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A Week in Germany, and My Style of Travel

Last Updated: September 13, 2020

A Week in Germany, and My Style of Travel

I recently spent almost a week in southern Germany. I didn’t see any major towns, nor did I attend many tourist attractions. And although I imagine I’ll return to Germany someday, I won’t on this particular trip. And I’m not sorry about it.

This post was originally published in 2010. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content. 

One of the underlying messages in the documentary A Map For Saturday that spoke to me was that travel gets old pretty quickly. At least – certain styles of travel get old quickly. If you bounce from one major city/attraction to the next, staying in hostels and following the backpacker circuits consistently, one amazing awe-inspiring sight tends to melt into the next, and you can actually become almost apathetic about the attractions that once appeared wondrous.

Having been on the road well over three years, I don’t think I would have lasted anywhere near this long if I were on this “actively traveling” circuit.

Instead, I’ve volunteered in trade for my accommodation in at least five different places around the world for upwards of a month at a time. In between volunteer gigs, I’ve usually enjoyed some home-grown hospitality by staying with friends. Friends I’ve met in all sorts of ways, mostly in the course of my volunteering and traveling.

See also: How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World

In fact, so enamoured am I with these two modes of travel, that many of my chosen destinations (such as Germany) have been predicated on the prevalence of home-stay or volunteer opportunities, rather than the destination itself being of primary appeal.

For me, my dream of travel was borne of a desire to break bread with families around the world; to live, work, shop, and just be with people around the world, learning, laughing, and loving life together. It’s not about how many museums I visit, how many planes I board, or how many stamps I have in my passport.

I don’t profess my style of travel to be superior (or inferior) to any other styles. (That’s why I started the popular week-in-the-life series; to celebrate the different ways people choose to spend their long-term or full-time travel days).

I have the luxury of being able to travel full-time – along with the often mis-understood requirement to be somewhat consistently on my computer an average of two to four hours per day (to earn an income, research/book travel arrangements, and keep in touch with friends/family). It’s a fact of my location independent life, and one that isn’t easily accommodated if I have an active travel itinerary to keep up with.

So all this is to say that in my time in Germany, I didn’t get the cross-section of the country that would be typical in the most traditional travel sense. But I did get to enjoy the following:

  • I climbed to the top of the Munster Cathedral in Ulm – also the highest cathedral in the country at over 160 meters.
Munster cathedral in Ulm Germany
view of the cathedral in Ulm
The Professional Hobo enjoying the view over Ulm Germany
  • I visited a small town surrounded by mountains, and featuring a small pond that is the most interesting shade of blue I’ve ever seen.
the blue pond
reflections of a church in a blue pond in Germany
  • I got lost while walking with my friend along the extensive gravel roads that weave through woods and agricultural fields near Ulm.
endless fields of rural Germany
tall trees in the Black Forest
  • I watched two world cup games – one at the home of my friend’s family, another at a friend-of-a-friend’s art gallery, surrounded by enthusiastic and hopeful locals. (The second game, however, didn’t end so well for Germany, but did for Spain – a place also close to my heart).
  • I enjoyed drinks at an out-of-the-way bar with a group of friends. Anybody who came to the table to chat (and there were many, as this was a friendly bar), was instructed to speak in English for the benefit of “the Canadian girl”. This made for some very entertaining conversation at various levels of sobriety and English fluency.
  • I wandered the streets of Ulm, taking pictures, drinking coffee, eating ice cream, and shopping for clothes.
streets of Ulm
Ulm canal
the tilted house in Ulm

Last but far from least, I enjoyed the company of my amazing and beautiful friend Tanja. We made awesome coffee with frothy milk, cooked brilliant meals, watched inspiring movies, drank delicious wine, and talked about everything under the sun. And for just under a week, I got to experience what life in her neck of the woods is like.

For me, this is why I travel.

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Filed Under: Germany

About the Author: As a former CFP (Certified Financial Planner), Nora Dunn traveled full-time for over 12 years. She is an expert in remote work, long-term travel, financially sustainable lifestyle travel, and much more. She is a celebrated author, speaker, writer, coach, and YouTuber. Read More…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dick says

    July 27, 2010 at 6:48 am

    Hi Nora,

    What a nice contemplative, pensive piece ! I totally agree, if there is one thing you’ll remember (at least I usually do) is the contact with the locals in whatever circumstances (usually friendly) than yet another museum. If you are open to really listen what is going , it is so much more rewarding.
    Cheers.

    Reply
  2. Christine says

    July 27, 2010 at 7:49 am

    Love your style of travel! After I leave Nice, I hope to work for room and board around the world. I’ll certainly be referencing your previous adventures as I search for opportunities 🙂

    Reply
  3. theprofessionalhobo says

    July 27, 2010 at 8:35 am

    @Dick – Thanks! I’m glad that you agree.

    @Christine – Please do, and send me a note if you have any specific questions. I love to volunteer in trade for accommodation when I’m not staying with friends! In fact, I’m writing this comment from the English countryside where I’m house-sitting and taking care of 3 dogs. It’s great!

    Reply
  4. jessiev says

    July 29, 2010 at 10:31 am

    lovely – it is so important to slow down and look around. brava!

    Reply
  5. Eli says

    July 29, 2010 at 9:52 pm

    Nora, I believe that most of the best things to see and do are yet to be printed in a guidebook and discovered by the herd. Going from attraction to attraction would be exhausting. I like your method. 🙂

    Reply
  6. theprofessionalhobo says

    July 30, 2010 at 7:39 am

    @Jessiev – Thank you!

    @Eli – Indeed…I hadn’t really thought of it that way, but I guess this style of travel is the ultimate in the often sought-after “getting off the beaten track”!

    Having said that, I will also acknowledge the fact that there’s a reason why many tourist attractions are attractions – there’s something worthy of seeing. I believe that a little bit of everything in moderation is best.

    Reply
  7. Baron's says

    April 4, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    Non rien de rien non je ne regrette rien C’est ma vie…Edith Piaf…

    Reply

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I'm Nora Dunn. I traveled the world full-time for 12 years, and I still travel for half the year (pandemics notwithstanding).
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