What next: Life is but a dream
I wanted to sum up our first trip in our camper. To help me put it together, I jotted down some questions, more questions than I could answer.
How did we like our trip?
It was a totally positive experience.
How did we like our van?
It's great to drive and easy to handle. Living is pretty comfortable in all kinds of weather, although it is a little cramped if it rains and you have to stay indoors all day. We slept well in the converted beds and the little kitchen was fine. The tent extension was very useful for the extra space as well as protection from rain or wind it gave us, but it was too much trouble to put it up for less than three or four days in one place.
Are we ready for a longer tour?
, we're planning one starting in early October and I hope we'll be ready by then. First Janos has to have a problematic shoulder taken care of and I will be going to San Francisco to visit my sister.
Did we get enough bicycle rides in? I have to be honest here and the answer is no. Good day tours need planning. I had hoped we would take some nice rides from where ever we happened to camp, but that didn't work out. Even in lovely areas, there aren't necessarily good roads for cycling, i.e. with little traffic.
Did I have enough time for my photography?
Yes. One of the reasons I had lots of time for my pictures while we were on our trip was because we weren’t doing much cycling! It was nice and comfy “at home” in the camper and it was easy to get out my laptop to download and process pictures.
Where would we like to go next?
The original idea when we bought the van was to spend the winter in southern Portugal, thus escaping the cold, dark months in Munich. That would mean leaving in October and staying away several months.
Do we want to spend a long time away from home in the van?
How long is long - Janos and I are still discussing this point. Spending the winter in southern Portugal was the plan - way back before it sounded like the van would ever become reality. Now we own a van and as the time draws closer, I have misgivings. When Janos makes a plan, he likes to stick with it (even if it turns out to not be such a hot idea after all). I tend to change course in the middle of things. I might not like living in the van for months or maybe I will like it, but I just don’t know ahead of time. I find it hard to commit to staying away the whole winter.
What would I want to do differently next time?
Actually, I liked our traveling style during the five weeks we drove and camped in eastern European countries. Next time we'll be traveling in France, Spain and Portugal. I expect these countries will be better for cycling, France for sure, and I look forward to more intact historical monuments and architecture, less concrete. So next time is go west and not east.
What are my apprehensions, do I have fears?
I guess I always have fears. That's part of me. I fear that my dreams are too good to be real. And that my memories are too good to be true. I distrust my restlessness in the here and now and wonder what am I chasing after.
What is at the end of my rainbow and will I ever get there?
I can only heave a sigh and say I have no answers. But life is short and what's left is getting shorter and shorter. So I guess the answer is to get out there and look before it's too late.
It was a totally positive experience.
How did we like our van?
It's great to drive and easy to handle. Living is pretty comfortable in all kinds of weather, although it is a little cramped if it rains and you have to stay indoors all day. We slept well in the converted beds and the little kitchen was fine. The tent extension was very useful for the extra space as well as protection from rain or wind it gave us, but it was too much trouble to put it up for less than three or four days in one place.
Are we ready for a longer tour?
, we're planning one starting in early October and I hope we'll be ready by then. First Janos has to have a problematic shoulder taken care of and I will be going to San Francisco to visit my sister.
Did we get enough bicycle rides in? I have to be honest here and the answer is no. Good day tours need planning. I had hoped we would take some nice rides from where ever we happened to camp, but that didn't work out. Even in lovely areas, there aren't necessarily good roads for cycling, i.e. with little traffic.
Did I have enough time for my photography?
Yes. One of the reasons I had lots of time for my pictures while we were on our trip was because we weren’t doing much cycling! It was nice and comfy “at home” in the camper and it was easy to get out my laptop to download and process pictures.
Where would we like to go next?
The original idea when we bought the van was to spend the winter in southern Portugal, thus escaping the cold, dark months in Munich. That would mean leaving in October and staying away several months.
Do we want to spend a long time away from home in the van?
How long is long - Janos and I are still discussing this point. Spending the winter in southern Portugal was the plan - way back before it sounded like the van would ever become reality. Now we own a van and as the time draws closer, I have misgivings. When Janos makes a plan, he likes to stick with it (even if it turns out to not be such a hot idea after all). I tend to change course in the middle of things. I might not like living in the van for months or maybe I will like it, but I just don’t know ahead of time. I find it hard to commit to staying away the whole winter.
What would I want to do differently next time?
Actually, I liked our traveling style during the five weeks we drove and camped in eastern European countries. Next time we'll be traveling in France, Spain and Portugal. I expect these countries will be better for cycling, France for sure, and I look forward to more intact historical monuments and architecture, less concrete. So next time is go west and not east.
What are my apprehensions, do I have fears?
I guess I always have fears. That's part of me. I fear that my dreams are too good to be real. And that my memories are too good to be true. I distrust my restlessness in the here and now and wonder what am I chasing after.
What is at the end of my rainbow and will I ever get there?
I can only heave a sigh and say I have no answers. But life is short and what's left is getting shorter and shorter. So I guess the answer is to get out there and look before it's too late.