What are you doing when you have a 6-month sabbatical? Sit at home, start a new project, buy a ticket around the world...
My initial ideas centered around Gibraltar to North Cape or Istanbul to North Cape. I ruled out the West Route because I have been to most of those countries before, and I consider this option being more expensive as I have set my self the target to live with 1'000 € a month. I was tempted to start in Istanbul because I like Turkey, but I was I gave up on this idea as Erdowahn is going nuts. That's how I ended up with Athens to North Cape
Up to January 2022 I thought that I was going to discover Eastern Europe and the Nordics with the Dog.O.Mobil
Now, Feb 27th, after the Crazy Ivan invaded Ukraine, I am not sure. So what was my plan originally
Leaving early April 2022 and heading towards Athens and Penepoles. Exploring Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania. I was planning to spend 4-6 weeks on my way to Athens
From there I wanted to explore North Macedonia, Bulgaria to Romania. Countries I have never been before
Now I am certain that I will not go to the High Tatras via Ukraine. So it could be a via Hungary.
In Poland, my list includes Kraków, Auschwitz, Białowieża National Park and Masuria Lake district. Again something I should reconsider as Białowieża and Masurian Lake District are in northeastern Poland. Not far away from the Belarus border
From there it should have gone to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. I was not planning to go to the North Cape itself, but rather a little further east, to Vardo. Closer to the Russian border
Over to the Norwegian Atlantic coast and down to the south. some stops in Norway and some in Sweden
I need to be back home by the end of September, at the latest
So now I am sitting here and looking into alternatives
March 5th
I looked into alternatives such as exploring the UK, Ireland and Scotland on my way to North Cape. Still a round trip! Thought about going from Scotland to the Orkney Islands and Shetlands and take a ferry to Norway. Looks like that all ferry connections have been stopped, and I would have to go back to Aberdeen at least. And the ferries are not "inexpensive" 😇. This would definitely kill my 1'000 EUR per month budget target. So I parked this idea for the years to come
Reconsidered the Western Route again. Gibraltar to North Cape. Still not convinced that I could do it with 1'000 EUR a month as living and camping is by far more expensive in Spain, France compared to Eastern Europe
Still like the Eastern Route best and re-planned it
This plan is close to what I want to do and buys me time till the end of June before I approach Romania. I can't see myself in Slovakia or Poland at the moment with all the refugees those countries are stretched already.
So if the situation worsens or remains similar like today, then I have to replan again or go back home.
Flexibility is king
March 17th
What should I say, my 1'000 € a month target is gone as Diesel is at the moment at 2.3 € per Liter. The fuel costs within the last 2 weeks increased from 2´700 € to 4´600 € for the whole trip. That means an average monthly fuel costs of approx 750 €.
The good news is that the Dog.O.Mobile passed successfully the German TüV, new tires are mounted and the van is ready to get loaded
Also decided to explore Western Poland a little bit more and spent more days at the beaches of the Baltic sea