A weird feeling with the first steps back home…

My last week in Vancouver was fantastic. It was a more or less slow arrival in society. Since I still slept on my air mattress and in my sleeping bag I still had some trail spirit with me. But besides this there was unlimited food available – everywhere. And the best? I didn’t have to carry it 😂
It was a lot of fun to catch up with the my old housemates – the VBB (Vancouver Bearded Brothers) and all these other amazing people here. It felt good to be back in this great city and to be back with old friends.

 

But it was also awkward to stand in the same kitchen again with the same frying pan in my hand almost as if nothing had happened during the last year. Crazy when I think about what actually had happened…

After thinking about it for so long it was great to get back into the little planes and just fly around the beautiful countryside in BC again. Just a few impressions from the trips. I tried to fill up the plane and take who ever wanted (and trusted me 😂A) to come along. lt’s so great to share this experience with all my friends here.

 

 

 

 

 

One thing which was on my list was a long solo flight to somewhere where I had never been before – with classical flight planning and flying by compass and maps. So on the last day the weather was perfect again after four days of clouds and rain. So I rented a plane again, took Simon (a former flight student from my school) and my friend Rougi on the trip. I was very glad – also during the flight – to have Simon with me. Four eyes which (kind of) knew what they were doing.

 

We were able to share tasks and help each other flying and navigating. It was challenging and we were both a bit tense of the flight. But it was also great fun. When we finally knew wee were on the right track and close to our destination it felt really good that we had been able to convert our plans into successful action. After 2.5 hours we arrived in Kamloops with wind of 15kt / 28kt gusting. After a commercial flight from Air Canada arrived we did our final turn into the airport and landed safely. And guess who was in Kamloops – my former instructor Sergi!

Tail wind on the way back and after 1.45h we touched down in Boundary Bay again. The last landing for me in a while – I guess. And a great closing and good bye to Vancouver and British Colombia with a tour through the mountains…

 

And then the day came when I had decided to go back to Germany. Another farewell to a friend later and packing of my stuff I headed out to the airport. When looking for flights I had decided to treat myself and to end this journey in style 😎. Meaning on the one hand side to travel in my beloved pink shorts but also not having to fold my knees behind my ears in the airplane… After 15 years of traveling as an airline employee which mostly meant you would only get one if there was a space available and you always had to be dressed properly especially when travelling in Business or First Class it was the greatest fun to rock up with pink and ripped shorts not having to worry about anything. And the staff had to be nice to you even though I still looked kind of homeless. 😂🤘

Back home. It was already weird to board the plane in Vancouver. Now it was tangible. This journey was about to end. No more escaping or prolonging. No. Now the time had arrived when it was officially “over”. A closing of a two year journey came to an end. Approaching Germany in the plane was even weirder. We flew down the Rhine River, passed Cologne and eventually the skyline of Frankfurt rose next to my window. It still looked pretty much the same. When we taxied from the runway to the gate there was finally no way back anymore. I was here. Soon I would be back “officially”, see friends and family and would have to take care of some grown-up things. Even though there was definitely a bit of melancholy looking back at some of these fascinating moments it also felt right – somehow. The feeling that I was ready for something new was already stronger than the sadness of the chapter coming to an end. So I guess it was the right call.

For now I have a place to stay with my best friend which is amazing. I don’t have to commit to anything now and I have time to figure out where the journey will continue to. And we have plenty of time to catch up and play golf together 😎

A few impressions from the first 10 days. As a start I directly went to Munich to celebrate Nadine’s & Florian’s wedding. They celebrated close to the mountains at the Tegernsee. What a great spot. It a) helped to reintegrate slowly since Frankfurt is pretty flat an I had already missed the mountains after only 24 hours and b) it was a great opportunity to take out the Tracht for a walk. #lederhosenrule

First finding: If it works out, I want to be closer to the mountains.

What else? On my way to Munich I took the train. In the train but also at the Main Train Station in Munich I passed a lot of Business People. And while passing them I caught a lot of little phrases and words. Probably the same stuff I was talking about two years ago on the phone or with my colleagues: Milestones, synergies, efficiency, minutes, consolidation, hurdles, evaluation, win-win, focus, prioritisation and many more. All the words that would make a great bullshit-bingo sheet for a telephone conference (not that I have ever done that… @Freddy 😂). And even though I knew already that I didn’t want to go back into the corporate life it was the definite no-go moment. No way. The next task has to work without this crap!

Second finding: No more bull-shit phrases for work – only for bullshit-bingo 😂

When I left I stored a few of my things which I thought I could use after my return again in some boxes. Mainly outdoor equipment, documents and a “handful” of cloth. When I opened some of the boxes to grab a few things for the next weeks I couldn’t believe my eyes. How much shit did I still have??? Unbelievable. Even though I got rid of most of it before I left there was still an uncountable amount of shoes, shirts, belts and you name it in boxes. 17 – in words seventeen – polo golf shirts! Who in the world needs 17 golf shirts? What was wrong with me in my old life? I must have been a materialistic messy. I was shocked. But also determined to clean up once I knew where this stuff will have to move. After having lived perfectly and happily on one shirt, pair of shorts & shoes and no extra it felt completely absurd to have all of this crap. I immediately opened up a 50l garbage bag and started filling it…

Third finding: Perspectives do change!

I left the house to catch a train. I hadn’t checked the schedule so I just started walking towards the train station when I saw the bus approaching which went to the train station. I still had 100m to the bus stop so I started running. I turned sideways and made eye-contact with the bus driver signalling to him that I wanted to get on. I was probably 20m short of the stop when he passed me. But when he passed the station he did not stop. He accelerated and just continued on. What the funk is wrong in this country? I immediately had to think about New Zealand or Canada where a bus driver would never do this but instead slow down or even stop right there to pick you up, greet you with a “Hey brew, how’s your day?” and you would not leave the bus without a loud “Thank you bus driver!”.
But I guess I was late. And he was on a schedule (we Germans like to be on time) and had no time to wait (@Bri: Can you believe that something like this comes out of my mouth?). So instead of yelling at him or loosing it I just stated laughing and just walked to the train station – I am kind of good with walking anyways 😉

Fourth finding: Don’t blame someone for your own mistake. Makes it easier to deal with the situation. (And having to be on time always sucks…)

The last few days I have looked for coffee places to hang out and “work” on my projects and next steps. And again I am shocked! It almost seems to be impossible to find a hipster-appropriate cafe to hang out in. Either there are no cosy places at all or the concept of complimentary wifi is one never heard of 😂

Fifth finding: There are many business opportunities in this country!

What next? It is amazing. Since I have arrived ideas and opportunities just keep on popping up. I have been approached by a few who are interested in my experiences of the last two years, have ideas how to share them, trying to connect me to likewise people and more. Writing and sharing will definitely continue. And a few other things are also on the table now.

It’s hard to explain but even though I don’t have any clue where this is leading to I am so excited about it already. I can’t wait what will happen next. At the airport I came across this graffiti with a quote from Goethe:

Stay tuned…