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
Author: Iris Veldwijk
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
Cabo Verde Packing List – Prepare Well!
I’ve spent 88 days in Cabo Verde and visited 7 out of 9 islands. This makes me somewhat an expert on what stuff to pack before you go. On the distribution curve of travelers going to Cabo Verde, I’m a light packer. Here are the items that sparked the most joy on my hand luggage-only trip to the archipelago! Make sure to check things off on this packing list (automatically saved in your browser). Must Bring: These items I cannot stress enough. You need to bring them! Either because they’re unavailable in Cabo Verde, or because they’re very, very expensive.Continue reading
Cabo Verde’s Three Defunct Airports
I love abandoned places. I severely dislike flying . But visiting a defunct airport? I’m in! Before even arriving in Cabo Verde, I had shortlisted some of the now-defunct airports on my to-visit list. Near the end of my trip, I’ve managed to visit all of them, in the following order: Santo Antão, Fogo, Brava. Here’s what to expect when you go visit them yourself on a trip to Cabo Verde Contents1 Agostinho Neto Airport, Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão1.1 Update: The New Airport2 Mosteiros, Fogo3 Esperadinha, Fajã d’Água, Brava4 Bonus: Francisco Mendes International Airport, Praia, Santiago5 Conclusion: Defunct AirportsContinue reading
Hiking Fontainhas, the Highest Point of Brava
This article is about the highest peak of Brava island named ‘Fontainhas’ in Cabo Verde. It is not to be confused with the hike from Chã de Igreja/Cruzinha to Fontainhas/Ponta do Sol in Santo Antão! Intro Fontainhas is at 976 meters the highest point of the tiniest island in Cabo Verde: Brava. Brava is truly tiny; you can walk pretty much across the entire island in one day. I did this hike to the peak from Nova Sintra to Cachaço. Nova Sintra is the biggest settlement in Brava, and probably where you’ll be staying at. Hiking to Fontainhas without aContinue reading