Home sweet home :)

You probably have guessed it already considering the fact that you have not had any news from my side for over three weeks now: we are back home! That's it. Back in good, old Germany, back in France, back with our friends and families. How do I feel? If I am honest, I have to say that I don't quite know.

When we crossed the border into Germany and took the train to go to Dresden - David was asleep and the familiar yet strange landscapes flashed past the window - I experienced a momentary panic. This was the end of our travels, this was the end of one of the greatest times in my life, this was the return to everyday-life, the return to work-life, this was the end of our freedom, our liberty, and boundness opportunities. What was I doing here?! I had to get away as fast as possible! Well, the train didn't mind my thoughts very much and it still took us to Dresden, where we found ourselves amongst the bustle of hundreds of German speaking people, promoters for the saving of whales (who told us they wanted to go travel around the world ), Croback and italien icecream shops,..., and where we had to sit down in the sun for a while to overcome our disorientation.

Fortunately, we had two wonderful saviors waiting for us, otherwise, I might just have gotten onto the next train heading for the North Pole. However, when I saw the wonderfully familiar and friendly face of Nadja, felt her hearty hug (as far as you can hug a person who is carrying a big and a small backpack heartily ), saw the sparkle of joy in her eyes, heart the well-known voice and found myself drifting off into the first truly personal conversation for ages; well, I knew then and there why I had so longed to come back here, why our road was leading us in the direction of Hofheim and Meslay: we were back among true friends and that was the most wonderful feeling of all! Nadja and her awesome boyfriend Uwe gave us such a warm and friendly welcome that we felt at home instantly and actually regretted having to leave again so soon. Auf diesem Weg: Chère Nadja, lieber Uwe, tausend Dank für die wunderschöne Zeit bei euch, für die tollen Gespräche, die - für uns Weltreisende - ungewohnte Vertrautheit, den Sushi-Kurs,... dank euch wurde meine Rückkehr nach Deutschland so leicht, so schön, so unvergesslich.

After two beautiful days in Dresden, which I still love as much as during my first visit there a couple of years ago, we headed off to Leipzig via the "Autobahn". Heyho, that was a scarry thing! So many cars driving so fast!!! Seriously, now I know why people always talk about the German autobahn. When you're not used to it, it really is something! Well, we did get to Leipzig all safe and sound and experienced another wonderful welcome, this time by Nicole (my flat-mate and dear friend from Capetown) and her boyfriend Thomas. It was so good to see Nicole again after two years, finally to get to know Thomas, to exchange all the necessary gossip, to feel their curiosity about our travels and to see the changes in their lives; friendship is really a wonderful gift and I know what I missed most during those last 13 months out there in the world. Daher: Liebe Nicole und lieber Thomas, vielen, vielen Dank auch an euch für die wunderschönen Stunden, für euer reges Interesse, für die super Leipzigtour und für die leckeren Brunchs! Warum haben wir eigentlich bei all dem vergessen ein schönes Photos von uns allen zu machen?!

Finally, the big moment came, we stepped out of the train in Hofheim and, as cult required, walked all the way through this cute little town to my house (why do we always have to live up the hills?!?!). There they all were: my parents, my brother, his travel mate and record wood-chopper Axel, my uncle and my cousin, and soon, Anne, Sebastian und Dani.H Hugs and kisses, stories and sooo much laughter - in all the brouhaha nobody thought about taking a picture of those enormous smiles glued on our faces but I guess you can imagine them. The following week was a frenzy of people coming and going, of us unpacking and my brother packing, of him and Axel creating enough chaos for a year, of my parents wondering why they ever wished their children back home when, as a result, they couldn't take one step in their own apartement anymore without stumbling over a part of a tent or a bike, a medical kit or cooking equipment, sleeping bags, backpacks or matresses, and when all the calm was taken away by phones and the doorbell ringing, and people laughing and talking and discussing till the middle of night. It was a crazy time without a minute for clear thoughts, as if we had to put all the lost conversations, the laughter, and the liveliness of a year into a few days. "Un beau bordel" as the French would say.

Then, as quick as it had begun, it was all over again. David was on the train to France and we were finally seperated for the first time after almost 400 days of constant company. It felt quite good for the first two days but soon we found out that it actually sucks... And a few days later, I was at the airport - this time, however, not to leave myself but to say goodbye to my brother and to see him off for his year of adventure and world travels. Staying behind and seeing the other person leave, well, that kinda sucks as well...

By now, everything has calmed down a bit, I have stopped counting all the German speaking people around me as German tourists for our bet, I have stopped being surprised into silence (and consequently into a kind of rudeness) by people addressing me in a language that I actually understand and can communicate in, I have no problems driving on the autobahn anymore, the ice-cream and Mom's cooking taste great, the grey sky is having its first negative effects on me, German bureaucracy is doing its best to drive me away quickly again, my OWN bed is still as comfy as during the first night back, I could take hot showers for hours, I don't miss my 21-kilo-backpack at all, and I still haven't had the time to do at least half the things I have dreamt about for the last months.

However, I am sure, I'll get there in the end. I'll not only find the time to call or write to all of you who have not heard from me personally yet (I am very sorry but somehow the day has only 24h...) but also to sit down and figure out how I feel after the first ecstasy about our return has worn off and this nagging feeling in my stomach grows stronger, asking me how I shall ever manage to settle into something like "regular" life after what we have experienced during the past year and how you can go on after having realized one of your biggest dreams in life. But then, who, except society, says that I have to settle into "regular" life and I can asure you that I have so many more dreams in store that I'll get going again sooner or later. For now, I'll simply get going to France for two weeks to visit la famille Durand and to sit down with David and get thinking about our future; or at least the next couple of months. That seems more realistic after having spent a whole year only thinking about the present day or maybe the day after.

PS. Für alle unter euch, die von Reisegeschichten selbst nach einem Jahr noch nicht genug haben und die gerne mal für ein paar Minuten in den Weiten der Welt versinken: http://www.salzundaxelinasien.blogspot.com! Dort findet ihr die Reisegeschichten der zweiten Salzlette, da mein verrückter Bruder sich vorgenommen hat ein Jahr mit dem Rad durch Asien zu gurken. Viel Spass dabei