy about the impressions I could collect today.

First things first. I wake up again before my alarm rings, using the chance to get up and pack in peace. Why not, when I have such a sweet view in front of me and the sun is already teasing me with its early morning rays? Some morning stretches/yoga help me get into the flow and physically prepare for the day.

Breakfast is awesome, the best one I had so far. No open buffet because of Corona and stuff, so a lady serves us through some sort of counter through the door, like at some canteen. When my turn comes, I tell her I’m a vegetarian. And hope nobody heard me. Something tells me vegetarians are a rare happening at this place.

After a short look of confusion on her face, she starts sweetly and generously offering me options from a whole variety of cheeses, salads, fruits and vegetables they have. She keeps putting vegetables on my plate without me asking. I am not so used to this here in Germany, but I am just thankful that I don’t have to push myself through with my wishes, as I am quite shy doing that. I end up with a very fulfilling plate, perfect for the long day ahead. And the coffee… my morning mazag, as we call it in Egypt.

My intuition about vegetarianism being a rare thing here was quite right. After serving me, the lady can’t let it go without making a comment about my being vegetarian after I sit down.

“More and more of today’s youth become vegetarians,” she says. After a short break she adds: “But I don’t think it’s bad. I think it’s good.” I find it funny that the comment is not really geared towards me. She just walks to someone else’s table while saying it, they talk about it, excluding me, and eventually they somehow end up talking about chronic sinusitis. *laughs*
I could’ve joined in on that conversation as an expert, too.

I have a whole table to myself, and I use the time to observe the people here. They are to 80% seniors, with only 2-3 women looking a bit younger. They all seem to already have met each other, probably from the days before. Two men keep throwing some curious looks at me, as they stand in line, waiting to get served. I don’t mind though. I understand that I might look a bit odd at this place, and all on my own to top that.

With a full stomach, full of gratitude, I head to my room. I enjoy the spaciness of the room, and I enjoy the excitement of embarking on today’s journey. For some change, as I pack up the last few things, I put on the radio that is standing on a shelf in this sweet little room, learning a new expression from some news channel – “corona chaos”. Some reporter asks someone if one can speak of Corona chaos happening in Austria. Okay. Let’s listen to something else. I settle for Blinding Lights by The Weeknd. A song I usually wouldn’t choose, but hei, it’s all about getting out of the comfort zone and stuff. And it really is uplifting.

Soon enough I am ready. Ready for what shall be another warm day, equipped with my new cap, a light T-shirt and sun screen. I give back my key and am given a very sweet goodbye by the lady who takes it from me. I go outside, breathing in the fresh, still quite chilly air, and instruct Komoot to start guiding me along.

Let’s go, Komoot tells me.
I head left, walk straight, am distracted by the way the sun shines through the tree leaves and the houses, but I get back on track soon enough. I am guided to the Salzhaff – the salt harbor. Said with a bit of dialect.

Seagulls taking a morning sun dip in the Salzhaff

I’m glad to get another chance to walk by it. Last night wasn’t enough. Little do I know about the surprises awaiting me later, but for now, I am still deeply in love with the Salzhaff. The color play of the water, the grass, the sun and the sky is mesmerizing. I enjoy every step I take.

Kind of like a glimpse of how you’d imagine paradise, no? At least my imaginations were similar to this… an endless garden…

I spot some long blades of grass, the kinds with fluffy golden endings and I glide them through my fingers. They feel like the fluff of a cat’s tail and they give me a cozy feeling. I probably look weird doing this, but I don’t care.

My first break is taken when I realize it’s time to take off my trouser extensions, due to the weather getting warmer. I take the chance to eat the first muesli bar, and I watch a lady walk in the water with her dog. They’d been walking for a long time and they’re about 10 meters in, away from the shore.

My mind feels very loud for the morning, and so I take the chance to do a grounding exercise, mentally noting 5 things I see, 4 things I hear, 3 things I feel, 2 things I smell and 1 thing I taste. The exercise feels so good in this surrounding that I keep noting even more than the required number of things. Especially the sounds I hear are beautiful: singing birds, waves at the shore, cicadas, rustling leaves, footsteps, the wind.

I move forward, enjoying the calmness of the path, despite it being taken by many people. Every few minutes, cyclists need to pass me or I greet morning hikers with a smile. I’m in my own world though.

A seashore aster (aster tripolium) according to PlantNet

Soon enough, the path starts getting emptier and emptier, until I end up walking through a forest that feels like it’s entirely mine. There is a paved path, I am surrounded by trees, and all I can hear is the sound of the wind.

I take a short break, having another muesli bar and then I keep moving. I love the calmness and the green surrounding me.

Soon enough, I reach what feels like an obstacle but is actually not. I reach a tiny metal fence, blocking the way. It’s really tiny, so I could also just jump over it, but in order to make sure I am not trespassing, I walk along the fence for a while, realizing that the wire connecting the fence posts is electrocuted (it is of course not a life-threatening electric voltage, but you still don’t want to touch it). Hmm. How long do I keep walking? I decide to just go back to the door and jump over it or something. But let’s try opening it first? That I do, and the door is… open. I sigh at myself and laugh at myself. Why am I such a good, overly careful girl?

After having passed the door, I realized I should take a photo of it for my blog. There you have it. And this wire you see on the right side is the one that is electrically charged.

I am led along some fields, which are absolutely beautiful. I start listening to Eddie Vedder’s soundtrack for Into the Wild again and find real pleasure in every moment. I am so immersed in it though that I actually barely take any photos. Walking along fields on a path shared also by cyclists, while looking at this endless space and sky made me feel like I’m in another universe.

A little field panorama – look at all this space…

I love the color of the tree bark against the green of the grass.

A tree I liked – it might have been a mountain-ash (Sorbus aucuparia (lat.); Eberesche (German)), but I cannot be 100% sure

And then I pass this endless field of purple!

And the SMELL! I could smell these flowers all over…

According to PlantNet, they are called Purple Tansy (Phacelia tanacetifolia) :)

After passing this field of purple, I am led through a really tiny village called Teßmannsdorf. It’s really tiny. I barely see any houses.

Me walking through Teßmannsdorf – it took me just about 15 minutes to get through it.

As you see on the map, I am led through another forest afterwards. It’s this big green spot on the map. I am a little freaked out, because it’s quite late already and I am afraid to face any more spiderwebs, but thankfully the paths are all well-paved and I see one more human (a man picking mushrooms with a stick and bucket) and am relieved. I then face a little challenge, which then turns into an enormous challenge. Take a look at the screenshot showing my path below…

Do you see this very messy walking pattern of mine before I walk up towards the water? Yeah, that is me reaching the end of the forest path and wanting, according to plan, to walk the path leading up to the water. Guess what? Again, no path! It is only a hint of a path that is by now fully overgrown with reed. Oh man…

I try to take this black marked path, but it is so full with trees and I get again my very intense anxiety about spiderwebs (read day 1 to understand what my problem is with spiderwebs), and decide to let it be. But I don’t want to walk the whole way back and take a path running parallel to the street again. I had been looking so forward to walk by the water. So I pull myself together, grab a tree branch and start walking through the overgrown reed path. I am prepared to break spiderweb after spiderweb, but I don’t spot any big ones. I only feel a thread every couple of steps on the skin of my legs, and then around my arms, and eventually it becomes so much that I just decide to start running, eyes half closed, aimed at the water. I can do this, just keep running.

And eventually I do get there. PHEW! Well, what else would have happened? I would have surely not been killed by the spiderwebs, but you know… me by now. Hopefully.
Well, now I am there.

A beautiful view on the water is my reward! And you hear nothing – only a couple of SUP-paddlers nearby, gliding over the water. And then I look to the left, in the direction I am supposed to walk. And something tells me this is not good. The sand seems to be ending after about 30 meters or so… Oh no.

I realize that there is probably no path, no sand to walk on, as I would have expected looking at the map. In satellite view it shows sand along the whole coast, but the satellite shot must’ve been so outdated in this moment. So I am left with two choices: either I walk back (through reed, through the forest, back to the street) or I take the risk and eventually walk through the water. What do you think I go for?

Maybe this picture is a hint?

Of course, I decide to walk through the water. I figure I could use some cooling down of my feet. It is quite the adventure though, as I am constantly afraid that eventually it really becomes un-walkable for some reason and I have to walk all the way back. Still, I do it.

My view at the beginning. Still all good – all just sand!

And the water is crystal clear and fresh…

And then I’d find more and more such surprises…

Really looking forward for such breaks in the middle, finding more sand…

So as you see on the photos, the path starts with sand, and then the reed (this plant you see on the photos) would take over, and you’d really have to walk in the water. I have very mixed feelings about this. On the one hand it’s very refreshing, as the water is cold (man, am I lucky with the weather!), and on the other hand, it’s full of algae and stones. So I have to be very conscious about every step I take, in order not to fall and not to hurt myself. I consider it a balance and mindfulness test. It’s actually fun, after the initial anxiety phase is over.

My view on the water, which looks more scary than it actually is – this dark part is just normal sea algae, it’s not depth.

See this dried algae on the ground? Walking on this becomes your first choice (due to the softness of it), instead of walking on the stones you can see in the water.

Eventually, I find this couple walking behind me in the water. I am so relieved! It means that I am not doing something entirely crazy and that there will be a way out of here. I still have many kilometers to walk after all. And I am tired. And the sun is hot, and I don’t want to get sunburned.

