The last hours before the big departure

then it really starts! Peter, my good friend will be at the door at 7AM and it goes to the Düsseldorf airport. And theeeeen ....

»....As long as possible around the world«...

... and see and experience the things that I always wanted to see and feel. The things I can't do later, maybe. My big dream begins!

Now it's really real! Six months of preparation, tension, bureaucracy, a lot of anticipation and really great support from friends, colleagues and family are over ... and what was it for?! All for a 19 kg backpack that is way too full and will be my only constant companion for a while.

I am really excited right now and since last week I have already had a tiiiiiny little «BIG« respect towards the trip, even though I have been alone with my backpack and traveled the different parts of the world a few times. But this trip is something special «- my once-in-a-life-time experience,« even my taxi driver said this yesterday, after we get back from a pub when i told him my world trip plans ...okay... he added various other tips about cheap adult offers in the eastern hemisphere that he knows exactly .... but which I for sure will not take to heart.

Then all your friends, colleagues and family say goodbye to you ... only now do I really realize that I won't have all of you around for a while, even though it was just so nice ...right now... I had arrived back in the city of Cologne after my 2 year relationship and already after this short 4 months i leave again from all this ...this beautiful home of my people.

A real rollercoaster of emotions ...aannnd there will be no KÖLSCH on the trip (The famous local beer ofcologne) !!! ;-), which I wasn't cognitively aware of until yesterday, until you had to bring it to my mind, David - my best friend! At least the owner of our favorite pub drew the right rational conclusions during our last get together and said

«If you are one year not here, then I need to reduce the beer deliveries, yet already!«

A classical lose-lose-situation for both of us as you see.

But seriously again ... when I come back to Germany, I just go back to Cologne. I am really grateful for how you - my family, friends and colleagues - have supported me from the decision for the trip, to packing my stuff and storing my things. These six months of preparation were not only stressful, full of uncertainties and tense, but above all incredibly warm and characterized by genuine friendship.

Therefore I would like to thank you dear ones in this post ... especially a few very special ones: my parents and brothers, and my friends....David, THE Täsch, Tim, Peter, Michael, Freddy and Hanna, Malte and Hannah, Charlotte, Darja (... I now had to change the name 5 times because the auto correction always wanted »drama«. Interesting Darja ... ;-)), Felix and Chiara, Caro and Victor, Anabela and Fatih. You have made a special contribution to this, so the blog is also for you. Thank you so much for your help and support !!!