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23 carnets de bord | 58 images | Passeport

Travel blogs tagged with Germany:

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Out Of Turkey and Into Germany

26. Novembre 2006 | en

Which is actually a very common immigration path. Gegen Die Wand. Watch it!

Anyway yes I have been AWOL on the posting. For those of you who once again are panicked by my lack of email, you should be. What you have missed:

1. I went to a job interview with a friend. The job was offered to me. Same pay as I was getting being a governess only this time I would be a “friend” to a wife. Teach her English through going to the gym and shopping, as well as organized classes. The pros: Athens and Dubai were both tossed in there as “regular trips we must take and I would have to go along.” The cons: While she was awake I was not to look at my watch or leave her sight. We were to be a big happy family and computer time or TV time alone in my room is not acceptable.

Hmmmmmmm.

So I was a BFF for hire. Only I couldn’t complain or escape and Id have to put up with temper tantrums until my time as the BFF was over. Which depending on how well I pampered our princess could be 3 months or a year.

I basically decided that if I was to be a prostitute I would at least be a call girl (because sadly even your status as a prostitute is often determined by your education) and only have to give my time on hire a couple of nights a week and get really nice gifts I could sell on ebay. Plus I think sex for sale is actually less soul sucking than slave labour. At least sex for sale you can determine your own hours.

2. Ive moved to Germany. As in Ive unpacked my stuff, I have claimed a space in the closet as well as some bookshelves, and I will even register for a proper German class tomorrow. So this will be until I run out of cash or until I complete the paper work for the under 35 youth visa and find myself a job. The plan to return to Newfoundland this summer is still in effect however. And of course get my ass to see my dropkick prodigy as well. ;)

Marqueurs: Stuttgart Germany
Carte: N 48° 77.712 E 9° 180.708

Created at: 22. Mai 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

Time To Get Betty

16. Mars 2008 | en

Betty could also be called Blood, Sweat and Tears. But as melodramatic as I tend to be, I am not cruel. After months of taking every course offered to me, fitting in private students in every spare waking moment, trying to bludgeon to death Patrick for daring to breathe in my space, I now have Betty, my very own motorcycle! (And a total girl bike).

There is just one small problem, I am not allowed to drive her. We began to remedy this problem last July, before Betty arrived, when I went to a driving school near where I live. The term “heads up their ass” was created specifically for these people. In fairness, when I first came to Germany I had the time for lessons, but not the money, when I had the money obviously time was a factor. However this school seemed intent on refusing both my money and their services. Every time I tried to book on the bike time, or my written test, I got, “not now, ask later.”

So after finding Betty, we canceled my contract with the school and I went to a new school. This new school watched me sign the contract, and as soon as my hand left the paper he had his palm pilot out asking when did I want my first on the bike lesson. Wednesday the 19th it is!

Marqueurs: Here there be Betty Germany motorcycle
Carte: N 49° 15.420 E 9° 732.170

Created at: 16. Mars 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

Starting To Click....Now Right Before Left And Everyone Will Be Happy

25. Avril 2008 | en

Something in me finally clicked. A big motorcyle is no different from a little one, I have got to stop letting this bike kick my ass.

And so I had a heart to heart talk with Betty, and we came to an understanding. I want to ride her, not her ride me. She took it well, and I had to be dragged off the compound, all the fun of riding a motorcycle came flooding through again, and she went to being an extension of me rather than a large machine I was trying to maneuver.

I learned to ride in Canada after visiting Patrick in Argentina and falling completely in love with bikes. (I wrote about my experience prior to Argentina here on Empowerment 4 Women), I honestly had no idea how long I would stay in Argentina, I was half planning on having him drop me off in Chile so I could find a job teaching English there.

I did not even have gear at this point, and the first day we met up in Buenos Aires we had to invest in gear. Or at least a helmet. I still was not convinced, and so I bought the cheapest helmet I could find, figuring I was there 2 weeks tops anyway. :-P

The Green Princess Of Coolness Helmut:

Alas, it turned out to be hard, kicked in the stomach, love. Even with the baby alligators living outside of our tent.

The truth was motorcycles offered a freedom I had never had before. And having a tent rolled up and attached to the bike so that we could crash and sleep anywhere (and we did, even in the bushes behind the parking lot for the Valley of the Moon).