They walk so fast, and I think damn, they must have these water shoes on. I get afraid, wondering if it’s realistic to reach my destination on my bare feet like that. But as they approach me, I realize they walk barefoot, too. I talk to them shortly, asking them whether they know if I can find a beach soon. The man tells me that there is no beach, but that I will find an exit through the bushes. I tell them they seem to be used to this path, to which they smile. Off they go, and I take care to follow them soon enough, as their presence comforts me. I still can’t believe this is happening, but I am so glad to be going through an experience I shall definitely not forget soon.

Eventually, with a big sense of relief I reach the escape. I feel such relief, and at the same time a sense of achievement that makes me very happy. I decide to take a break under a tree where the escape is. Overall, I had walked 1,3 km in that water.

Thank the mastermind inventor for trouser extensions you can just unzip

I crave a coffee. And I decide to give my portable stove and the gas can another try. I can turn them on easier this time – success! But of course, as I expected, now I get it confirmed that the bowl I bought to heat water in is not made for heating (check day 1 to understand why this was no clear). It is plastic after all. :'(

So, once again…

I have to still my craving with this espresso chocolate – still yum!

I sit there for about half an hour. I love the sun reflecting off the water and I keep thinking how I would have been feeling in heaven, if I wouldn’t be so tired and if I wouldn’t have to leave again soon. So I try to close my eyes and feel in heaven for a bit.

I close my eyes and I listen to my surrounding, I observe the way I feel, I am just in the moment – the trick being not to judge anything that is happening. Not to judge my thoughts, the things I hear or the things I feel. In a way I am doing Vipassana Meditation, but I wouldn’t want to label anything. It’s something anyone can do. It feels liberating, because for just a few minutes you don’t feel stuck with any bad feeling or with the feeling that you’re obliged to do something about your situation. For a while, things are just the way they are and you are watching them happen within you and around you. A state of ultimate Zen I tell you!

So after experiencing my Zen, I get up to keep walking. I have to walk over a field that seems like many people have already walked over. You’re not allowed to walk over fields, but I just do it. There is not a single person to see anywhere anyway. Part of the field is filled with red plants that are beautiful.

In a way, they look a bit like desert plants or something. I want to stay longer and admire them longer and feel them, but I have to keep walking.

Here you can see how I have to adjust my path after realizing that there is no sand to walk on. From the beach, I walk into the light green area, where the fields are and then manage my way from there.

The sun is really strong. Again, I express my inner gratitude and relief over having bought this black cap.

I do slowly realize how much energy walking through the water had taken from me. Every part of me is tired, especially my left knee. But I gotta keep walking. Something about the pain feels good (please hear me out?), because it keeps me focused on my physical feeling, instead of stressful thoughts in my mind that sadly won’t have mercy on me despite all the beauty surrounding me. And so I feel into my knee, embracing the pain with every step I take that gets me closer to my destination.

I cherish little findings that pass me on the way and I stop every few minutes, taking all the scenery in.

Little findings like this super-dry skeleton of a leaf

I had never seen something like this in my life

I pass through little villages, one of which is awkwardly empty. Many of the houses are entirely closed down.

And then there is this blank house with the tree shadow falling on it so nicely

I walk and walk, exhausted as fuck. At some point, I walk down a street and look to the horizon on my left. I realize that I had just walked down that whole street I see in the horizon, the one that has trees on its sides.

And in the far distance I see the water I had to walk through…

I spot a mailman in the near distance, I pass him and keep walking. A few minutes later, I see him pulling over in front of me again, delivering more mail. I keep walking. A few minutes later, he pulls over behind me. So funnily, I have the same pace as the mailman. I am not that slow.

I keep looking at the map every two minutes it feels. Am I close yet? I am hungry and tired and my knee hurts. Although only 5 km are left, it feels like an endlessly long way. It’s also exhausting to keep walking parallel to a street. The sound of the cars gets very exhausting after a while, even though you don’t hear a single honk. Just them driving over the asphalt so fast is stressful in itself. So when I reach the entrance of Neubukow, I am left with a choice…

This is for you to see how long I had to walk parallel to a street. That’s about 3,5 km.

My choice is whether I want to keep walking along the street – here it would be Buschmühler Chaussee – or if I want to change to the hiking path in the green, called Jakobsweg. I had originally planned to walk on that hiking path so I decide to go for it, although my feeling tells me the street is safer.

And I should have listened to my feeling. -.-
Because the hiking path is beautiful and all, but it turns out quite steep and full of tiny obstacles. And I am tired.

Still, I am happy to be surrounded by trees and a stream. The air is also getting chilly, now that the sun is not shining on me anymore. I take some photos… taking breaks every ten minutes.

This is what it basically looks like walking through that tiny forest.

There are many little games made out of wood, like this wooden xylophone. Yes, I tried it out… :)

Another game, where you can guess what tree it is judging from the bark. No, I did not have time for that one.

It’s funny. Passing this part of the path here, I get a strange feeling. Only looking back, I realize why. It’s because there is no fence. Why? The fence is broken. Judging by the way it looks, someone fell on that fence, falling down that hill… funny that my subconscious picked the creepy feeling up, without me really realizing why.

The sight of this windmill gives me incredible relief. It means I am almost there!

And so, I am finally in Neubukow. I already like the way the houses look and take a few photos.

And I have less than a km to walk… 800 meters… 500… 200… my knee, we almost made it, just stay strong!

And I do. I arrive at a hotel that looks exactly the way I expected (I was too tired to make a photo of the hotel) – with a restaurant below. I go in, spot a tiny fountain (yes, inside, but it’s kind of a portable fountain) and a counter with many flyers and whatnot. I do not spot a single person though. I also do not see a cash register or anything, so I must be standing at the wrong place.

I open the door to the restaurant area on the left, walk in and spot a lady with long black hair, dressed a bit in a rock ‘n’ roll style, drying beer glasses. I ask her where the check-in is and she tells me to come to her. She’s wearing a mask, above which her incredibly blue eyes really strike me. I guess she’s wearing colored lenses. A young man appears, also in a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll style, and the lady leads me to my room. The stairs are incredibly steep and tiny, and there is so much red everywhere. She guides me through the little room, letting me know I can go to her if I need anything. She’s nice.

Now I cannot believe I am actually in my room. I made it, dammit! With my swollen knee and my tired feet and my sun-kissed skin. I sit down, unsure what to do next, as I am tired and hungry. Do I take a break, then go eat? Do I take a shower first?

I check Google Maps and find that there is an Asian restaurant just 3 minutes away. I walk there, order some rice with vegetables and peanut butter sauce and then impulsively order a second meal, while they are cooking my ordered meal. I am so hungry and can imagine eating anything right now. I order noodles with vegetables. And then I walk back.

One last look at the nice view, loving the way the sun sets… and the panorama perspective I have on this tiny city center. And then I take a long warm shower, change into my comfy clothes, stretch a bit and eat, eat, eat. Tucking myself under the cover… waiting for the day to end, hungry for my next journey.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Trip stats:
20,9 km – 5 hrs 4 minutes (in motion) – 4,1 km (average speed)

If you’re interested to see the path I walked on komoot, follow this link:
https://www.komoot.de/tour/264151291

Day 5 of “I am doing this” – Waren – Kühlungsborn – Rerik

October 1, 2020October 5, 2020soleil Leave a comment

My route today from Kühlungsborn to Rerik

It’s a sunny day again, as I open my eyes and see the sun warming up the walls around me. Although I actually wake up early on my own, I still take it a bit too easy packing everything up, doing yoga, etc. that I end up going to breakfast at 8 AM after all, although having set my mind to be there earlier (like the hotel worker yesterday told me I could do). One last glance at the sunshine on the wall makes me say goodbye to that place happily.

Rushing down to the breakfast hall, I see an unknown number calling me. My phone analyzes the number code to be coming from Waren, the city I am in.

I am greeted by the hotel guy in black with one word: “Verschlafen?” (Overslept?)
While laughing, I tell him that I just took too much time packing things up.

“I thought we’re having breakfast together”, he tells me. Oh yeah, I probably assumed right. He was the one calling me, wasn’t he? I ask him if he had just called me. “Yeah, I wanted to wake you up, in case you overslept.”

I thank him nicely and sweetly, as I can do so well, while silently kind of being glad that I am late, as “having breakfast together” would’ve probably just been very awkward. Maybe also nice, but also awkward. I still say “well, I am still here” to which he answers that he slowly has to start working now.

Ah well. I ask him if I may check out first, and then have breakfast, so I can eat with more ease, and he agrees without any hesitation. Yay, I’m free. This “down-to-the-minute” planning had been causing me anxiety since yesterday, in an inner monologue that goes something like this:

What if they don’t let me check out before breakfast?
Isn’t that my right? How would I argue with them, if they don’t let me?
If they really don’t let me, I can probably have breakfast in ten minutes, check out fast and still make it to the train, which is literally 3 minutes away by foot. But what if someone else is waiting before me and taking too much time? Can I push myself forward?

I am definitely an over-thinker, as they say. Back then, in school, I used to over-think friendships, minor daily incidents, but now I over-think everyday interactions with authorities, institutions, etc. What a pain. Definitely gotta work on that.

Aaaanyways, I have a nice breakfast, I head out, the hotel guy nicely accompanies me to the hotel door, I wish him all well, and I head to the train. And I still arrive like 7 minutes earlier. Why all this anxiety?

I use the time I have to calm down a bit, to enjoy the chilly morning and the emptiness of the platform. In Berlin, an empty platform is quite the exception.

On Platform 1 in Waren Hbf, waiting for my train to Rostock Hbf.

I loved the mix of my reflection, that sign hanging there, the extremely shabby window and the plant pots inside. Aesthetically it speaks to me.

