It’s only one week before I move out of my apartment and two weeks until my planned start of my tour.

Luckily, I’m not in a hurry and I have a place to stay until the weather turns more cyclist friendly but maybe temperatures raise as soon as I’m ready to go ;-). Like last Sunday when suddenly for one day, spring came for a visit, and I could cycle with just a long-sleeved shirt on.

Since my last post, I slowly emptied my flat, started some general cleaning (like kitchen cupboards, filling drilling wholes,…), did my first packing list (see below) and already packed all the gear I might need in the next six months into the packing bags and everything else in moving boxes or the box I am going to send to my parents, like summer clothing, additional stuff I might need. I also set up my new netbook, from which I’m currently writing. Since I wasn’t able to install Windows (there was already Endless, a linux system, installed), I now decided to have a go with Xubuntu. If it’s not turning out well – or if it turns out to be really great, you will probably hear more about it 😉

 

And this morning was the big day when I officially gave up my residency. It was pretty unspectacular and since I was with the same clerk as last time (quite a coincidence) I also didn’t have to explain anything since she still remembered me. After 30 minutes waiting in the waiting room, 8 minutes in the clerk’s office and one signature, my ID says now that I don’t have any official address in Germany anymore….exciting 😀

But my main occupation during the last weeks was the constant feeling of slight panic. Not of anything specific. Just a voice in my head saying over and over again: „you’re not going to make it“ (with a very unspecific „it“). Interrupted by thrills of anticipation:
I am really, really looking forward to cycling, seeing different landscapes,visiting known and foreign towns, villages and cities, meeting lots of different people. Being able to stay or leave, just like I feel like. It’s quite a mixture of emotions 😉

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Current packing list

(I’m very curious how this list will change over the next months 🙂 )

Clothes

• Underwear, socks
• 3 t-shirts (maybe 2 is enough)
• 1 sweater, 1 fleece jacket
• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 scarf
• 1 pair of barefoot shoes
• 1 cycling singlet
• 2 short sleeved cycling jerseys
• 1 wind jacket
• winter cycling jersey
• cycling winter jacket
• rain jacket, gaiters
• 1 pair of long cycling shorts (is this really the English term???)
• 2 pairs of cycling shorts + cycling leg warmers
• 1 pair of long windstopper gloves
• 1 pair of short cycling gloves

Bathroom stuff

• 1 microfiber towel
• toiletries
• wet wipes
• travel detergent
• paper tissues

Medication

• magnesium
• pain killers
• anti-diarrhea medication
• band aids
• bandage
• disinfectant
• insect bite stick (electric)
• earplugs

Technical stuff

• Netbook + charger
• cell phone + charger
• camera + charger
• 128 GB USB stick
• bicycle lights (USB chargeable)

Bike gear

• repair kit
• cycle pump
• 2 replacement inner tubes
• chain lubricant
• cable ties
• bike lock
• 2 drinking bottles (each 0.75 l)

Other

• wallet
• small padlock
• resealable bags
• day pack from Friendly Swede (can be packed into a tiny package)
• bag for clothes