We've covered a lot of ground now, simply by making a big sign and sticking out our thumb. From Geneva to Aigle to München to Stuttgart to Braunschweig to Amsterdam to Berlin. Sometimes we get a bit off-course, as in our unplanned arrival in Stuttgart. However, we always manage to meet some incredibly kind and generous people who often have an interesting story to tell. ...a 25-year old single father, a family van with a mother who remembers her tramping days, a French parasailor, and an engineer who develops suspension for luxury racing cars...to name a few. Everyone we meet is eager to go out of their way to try and communicate with us, despite many existing language barriers. Through maps, gestures, and shared miles we develop a unique rhythm that connects us.
Just the other day we were sitting in the cab of a Ukranian truck driver (the slowest we've moved over the Autobahn, at 70km) and there were so many sunshowers. Every few minutes streams of bright rain came pouring down, windshield wipers waving across the glass, and our new friend would utter simple words in English such as "eagle," "tree," and, the startling, "rainbow." In a way, this strange and wonderful weather on our last tired day of tramping to Berlin is a completely apt way to characterize our travels. This is to say that, no matter how weary and sweaty we might be, there is--every day--an element of the fantastic to our wanderings. Always a nice word and a fascinating discovery. As a with the rainbow, unique perspectives are constantly opening up before us.
The fastest we've moved: 255 km/h (that's about 158 mph, for you statesiders) in this fancy car. Cramped in the back seat, it smelled of boys and cigarettes. Also, we're not quite used to having open beers in the car (fear not, it was only the passenger who indulged). Here we are, taking a break and deciding what song to play!
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