The train arrives on time. 8:30 AM. I get in, it’s very empty, and I’m looking forward to the day. Plan is to get out in Rostock’s central station, take a bus to Kühlungsborn and start walking from there to Rerik.

For anyone who’s not familiar with Germany’s map: This is the day I reach the Baltic Sea! All these mentioned cities lie along the Baltic Sea. It’s the primary inspiration for the route of this trip.

Once I arrive in Rostock, another form of anxiety emerges. (In the end, it all turns out juuust fine.) The background to my anxiety: due to Corona, you can’t buy tickets in the buses in Berlin anymore, so as not to be a danger to the driver’s health. I didn’t know what the rules are in Rostock, so I was worried. There seems to be no ticket machine anywhere, and I am not sure if I can buy the ticket from the bus driver. Well, let’s just see.

I get myself a coffee and wait for the bus at the station.

There were a lot of construction works at Rostock ZOB

I really love shabby bus stations. I wish I could make a photo series about them.

People start to gather around me, more and more with every passing minute. I see that they all have tickets in their hands. Where’d you get them?!

Finally, the bus comes. It’s about ten minutes late. It looks comfy. I wait at the end of the line, see everyone show their ticket to the driver, and then I get in. With my cute voice I ask:
“Can’t one buy tickets here?”

The driver mumbles “Not right now, the machine is broken, that’s why it took so long”, as my heart keeps skipping beats, but then he waves with his hand for me to just go in. I hesitate, as I’m sure I misunderstood, but he waves again. WOAH! I walk in. And I get my trip for free. Isn’t that awesome?

I feel some moments of euphoria. Everything worked fine, the bus is empty, I am getting to Kühlungsborn, it’s all good. I watch scenes of the city pass me by.

The bus ride is quite an experience. Some people are sitting without any masks, and some people don’t cover their nose. Ugh, at least they’re sitting at a distance. One woman opens a window to get some fresh air in (finally!), and the people sitting in the back already complain, because it’s too windy. They have a short discussion about Corona, etc. but the window stays closed in the end. Soon enough, the bus gets fuller and fuller. Every seat is taken, also the one next to me, and everyone is standing very tightly together. Not to mention, again: some people not wearing their masks properly, and some not wearing masks at all. I keep thinking Corona does not exist in that bus apparently.

Thankfully, I’m sitting at a window seat, and I don’t have to play human Tetris (like someone calls it so nicely) every time someone needs to get off the bus. The bus is so full, it’s indescribable. Adding to that, it doesn’t show each station on a screen or anything. Everyone has to know for themselves when to get off. Okay.

I have Google Maps on on the side, playing a mix of looking at the moving blue dot representing me, and the changing surroundings, trying to catch the name of every station we pass. By the time we reach Kühlungsborn West, where I need to get off, the bus is already half empty again, to my luck.

Having coffee on an empty stomach was not a good idea, as I desperately need to use the bathroom. Luckily, a nice gentleman from a bar/restaurant/café next to the stop allows me to use the bathroom, since it’s still calm enough. I freshen up and feel ready for this day, glad that everything has worked so well already.

One of my first views, reaching the beach, in Kühlungsborn

Before I start my long walk, I stop at a Lidl supermarket, getting some snacks and a cold packaged coffee for the road. Some people smile at me, which I find nice. I’m all set for walking now.

Some strange amusement park built up on the beach promenade. As soon as I passed by it, I wanted to get away. It was loud, corny and ugly.

A few minutes into my route, I realize the first challenge that shall be facing me. Komoot shows that there is a path along the beach, but in truth, it’s sand. The promenade ends at some point, and so I have to continue walking on the sand. As nice as that can be, it’s not so efficient, when you still have 10+ km to walk. Still, I find no other option, so I just do it.

As hard as it was to walk on the sand, seeing the beach on the side was always a beautiful feeling.

The path keeps changing between sand, promenade and natural paths. As much as I enjoy it, I am seriously suffering from the direct sun. Again, I bitch about myself leaving my cap in Berlin and decide to seriously buy one as soon as I’m in Rerik. I don’t want to get sunburned so I apply sunscreen every hour. My face gets white as a zombie, but I have to not care.

One of many beautiful paths that go through this endless amount of grass around you

A plane advertisement for Lübzer, a brand of beer. Instead of complaining to myself that they’re so noisy, I make a photo.

I liked seeing that extremely eye-catching pink umbrella in the very far distance

That photo between the grass dunes shows the last part of the path, before I have to walk along the water / in the sand for what feels like ages. Although it’s visually beautiful, it feels extremely exhausting on the long run, especially with the sun shining in my face all the time. I need a break, so I sit on the sand with my back to the sun and eat up a sandwich I got. Thankfully, I am not doing this trip in the middle of the summer, so the sun is only shining in an angle, making the sunlight more bearable.

Cooling my feet in the water every once in a while is a must

Despite my exhaustion, I appreciate the view every second

At some point, I pass another stream, flowing into the water. As I walk through it, I realize how warm the water of the stream is compared to that of the sea.

Finally, I reach a path in the green again. I am incredibly relieved.

I panic at the sight of this, but then I see people crossing this over and over again. Okay. Better for me!

Eventually, I reach a big rest area and with that comes a big sense of relief. It also comes with a beautiful view.

A man swimming and doing strange moves all the time, funny to watch

A strange man, a cool old woman and a cool view

My cold break coffee that was not so cold anymore

Walking further, the path keeps changing between trees and open landscapes. I pass by several fields again, just like I did the last days. All the time, you are facing a beautiful view, looking from a high point down to the sea. According to komoot, it’s an elevation of 20 m above seawater. Not little.

The path is quite well-visited. It doesn’t feel bad, because the more people you see, the more it means that a city or village is nearby. And the more they get, the closer you are. So I use it as a kind of self-comforting, to keep seeing people.

At some point, a tiny funny incident occurs. It’s not really an incident. I merely see a couple with a dog, the man blocking the path, bowing down feeding his dog from between his legs. In other words, I see his butt, as he feeds the dog, of course with clothes on and all. As I get closer and he hears my footsteps, he says with a smile “oh, that must not be a nice sight! Sorry!” and he gets out of the way. As stupid an incident as that might be, it really lifts you up on such a trip, when you’ve gone hours without speaking to anyone and are entirely immersed in your thoughts. I’m really thankful for such funny minor incidents.

Soon, I’m walking along another field… at least I can walk next to some tress, which provide me with some shade.

A beautiful green island in the midst of an endless desert

As I attempt to take this panorama the first time, a woman with two little dogs comes from the distance. One dog starts barking at me for no reason. She tells him to stop. As she comes closer, I say “he doesn’t like the camera much, does he?” She, in a quite funny dark tone says: “yeah, I don’t know what’s with her, I thought she’s barking at another dog, but then I see there’s nothing. As they say… “große Klappe, nichts dahinter””, and she rolls her eyes. She really makes me laugh. What she says kind of translates to: “a big cakehole, but nothing proper to say”

Again, uplifted, I laugh out loud. And I attempt another panorama shot, which works this time (the one you see up there, with the woman on the left side, having passed me).

I loved the silhouettes against the strongly lit sky

On and on I walk, sometimes listening to music, sometimes not… enjoying the trees and the view, counting minutes and steps to the destination. The long walk through the sand, in direct sun, has really exhausted me.

It feels like I make breaks at every chance that occurs to me. I am so tired. Today is the shortest distance, but it is by far the most exhausting one. Soon enough, I finally reach Rerik…

Luckily, I find a shop that sells hats and beach stuff at the very beginning! Wow, I am overwhelmed at how well this works. I choose a black cap made of linen, which even covers your neck. The guy is also quite sweet. A black-haired young man with Asian features sits at the cashier’s and works on a very cool drawing, as he talks to me. When I ask him, if I can pay with a card, he says he’s sorry… no card here… “there is not so much happening here…” with a bowed smile. I tell him I’m familiar with that from Berlin too, where there is a lot happening, and still no card payment possible, so no worries. He turns down the price of 12,90 euros to 12 euros for me. So sweet! He wishes me a nice time in Rerik, and I tell him it’s my first time here and keep going.

Finally, I reach the guesthouse and am led to my room. The man at the desk is also sweet and quite funny. At some point he coughs strongly and says in between “don’t worry… no Corona… just smoker’s lung” I laugh and tell him I’m familiar with that, and he laughs. It makes me sound like I’m the one who smokes a lot, when I was referring to other smokers in my life, but who cares. It makes us both laugh.

A glimpse of my room – very comfy and cute

After checking into my room and taking a shower, I head out to eat. I am so exhausted.

Guesthouse (pension) “Kiek in” since 1992 there for you! They’re as old as me!

I am starving. I walk to the harbor, where I catch a glimpse of the sunset reflecting in the water. It’s an idyllic view, just as expected.

I end my day with a Flammkuchen (a “French Pizza” or “tarte flambee”) at a restaurant I’ve been to last year. Funnily, even the same waiter still works there.

Afterwards, I spoil myself with a Nutella crèpe and head home with a happy full stomach. The moon is just as beautiful as the setting sun.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Trip stats:
13,3 km – 3 hrs 4 minutes (in motion) – 4,3 km (average speed)

If you’re interested to see the path I walked on komoot, follow this link:
https://www.komoot.de/tour/263614178

Day 4 of “I am doing this” – Waren Roundtrip

September 26, 2020October 5, 2020soleil Leave a comment

My route today starting in Waren and returning to Waren

Up I get, around 8:30 AM. This time in ease, in the ease of knowing today is a day off, today I can take things slowly. I realize I’m in Waren, happy and relieved that I have made it here, especially after yesterday’s confusion. The sun is shining warmly and brightly through the windows, and the city is calling out to me to explore it. After some calm morning stretches in this spacey room, I head down to the breakfast area, eagerly starting the day.

