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A Life Less Ordinary

Tag: Germany

The Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany – Medieval Towns, Castles & Surprises

August 12, 2026 / / 14 Comments

Not too many people seem to have heard of – or been to – the Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) in Germany. When Mark, Maya, and I found ourselves at the southern end of it while visiting friends, it was a no-brainer that we would explore the area during our four days off. We actually had six days left before we needed to be back in Belgium, but the drive itself took two.

One of the Romantic Street signs
That way to the Romantic Road!

After little research and talking to Sabine and Michael in Murnau am Staffelsee, I created a short-list of the seven towns along this route that sounded most appealing. As always, we never researched much ahead of time or looked at photos. Actually, Mark had no idea whatsoever where we were going or how long we’d stay. So, the surprise and wow-factor were genuine for both of us.

The most picturesque view in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Schongau

Our first stop was only an hour or so away from our friends, whom we left in the afternoon. It was a quick drive and an easy, short visit since the town was small and we were camped at a free parking lot on the edge of the town walls.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Our parking spot for the night in Schongau
Walking outside the wall in Schongau
Entering this small town via one of the gates
A colorful downtown
The center of town had the best concentration of historic buildings.
Reflection of the colorful downtown

Landsberg am Lech

The following morning, a short drive and a lucky break secured us the last spot on a free parking lot about 15 minutes by foot from the historic center.

Approaching the city center of Landsberg am Lech
I liked the canal through town
Colorful buildings here as well

Once we crossed the bridge into the heart of Landsberg am Lech, we were drawn to the watery ways and the colorful buildings. We splurged on a pastry while taking in the market area and its surrounding structures and gates.

Bavarian church with its typical dome
Market square with some elegant buildings
The heart of Landsberg am Lech
Interesting-looking tower on the outskirts of town

Harburg Castle

On this trip, I wanted to visit one castle. Harburg it would be!

Approaching Harburg Castle by camper

To our surprise, the dedicated RV parking spots alongside the popular river were open, so we doubled back and picked a spot. After our lunch with a view, we crossed into town and climbed a narrow trail towards the top of the hill. There, Harburg Castle awaited.

Our RV-dedicated parking spot in Harburg
View of Harburg from where we were parked
Harburg Castle – our destination by foot
Map of the Romantic Street

We paid our entrance fees, which I thought included access to the interior spaces. Maya was allowed on the grounds and – understandably – not inside the buildings. We could work around that, taking turns.

Hiking towards the castle
Entrance gate to Harburg Castle
On the grounds of Harburg Castle
Maya is standing guard!

But our tickets only allowed us to visit the exterior areas. For the rooms, towers, and walkways, a guided tour was required. Unfortunately, we just missed the 2pm tour, and exploring the grounds took less than an hour, so I didn’t get my inside-the-castle look.

Within the castle walls
Part of Harburg Castle
View over the river and the bridge we’d crossed earlier
The walls had a covered walkway, but it was only accessible on a guided tour.
Leaving the medieval castle through the gate

The actual village of Harburg looked cozy and picturesque as well, but we decided to move on since we didn’t have much time for this driving route and needed some relaxation as well.

Crossing the cute bridge into and out of Harburg town
View of Harburg from the bridge
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A Chock-full July – Our Vario Inspection, Visiting Friends, and Being Tourists in Germany (And Our July 2026 Expenses)

August 6, 2026 / / 28 Comments

July was one of the busiest months we’ve had in years. Mark and I barely had a moment to breathe. In my last (Vario) post, I mentioned that we finally managed to buy our future overlanding vehicle in the Netherlands.

We are a two-car family!

Our Vario progress

Unfortunately, it wasn’t and won’t be the easiest transition between campers for us, because we found ourselves in a complicated mess here in Europe. In the US, as US residents, the process has always been straightforward for us. We purchased a camper, registered it in one of the states, bought insurance, and were good to go.

Not so in Europe. But we knew this ahead of time, had researched solutions for every curve ball that might come our way (or so we thought!), and set out on our mission to legalize and personalize our 4×4 Mercedes Vario (technically a T2) from the moment we obtained it on July 1st.

First, we bought temporary export plates and insurance in the Netherlands. These would be valid for exactly 14 days. It started the clock and raised our stress levels immediately. Since we wanted to import and register this Vario in Germany—a country notorious for its rules and regulations but the only one where non-European residents can “easily” do this—we had no time to lose. Yet, I still thought we could take care of the entire process within a week and spend the rest of the month visiting friends and sightseeing in Germany. Ha!

