Contents1 Mind of a Paddler2 Why the Danube?3 Researching & Planning3.1 Kayak Tours3.2 What Kind of Kayak?3.3 Mapping & Scheduling3.4 Ordering & Booking3.5 Unlucky Planning Jackpot4 Testing & Packing4.1 In the Netherlands4.2 In Germany5 Traveling & Preparing6 Donaueschingen: Origin of the Danube6.1 The Town6.2 The Hike to the Confluence6.3 The Zusammenfluss of the Brigach and Breg6.4 The Source of the Danube6.5 Visiting the Pegel (Water Depth Gauge) in Donaueschingen7 Share This Story on Pinterest! Mind of a Paddler I’ve decided to expand my mode-of-transport horizon beyond hitchhiking. This is because hitchhiking is kind of like my comfort zone by now,Continue reading
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Hitchhiking a Boat: Patience + Frustrations in Corfu, Greece
Good morning from the island of Corfu! Yes, that is correct, I managed to hitch to an island. This wasn’t super intentional… but cool! I’m now at the huge marina of Gouvia on the Greek island of Corfu and it’s super early. Why am I here so early? Because a kind soul allowed me to sleep on the deck of her husband’s boat. Once the people wake up I’m going to try hitchhiking a boat. My approach? By walking around with this hitchhiking saying ‘Italy’ to try and find a sailing/motor yacht to cross the Ionian Sea. Do I feelContinue reading
Croatian Coast: Makarska to Kupari with a Hateful Driver
This was my hitchhiking spot in Makarska along the Croatian coast today. A huge car accident had just happened nearby before my arrival. I caught a direct ride to Kupari near Dubrovnik. But the driver went on a huge racist rant about Muslims and people from Turkey within 10 minutes… He only knew about me that I was Dutch and the physical cues. His mind filled in that I must also be a Christian like him. A heterosexual like him. And an Islamophobe like him. Eek! That’s a lot of projection! Normally when you don’t respond or participate people willContinue reading
Croatia’s Adriatic Highway: Makarska to Kupari nearby Dubrovnik
I took this photo while hitchhiking the coastal road of Croatia from Makarska to Kupari nearby Dubrovnik in a truck. There’s more than one ‘Autoroute du Soleil‘ and the French don’t own the rights to beautiful north-south holidaymaker routes! If you’re wondering where you need to go to travel here, look up Croatia’s D8 road. It’s part of an international road called the Adriatic Highway. It goes from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, then Croatia again followed by Montenegro. Here are a video and the Google Streetview version of that video for location accuracy: 2020 update: The onlyContinue reading
Split, Croatia: Reading a Book at the Riva
At the Riva (promenade) in the old town of Split, Croatia. In this lovely town, I got my tan on and went for the book reading beach life today. I’m only in the first chapter, but it seems like Simone de Beauvoir and I have a lot to agree on. A course – one of the few I didn’t hate – I took at university hadThe Second Sex as suggested reading. I’ve been looking for the peace of mind to read such a staple of feminist philosophy. I think I’m ready to read a thick one. To clarify, the beach I went to is Plaža BačviceContinue reading
Copán to Kapan: A Reflection on Nine Months of Travel
Today is one of those days on the road to reflect on what you’ve done, where you’ve been, and what is ahead of you. Reflection days are the worst and the best, but mainly the worst. Here’s to the last nine months on the road. Since the 29th of December 2013 – minus 10 days in my Passport Nation (PN) – I have been traveling 2,5 continents by anticipated happenstance, sporadic opportunity, and a shameful slice of manipulation. That is already nine months of growth, but it would be silly not to acknowledge the decline as well. Many things and people haveContinue reading