As I was working on my 310 diesel Mercedes, called Sunny June, for the past 4 weeks. November 29 was finally my departure date ( I turned 30 on the 1.12.2016 so that was a ‚little getting over‘ birthday present to myself ) . My 105 Horsepower and me are ready for the Autobahn, I’m quiet excited to bring my new home outside of germany for the first time in her life. (I bought the bus first-hand from an older couple who never crossed the border of germany with it ) only 140.000 on the engine, let’s see how much I will add. My best friend for over 15 years, Viola accompanied me on this trip as well as the beautiful 1 year old border collie named Shadow. Starting from small difficulties, as the heat was not working from departure while it was -3 outside. To not finding and open pass to go through switzerland / the Alps, while I discovered that my wheels were actually the ones you use in the summer. To Viola missing the officer at the border to Austria and just driving through without stoping. To being stoped by the police next to lago maggiore, Italy and asked weather we were working girls or what our deal was?!
nevertheless my perfect tinyhome and the feeling to be on the road made me so happy that I saw all these little happenings as a great amusement. Finally we arrived after a week in Genua. From there we took the road much slower than expected, we were finally by the ocean and in a for winter-warm environment. Maybe it was also the nostalgia, since I travelled with my parents in a camping car most of Europe throughout my childhood and teenager years. And since I spend quite some time in Australia, Russia, Africa, Norther and Middle America as well as Asia, I felt strangely safe and at home travelling through ‚my‘ continent Europe. All I can say is I made myself a tiny new home abgestimmt to all my desires. Mostly kept in the 70’s hippy, bohemian, vintage, western style! Our days consist of driving, cooking, taking pictures, playing with the dog, swimming in the ocean, working on the laptop and obviously sleeping. I love my kitchen with two gas stoves, a fridge, coffee machine, toaster and a BBQ. The 1.90m x 1.50 bed folds into a real queen size bed and is the most comfortable place ever. Especially laying there and hearing the sound of the ocean while looking at my skylights is priceless. Throughout our journey by the coastline from now, through italy, france, monaco, spain and portugal our cockpit became richer and richer of treasures. I prefer to avoid the big city’s and go to more remote places. Except of france where all these remote places occurred to be sex parkings we where super lucky with our spots. Usually moving everyday except we couldn’t take the breathtaking landscape all in or decided to do a photoshoot, we stayed another day. The 200W solar is magical electricity to me and I can’t explain how absolutely necessary it is when you seriously want to WORK and travel or have a cold wine and fish for dinner ;-). So far we did 6000km without any technical problem,100% offgrid 🙏🍀Obviously little repairs inside, as well as checking the water, oil, wheel pressure, cleaning the solar, etc stay mandatory. But as it for now, considering we drive everyday we are able to live up to 7 days without a stop in ‚civilization‘ . Shadow turned into a great friend and definitely protector, of us or the cat. It is so much pleasure to travel with a dog, I can only recommend it! The only fact what disappointed me a little that we have not met gleichgesinnte. Most people who travel are older couples who stay within the marked camping areas, in reih und glied and enjoy starring. Tons of Aussteiger type are everywhere, they don’t want to explore but enjoy complaining and keep a cheap as possible lifestyle often quite dirty. Once in a while we meet a rainbow group who lives by the law of ‚free love‘ with 5people, 4 children and 3 dogs in a van who appear more crazy than being able to articulate a real believe or meaning behind their doing… I guess my father is right, my romantic idea of hippies is not only not existent anymore but also not possible and therefor needed anymore. It’s not them, it os me who does not fit.
The red road we did by car, 6500km! The blue one by plane 😉
I made some postcards for you guys to see my travel from each country I crossed.
If you like to see more, follow me on instagram @ van_sunnyjune