I wait to be seated. Some people are there, but it’s not full. I am seated next to an aquarium that I only notice after a few minutes, despite its big size. I was too distracted by the teasing sunshine coming in through the windows.

I eat the usual, this time happy that I can add scrambled egg to my choices. Other than that, some cheese, butter, jam and coffee are my way to go. I watch the very beautiful poor fish, trying to imagine what it’s like to be stuck in that aquarium. Always surrounded by the same things. I remember having fish myself and feeling bad. I didn’t even have an aquarium. It was a fish bowl. I’m so sorry, Goldie and Blendo, and all the others whose names I don’t remember.

I have some small talk with a man in black clothes, who works at the hotel, once everyone is gone. I’m still happily sipping my coffee, and I apologize for taking so long. He tells me it’s no problem at all and lets me know I can come earlier tomorrow, when I tell him my train leaves at 8:30 AM tomorrow (and they officially open the buffet at 8:00 AM). Yay!

Up I go and prepare to go on a round trip through the city and surrounding areas. There are so many options that it’s overwhelming. I plan a long walk that goes along the Müritz lake, and then through the forest and several lakes, and then back to the city. Waren lies in the northwest of the Müritz Nationalpark, a beautiful natural reserve that takes days to explore.

So I can give you an idea: all the numbers are the tour I am making on this day (in and around the city Waren), and this enormous lake is clearly the Müritz, and the green area is the national reserve I am talking about – the Müritz-Nationalpark. Do you see how big (and very inviting) it is?

Under the hotel there is already a nice hiking path starting – yay me. I take it and look at the mundane simple things around, already in a picture craze.

Part of the route goes through the old part of the city, through the Altstadt. I am in love with it already. It has a very authentic charm, reminding me of cities on the coastline. I anyway constantly have the feeling I’m at the sea, and I have to keep reminding myself that this always visible enormous piece of water in the south of the city is not the sea, but only the Müritz lake. And the sound of the seagulls is not helping! So in my mind I’m at the sea, and I’m fine with that.

I pass through the area with shops that exist everywhere, as I need to pass by a drugstore to buy a cream for body and hands. Walking outdoors for days really dried up my skin. I now get why one blogger who’s a hiker recommended lotion to be on your packing list.

I feel so out of place with my hiker’s backpack and my hiking clothes and can’t wait to be done with my errand. Everyone is dressed so clean and nicely. I wonder what people think when they see me here.

Well, it’s not so important, because there’s so much beautyyy to capture and admire!

Colorful houses against blue skies drive me crazy

As I said, something attracts me about alleys

I’m a tourist taking a photo of a tourist taking a photo of a tourist. I’m also incredibly funny.

I want to walk down these streets everyday

A few meters next to the harbor – I hid in a shadow taking photos

I reached the harbor and a rush of sounds, colors, activity, smells and sights immediately overcame me. People everywhere. I was overwhelmed, yet so happy to see everything, my senses on edge.

This man sitting by this mini-fountain was posing perfectly for my photo

Walking further, I pass by some bakery, hoping I find a couple of sandwiches to take with me. Somehow I’m already hungry again, and I want to be sure I have some food available. The sweet lady at the counter tells me that all the sandwiches are gone though, but that she just turned on the oven again. She only has cake and muffins. She tells me if I’m very hungry I’ll surely find something at the bakery in the city (I had passed it before but it was so full). I find it sweet that she tells me that, tell her it’s no problem at all and keep going. I like how nice she was.

The path I take goes along a long street with lots of houses and cars, but then it becomes full of trees and runs parallel to the Müritz lake. It’s beautiful. It’s well-paved and changes scenery quite often. One time I’m passing through some senior health resort’s garden, finding this hidden panorama spot…

A panorama view on the Müritz from my hidden spot

…and the other I’m again passing a health resort’s beach, where I stand curiously watching swans and seagulls in the distance, which go absolutely crazy for some reason. I then realize someone is throwing food to them.

It’s a lady from the hotel. She tells me she does that everyday with bread the guests didn’t eat, after I ask her what she’s feeding them. Judging by the way they react, I actually thought they are fish cookies or something.

She also tells me she takes care to try and feed the younger swans (they’re sadly not visible in the video, as they come later), as they are a bit slower. I smile at her and tell her that’s nice, but am torn on the inside, knowing bread can be very bad for birds’ stomachs. Well… I still enjoy the craziness happening in front of my eyes and appreciate having this chance and short conversation.

Moving on, I pass by more interesting spots, like this hidden bench on a hidden bridge, offering a view on Waren.

The weather is so warm and sunny. It just feels like Summer. Despite wearing shorts and a T-shirt, I’m feeling hot and my feet are already sweaty and hurting. A few minutes later, I take a break by another bridge, with more space.

As I walk in, a woman in a black dress sits on one of the benches. A few minutes later, as she is about to walk out with her bike, she asks me if I’m circling the Müritz lake. I realize that I’m not prepared for this question at all and stutter a hesitant but friendly “umm… so halb” (“kind of”) and then proceed to explain a bit more. She tells me that she noticed me before, while passing me with her bike and tells me about her daughter who also does hiking trips, but with a bigger backpack. She says her daughter works as a teacher and decided to go backpacking in Thailand and then she did it in Dresden in the mountains or something. I nod happily along and say that this is very nice. “It has a quite liberating feeling to it”, I say. She says with a laugh: “I always say the young girls of today go hiking and it feels like all my generation is doing is just lying down.” I say that also has something to it. She makes a reference to having to work so much and then of course needing to lie down for hours and not do anything at all, or something. In the end she wishes me a nice trip and we say goodbye in a sweet way. I loved that conversation and found it very uplifting, as it showed me exactly what I hope for. That little actions, like me going hiking alone with such a backpack, cause people to think about them, in whatever way it speaks to them.

I sit there a bit longer and then continue walking. As I walk down the bridge I admire the clarity of the water around me. I discover this hole in the ground and find myself shocked at the thought of what would happen if I suddenly step into it without noticing. Yiiish!

But there are also nicer views in the water that don’t motivate dark fantasies to emerge.

The weather is so warm that it’s killing me not to swim. But I’m torn between not feeling comfortable enough between all these people and between still having a long way to go and not having the time. So at the next possible spot, an actual swim spot, or as we’d sarcastically call it in Arabic “balbata” – بلبطة spot (the marked area for swimming was just knee-deep), I walk a few meters into the water to cool my feet down. I realize how incredibly relieving it feels to my toes, which started to form blisters. It’s relieving me in a painful way. Like, I actually feel pain while walking in, but that pain is a relieving one. And so I stay there for maybe ten minutes, just walking around the water, enjoying the refreshment.

Outside I extend the break and rest my feet a bit longer, catching nice views to capture.

Like this nice silhouette of a couple with bikes.

Time to walk further. It’s still an incredibly long way to go, and I’m constantly being stopped because the scenery attracts me like crazy. And I’m a photo-addict. I really am. It’s crazy.

As I didn’t get a chance to buy proper food today for this walk, my stomach starts to complain. Also my head. Where’s my coffee? I want coffee now. Yes, now. Okay, okay. I discover a camping place on the map and the way I know it by now they usually have a little café or a tiny supermarket, and so I walk to that camping place. And my estimation was right. They had a little service store and café.

As soon as I approach the counter, still reading the menu, the lady behind the cashier greets me, awaiting my order. I impulsively ask if they have any vegetarian sandwiches. Hmmm, vegetarian sandwiches, do we have that?, she asks as she looks to her colleague. Oh yes, they can make that for me. Yay. Coffee and a cheese sandwich. I sit outside and await my order.

I was very happy to see their generosity with the cheese and the happiness in presenting it. I eat my meal with lots of satisfaction and prepare to keep walking.

Walking through the forest is beautiful as usual. I realize that I now see way less people than along the water. I enjoy the calmness, despite having some music in my ear. I always use it as a motivation every once in a while. To keep going. But I still take moments to stand there in the absolute silence and listen to the wind talk to the trees.

On my way to my next highlighted stop, I spot a young woman who’s also walking alone, but with a smaller backpack. I watch her for a bit. We walk almost the same pace so it takes me a while to catch up with her. Something about her aura makes her feel special to me. We greet each other shortly when I pass her and then I keep walking. Little do I know this won’t be the last time I see her.

After walking through a path surrounded by forest trees for about half an hour, I reach the next highlighted spot – a truly wonderful one. It’s an area with two lakes called the Wienpietschseen, which are entirely surrounded by the woods and which can only be reached through hiking paths. It’s incredibly quiet and the trees reflect off the water like a mirror. The area is a bit swampy and according to a Komoot user comment, the lakes are remains of an Ice Age melting water channel.

The reflection in one of the Wienpietschseen

I notice that people are happy walking over a wooden bridge / path that surround part of the lake, so I get tempted to go check it out myself. Indeed, it is beautiful. I keep looking down at the water, admiring the water lilies.

I guess I am so immersed (while taking tons of photos, of course) that I catch the attention of a very happy man and his wife / girlfriend / female friend. He approaches me and asks me happily: “So? Did you find anything else in the water that is very exciting?” His question catches me off guard entirely, and I spontaneously answer back: “Noo… I just like my reflection in the water…. (he starts laughing already) surrounded by all the plants and stuff” He keeps laughing and I laugh, too, and we say bye to each other in a sweet way. A few seconds later I realize that I basically just kind of made a reference to Caravaggio’s Narcissus. Ohhhhh…

Another view on one of the Wienpietschseen – aren’t all these colorful water lilies so beautiful?