Second, after buying motor oil with Duke and getting cash for the next step, the Vario was jump-started and we drove both vehicles to a battery shop, where Mark replaced the two starter batteries. The truck had sat unused for six years in a garage so lots of maintenance was due! Still, we had to prioritize because of our time constraints.

Third, Mark and I drove in tandem to a DIY garage, still in Zeeland, the Netherlands, to change the oil. Since it was our first time working on this truck, things didn’t go exactly as planned, but we did get the job done within our two-hour lift rental.

Driving the Vario on a tight lift in this garage was challenging.
The first time we changed the oil took a bit longer than expected. Many firsts now!
Filling the reservoir with oil, while Maya patiently waits on the floor.

We did all that on the same day, falling asleep exhausted at a free camping spot in an industrial zone. This would become the norm. Since the Vario box didn’t have locks yet, we parked both campers facing each other’s doors. Not that there was anything to steal yet in our six-year-old-brand-new habitat box.

Our first night with the Vario, which didn’t have locks yet.

The following day, Mark, Maya, and I drove in convoy to Much, Germany, which would become our base for the time being. With lots of traffic and everything being new to us (including a fuel gauge showing “empty” which was confirmed), it was another stressful day. We had to discuss a few things with our builder, Mirko, and he was leaving at 1pm. Needless to say, we felt rushed.

Filling up with diesel on the drive to Germany.
The Vario is parked in front of Mirko’s workshop for the time being.

I won’t report in too much detail what happened next, but suffice it to say that preparing our Vario to pass the German TÜV inspection—which, fortunately, was located across the street from Mirko’s workshop—did not take five days. We had to cancel seeing our first set of friends and delay visiting our second set.

Mirko was super helpful and generous, letting us borrow all his tools, giving us the keys to his workshop after hours, and allowing us to use electricity, potable water, and the bathroom facilities whenever we needed. What an angel!

Shopping at the Obi hardware store
Our TUV garage
Living in Duke while working on the Vario
Cooking our meals in Duke every evening
Sleeping in the industrial zone was impossible due to the noise of passing trucks and buses all night. Not sure why…
Using Mirko’s workshop whenever we needed
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A Week of Vacation in the Black Forest of Germany

October 11, 2024 / / 27 Comments

Followers of this blog might have come across the names Griet and Wim in the past. My cousin and her husband are more than just family; they are friends and fellow travelers who have visited us on many occasions. Every year or two, they joined us on our sailing catamaran Irie in the tropics (once with their then teenage children), they stayed at a house sit in California, and, last fall, they traveled with us in Peru for three weeks. Whenever we are in Belgium, we spend a lot of time with them (two weekends this summer, involving beer brewing) and – when time permits – we go on trips together.

Since Mark, Maya, and I dedicated two full months in Belgium, we decided on a ten-day vacation in Germany and Liechtenstein with them. If you know us, traveling the world is our lifestyle; we combine chores, work, driving, visiting, and leisure. Vacation time – strangely enough – is rare. To be honest, this trip with Griet and Wim was my first real holiday in 21 years and Mark’s first week off, since he started his current job two years ago. So, it was a special occasion!

Hexenlochmühle in the Black Forest

Being from Belgium, it is hard to believe that I’d never set foot in the Black Forest! And, even my cousin and her husband had never vacationed in Germany before. Mainly because none of us speaks the language, although we did just fine and knew enough German to get by. Other than Mark. 😊

We broke up the 7-hour drive to the Black Forest with a walk and sandwich lunch stop at the popular and crowded Geierlay suspension bridge. It is the second-longest one in Germany.

(As always hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

The Geierlay Suspension Bridge
Mark walks Maya across the gorge on this narrow bridge.
Gorge that holds the suspension bridge
Wim and Griet on the suspension bridge

Our group spent four nights in the northern part of the region, in an apartment in Enzklösterle, which was surrounded by woods. Ideal for walks with Maya.

Morning walk with Mark and Maya in the forest
Soaking up the early sunrays
Forest walk near our first Airbnb

The Airbnb was well equipped and we especially liked the outdoor space. The weather was good enough to have happy hours on the balcony. We cooked some meals at home, often packed sandwich lunches. and ate out every other day or so. This routine kept the trip affordable.

