This story is about us when paddling our inflatable canoe from Sigmaringen to Mengen on the 20th of May, 2019. The total distance was 16.1 kilometers. Our original plan was to kayak to Hundersingen, some 4.8 kilometers after Mengen – a total distance of 20.9 kilometers – followed by a train ride to Munderkingen. We had a permit to go from Sigmaringen to Hundersingen, after which the river becomes a natural protected area until Munderkingen. Click here for information on how to get a permit to paddle this stretch of the Danube. Contents1 The Second Permit2 Leaving the Holiday HomeContinue reading
Author: Iris Veldwijk
Kayak Trip Day 4: Hausen im Tal to Sigmaringen
This article is about our paddle day from Hausen im Tal to Sigmaringen on the Danube river on Monday 13th of May, 2019. We’re trying to paddle this 2850 kilometer long European river. If you’re wondering what this article series is about, read the article about Donaueschingen, the source of the Danube. To see previous entries, visit paddle Day 1, Day 2, or Day 3. We’re still quite early in this trip! If you want to kayak here yourself, click here to get all the necessary information and steps to get your own permit. Contents1 The Forbidden Stretch2 Our FirstContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 3: Immendingen to Mühlheim via the Donauversickerung
Our Events chronicled happened on the 8th and 9th of May 2019. Jonas and I paddled our canoe/kayak over the young Danube from a small town called Immendingen to another small town called Mühlheim over 20.1 kilometers. On the way, we passed the ‘Donauversickerung’ – where the Danube river sinks or goes underground for 155 days a year. The water levels were high enough for us to paddle it. If you want to know what this kayak trip is about, I wrote a detailed article about how we came up with this trip idea. You can also read about Day 1Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 2: Geisingen to Immendingen, Hiking the Donauversinkung
Events described happened on the 6th and 7th of May 2019. We paddled 9.7 kilometers on the Danube (Donau) river from Geisingen to Immendingen in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. This was the second day of our kayak/canoe trip. Click here if you’d rather read about the planning of kayaking the Danube, or read about Day 1. Contents1 The Off-Day at the Arena Gästehaus2 Leaving Geisingen for Immendingen3 Rebalancing the Boat and Paddling to the Pegel4 Portaging Across the Dam5 Sunshine, Shallow Waters, and Our Sail6 The Last Bridge and Fixing the Boat7 8 9 10 11 Checking in to the Panda Guesthouse,Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 1: Donaueschingen to Geisingen
We started our kayak trip on the 5th of May 2019. Our first day, we hoped to paddle our brand-new inflatable canoe/kayak from Donaueschingen (the origin of the Danube river) to Geisingen. Geisingen is just a small village about 15 kilometers away. This article narrates the events of that day. Read how we came up with the idea to kayak the Danube river. Contents1 Morning in Donaueschingen2 The Walk3 The Buildup4 The First Strokes Toward Geisingen5 The First Kilometers to Pfohren6 The First Dam in Neudingen7 River Bends and Dead Ends to Gutmadingen8 The Second Dam – Mühle9 The LastContinue reading
Donaueschingen: Danube Kayak Trip Day Zero
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
Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island: One Week in the Azores (+ Scooter!)
This is about our one-week stay in the Azores from the 12th till the 19th in April 2019. We flew in from Praia, Cabo Verde, and departed for Lisbon, mainland Portugal. To explore São Miguel Island, we rented a scooter for a few days. Ponta Delgada is an excellent base to zoom around the island to all the funny corners. Unfortunately, I didn’t hitchhike. You can see all the places and our routes on the map at the bottom. Contents1 Background2 Day 0: Arrival in Ponta Delgada (Friday, April 12th)3 Day 1: Exploring Ponta Delgada (Saturday, April 13th)4 Day 2:Continue reading
Cabo Verde Itinerary: 7 Islands over 88 Days
This is the summary of our travel itinerary in Cabo Verde from the 15th of January till the 12th of April 2019. We visited 7 out of 9 inhabited islands in Cabo Verde during 88 days. To stay that long, we had to extend our visa on the ground. We’re Digital Nomads, meaning we work and travel at the same time. This also means that we don’t see everything on every island since we spend about one-third of our days working from our apartments. If you’re looking for tips on how to work while traveling in Cabo Verde, check outContinue reading
Land Transportation in Cabo Verde: A How-To Guide
This article is about land transportation in Cabo Verde as opposed to flights and ferries. I mostly discuss taxis and the little minivans/pickup trucks, collectively known as ‘aluguers’. You can also rent vehicles like scooters/quads/4WD cars on some of the islands. Since this is a hitchhiking blog, I also included some information on hitchhiking. I’m still planning more dedicated articles on hitchhiking in Cabo Verde. This is all the information I’ve gathered on land transportation in Cabo Verde over 88 days and by visiting 7 out of 9 islands. Contents1 The Reality On The Ground2 Public Transit2.1 Taxi Pricing2.2 AluguerContinue reading