After the trip I was home 2 weeks and enrolled in a course so I could get my license. The major difference between Canada and Germany: In Canada you are allowed to drive once you pass your written exam with another driver. In Germany you lose all rights to your future license if you are caught doing so. And so they put you on a path that clocks in at around 2000 Euro, as you pay 45 Euro for 45 minutes for each of your 12 required lessons.

They also treat the small bikes differently than the big ones. Learning on the 125 cc and passing on it would have meant I could drive the 650. Here in Germany it does not work that way. If I want to drive a 650, I need to pass my license driving one.

And I confess, though I loved Betty I was intimidated by her. I didn’t fully trust her. Until Wednesday morning, when Patrick took the day off work to take me to the ADAC compound when no one else would be there. (As a learner of either a car or bike in Germany your only choice to practice is paying for those lessons with your instructor, or on the enclosed compounds where 100 other new learners are bouncing and bopping their cars around). Though I was going there once a week, the sight of those new learners popping their clutches and bouncing up the street hardly inspired desire to put Betty at their mercy.

And on Wednesday we had the place to ourselves, and it just clicked.

Now it really is just the count down of the lessons. I have 3 in a row on Saturday, I hope to have it all over and done with by the end of May, though my guess is that it would be wishful thinking that it will be done in time for the Horizons meeting May 22nd – 25th. Not driving my own bike. :-(

Marqueurs: Here there be Betty Germany German Motorcycle licence
Carte: N 49° 15.420 E 9° 732.170

Created at: 26. Mai 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

Drop Kicks And Throat Punches For All

16. Mai 2008 | en

So things were finally looking like they were moving forward in the “get German license department,” I have the written test scheduled for Monday, when I get a phone call today saying that my paperwork has been lost, and I need to call the department myself to arrange it to be resent. Yes, your driving school has to send paperwork to schedule your written test for you. Unlike in Canada when I just walked in during working hours and just asked for the test. Sniff.

This also means that this weekend instead of driving Betty I am on back.

Marqueurs: Here there be Betty Germany
Carte: N 49° 15.420 E 9° 732.170

Created at: 26. Mai 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

The Black Devil

16. Mars 2008 | en

The Black Devil needs no words of introduction.

Marqueurs: Enter The Black Devil! Germany Simson Schwalbe
Carte: N 48° 69.096 E 9° 025.268

Created at: 16. Mars 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

EVIL

26. Mai 2008 | en

I joke that the universe taunts me. Maybe that is a little strong. But at least the Black Devil does, I really do not want the universe to take that as an opportunity to really taunt me. Sigh.

Quick review, which if your a regular reader at Gypsy as well you already know. I spent this weekend at a motorcycle travelers meeting just north of Heidelberg. Watching some of the presentations created a physical pain in my stomach and my chest as I literally ACHED at the memories of our previous trips, and the knowledge that 6 weeks and German paperwork stands between me and the next one. (and if you wonder how we afford it, we live life on the cheap the rest of the year, no new cars or Bertolucci watches for us. Mine is free!!!)

I did spend a chunk on my bike, and the license itself. But then that is why we cut our trip from one year to 3 months. ;-)

Anyway, this is all how life is good. And I admit my life is good. I make mistakes that I need to pay for, but all in all I am very happy with how my life has turned out, and the direction it is going. So my partner is a Swabian with no intention of living outside of Germany. He is however an avid motorcycle traveler and a freelancer who is only too happy to take months up to a year off for motorcycle adventures. And he is still here despite some pretty impressive tantrums that I have thrown since moving to Germany. (I never expected to go back to teaching English, and I admit that though it offers the life I want, there are some major drawbacks).

Enter bad day Monday.

First off I am a freelancer. Most jobs on the ESL market in Germany are. Thats fine. It means that no contract binds me, and I can take all those holidays that I do so love without losing my job.

It also means spending half your day on trains as you run from class to class, and so 6 times to be late. There is also a lot of split shifts, so I work most days 8 – 12, and then again 4 – 9 30. Suck. And though I can take holidays when I want, I dont get paid for those holidays. Whats more if I take too many Im regarded as unreliable, and though work wont promise you hours, they do like for you to promise them it back.

But not so unusual and a small price to pay for the holidays I do take.

So today after missing my bus the last train I can take wihtout being late proceed to shut its doors in my face. Literally. I should have stuck a body part in there, but I didnt. That is why German trains are always on time. Door shuts, it doesn’t reopen. I need to call work to tell them I am going to be 10 minutes late. I am in fact 15 by the time I tear up the stairs.

