Setting off on the Trans-East Expedition Stage 3

Without a doubt, my life so far has been one big journey. An often adventurous, interesting, instructive and winding path across the skin of our planet, which we call Mother Earth. Since 1983, I have been setting off on new excursions to quench my thirst for knowledge of the unknown and to report on my experiences. Since 1991, my wife Tanja has accompanied me on our jointly founded life project “The Great Journey”.

Tanja is without a doubt a lottery win for a person like me, a person who has made it her goal to dedicate her life to traveling and exploring our platform of life. So I can honestly say that Tanja is not “only” a very good wife to me, but also my best friend and indispensable partner. Her perception, sensitivity and speed of reaction have saved my life more than once, and her creative spirit has become an indispensable factor in the life we have lived together for many years.

Armed with our inner connection, excellent preparation and many companies supporting us, we are now setting off again for new shores. The third stage of our Trans-East expedition is about to begin.

Poor time management?

Although this is not the first time we have prepared such a trip, we cannot understand why we end up drowning mercilessly in work. I have no idea why that might be. Poor time management? Dilly-dallying? Inexperience? No, that simply cannot be the case. At some point you must have learned how to prepare such a big trip without stress. And yet, it is what it is. Despite our good intentions not to repeat this insane stress, we overdo it just a few hours before our departure.

Excited, I go through the checklist again. Telephones and car insurance deregistered. New passports have arrived. Visa for Russia and Kazakhstan. All invoices issued, all invoices transferred. Bicycles checked and packed in large boxes for the flight. Seven kilograms of spare parts complete. Written farewell from all 40 sponsors. Written farewell from all the fans we know. Approx. 100 kilograms of equipment checked for completeness. Website brought up to date. New texts of the English website sent to the translator. Satphone test and transmission successful. Photo and film cameras tested and all cables, memory cards and plugs complete. Clarified excess baggage problem with Lufthansa etc…. The list has shrunk from around 10 Dina Four pages to one. Everything is fine. Everything in the green zone. I go into the cellar and switch the heating to vacation mode, show my father how to clean the filter in my aquarium and how to feed the fish. Give my mother the tax folder. Still talking about the one or other task she has to do.

It’s 9.00 in the morning. We have to be at the airport in a few hours. Friends and family will transport all our belongings there in four cars. “Phew, done, all done. I still have time to spend half an hour on the sofa to enjoy one last look at our little garden. Tanja?” “Yes!” “How are you doing! I’m done!” I exclaim, sinking into the cushions with relief. “Everything is clear with me. By the way. Have you prepared the sponsorship letters?” “Excuse me?” I reply, shouting from the first floor to the second floor. “You know. When our new book comes from the publisher, you wanted to send a copy to all the companies involved. You’ve prepared the cover letters so that your mother can send the packages next week, haven’t you? Didn’t you?” When the implications of this question hit me, I freeze in horror. “Did you or didn’t you?” Tanja asks again when I answer with silence. “I didn’t!” I shout, shoot out of the sofa, storm into my office, plug the laptop’s power cable back into the socket and start quietly swearing into the keys. Two hours later, all the letters are ready.

Everything is loaded except for a riese und müller bicycle. We have been waiting outside our house for 20 minutes for our friend Stefan, who wants to transport the bike to the airport in his bus. A few phone calls clarify that Stefan’s bus has broken down and is stuck on the highway. The hectic pace resumes. My nerves are shot. We set off late with three cars. In the meantime, Stefan and his wife Sabine organize a replacement car that also fits an oversized cardboard box. It works. We and the equipment arrive at the airport without any losses. Sweat again. Do we get 120 kilograms of luggage incl. Bicycles actually through check-in? As we slept very little last week and events came thick and fast as described, we are standing at the counter like counterfeit money. The lady from Lufthansa is very nice. “Your excess baggage has been confirmed in my computer,” we hear happily. Relieved, we make our way to our family and friends. Hugs, congratulations and emotions dominate the last few minutes. Although we have often experienced scenes like this, they always get to us. Will the journey be under a lucky star again? Will we surf a wave of positive energy, as we did on the last stage?

We look forward to your comments!