I walk on the wooden path that leads through trees of a very special aesthetic, and I stand there in awe of what is around me. I love the energy of the place and feel drawn to stay longer.

A nature play that overtakes me entirely

I walk further, further through an endless amount of trees all around. Three people on their bikes ask for directions to Müritzer Mühle at some point, and I am happy to realize that I can help. I wonder how they move without any form of navigation at all. I could never do this, unless I’m from the area. Still, to be admired. Again, I’m back to my world.

One of hundreds of such tiny shiny beetles I passed. I even saved many of them… by turning them around, when they flip over and helplessly move their tiny legs in the air. It’s so funny. Not for them, no.

A very interesting worm. Look at its head and tail. I kept wondering what sort of butterfly it would turn into.

Another panorama view, this time on Feisnecksee

I made a longer break on this bridge, with this overwhelming view in front of me, surrounded by all this reed (the plants you see). It was quite calm, as most people just went up for only a glimpse and then down again. Funnily, as I was about to leave, I saw the woman who was walking along again. We greeted each other shortly and I kept walking. I could see her walk behind me, a bit further, but my pace was faster. And then I stopped at this next spot…

…and stood there for a couple of minutes, capturing it. This would’ve been a perfect swimming spot in this other lake I passed by. Somehow I was too shy to attempt it, justifying it to myself with “I still have a long way to go.” And then, what do I know, I hear a rustling in the leaves behind me, and there she is again. The other lone female wanderer. As I’m about to say “so we see each other again”, she says “we’re attracted by the same spots”, and we both laugh. She asks me if I think the spot is suitable for swimming, and I say that I think I do. She bows down and puts her fingers in the water, with a look that says she’ll probably do it. I say “if I had more time, I would go for a swim” – such a liar – and she kind of indirectly calls me out on it: “do you still have a very long way to go?” Answering with “yeahhh, well… my navigation still says 2,5 hrs and I take tons of breaks and can’t take it not to stop at such beautiful spots, so…” I already see her giving me a look that says “you know it’d still be fine to swim” but I still just continue walking, after we say a sweet bye.

Luckily, it’s not the last chance I get to go swimming. But first, I walk a bit further and reach a sheep-run, which first gives you the impression it is closed, but it is actually not. All you have to do is push the door. :)

There I find more and more beauty surrounding the Feisnecksee. I see a spot where a young man, probably my age, is already standing, and as I approach it further, I realize he has a camera on a tripod, taking photos or something. I know how annoying it is when someone disturbs that peace, and I can already see that he’s not so happy I am coming to his already quite tight spot, so I say: “I will just disturb for a very short time. A quick photo and then I’m gone.” He says it’s fine, of course. I keep my promise and make my way out again, but he strikes conversation.

“Are you circling the Müritz?”, he asks. It’s the same question that the woman in the black dress asked me before. This time I’m better prepared.”No, I am only doing a day tour here. My destination is the Baltic Sea!”, to which he replies: “Oh, because I was wondering how you were doing it with such little stuff in your backpack.” I laugh and tell him that this is a secret I would’ve liked to know as well. We continue the conversation for a bit. He lets me know that he has a vacation house nearby or something and that he makes nature videos, complementing courses he gives about hikes and stuff. No, he does not have a channel yet, but maybe one day. I tell him that I also love taking photos, but no space for the big camera, etc. thus the phone. I don’t know why I had to justify it, but it just came out that way. We talk about the weather that will change on Thursday, after I let him know I am going to the Baltic Sea. We both wish each other nice trips and days, and I keep walking. I feel uplifted.

A few meters further, I find a beautiful spot to sit in, and it would also work wonderfully as a swimming spot. I walk in with my full clothes on still, just knee-deep, feeling the cold water cool down my swollen, tired feet. Agh!

The water really was crystal clear, as you can see.

And then, as I sit on a fallen tree, seriously contemplating swimming, a man who I’ve been watching fishing on his tiny boat starts pedaling from a far distance to my direction. Oh, come on. He really comes to this spot and starts swimming here. He has the whole lake, but has to come here. Okay. Thanks. It’s not that I mind swimming with anyone around, but let’s just say I didn’t trust his vibe so much for some reason. He keeps mumbling to himself, singing or something, while I sit on the tree and decide to look for another spot. Off we go.

So, what are the odds of seeing the same woman again at this spot? Low? High? Does it matter? I did end up seeing her again.

“Somehow I was already expecting you”, I say and we both laugh. I find out that she went swimming at the exact spot I had saw her in last time, where I was hesitant about swimming myself. She tells me the water is beautiful and that she highly recommends it. It hurts me, because I now realize I really have to swim. I can’t finish this tour without having taken a dip once. She also tells me a bit more about herself. She lets me know that she was actually born here in Waren, but lives in Rostock (by the Baltic Sea), and that she’s here for a bit of a sad occasion. Her grandmother passed away, and so the whole family was meeting up for the funeral. She also lets me know that she already swam in 12 different lakes in the whole area. Wow! I got so jealous. In a good way. An inspiring jealousy. Does that exist? Well, I made it exist.

She shows me some other lakes she liked on a map, and I tell her that I definitely have to do it now. We walk together for a bit (me barefoot, because my feet are still wet from the water, thinking this could also be an adventure to explore – walking barefoot), and then she points to another spot that could be nice. I decide to try and go for it, and we say we’ll probably see each other again with a laugh. On a closer look, the spot is not as nice as I thought, so I walk a bit further. Komoot claims on the map that there is another nice swim-spot nearby, so I decide to trust it. Even before I reach it, I find an extremely nice one with grass, where I can just put my things down right by the water and go in.

Other than two men sunbathing, there is nobody else there. I start changing my clothes and walk into the cold water. It feels freezing cold, but it’s perfect on this very warm day. After some ahhhs, and sssssss and whatever else comes out, I am 90% in and swim ahead. It is beautiful! So so beautiful. It’s calm, the water is clean and so clear that I can see my whole body underwater all the time. Which gets a bit creepy after a while.

One of the men jumps into the water just a couple of minutes after me and keeps smiling at me. Hmmmm… I am not sure if he’s sincerely happy and thus smiling at me or if he’s hoping to strike a conversation. I decide to not find out by just sticking to my route and swimming further away. The water is incredibly beautiful and I just don’t want to come out.

I realize once I’m out how cooled down my body is. Good thing the sun is still out. The man comes out behind me also just a couple of minutes later, still smiling at me, me still trying to not pay attention. I stay in my own world, pushing myself to keep walking, as I still have a long way to go, and it’s starting to get chilly.

I catch a happy SUP-er’s silhouette, as he victoriously holds his paddle up.

One of many views that open the heart and the mind and the soul

Happily grazing sheep not caring about my obsession with photographing them

My last event on this long day-tour is me meeting – guess who? The same woman again. At another swimming spot. She had just gone for a second swim and was very happy. I was amazed, because I was already feeling quite cold. Once my body cools down, it really cools down. And I did not bring a jacket! I had checked the temperature in the morning after all…

We have one last short talk. I tell her I went for a swim and that it was beautiful and thank her sincerely for motivating me. We wish each other all the best, and she keeps walking, while I decide to take one last break, admiring the view. The sun paints the shore so artistically with its red-toned sun rays.

Soon enough, I reach the outskirts of the small city again. I admire the way the sunset paints the sky, and I let it flow through me, as much as I possibly can, despite the cold. But I also really feel the exhaustion of the day and try to walk in a continuous rhythm in order to get home fast enough. Still, I collect some nice moments and views on my way.

Passing by these houses by the lake, Peter Fox’ song “Haus am See” just wouldn’t stop going through my head. Und am Ende der Straße steht ein Haus am See…

This is probably a strange way to end this very hike-/nature-oriented post, but I liked the (disastrous, sad, but well-ending) “graffiti conversation” saying: NS JETZT – Nö! – FUK NZS (in English: (blue spray) NATIONAL SOCIALISM NOW – (black spray) Nope! – (orange spray) Fuck Nazis)

And so, I reach the hotel after having walked 20+ km. Considering this is my “free day” I am incredibly proud of myself and so happy about all the impressions I could gather. When you think about it, it’s just a hike. Incredible that a hike can do so much with your soul.

I order Indian food and wait with a grumbling stomach, keen to have its reward for being so patient. I rest my feet, I thank my body for all that I can do with it and thank life for days like these.

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Trip stats:
20,7 km – 3 hrs 50 minutes (in motion) – 5,4 km/h (average speed)

If you’d like to take a look at the path I walked on Komoot, follow this link:
https://www.komoot.de/tour/263194360

Day 3 of “I am doing this” – Mirow – Waren

September 24, 2020October 5, 2020soleil 2 Comments

Up she gets. All on her own. No alarm required. Cause she’s exciteeeed.

It’s a new day, and the sun is shining, and a tight time schedule is waiting. A schedule waiting to be figured out at least.

I shall not try to make another failed attempt at a coffee today. I shall just go down to the breakfast that awaits me.

I go to the breakfast door and in the midst of confusion am told to sit anywhere I want. The woman comes back again, after finishing up with another couple, and realizes that the table I chose is not clean yet and seats me somewhere else. But I wanted to sit by the windooow. Okay.