View from our balcony in Enzklosterle
Relaxing on our porch in Enzklosterle (Photo courtesy of Griet Collaert)
Mark cooks dinner in our first Airbnb
One of our dinners at home in Enzklosterle
On chilly nights, we ate dinner inside

From Enzklösterle, we made daytrips to the surrounding villages and natural sites. Our rough schedule during those ten days was to leave around 9:30am and return by 5pm; quite busy for Mark and me.

Day one:

  • A viewpoint over the region

First view over the Black Forest

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – August 2024 (Europe)

September 7, 2024 / / 38 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the US East Coast. Other health issues are resolved locally  and out of pocket where needed and possible.

While  our truck camper Thirsty Bella is stored in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mark, Maya, and I are on a  summer break from the road. Or is it a winter break? Last month, we lived in Belgium and traveled to Germany and Liechtenstein with my cousin, Griet, and her husband, Wim. More about that in a future post.

Reaction from the land owner where we stored our camper, when asked how Bella is doing
Reaction from the land owner where we stored our camper, when asked how Bella is doing
Maya is comfortable “at home” in Belgium
The Principality of Liechtenstein
Back and forth to Austria
It’s been ages since I sent a postcard!
Half-timbered houses in Cawl
One of the many cuckoo clocks in the Black Forest of Germany
Triberg Falls

Our August 2024 expense report is probably the most unusual one we’ve ever posted. Not because we didn’t spend any money – we just spent other people’s money! Kind of. My parents generously provided the funds for fuel and groceries in my home country, friends and family cooked meals when we visited, and I used Belgian savings for our ten-day European vacation.

Rosy is cooking an amazing Thai curry, which inspired us for our meals at home.
Extensive breakfast at Rosy and Peter’s place
Second dinner at Rosy and Peter’s place
Belgian fries from the fry shop with a big, homemade salad
Our wheels in Belgium
Going out for drinks with Sven and Mieke
Healthy dinner prepared by Griet, after Mark and I helped with the brewer Wim’s beer bottling
Sunday breakfasts like these are the best – Thank you, Griet and Wim!
Making our own version of Thai curry
Grocery run by bike in Berlare, Belgium
Dinner spread at my aunt’s place
Posing with friends An and Kristof, after they prepared an amazing BBQ for us
Croque madame = croque monsieur (grilled cheese and ham sandwich) topped with an egg

To be transparent and give you an idea, that trip cost us 943 euros or 1,046 US dollars; €565/$627 for ten nights of lodging (seven in the Black Forest and three in Austria) and €378/$419 for excursions, transportation, and food.

Ski lift to the top – hiking down
Wim drove us to and in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein
Black Forest cake
German beers for the boys
Ice cream cones and Peruvian sweaters for the nieces

Each day, we made our own lunches (sandwiches) and dinners were split 50/50 between eating out and cooking at our rented apartments.

Sandwich lunch in Malbun, Liechtenstein
Picnic lunch after a hike in the Black Forest
Mark cooks dinner at our first apartment in Germany.
When it was chilly, we ate inside.
Usually, it was warm enough to eat meals outside.
Flammkuche at a restaurant in the Black Forest
The men are cooking a typical German dinner: bratwurst with sauerkraut and a potato pancake
Comfort food out: tagliatelle with cream sauce, ham, and cheese
Our last dinner together, at a restaurant in Austria

As far as our own US money is concerned (which our bookkeeping resembles), we only spent $125. Most of that went to gifts ($108), $9 bought two beers in Liechtenstein for Mark and Wim, and the remaining $8 was claimed by Amazon for a new pair of discounted shorts for Mark. It is safe to say that we finally earned more money than we consumed in August. ????

Biannual (every two years) open-air musical near us – we bought tickets for my parents, who’d never attended a musical before
Taking my niece and nephew mini-golfing on his birthday
Vaduz beer for the boys

This month, life is turning back to normal. We are ordering more items online for our return to Argentina and will soon stop over in Massachusetts (USA) again for our final week away from the camper. Mark, Maya, and I are scheduled to be reunited with a totally empty Thirsty Bella on September 21st. That is exactly two weeks from today. Time flies!

August 2024 Overview:

Gifts:

Drinking out:

Clothing (shorts M):

 

TOTAL:

 

$108

$9

$8

———

$ 125

(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

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