Why it's good to start the world trip with visiting friends

4/7/2024

For each of my previous trips, I’ve always visited one of my old school friends first. This time it’s Jan, who has been living in Aachen with his partner Anna for years and recently became a father. It comforts me to see familiar faces on the first day of my world trip. It takes away the fear I’ve had the last few days. It’s quite different whether you go directly to another country or first stay with friends. Visiting a friend in Spain in a week also helps me. The more I travel, the more familiar the world seems.

It takes what feels like an eternity to reach Jan with public transport. And then, when the city bus unexpectedly ends its journey halfway, I have to walk the rest of the way to his house. The first test with the heavy backpack on my back. I notice a significant difference from my last trip because this time I’ve adjusted the trekking backpack properly. The weight distributes much better between my hips and back. It’s fun to wander through the city like this!

Flying wildly through the apartment with the drone

Jan welcomes me in the garden, which amazes me. I didn’t think the three of them lived so idyllically. The apartment is also very impressive. Jan tells me how much work they had to put into it. But the effort has definitely paid off! Anna is at the café with their daughter Leonie and some friends. She invited us to join them. But Jan and I are engrossed in conversation. In his office, I notice a small drone and a VR headset. “Do you want to fly through the apartment?” he asks me with a wide grin on his face. Jan has always been a tinkerer! For example, he built a small trailer for his bike with which he sometimes travels. He also modified this mini-drone. I have to admit that I’ve never flown a drone before and ask for a flying lesson. Jan puts on the VR headset and hands me a small screen. Now I see the live feed from the drone camera and can follow the flight behavior directly from the office. Jan explains the controls to me and assures me that the drone is so stable and light that nothing can happen. Then begins a wild flight through all the rooms of the apartment! Jan handles the controls like a pro and performs the most daring maneuvers. At one point, he even flies out of the window and takes a round through the garden. My first attempt is an absolute disaster. I immediately lose control of the device, and it crashes into the wall. The second time, I hit the ceiling. I have to be very careful with the joysticks just to keep control for a few seconds. But then it gets better and better until the battery runs out. We go into the garden and fly a few more rounds there with the spare batteries, of which Jan has plenty. My, is that fun! But to fly like Jan, I need many more hours of practice. But that’s how it is with many things in life - practice makes perfect!

Nostalgia for school days

Later, we return to his office. We start talking about the good old school days. Jan and I used to be in religious education together. We were infamous for our presentations in video format. Back then, it was quite cumbersome to create videos. But Jan mastered Windows Movie Maker like a pro! Jan clicks through a few folders on his computer and proudly presents his find to me: the videos from the past from religious education! He hasn’t seen them himself in years. We eagerly open the first video on the topic “The Ten Commandments.” Back then, we didn’t have a microphone, but still, we’re rolling on the floor laughing! How we looked back then! At the same time, however, we’re embarrassed. The video wasn’t entirely politically correct. Fortunately, the second video is better. Although there’s still a lot of our gallows humor to be found on the topic of “Funeral Rituals.” Somehow we get onto the topic of finances and frugality. Jan has been investing money for a long time and is now benefiting greatly from it during parental leave. But maybe more on that in a separate post. The idea behind it definitely appeals to me! It’s definitely good to talk to an old friend.

Babies change everything

Anna calls us and asks if we can pick her up and order something from the Greek restaurant. Later, the three of us sit in the kitchen, and I meet Leonie for the first time. She’s beautiful! When I hold her in my arms, I have to briefly remember how to hold babies. But Anna says I’m doing it like a pro! From then on, all conversations revolve around baby topics, but that’s totally okay. Such a little being turns life upside down, and I’m already looking forward to becoming a father myself someday. I play something on the ukulele for the little one, and soon Anna takes her to bed. I actually want to stay overnight with them, but the best connection is overnight. Jan stays up with me, and we chat for a few more hours until he drives me to the bus stop. At 1:00 a.m., the bus departs for - Paris!