The last week has been intense to say the least. First off I had a couple of really great days in Berlin. Without a care in the world I was really enjoying myself with the great company of new made friends. One thing I absolutely love about travelling like this is that experiencing a capital or city not only means going to see the main sights and a couple of museums like the typical tourist. To also get to dive straight into peoples’ lives, and tag along with some proper locals – a great group of Berlin students in this case – is nothing but magical. Had I known what I soon was in for, I probably would have enjoyed these effortless ‘roof over my head days’ even more than I did.
When I left Berlin on Tuesday I did so without having checked the weather forecast. And little did I know that the heaviest storm Germany had seen in years would come crashing in just a couple of hours later. Hurricane Niklas came without mercy and was really an extreme experience. I started the day with the mindset of just doing some easy cycling to recover from partying in Berlin, and was very surprised when I suddenly found myself in the middle of a roaring storm. Later I learned that the winds had been measured up to 200 km/h which is totally insane. Over and over again I had to stop completely, just trying to stand still and keep my balance as the wind and rain was whipping my body from side to side.
That my plan of wild camping in the forest was totally out of question became pretty clear as the trees were falling like jackstraws around me. With nothing but these tiny villages surrounded by deep forests around me it was far from obvious how the night would end. But as always, when things get tough, they turn out great in the most unexpected ways.
In the village Kemlitz, consisting of 64 people, I found myself rescued by this amzing family who just happened to have a spare room for the night. In 10 minutes I went from being soaked, totally exhaused and without a clue on how things would turn out, to standing in the shower, with my very own room and lovely people waiting with food and great conversation. Absolutely dreamlike.
The actual hurricane was over in one night, but the stormy weather was constant for the next couple of days. Hail storms, headwinds and snow made the journey to Dresden a lot more demanding than it was supposed to be. But in so many ways I’m grateful for the horrible conditions I’ve had in Germany. Without them I would have missed out on a bunch of people I now feel so lucky to have met.
In Dresden I once again was welcomed into a warm and loving home of some wonderfully generous people. Without thinking twice they not only helped me wash my clothes and fix my gear, but they also let me be part of their Eastern family celebrations. Getting to take join in on their traditions and find myself crawling around on the floor, searching for sweets the Eastern Bunny had left me was the perfect ending to a pretty rough week.
The generousity and kindness people show me is so moving, and it’s really these meetings that make the strongest memories. Sure, trying to ride my bike through a hurricane is something I’ll definitely remember. But having 5-year-old Telli teach me German words before bedtime, and then share a bottle of wine with his parents is simply something I’ll never forget. Same goes for discovering Dresden with my German ‘stand in parents’ while waiting out the last day of the storm.
Right now I’ve already spent a few days in Czech Republic, and a lot has happened since I left Germany. But that you won’t be hearing about until the next blog post, because I’ll probably be fast asleep in like 5 minutes…
Goodnight from Prague :) Take care!