Here it is.... the english blog as we promised since months ;-))) In the next weeks we will translate all of our German postings to English postings and than we post in 2 languages... hopefully always on time ;-))

Why do we write this blog?

Hmmm... good question

After our decision to leave Germany we would like to offer a communication media to our families, friends, ex colleagues and everybody who knows us and everybody who is interested in what we do….

What happened?

A short step back into 2006…..

The year we became 80, each of us 40… We sat in our favourite beach bar on Lanzarote (Canary Islands) musing…”was this it?”, “anything ahead of us?”, “what shall we do the next 40 or 50 years?” “muddling on untill our retirement?” What a vision……
Or shall we change something in our lives – we decided pro change!!!!

But first - the way had to be cleared.
So, getting back home, selling the flat – what we managed quite easily. A sign?? Stefan changing his job, maybe we get abroad with the company… First went well. Second just partially.
Next question: Where to go? The most obvious idea to us was Spain?? Ok, language barriers?? But this has really been a crazy idea. Regarding afterwards Spain was the country in Europe which was mostly affected of the banking crisis. Really lucky – or?

During our removal from one flat to the other we found an eMail from our former immigration lawyer from NZ (we asked him a few years ago, just for fun). It soon became clear… call him and ask him again…
We excluded already other countries and continents: language, weather, poisonous animals, cultural background….

Well – and here we are… More than 2 years after our first EOI (Expression of Interest), a few little detours, tests, paperwork and less than 2 months before our big break-up. With bag and baggage to Enzed to the kiwis.

Ok, before that we will have 3 months of drifting through Indochina and a short trip to Australia. The exact route to Auckland will be announced as soon as we know it by ourselves. Here is the rough route:

Working until the 30th of June
Paaaaaartyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Container around the 21st of July
Departure 28th of July from Munich via London to Bangkok, heading straight to

Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand)
Sandra will teach English in a Buddhist abbey and Stefan will pamper elephants in a camp for 2 weeks.

Than we will join an English tour group for 2 weeks heading to Hanoi (Vietnam) via Laos (Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane).

From then onwards….. who knows… drifting…Halong Bay, down the coast to South Vietnam (Vinh, Hue, Da Nang to Saigon = Ho Chi Minh City).

Mekong Delta and from Saigon up the Mekong going North to Cambodia. Than into the Tonle Sap http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonle_Sap (the biggest lake in South East Asia) to Siemréap. Siemréap is the gate to Angkor Wat (world cultural heritage) http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor
And then???? No idea… we will see… perhaps we will have a really good time on an island in South Thailand or straight to

Sydney …. Visiting some friends and then to

Auckland at the 12th of November

But until then we have really looooooooooots of work, organizing and managing …
And to sell (the bookshop is open, most of the plants are reserved ;-))) )

But more later….

See ya, have fun

Sandra and Stefan
XXX