Fast forward to this afternoon. I go down to check the Black Devil and make sure she starts. In fairness I never do this. I also ASSUME she will start. But today I just wanted to make sure. Bad day in all. She does, lovely. I go back, and play on the internet to the last second, and then I leave. I need 20 minutes to get there, I always leave 30 minutes early just in case she wont start.

She starts, I go, Wheeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Halfway there, on the back road of nowhere, where no buses ever come, she dies. Just dies.

I scream, and cry, and scream some more.

I think about kicking over the hill, jumping on her, and tearing her exhaust pipe off, just because I can. Instead I call Patrick to come get me.

Enter strange German man on his BMW, who fixes her, (her spark plug had come out, now I know for next time at least), gets her working, and merely demands a kiss on his cheek for his efforts.

I make it to work, you guessed it, 15 minutes late.

Sigh, and this moments after writing on my cousins wall to buy a Vespa and not a pedal bike.

On the upside, turns out Patrick had his pedal bike at work, and literally tore from work to the house to get his car to come get me and drive me to work. (I was late the very first class with this group as they are literally out in the middle of nowhere, this was a theme work was not going to like, despite my best efforts otherwise.) Which also makes me think that instead of taunting me maybe the universe is in fact telling me to switch careers, as I have an awesome country, the best biking, a partner who rushes out of work to pedal his ass off to get to his car that is parked in our driveway 15 kms away to rescue me (and he did it in about 15 mins, I dont know how), and the only time I am really unhappy is when I am running around spending half my time chasing the work, and the other half actually doing it.

Anyway, the best part is that in roughly 6 weeks we are off for our 3 months adventure. Thats lots of times to think about work, and to come back and set my own terms a little better, rather than work work work to have the cash for the travel lifestyle I do so like.

And so considering what my life could be like, I shouldn’t complain.

Marqueurs: Enter The Black Devil! Germany kisses from strangers
Carte: N 48° 69.096 E 9° 025.268

Created at: 26. Mai 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

Inspiration

26. Mai 2008 | en

But then a little inspiration can also lead to despair. :-P

So this weekend despite me really hoping I would be the one driving Betty, I was again regulated to pillion position and forced to observe from the back. For anyone who drives, and then is forced to sit on back (let alone on your own bike), you know the feeling. It sucks. (I am not going to bother prettying that up). We get an update on the paperwork situation tonight, wish me luck.

The weekend itself however was fantastic. Not in a drunk party way, it was actually really low key, even for a motorcycle travelers meeting (who despite people’s beliefs to the contrary – are a relatively calm bunch. Unless you meet in Denmark. I don’t know what it is about Denmark, but the stories that come out of that country about motorcycle meetings makes me conflicted as to wither I need to plan my year to make it there, or to make sure Im no where near there by accident). And yes, these things can happen by accident. I once ended up at a Christian motorcycle meeting by accident. Which was not what I was expecting when I found out what it was, though there was a baptism where the cross was fashioned from motorcycle chains. Other than morning mass it did not differ from any other meetings, with a band and copious amounts of beer in the evening.

The Horizons meetings however usually do not have bands, though they do have ride outs, but what is the real attraction is that everyone there either has traveled or wants to travel with their bike.

Even better they want to talk about their trips, and they usually have slide shows and presentations. So you get to pick their brains, and the end result is always the same, its not as dangerous as the rest of the world says it is or will. A German woman shorter than me rode from Germany, through Iran and straight on to India before flying her bike to Thailand and Japan. Alone. yes she said she respected the local dress and covered up, but as soon as she did she became a respected guest and they were happy she was traveling through the country despite the media’s representations of them.

But it also has me itching to hit the road again. We have the tentative date set as July 8th, as soon as we talk to my instructor and I have my written test set, then I will talk to work.

Until then I will keep popping coins in my travel jar. ;-)

Marqueurs: Ober-Liebersbach Germany Horizons Unlimited Meeting
Carte: N 49° 60.321 E 8° 707.046

Created at: 26. Mai 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

Thursday 13: 13 Ways You Can Afford To Travel

29. Mai 2008 | en

Thirteen Ways To Have Money For Travel

With the Horizon’s meeting behind me last weekend, my parents recent visit, Tracey’s visit next week, and our 3 month motorcycle trip through central and eastern Europe coming up I have decided to share some of the secrets of traveling, and traveling a lot, and how I afford to do so! Please note I am not a luxury traveler, and I don’t have kids or any special needs, which helps a lot in the savings and able to travel the world on the cheap.

