Ten months after I started my Up North trip and 9 months in the Netherlands, it was time to move Down South again and face the next adventure. (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 5, part 6)
You can also fallow the trip in Polarsteps.
Not to overload the post with pictures, most of the photos you can find at the end of it divided into galleries.
Wettingen & Baden, Switzerland • 26-27 July 2022
The day before we discussed my way out to the highway with Andreas. It turned out to be very difficult to get there on foot. Finally we decided that he will take me there before work. Which means leaving about 6:30 am…
Well, I got up 5:30 and was ready even earlier. I did not need a breakfast, but keeping in mind that I could get seasick more easily on an empty stomach, I did accept the nice proposal to have something and took a slice of bread with some cheese (of course!🤭).
So, little before 7 am Andreas dropped me off right after the border on the Swiss side – very good place with lots of traffic, plenty of shadow (although at that hour I didn’t need it) and even a high enough place to leave Roberto aside.
The place vas great, yet I waited for more than 2.5 hours. At some point took the sign “Zurich” away. Then a few people stopped, but they were in completely different direction.
Finally, the last one, agreed to take me a bit further just to change the spot, as this one wasn’t obviously working.
So, he drove me to a nearest gas station ON the highway and soon Daniel took me from there. Very nice guy, who drove me to the exact address of my host.
Thanks a lot Daniel!
My host was away, but kindly advised me where I can live my backpack and what to visit, so I don’t lose the rest of the day just waiting. And it was a great idea to go for a walk by the river and visit the near little Baden.
When I got back, we had some dinner, which Mirja prepared, a very nice chat and made some plans for the next day. Also met her flatmate Julia – as expected, also very nice person, we chatted a lot with.
As Mirja advised me to go to Baden on a walk, I had a great time doing so. It is unbelievably beautiful!
Went by the river and to the old castle in the town. If the “flat” part of Switzerland is so beautiful, I just can’t wait to see the mountainous part…
The same as I did while walking around Weil am Rhein the other day, I ate a lot of blackberries, wild strawberries apples, pears, plums, etc. The western people are used to eat only what comes from the market, which leaves a lot wild growing fruits for the “stupid” people as Bulgarian travellers, for example! 😁😋
The second day we went there together with Mirja and had a great time walking around and chatting.
We even sat for a beer and had some real Swiss chocolate. For dinner Mirja, finding out that I love cheese, decided to make a fondu.
That was a mistake, though. I could not breathe afterwards… 🙊🙉🙈
Swiss cheese, Swiss chocolate, Swiss beer, wine, lots of talking, laughter and fun… I had just amazing time!!
Thanks a million Mirja for your warm welcome!! 🤗🥰🤗
Down South – Munich, Germany • 28-29 July 2022
In the morning I got up early, prepared myself and waited for the girls to wake up. It was a great stay and I wanted to thank Marja one more time.
Got as well some local advices as the destination I was going to was quite tricky to be reached from there. I knew that by exploring the map, but just was not able to find a place to stay in between. So, the last minute advice was indeed helpful.
Thank you for everything, girls! 🤗🙏🏼
So, I went to a bus station at the end of the town and the first one who stopped for me was the radiant elderly lady Sonya. Although she didn’t speak a word of English we had a nice few minutes until she drove me all the way to the highway entrance.
Well, two and a half hours later I was still there. Have been visited by police again. They said I must go 20 meters back, as the highway starts exactly where am I… 🙊🙉🙈
I changed my position and a few minutes later a microbus stopped in front of me. It was Mohamed smiling from inside. “I saw you about two hours ago and I was thinking – no one will stop for her, everyone here drives just around, no further than Zurich.”
And he was right… So, he just passed by and took me lots of kilometres forward to a gas station on the highway towards Munich. Thank you! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
After a few minutes wait, I did hear a horn from the parking nearby and a guy waved at me. Rainy took me all the way to the highway entrance in Austria.
Afterwards I have no record of all the people who were taking me some distance ahead.
They were a lot. At some point I have started looking around for a place to put up the tent if I have to, because no one was stopping for so long…
Long difficult day, but still successful – at the late afternoon I have arrived at my host’s place in Munich.
Moi Moi (his real name turned to be Ossama) was quite busy when I got there and the next day as well, so we didn’t interact much, but I am really grateful he hosted me at his little cozy apartment.
I took a free tour next day and enjoyed fully as the guide was really good and experienced with a great sense of humour (he was British) and make the tour really fun!
Afterwards I went back to deal with my photos and try to organise where to spend the next couple of nights, as that became a little questionable… 🤔🤭
Oh, and my boots broke again! The same way as at the start in Bulgaria, just the other shoe this time… 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