I am the only person who’s alone. I kind of expected that. But it’s a bit awkward to be sitting in a 4:11 ratio (women:men) and being a woman on her own. Especially that that table of men over there keeps looking at me. For whatever reason. Ugh. I’m too happy about everything to care though! I just give them a look and don’t look back.

Breakfast is lovely and simple. Bread, butter, cheese, jam. A hard boiled egg. Coffee. Enough to suit my morning needs. What is causing me anxiety is the planning of this day, as I figured out yesterday that the bus I was planning to take to reduce the distance does not drive on Sunday.

Once I head back up to my room and retry planning the trip on a bus-base, it fails entirely. No matter what bus I take, the distance will still be too long to cut in a day. An option would be to take a risk and hope I reach a certain area and take a bus from there. But I don’t even know 100% if that bus will actually be there. So with some sadness, but also with relief, I admit to myself that the best way to go would be to take the train. And to just have a round-trip here instead. The train leaves in the afternoon. I plan the trip very fast, very spontaneous, so I might be in for some surprises.

I head out at 10:00. Checking out, the man at the desk is sweet. He asks me if I am taking the Pilgerweg (the pilgrim’s path). It’s not what I’m taking, but it crossed roads with me so often that I want to explore it further in the future.

I first want to see a tiny bit more of the city. I think it has charm, and on komoot a certain Liebesinsel / “love island” is recommended by a lot of people. I take a look at it, make some photos and watch a couple taking photos of each other.

I admire the morning sunlight reflecting off the water, but I honestly crave to see more than what I am seeing. So I proceed on my path soon enough.

First, I am led along a very long and busy street, which eventually leads me to a hiking path parallel to a field. It’s so hot that I have to stop and change into a T-shirt. It’s the first time I walk with a T-shirt on this trip. I deeply regret not having my cap with me, but I am optimistic about the rest of the trip. After this short break I use to also eat up some snacks, I keep walking.

I pass many health resorts, and many playgrounds by the water, with kids running and screaming. I feel a little out of place, but I don’t care so much as much as I care about the heat.

My temptation to swim is still very present, but I tell myself that another opportunity on another day shall arise.

Eventually it gets calmer and emptier. I am led through forests, where I don’t see anyone for a long time. I enjoy the rustling of the trees, mixing with the music of Ruby by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté.

A field in the distance, showing through trees, was glowing so strongly with sunlight. It was beautiful.

This is what it looked like once I reached it. I stood there for a few seconds, breathing in deeply, taking a moment to let it all sink in, feeling connected with the Universe around me.

In other spots, you often find freshly cut trees stacked up together. I was amazed at the amount of trees here, as well as the pattern they show all stacked up together like that.

Since there are barely any possibilities to make your own coffee, let alone sit comfortably on a bench, I am trying this method to relieve my coffee cravings during my walks. Why not? It seems like the perfect situation to use this in. And I sure enjoyed the first bite, as much as the second bite, as much as the aftertaste.

On the way back I passed by this part full of bushes of yellow flowers. It was heavenly. I stayed there for a few minutes, watching happy bees doing their work, lucky enough to catch a picture of one.

At the end of my energies on this hot day, walking the last kilometer, I pass by this part of the city which has an outskirt “American” feeling to it that I can’t quite explain. I felt like I’m in a street from American Beauty.

With a big sense of relief and a craving for shadow, I reach the main station, a very shabby, old place I sadly didn’t make any pictures of and end up taking this old, charming train, full, loud, hot, but cute somehow. Everyone is tired, but the kids have endless energy and don’t stop excitedly talking and jumping from one seat to the next for a minute. They’re also not wearing any masks.

I change trains at Neustrelitz, where I end up in one of the modern trains, which is empty and air conditioned. I get a chance to spread my legs and eat up a yoghurt I had bought (don’t ask me what I was thinking buying it).

Finally, we’re at Waren, where I fortunately only have to walk a few meters to reach my hotel. Check-in is fast and simple, and I’m led to my big, spacey room with character.

It’s the nicest one I had so far. I like the light green walls and the wooden furniture. I also love the fact that it has three windows, which let in so much light.

I’m starving after this long day though – I find a pizza place over google maps and go for a takeaway pizza to eat up by a spot by the water that I also discovered over google maps… and figured it would be very nice.

I was right. Look at this beauty.

And a pizza all to myself. I couldn’t eat it up in one go though. So I carried the rest with me all the way home. Where I landed in bed like a chunk of wood. I’ll be staying at this city for 2 nights, which means… I can sleep in tomorrow… :-)

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Trip stats:
16,4 km – 3 hrs 21 minutes (in motion) – 4,9 km (average speed)

If you’re interested to see the path I walked on komoot, follow this link:
https://www.komoot.de/tour/262292274

Day 2 of “I am doing this” – Rheinsberg – Mirow

September 22, 2020April 7, 2024soleil Leave a comment

My route today from Zechlinerhütte to Mirow

Tucked up under what feels like a warm, soothing cocoon of bedsheets that I shall never abandon, I wake up several times at night. I don’t really know why. I assume my mind was exposed to so much that it’s trying to process in desperation. I remember waking up and feeling like it’s almost day, but looking at the clock and realizing it’s still just 1 AM. What? Okay, well it’s still really dark after all.

Before I know it, I’m back to sleep and then actually being awakened by my actual alarm. I had set it to 7:00 but only got out of bed around 07:30. In disbelief over the fact that I have to walk again so far today. And completely excited at the same time.

To pack or not to pack before breakfast? I decide to risk it and just go have breakfast and pack later. I have to head out at 9:00 latest to catch a bus at 09:30 to a place called Zechlinerhütte. I cannot miss the bus under any circumstances, or I’ll have to wait till 11:30 for the next one to come. Nope, not happening!

But the desperate need for coffee is really strong… stronger than any logic my mind would’ve come up with at 07:30 in the morning. My desperate need for coffee is so strong that I already decide to have one of these sachet Tchibo coffees – and since I definitely cannot use the gas cartouche in a house that is (literally) made of wood, I decide to use the hottest faucet water possible.

And once again: fail! The water takes ages to get warm, and then it doesn’t even get warm enough to take a shower with. Okay… just… no coffee now then.

I walk down to the breakfast room. A color palette of mostly red, brown and yellow gives me a warm feeling. I am anyway happy to be able to have a warm meal and a hot coffee in my stomach. It’s still empty, everything is chill, and I slowly prepare mentally for the day.

I get all cozy with my coffee and food, realizing hmm, maybe I should hurry up a bit and indeed, it’s good that thought dawned on me, as packing everything up again was quite a challenge. Mostly it was the fear of forgetting anything, but also the challenge of having to figure out in 3 minutes what to do with all the food I impulsively bought yesterday after a long day of endless walking.

Okay, no panic. Focus. The cheese goes there, the muesli bars stay there, this bottle is useful, keep it. Done. This Rucksack really is badass spacey!

I run down and walk quickly towards the bus station. It’s 20 minutes away by foot. After I walk quite fast-paced for a while, I realize I have no reason to worry anymore. Slow down. Take it all in. The morning chill, the sunshine. And so I do.

Part of me is anxious, because I couldn’t figure out where to buy the bus tickets the day before. I had decided to figure it out today, and part of me expects that I can just buy it from the bus driver right away (in Berlin you can’t anymore due to Corona).

Still, maybe I’ll find a ticket machine anywhere. I see the main station getting closer. Yay, still got lots of time to spare. Oh, and it looks like there’s a ticket machine right over there! Let’s go to that. Very casually… pretending this man and woman smoking over there and standing like they own the place don’t make me feel unsure about myself. Yeah, no big deal, just going to buy some ticket. Phew… wait. It’s not a ticket machine. It’s a cigarette machine. Cool.

Makes sense why I thought these two look like they own the place. They probably do! Because this is not even the station. It’s some building with a restaurant or a game place or something. Huhhhh.

I spot a bus driving in. “Ich hab Feierabend” (basically: I’m done with work for today) is lit up on it. I decide to just ask the driver, although I’m shy. I don’t wanna disturb his Feierabend after all… okay, here we go.

“Darf ich Sie kurz was fragen?” (May I ask you a small question?) I’m already prepared to get an annoyed answer back, as the guy is just uttering “Ja, aber -” (yes, but) will he say “Ja aber schnell, ich hab Feierabend”? Nope. He was just nice and said “Ja, aber selbstverständlich!” (yes, but of course!)

Oh, Berlin. What have you done to me?

After I ask him if I can buy the ticket from the bus driver, it becomes clear that he will be driving the line that I want to take and he offers me to get into the bus already. I get so happy about the relief of it all working and sit back into the chair, the bus all empty around me, as he says “ich geh ne roochen.”

I only understand what he said when I see him lighting a cigarette outside. Okay, now I hear it.

So realizing that again everything worked just fine and I’m so relieved, I get into a bit of bliss, awaiting the trip to start. I see a bus stopping and people getting off, and I sit another hiker, just like me, with his big rucksack. I’m still so overwhelmed by myself doing this that I wish I could just go and high five him or something.

Okay, trip starts. Such a tiny city. Such a cute bus. Every time the driver brakes, the brakes screech very loud. And every time we reach a station, he calls it out to the people who wanted to get off there. How sweet!

My turn comes. I’m the last one in the bus, as he tells me we’ve reached Zechlinerhütte. I thank him nicely and wish him a nice day, and as I walk away we even wave to each other again. How very mundane, yet uplifting an experience.

What a great feeling to have saved me these 6 km of walking from Rheinsberg!

I’m standing at the side of some crossing, where there are construction works. They (the construction works) are even marked on komoot. As komoot itself is still waking up too, I get attracted by this old building with “Zechlinerhütte” written on it, both on a sign and again in mosaic.

