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Monday 15-06 ~ Wednesday 17-06
After an excruciatingly long trip from the centre of Holland to the coastline of Germany - not so much because of the distance but because of road works, road works and more road works - I caught the ferry to Denmark just in time (drove for 8 hours with two minor breaks. I drove like a madwoman to get there on time….so hopefully there will be no fan mail from the German police waiting for me when I get back. No more rushing after this, I will spend those three months wisely.
Anyways, ended up on a campsite in Sakskøbing. Managed to set up the caravan quite easily (don't you look so surprised) but then found out I had not parked near enough to the electricity supply. I think I will set up a caravan-camping manual for dummies (or may be: blondes) because I can tell ya, there will be more. Left the next day with a car full of Sweden campsite information and great tips that were passed on to me by Cor and Wilma, an older Dutch couple. Cor became all fatherly and made sure I can lock up even more safely by barring my door with a piece of wood stuck between the door handle. Next day I drove off to Copenhagen to a great campsite that is situated within fortress walls; quite unique. Cooked myself some grub and tucked in early. Today I spent walking through this gorgeous city. It's overwhelming, The Danes have good taste in architecture, clothes and interior design. I have seen some lovely ceramics made locally though not very affordable I'm afraid. Anyways, no use carrying all that stuff all over Scandinavia ;o). Had a nice lunch out in the sun and decided that I would treat myself to a glass of chardonnay. Small glass, tasty but so very expensive. Let's say: you could buy a very nice bottle of Chardo back home for that amount. I tell you: I was enjoying every sip of it. Then dinner in a French bistro where most joy came from watching a 10 year old girl eating a whole bowl of clams and loving it. Great when kids enjoy other stuff than fries and spaghetti!
I know for a fact that travelling on your own is a guarantee for meeting a lot of people on the road, which I love, but the Danes are not very social. At the moment that suits me fine though, as I feel more and more need to be out in nature and away from people which is what I'll be doing over the next weeks. May be it is because it was a hectic year again. Or may be because I have parted from people or memories a lot lately. Or may be because I am just the kind of person who likes to be a hermit once in a while!
Am now reading Into the Wild (for whoever hasn't seen the movie: a MUST-SEE) and came across a letter which Chris McCandless wrote to his old friend Ronald Franz before he died of hunger not long after: "….joy…..is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living….It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it…."
Let's hope I don't die of hunger (kidding) but it is an interesting thought to sometimes step aside from regularity of life and all your habits which you have become so accustomed to and may be be a bit less conventional. Well, tell you what: I will give it a try these 3 months. Reading back, I think the wine is starting to talk.
I better pour myself another. Because joy, you see, is also in wine.
Thanks, Jeroen.
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