1. First off set a goal. Your goal helps you determine just how much you need to save, and if need to quit your job or if you can take a leave of absence, or if regular holidays cut it. Knowing what you want helps, because your going to need the motivation! If your lucky you can continue to receive your regular paycheck while your gone. (Does your work offer 2 over 3 options? Don’t know, look into it! Working 2 years at a reduced salary so you can keep getting paid year 3 can make a major difference in that planning!)

Sunrise Mt. Fuji:

2. Now that you have your goal, (and you may have found out your work will just cut you off and you will need to save for everything you want to do), it’s time to start making those really hard choices. Is that year off to bike South America or study Italian in Italy worth giving up a nice car, new clothes all the time, going to movies every weekend? Take a month and make a weekly budget (an HONEST one ;-) ) and see where your money is going, and what your willing to give up to make your dream happen.

Vietnam:

3. For instance the library can save you a lot of money. Love books? Buy them every week? Break the habit! Same goes for Cds and movies, as the library can be a free (or near free if it has an annual fee) resource. What do you do with that extra money?

4. Put it in your travel jar! Every time I go to buy something, and I then stop myself and go to the library or a swap site instead, I put that value away in my travel jar or a special bank account I have just for my travels. Its considered money spent!

Germany:

5. This money “not spent but spent” thing works. I also use that philosophy when I make plans to go to a party or a movie and the plans fall through. That was money I was going to spend, so I stick it away in my travel funds.

Thailand:

6. Give up a vice! I can not live without coffee. But I cut it down to one Starbucks a day, instead of two (and sometimes three). That saves me 3 Euro a day at least. That is an extra 90 Euro a month, or about 3 days travel! Cut out one type of sugar sweets or other food indulgence and then put that money straight into travel savings.

7. Figure out your travel tastes. Camping and hostels are a great way to save money instead of opting for hotels. Think of it as a place to put your head, and then look at the difference that 15 Euro hostel versus that 40 Euro Pension makes in your budget.

Romania:

Argentina:

8. Think about the kindness of strangers. Look at staying with a member of the Hospitality Club or Couch Suffers. I fully admit to only being comfortable with this when I am with a friend as well. But plenty of single women travel and stay with people who offer them their homes for free for the night or longer. Most of these people are travelers themselves, who want to give back some of the kindness they were shown as they traveled the world. You can also read the comments previous guests have left and determine your own comfort level.

9. Even if you dont stay the night, many hospitality members are on the site to be able to show you around their city. Why pay for an expensive tour guide when you can meet a local who is only too happy to help you out and show you all those spots the regular tourists miss!

10. Be flexible. If you just HAVE to see everything at a certain time and at a certain date, you will find your trip creeps up and up in price.

11. Don’t discount how awesome bread, cheese, and tomato can be as you sit on a mountain side. Whatever you like to eat, if you shop at supermarkets you are bound to pay less than when you end up in a resturant three times a day.

12. Work while you travel! That was how I did my traveling before I met a Swabian who taught me how to save money. And of course it is still how I am doing it, only now with less added help from credit cards. Teaching English or another language can be a great way to see the world.

13. Travel and Volunteer. Many organizations will help you with accommodation and food if you work for free for them. Be wary of those places that want you to pay a fee for the right to give away your labor. Not all, but some, are also making an unfair profit off of you, and that profit is not going back to the organization you wanted to help to begin with.

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Marqueurs: Germany travel Thursday thirteen
Carte: N 48° 72.720 E 9° 143.371

Created at: 29. Mai 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

Curves (Sunday Scribblings)

01. Juin 2008 | en

I noticed some blogs I like and that I frequent outside of the Journizer community participate in Sunday Scribblings, and this weeks title is “curves” and since it fits right in there with yesterday, I have decided to jump in and give it a try!

Learning to drive on Betty meant giving up the idea that a big (bigger depending on who you are, as my instructor was adamant that the 650 was not a big bike, however coming from a tiny 125 Honda, this thing was HUGE to me), was no different than riding a smaller bike. Attitude was the most important factor.

