Grass Routes - Green Lifestyle Blog

We worked our asses of to be able to leave the day we planned, and still we had to arrange paperwork on Sunday morning. In all the hurry Frans forgot our passports and about 700 euros cash at some Arabic internetcafe in Berlin. But the gods were mercy, the local boys honest and we were ready to go. Around noon we left Berlin with our red minivan stuffed with clothes, a sewing machine, materials and a computer. We did not have a plan or route, but decided to see on the way where to go...

We were driving in the mountains when our van started to make strange noises, produce smoke and a burning smell. We stopped and dediced to sleep where we were, in the middle of the Ertzgebirge. But everywhere in the mountains there was some sort of pollution, by factories and by tourists. The small river next to our buss smelled awful and the trees looked sick. We expected beauty but we got the beast!

Next day we went on, all the way through Czech Republic, through hills and mountains, until we were in the south east of Bavaria, close to Passau. Somewhere there we expected to find a hippie camp, but we did not find it. After some 1,5 hours searching we gave up, gave it one more try, and then we got lost again. The full moon was spreading it´s light over the hilly landscape and gave it mysterious impression. In the middle of the darkness we got followed by a white car. `Hey, isn´t that car following us?` we stopped. The white car stopped in front of us. A small man in some centuries old suit stepped out of the car and walked to our car. What are you searching for? He asked in strong dialect. He showed us the way. We found it immediately.
`That was a gnome´, Cecilia said, when we finally had found the way. `They always drive white cars.´ I realized it was true, and remembered being totally lost while hitchhiking, being picked up by a small man in a white car, talking only local dialect. He just put us on the right way again, and than he left us again.

We drove on a small sand road, found a parking lot full of vans in the valley and a full moon party on top of the hill. We heard drums and guitars, singing and shouting, and we knew we were right. We were just too tired to climb the hill for the full moon party and rolled into our bed. We realized we were still going full speed and it we had to slow down. Living in a city, you are getting used to some kind of speed. Every city has it´s own speed, and Berlin is much slower than in example London or Paris. But still, nature and countryside are slower, and we definitely have to slow down! Talking about sustainability: taking care of the energy and balance firstly counts for oneself! Slowly we are slowing down, and all the unnecessary sorrows and ideas fall of from our shoulders. Sustainable living is living in a tempo that you can walk on for days. Not running and than breathing but breathing deep while you walk, and enjoy the view on the way. Let´s be slow!