Live the Journey – Rallies, Road Trips & Adventures
Explore the world with us – from rugged trails to coastal roads
Recent Adventures & Trip Reports
New Zealand
After more than 25 years, we had the chance to visit New Zealand once again. Our son spent the past twelve months attending high school there and picked him up – an experience we simply couldn’t miss.
Baltic Sea Circle Rallye
This unique and northernmost rallye in the world spans 7,500 kilometers across 9 countries, encircling the extraordinary Baltic Sea. Join us as we explore the northern hemisphere during this epic winter road trip!
Roadtrip USA
After we had to postpone our planned trip to the USA twice, we hope it will work out this summer. From New York, via Kentucky, Colorado and Nevada towards California. An amzing road trip across the country.
Here’s what we’ve been up to – read our latest blog entries
Day 16 – Tuesday Without giving too much away upfront – today was undoubtedly one of the absolute highlights of our New Zealand adventure. After a final check-in with the flight operations team at the helicopter company, our departure was scheduled for late morning—just enough time for […]
Day 15 – Monday Viator had been struggling with a severe cold for some days now, barely sleeping at night – and keeping Pooh wake as well. The nasal spray prescribed by the doctor was so intense that it caused burning in his nasal passages, eventually leading to nosebleeds. So his mood […]
Day 14 – Sunday Tonight, we were supposed to fly to Queenstown on the South Island. If you read yesterday’s entry, you might already suspect that things didn’t go quite as planned. Spoiler: it wasn’t Viator’s cold that caused the change. Since our flight was scheduled for the […]
Day 13 – Saturday The day in Auckland started a little differently. Viator hadn’t been feeling well since our rafting adventure in Rotorua. Over the last few days, his condition had gradually worsened – he was barely sleeping at night, and each morning he seemed a […]
Day 12 – Friday Spoiler alert: Today’s post comes with a lot of photos – and for good reason! We woke up to a beautiful morning, with the sun shining – perfect weather for our planned visit to the famous Hamilton Gardens. Before diving into the lush landscapes, we enjoyed […]
Day 11 – Thursday Today we continued our journey by car to the famous Waitomo Caves, a highlight on many New Zealand itineraries. Originally, we had planned to split up for the day: Viator and the kids had booked the legendary Black Abyss – Black Water Rafting Tour, […]
Day 10 – Wednesday After yesterday’s adventures, today was all about slowing down and recharging. Rotorua, nestled in New Zealand’s Taupo Volcanic Zone, is world-renowned for its geothermal activity — a landscape shaped by bubbling mud pools, steaming fumaroles, and erupting geysers. Thera are also geothermal […]
Day 9 – Tuesday – Part 2 After the thrilling white-water rafting adventure, we spent the afternoon relaxing. But the day wasn’t over yet – in the late afternoon, we were picked up from our hotel for a very special cultural experience: an evening at Te Pā […]
Day 9 – Tuseday – Part 1 A Spoiler to Start the Day Some members of our group might describe this day as a “near-death experience”—but don’t worry, everything turned out fine and everyone is safe. Still, it was one of those days we’ll probably never […]
Day 8 – Monday Breakfast in Taupo and first stop: Huka Falls We had a relaxed start to the day with breakfast at the Garden Café in Taupo—highly recommended, and it didn’t disappoint. Well-fed and energized, we headed to our first destination: the nearby Huka Falls. The […]
Day 7 – Sunday Final Packing and Goodbye in Wellington Today marked the beginning of our North Island adventure—but first, Tristan had to finish packing the rest of his things. After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, we drove over to his host family’s house. […]
Day 6 – Saturday Farewells at the Airport Saturday morning started with Tristan heading to the airport to say goodbye to friends and fellow exchange students who were already beginning their journey home. We picked him up afterwards and took the scenic coastal road back into […]
Day 5 – Friday Discovering Wellington on foot After breakfast, we set out on foot to explore Wellington on our own, as Tristan had his final day at school. We started by heading toward the harbor and were lucky enough to spot a sea lion right […]
Day 4 – Thursday Arrival in Auckland We arrived in Auckland on time. Unfortunately, in New Zealand, you have to collect all your luggage upon entry and re-check it for any connecting flights. Immigration and baggage inspection, including sniffer dogs, went smoothly and quickly. New Zealand […]
Day 3 – Wednesday Breakfast Experience The morning began with a rich breakfast buffet, offering a mix of Asian and Western dishes. The breakfast area was huge and bustling with guests, staff, and chefs. It felt more like a brunch than a traditional breakfast, which gave […]
Day 2 (Tuesday) We landed in Shanghai around 2:30 PM. Immigration and baggage claim went surprisingly smoothly, and our driver was already waiting for us inside the terminal. Finding his car, however, turned out to be a bit of an adventure. Due to ongoing construction at […]
Day 1 (Monday) Early in the afternoon, we made our way to Hamburg Airport, aiming for a relaxed check-in and smooth security process. Our flight from Hamburg to Frankfurt departed at 5 PM, followed by an overnight flight from Frankfurt to Shanghai (Pudong) at 9 PM. […]
Day 16 – 09.03.2025: The last day of our rally After a very noisy night, our last day of the rally began in Poznań at 8:30 AM. The first half hour took us through small roads until we reached the highway, from where we headed towards […]