To fear my bike was to create problems, and sure enough it did. In my second lesson while doing figure 8’s I was just not feeling like I was in control. The bike however was. And I dropped her and unceremoniously broke off her clutch handle. My second lesson ended 20 mins in (and they are only 45 mins anyway) with my instructor screaming and yelling at me in German (for his benefit) and English (for my benefit) while he attempted to get her driving again. Needless to say the lesson was over and I felt like crap.

And so Patrick took me to the ADAC compound to practice a bit. At first there was no change, I dropped Betty twice, and despite feeling in my bones she was the bike for me (and anyone who has ever met the bike of their dreams you know I am not being a cheesy idiot here, you really can adore and love your bike) I wondered if it really was a wise decision to buy a big bike after not driving for almost 2 years, and then only having one summer behind me.

Me: still letting Betty ride me:

But then something clicked. Motorcycle driving is suppose to be fun, AND the curves are the best part.

And then it clicked. And once it clicked it stayed so. A 650 is only different in your head. And when you love your bike and forget that your 5”1 and you start to work together, then it no longer matters if you can get both feet on the ground or not. I don’t even want the seat lowered anymore. I just want the right to drive her on the road by myself. Which if things go right in the paperwork department – should be in 2 weeks!

Now I just need to deal with going into a curve at 80 km/h comfortably. 70 – 75 I have no issues, but when my instructor pushes me into 80 – 90, a tad iffy. :-P

Marqueurs: Sharingain's Lair Germany Sunday Scribblings motorcycle license
Carte: N 48° 72.720 E 9° 143.371

Created at: 01. Juin 2008

Vers carnet de bord | Auteur

Boo Ya!!!!!!!!!

06. Juillet 2008 | en

I did it, I did it, I did it!!!!!!!!!! Thats right boys and girls, I now have a German motorcycle license. Not without any small amount of pain now mind you – a brief overview of my last 3 days to illustrate: (with help from my 365 photo blog project, which I have been doing constantly, minus the blogging part, which is what I thought would keep me taking the pictures in the first place, but whatever.)

Anyway let the digression stop!

Friday: One week before anticipated departure date and I have my test the next morning. Should I fail I have to wait 2 weeks before I can take it again, meaning yes, our trip is delayed by at least one week.

More importantly. EVERYONE knew the date of my test. Under normal circumstances I would hide this information so no one would know of my humiliation should I fail. Except this close to leaving how do I hide that? Also at 250 Euros a pop the thought of failure made me want to vomit. That is 2 weeks on the road (minus gas).

I proceed to deal with it Sherrie style, over indulge in wine at the work summer function, and be pursued the entire night by my instructor who was riding a flaming motorcycle. Sigh.

Saturday morning: Oh God, I am going to vomit into my helmet.

I have never been so scared in my life. I don’t remember feeling this way before going for my car license. (However maybe I should have as I failed twice for that stupid test. The first time because I backed into a pole, whoops nerves! And the second time I made it out of the compound only to be told I was TOO cautious and therefore the instructor felt that I wasn’t ready for the roads). Wither it was the nightmares, the wine, the missed class, or just memories of trying to go for my car license in Canada, I was ready to vomit. Everywhere.

I had been told to expect about 45 minutes, and 2 of the compound exercises. Some instructors take you to the highway, others the back roads, usually in combination with some driving through town. But they COULD do whatever they felt like to you. 1 hour and 15 minutes later I had driven through town, through the side streets of town, the highway, and the back roads where they do that whole what the speed limit ISN’T. And of the 6 possible exercises on the compound, I did 5. The only thing not asked was circles in second gear, which is fine by me, as how useful is the ability to do giant circles around trees anyway????

Before you go thinking I can now drive however, I have to sadly state that this is Germany, and nothing is so easy! I was given a piece of paper that I now bring to the drivers license office, and they take my old license and give me a new one with the permission to drive a motorcycle on it. Originally I had thought this was fine, I would at least be driving on Monday. Now I check the office hours, and I had forgotten all about German bureaucracy, with its office hours as limited as the paperwork is extensive. 8 30 – 12 30 every day, where I work 8 30 – 12 15 ALL this week. Thursday is the only day they are open past 1 30, and that is the day I am suppose to have lessons with the landlord.

Hopefully they will let Patrick pick it up with my passport, as we leave Friday for 3 months of motorcycling through Eastern Europe into Greece and Turkey and back!