It does not solve the mystery of what the Zechlinerhütte actually is, but I save the answer for another day. I want to see more now!

Like this fantastic view on the Schlabornsee…

…or this beautiful enormous tree, blending perfectly with the surrounding.

And so the walking starts, in very good spirit. I enjoy the feeling of nature itself still waking up to a new day, as the early morning sun rays fall on the trees, the fields, and layers of cobwebs… that from a distance I like to admire.

A bridge leads over a nice canal… Zootzenkanal. I get to be part of a conversation between a mom and her kid about mopeds for just a few seconds… realizing that I misunderstood what a moped is all my life long.

I’m led to walk on this path, between very interesting trees. Part of their roots are above the ground, and I wonder if that’s just their kind or if something happened to cause that. For some reason I keep hearing crying trees in my head. They have something… tragic about them.

I’m already in love with the path. Every few meters it looks entirely different. And the sun.

And before I know it, after having walked through the quietest forest, I am at the first lake of the day: Giesenschlagsee(n).

Basically they are three lakes which are connected and they’re all called Giesenschlag, but there’s a small one, a middle one and a big one or something.

This is what they look like on the map.

After the first hour or so, I’m already taking my first longer break. Today, I do feel the 25 km from yesterday.

At least I can have a banana-chocolate yoghurt I impulsively bought yesterday in peace… and shortly close my eyes and meditate on the trip.

Oh, how I would’ve loved to swim already!

I made it here, too!

Has anyone ever seen a black snail before? That sure was my first time.

I am really overwhelmed by the beauty of the path. It’s well-paved this time and every few meters I see a “long-distance-path” sign. I am relieved, knowing that this is a popular path, and I have it confirmed by seeing overall three people during my walk in this area. That is a soothing effect I would have never expected to have from seeing people. But hei, it’s good to keep surprising yourself.

And I took another break…

And another one. This time taking off the extensions of my trousers. It was suddenly so hot. As soon as you’re out of the shade and into the sun, everything feels at least five degrees warmer. But I didn’t care, because the path was beautiful. It was half bike path, half hiking path, and it went along a field.

A little art project?

This sign says that this field is grown organically. No pesticides are used. It made my soul happy.

The next longer break I took at a viewpoint over Vilzsee. I absolutely loved it and the path. In some part of it, you walk along a forest-y hill and below you see the water with canoes in it. And once I was up there, it felt so much like I’m at the sea, I really had to constantly remind myself that I am not. Yet!

Realized after getting up that I’d been sitting on a heart all this time. <3

Do you see me?

Views over Müritz-Havel-Wasserstraße

I passed through some village called Fleeth. And these chicken were following me everywhere. And this poor black chicken had feet which didn’t grow well, but then it did something funny. It pushed its head so far through this metal fence that I really think it thought it could fit through. It made me chuckle loudly and decide it’s best I keep walking before I let that chicken kill itself.

I don’t know what these fruits were, but they were all over the ground, squished, squished, squished.

Another tree that caught my attention. It’s like an abstract natural manifestation for suffocating love.

And lastly I found myself walking next to a sea of corn… the plants were bigger than me. I had never seen them so up close, but I appreciated getting the chance to look at corn precisely. This one here is a special example of a rather imperfect one, one that, again, caught my attention.

Despite my somewhat slower pace, I arrive to Mirow well on time. Tired, hungry, but fulfilled and happy. I make a mental note to myself: double check that you entered the correct hotel address as a destination. It is not fun to read “10 m” left, only to realize the hotel is in an entirely different street… at least it was not an entirely different city. :-)

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Trip stats:
19,1 km – 4 hrs 3 min (in motion) – 4,7 km/h average speed – 170 m elevation

If you’re interested to see the path I walked on Komoot, here you go:
https://www.komoot.de/tour/261430178

Day 1 of “I am doing this” – Berlin – Neuruppin – Rheinsberg

September 21, 2020October 5, 2020soleil 3 Comments

Yes, I am finally doing this. On a journey of exploring, growing and healing the self, I have found myself – basically from one moment to the next – incredibly intrigued to explore the idea of hiking solo for several days. Where to? The sea, of course.

And so the planning started. Overall a couple of months, and a couple of weeks of discovering a world of wanderlusting… starting full of questions, ending with a lot of excitement of counting down the days to the actual trip. Where to start? What to wear? What to eat? Where to stay? How to stay out of danger? All questions that suddenly seemed ages away, as I stand in the station of Berlin-Spandau, enjoying the warm early sunshine of 7:00 AM, waiting for the train that shall take me to my starting point… of day 1: Neuruppin.

Stage 1 – It’s happening

I was in a quite euphoric state. I am doing this, keeps going through my mind. People around me, if you only knew what journey I am about to embark on!

Such were the kind of words going through my head, as I watch beautiful sceneries pass me by…

…a sight I have never quite seen in that intensity before.

…appreciating the chilled atmosphere in the empty train and the (not to be taken for granted) friendliness of the train personnel.

Anxiously, I await the last station of the train’s journey. The first station of my journey – Neuruppin Seedamm. We arrive at 9:24 AM.

Stage 2 – A lost old lady (with cookies)

I already can’t stop taking pictures. I know I still have 20+ km to walk, but since I know myself, I anyway planned my official start at 9:50 AM, so who cares if I spend the first half hour just taking photos?

Funnily, I’m already put in the next interesting situation. I had heard a nice guy asking an old woman with walking aid if she’d like to cross the street. Then, between some mumbles I hear ‘well, do you know where you want to go?’, but I don’t pay much attention other than noting to myself that this guy is very nice for stopping and asking.

A view after my first few steps taken in Neuruppin

And then, a few minutes later, as I’m stuck taking the photo above this paragraph from different angles, I find this guy approaching me and the old woman slowly coming up behind him. He talks to me: “I am having a bit of an awkward situation. This woman doesn’t know where she wants to go. And she doesn’t remember anything.” Oh!

I am a bit overwhelmed, because I’m not from the city myself and was never put in such a situation before, but of course I try to help and talk to her. I ask her if she knows how long she’s been walking. She mumbles but doesn’t respond. “That’s what I mean. I guess it’s dementia or something”, the guy says. Considering the seriousness of the situation I am calmed by his lightness in the way he talks to her. I keep suggesting answers to her: half an hour? Ten minutes? Just an estimate is all we need. 30 minutes? “No, no… not so long” I manage to get out of her. She’s still very confused, so of course I can’t trust her answer entirely. I then get the idea of asking for her ID, to check her address. I try to keep my questions shorter from now on, as I get the feeling long sentences confuse her more. “Address?”

I am relieved as she starts fumbling around her stuff after a few seconds of not responding at all. The guy tries to help by looking into her trolley with her. I chuckle on my inside as he comments out loud “you have all possible things here… cookies, sweets…” Finally, she grabs a very tiny squished up wallet out of her pocket and picks out a piece of paper…. with an address on it! And a name. Phew! As I already grab my phone to check for it, the guy points out happily that he knows the street. “Straße des Friedens, that’s over there, but how did you get here, there’s a very stoney road, how could you pass over it with your trolley?”

He seems to enjoy teasing her and so I take it as a queue that I can leave while feeling relieved she’s in good hands. He really was very cute with her. But the poor woman! I kept wondering if that happens often, or if we just witnessed a very rare situation, which ended lucky for her…

I go back to myself, enjoying walking the streets of that tiny, old city…

That sight had something idyllic about it for me…

Stage 3 – Arriving

Everyone who passes me greets me so nicely or wishes me a good morning. It’s a pleasant feeling. I enter the first forest I shall encounter today and stop by the Alter Rhin for a not so quick break already.

*Alter Rhin*
I wished I could go swimming

After getting enough sun, I keep walking. I pass Alt-Ruppin, admiring the charm of the houses…

A few minutes after crossing and passing busy streets and getting barked at by the first guard dog, I’m led to the backyard of a house I don’t see a single person in. The whole area is so quirt. I am really overwhelmed by the absolute quiet that could exist at such a place. And by the view I was looking at…

After walking a few steps further, I realize that the path that was being shown on Komoot is basically just grass. My mind goes yay, closer to nature and then the grass keeps getting higher and I think hmm and then I reach a dead end, while komoot tells me to go straight onto the street. HMM! Okay… no panic. I make a detour…

I eventually realize that “hoping” to find a road to lead to the street is too much to hope for considering I still got 3/4 of the distance to go. And so I just walk through the trees (as you see this strange turn on the map) and “elegantly” walk down to the street, pretending that this is not awkward, no.

Phew! Time for my first snack. I happily get out an energy bar from my fanny pack (first time I use this word ever!), and just as I am about to open it, I stumble over my own shoelaces… and kind of fall down, aaaaand push myself up so fast as if nothing happened and keep walking. Roots, grass, fallen trees, I can pass anything! And then my shoelaces do it. Ah well…

Soon enough, I forget all about the detour issue, because I am happy to see a new tiny city called Neumühle. I love the color of its houses and enjoy walking through the very green forest…

Wise words from Neumühle: *Better Run Naziscum*

It was quite a thing to walk for minutes and hours and see only a couple of people. I loved it (till then), and every few minutes I would stop in my tracks and listen to the silence around me, interrupted only by wind making the leaves of the trees sing their songs…

Eventually I realized that I wouldn’t mind actually listening to some music during the experience. I let my phone play in my pocket on very silent loudspeaker. And it’s been two tracks that I have listened to on repeat since then… one is Ruby by Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté, and the other one is called Manitoumani by several artists: -M-, Toumani Diabaté, Sidiki Diabaté & Fatoumata Diawara. Both songs have grown so dear to me over the last few days, especially Ruby feels like the whole world’s soul is in its music…

Doesn’t it look like some dragon or snake or something drinking out of the lake? I know… very cliché…

I stay very curious as to what is coming next so my breaks aren’t very long at the end. And so I proceed… and reach some more beautiful scenery that I couldn’t help but stop and capture basically all the time.

