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!
Dresden-Dakar-Banjul
In March 2026, we will join this incredible journey—driving from Germany to The Gambia, crossing deserts, mountains, and borders, all in the name of adventure and impact. Finally we’ll sell our red Land Rover Discovery in Gambia for a good cause.
Here’s what we’ve been up to – read our latest blog entries
Today we continued working on the modifications for our red Land Rover Discovery — the one that will carry us all the way to Africa and stay behind in Gambia for a good cause. One of the biggest tasks this weekend was finishing the roof rack […]
With the start of the new year, we’ve officially kicked off preparations for our participation in the Dresden-Dakar-Banjul Rally. This time, our red Land Rover Discovery will not return with us—it will be auctioned in Gambia for a good cause. Therfore we want to make a […]
The Dresden-Dakar-Banjul Rallye is different. It’s not about typical racing—it’s about resilience, discovery, and making a difference. This unique event takes participants on an epic journey from Germany to The Gambia, crossing continents, cultures, and some of the most challenging terrains on Earth. A Brief History […]
Day 17 – Wednesday: Wanaka to Hokitika via Haast Pass Today’s journey took us from the charming lakeside town of Wanaka across the scenic Haast Pass to the rugged West Coast town of Hokitika. It was a long drive of nearly 450 kilometers, but full of […]
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 […]
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