Big decisions in Murnau am Staffelsee
Dave the motorhome hasn’t moved. He likes it here, well we like it here, it’s the cheapest Stellplatz in the area at €1 a night, instead of €8 – €15 in the towns all around us. So we decided to stay another day.
Our home for the past three nights
A big dark cloud hung over Dave last night, and for once it wasn’t an evening thunderstorm. The tour is testing us right now, things are getting repetitive and there are only so many ways you can conjure up enthusiasm for another castle, church, lidl! Our frustration reached a peak as I stormed off for a walk around the town rather than eat the tea Jay had cooked. I wasn’t gone for long though as it wasn’t tropical, I didn’t know where I was and I needed the loo. Charlie hid under the table as Jay and I both silently went to separate beds – thankfully Dave has got enough space to fall out in – just!
This morning we talked it over, have we seen all there is to see? Isn’t there anywhere out there which will reignite the sense of adventure we felt when we set off, first crossed into Spain or caught the ferry to Morocco? Is it time to head home and back to reality? It’s a tough call, so we’ve put it on hold. The decision on the car will go on hold too – see below for details of our new poll (but thanks to everyone who voted to sell it, and the two who voted to keep it!).
We both agreed that the book writing is skewing our travelling experience, so we’re going to make the book a priority for the next week or so and get it finished – we’ve spent so long on it so far it would be a shame not to publish it. Today Jay had full control of the laptop and ploughed through a couple more days of our time in Morocco, neither of us can believe how much longer it takes to write it than to actually experience it. So I carried on compiling guides for the countries we’ve visited – the first one for France is complete and you can see it here.
Either someone has lost a hat, or someone loves this fire hydrant
Just after lunch we went for a leg stretch around the town somehow managing not to get an ice cream again – that’s three trips into the same town and no ice cream, I must be losing my touch. Then it was back to work. Time goes quickly while you’re writing and soon our stomachs were rumbling. Cheese omlette and chips were rustled up and heartily consumed before we took Charlie on an evening stroll to the nearby lake. The countryside around here is beautiful, we’ve fallen on our feet for with bargain writing spot – it’s just a shame the Stellplatz is in the train station car park where all the buses park up and lorries rumble through around 5am – still that’s what we brought ear plugs for!
Beautiful surroundings
Tomorrow we’re off to visit friends then we’ll find a suitable spot for more writing, so updates might be a bit short going forward, but it’ll be worth it in the end! Which brings me to our new poll – how much should we charge for it? Please vote on the right and help us decide – we’ve put hours into it so feel we might be slightly biased.
We love this, instead of trying to reverse Dave over a grate to empty his water tank, you position the square box under the pipe to catch the water – genius!
Have a great weekend.
Ju x
I hope you’re OK and feeling a little better now. I’m sorry that things aren’t so bright at the moment. Whatever decision you make, it needs to be only your own. You know that people at home will support you in whatever you choose. Sending much love. Anne xx
Go off the beaten track, Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe, ex Soviet countries – massive sense of adventure (he says after spending 4 days in Belarus last weekend).
You’ve done Bosnia/Srpska, keep on going…..
No nice campsites, but its cheap, fascinating and edgy, you will meet amazing people, amazing stories and go where very few do go…..head to Turkey perhaps via Romania and Bulgaria, experience the wines of ‘no man’s land’ between Bulgaria and Greece, hear about the name problem of Macedonia.
That’s where I would go if I had the chance.
I reckon one week back in Nottingham will be enough to relight the fire. Strange as it may seem you probably just need a holiday.
JT
x
I second JT, you need a holiday from your holiday. We definitely did after 6 months guest housing it round S.E.Asia.
You’ll think houses are huge after nearly a year in Dave!
See you soon, SLT xx
I have really been enjoying your updates since finding this blog and we don’t know each other but I feel strangely compelled to throw in my 2p worth: I second the Turkey idea it gives you guys and Dave a destination, something to head for. Five years ago I did an overland trip that went through Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey and beyond, way beyond. I can recommend that route, maybe head to Cappodocia and do a balloon ride. Cheers, John.
P.S. Home is a good destination too ;-)
I hope things are improving.
I agree with John, home is a good destination, not for too long, but enough time to stretch and have a change in familiar surroundings.
Sitting on the M25 / M1 in the rain will soon make the alternatives look pretty good.
Good luck with the decision
Norman
Oh thank you! And there I was thinking we were the only two who fell out! Such a delicious slice of marital cake, only it never runs out. As a matter of interest, and ignore this if you like, but do you fall out often? I thought you never fell out, it was just us. Bet you have the same trials and tribulations we do. Loving it all the more. Keep going.
Hi Nick, good to hear from you. Our record stands at a year or two without falling out. Life’s been good to us, and neither of us have really strong opinions about, well, anything. Our current lives, jobless wanderers are both enviable and unusual. We’ve few peers our age group doing the same thing to compare ourselves against, and a bit of self doubt creeps in from time to time. Anyway, leaving Dachau today, which has been fab festival, and off to Munich. I’ve got my eye on the huge technical museum there, bring it on! Jay
A far too late comment (been away, just catching up!) but if you still need an ‘alternative experience’ to relight the fire, head on over to Hannover the week after next and I’ll sneak you into one of my meetings. I guarantee the 1 hour of “real” life will be enough to get you back on the road ;-) If not, I’m happy to do an identity swap and you can stay to deliver on my work objectives while I have a little break!
Thanks Craig, but we’ll politely decline your offer!
A big thank you to everyone for their kind comments and emails during our moments of indecision. A quick update.
The book writing is on hold, we will get it finished one day, but not at the expense of enjoying our time on the road. Germany is great, if a little full of summer motorhomers, but the beer and company makes up for that. Finally phase 2 is in the planning stage. We’ll be back in the UK for just over a week to get Dave’s mot, then head south fast to get over the alps and into Italy before the snow starts – as we still don’t have snow chains. As for work – well it will just have to wait a while longer!
Julie