I love golden fields… they feel like the sun shining out of plants. They had something very Toscana-like about them, because they were so dry, and you could hear these cicada-like sounds.

What was very interesting was how much the scenery constantly changed… so one minute I’m walking next to this field, and the next minute I find a resting place by Molchowsee that I recognize from a visit years ago.

Here I take the first big break and have a mini-lunch, as I sit in the sun, looking at the stillness of the water.

Stage 4 – Overcoming challenges

A bit later I face a similar issue with komoot like at the start. It first leads me along a field, which is beautiful, but then somehow the road gets lost, and I have to walk in high grass along the field again. At least I get to make some more photos.

Actually it was my fault, as I decided to change route spontaneously, because another field parallel to this one looked lovely and I wanted to walk along it and it showed there’s a path on the app but there was not! It was quite a challenge, especially with the sun, but I just tried to focus on the beautiful butterflies flying around me and away from under me..

Here you see my sad attempts at trying to walk into the forest to find a path.

Thankfully I trusted my gut and did not do it. The forest (the green area) was going down steeply and there’s no sign of a path. It was the right thing to keep walking along the smaller field (the darker yellow one).

Eventually I got out of this challenge and found another opportunity for a break. With a swan view! (See photo) I also liked watching these boats pass by. Everyone said hi, which was sweet. Also what seemed like a couple of an interesting sports combination passed by – the girl was on a SUP board (stand-up paddle board) and the guy was in a canoe. They were pedaling next to each other.

This is the perfect spot for a coffee, is what I kept thinking. I had bought this gas cartouche only so I can make coffee on the way – but damn, was that a fail! First, I was extremely anxious about even putting it on. I connected it to the “stove” or however you’d call it, and as I was screwing both together whoosh! the gas started leaking out the opening and making this sound. I jumped back (lol!), my heart beating like crazy, unsure what to do next, hoping nobody sees me, as I wasn’t even sure I’m allowed to use this thing. I could hear the sound get quieter, and so I approached it again and tried to screw both together stronger and then it stopped. Well, I eventually figured it only made that sound because of the high pressure it was on, while it was closed, and because I hadn’t screwed them together properly in the first place! Okay… so time for a coffee.

I get out this plastic pot I got from Decathlon to cook and eat in and then think to myself: plastic? Won’t that melt? Although it says 100 degrees C on the pot, I don’t trust it. I must be getting something wrong. But hours later I think to myself that it would’ve probably worked just fine.

What about the coffee though? I ended up drinking it cold.

I do not recommend it… but hey, it tasted like (some very sour) coffee.

Off to see more fields!

Ravens which I loved looking at and then got creeped out by. Because they were circling on top of me and making sounds and then I remembered this funny video of these people getting attacked by crows. I’m not here to hurt you! I tried to telepathically tell them. Maybe it worked. They kept to themselves at the end.

Stage 5 – Sincerely fucking real terror

So what happens next? Why this very dramatic title? This shall be a funny story for everyone reading this but me. Maybe it will be funny for me one day, too. Actually it already kind of is. Okay. Look at these beautiful trees down there…

It’s like a dream, isn’t it? So it felt to me too. But then komoot took my love for trees very seriously and started leading me again into the forest. Surprise: no path. Just grass. No problem. I don’t mind. Closer to nature, I think again. I walk, and walk, and I feel a little strange with time, and then I get why. It’s clear that nobody’s walked that “path” in a long long long time. It’s clear because it’s full of spider webs. Everywhere.

Anyone who knows me well will understand immediately. Maybe silently has already wondered, but was too afraid to ask me: what will you do about all the spiderwebs?

To everyone else I say shortly and clearly: ever since I can remember I have had an incredible fear of spiderwebs. I don’t know why, and frankly I expected it to be way less intense than I experienced in that moment. But it was just too much too fast too unexpected.

All that happened was me slowly realizing that I need to change my paths to avoid walking into small spiderwebs. And then they’d get bigger. And harder to avoid. And then I realized as I looked around: there was a spiderweb between every two trees I could see anywhere. And I was surrounded by trees! Just like you see in the photos.

What would sound like a metaphor quite frankly isn’t: it was a nightmare come true. I actually dreamt that before. Kind of.

Anyway. Look at my recorded path.

You see around the top that my path started becoming “more crooked”. That was me trying to avoid them. And then going right, following komoot’s instructions, and then realizing I am sooo running out of options to avoid them.

This section is probably way too long for the actual seriousness of the situation, but I can only try to describe what I felt: a heartbeat of what felt like 120 per minute, sweat, goosebumps, the need to whine out loud at every one I spot. Ugh!

I was already laughing at myself on the inside. I tried to think of ways to deal with the situation. One attempt was to cover myself up entirely. Scarf covering face and hair, jacket, gloves, and walking straight into them without even knowing. I prepared myself for that. And could not move my feet a single step. Frozen, entirely.

Option two: google what happens when you walk into a spiderweb and try to rationally have a conversation with myself because nothing will happen simply didn’t seem to do it. I just couldn’t move. But thankfully there was no signal anyway, as I doubt the answer would’ve calmed me down.

Option three: grab a fucking branch and break them one by one and pass. Ohmygod, I wince internally. I cover myself up again, but eyes stay free and prepare myself in a Star Wars Warrior with light saber pose to fight off my enemy. Seriously? I hear you ask. Oh, yes.

Yes, you could say I felt like that. Minus the snow.

And so I moved step by step. Breaking one spiderweb after the other and crying out loud every time. Part of me was happy nobody was around and part of me was dying to find somebody to just be my savior, walk ahead of me and I’d walk behind. And part of me thought I must be the funniest creepiest strangest hiker to ever pass this place…

And so, eventually you guys, I found an emptier spot and saw that there is a field nearby to walk along. And so I desperately walked to that field and it worked. No spiderwebs there. I walked to the first big street I could find, took a deep breath and decided I won’t go into “natural” paths for the rest of the day. I had intentionally after all planned the path to be as natural as possible. I walked on an official street for cars till I reached the last village before my destination.

You can see how far I walked taking the street here.

To close this chapter and answer an obvious question: why did I do this trip despite knowing I have this fear?

I simply did not expect such a situation to happen. I didn’t think the app would lead me off paved roads, and then I didn’t expect this kind of intense exposure compared to the exposure I am used to from Berlin and surrounding areas. I never experienced spiderwebs in the middle of unofficial roads like that, at least not in that intensity.

But I learned a lot from this situation. I learned to properly look at the planned roads in the future, properly estimate if they are really there or not, and I also learned to try and do something about this fear again. Still, I keep thinking: what would a normal person do? Surrounded by hundreds of spider webs? Would they just walk through them as if they are a minor discomfort? I can’t imagine it at all. I truly wish I had someone with me in that situation.

Still, I refused to let it ruin my mood, although it took a long time (approx. an hour) for the adrenaline to get out of my system. Only then could I start enjoying the surrounding again..

Stage 6 – Reaching my first destination

Some trees celebrate Autumn already.

The last village I passed before reaching Rheinsberg was Zechow. I sat there by a bench for a few minutes, my shoes taken off (got me some curious looks) and trying to realize the fact that I am almost there.

I let the day flow through my mind again, remembering the morning, waiting in Spandau for the train. It all seemed so far. I remembered the few issues I faced and managed and realized that in comparison to the spiderweb topic, I basically managed just fine. It worked! I was about to reach my destination…

I encountered one last sweet incident before reaching the pension in Rheinsberg. I was walking on a path shared by passengers and cyclists. I heard a bike bell being rung at me. I looked back, seeing an old couple approaching on their bikes. I keep walking, knowing they have enough space to pass, but they ring again. I turn around, annoyed, ready to have an argument, but all they did was say a very sweet “hallooo, hallo!”, to which I couldn’t help but smile and greet them back. The old woman adding “so ganz alleine hier…?” (So entirely alone here?) both made me laugh and realize that I am indeed here alone. And that I can pat myself on the back. Both for making it work but also for being here in the first place.

A nice uplift it was, as I did my last few tired steps, seeing the pension a few meters away… again, admiring the surrounding.

Until, after I nicely get greeted by a lady and her dog, I finally get the chance to lie down…

…in my very authentic rooftop room at the outskirts of Rheinsberg.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Trip stats:
25,8 km – 5 hours 26 minutes (in motion) – 4,8 km/h average speed – 230 m elevation

If you’re interested to look at my actual path on Komoot, here you go:
https://www.komoot.de/tour/260957507

Walking with Wolves

Personal Visually Engaging Stories About Hiking

Category First Trek (2020)

Day 8 of “I am doing this” – Poel (Kirchdorf) – Timmerndorf Strand – Wismar

Day 7 of “I am doing this” – Neubukow – Insel Poel

Day 6 of “I am doing this” – Rerik – Neubukow

Day 5 of “I am doing this” – Waren – Kühlungsborn – Rerik

Day 4 of “I am doing this” – Waren Roundtrip

Day 3 of “I am doing this” – Mirow – Waren

Day 2 of “I am doing this” – Rheinsberg – Mirow

Day 1 of “I am doing this” – Berlin – Neuruppin – Rheinsberg

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