Rivers, Roads & Racetracks
We woke up super early to rain hitting the car, which was a bit confusing because I thought we had parked under something. I even stuck my arm out and there was no rain, but since I very much still wanted to be asleep I didn’t think too hard about it — just pulled the screen in, put the shade back up, and went straight back to sleep for a few more hours :)
It turned into a nice morning once we properly got up, as the rain had cooled everything down a bit. We made breakfast, packed up, and drove the rest of the way to Marktheidenfeld.
Good thing we didn’t attempt that drive the night before — it took us through tiny winding roads and very cute little villages, and full attention was definitely required. At one point we reached the top of a hill with an amazing panorama (Cotty’s favourite), but there was nowhere to safely pull over and the windshield was still covered in bugs, so the photo moment was sadly lost :'(
We arrived in Marktheidenfeld, found a good Gnu parking spot, and there was the HG already waiting for us — how lovely!
We were very excited for a day of nothing but beating the heat together :D It turned into a relaxed wander through town, including buying matching dresses, and Cotty even jumping into the river for a swim.
We ate yummy food, recharged ourselves and all our electronics (very important), and generally slowed right down.
With temperatures heading up to 38°C, we decided to take a night off sleeping in the Gnu. We probably could have managed it, but it was a nice break to have another option. We were very glad to be mostly staying with friends or family as the heat builds.
One unexpectedly joyful moment for me was looking through Katja’s sand collection — she even had sand from a beach we’d been to but hadn’t collected ourselves. So now I technically have some too. Hahaha.
It was also really fun going down memory lane together. Funny how I remember the ridiculous parts and HG remembers completely different ones.
We also met her famous ducky, Lola Marlene. We had a great time taking photos with her and learning more about her growing fame — a real showgirl in the making :)
After hiding from the heat most of the day, we enjoyed a delicious dinner together and then watched some of the World Cup, as HG is in a pool and currently leading it — very exciting :D
We woke up after a lovely cool sleep at the HG’s and spent the morning pitter-pattering around, enjoying a shower and more reminiscing. Then we packed up to leave.
This was the first time all trip Cotty left quite a few things behind — his pyjamas (including the stolen leggings I had made), a sleeveless shirt neither of us liked, and some Czech treats we hope the HG fully enjoys. I also secretly hope she enjoys the leggings… they are incredibly soft and perfect for lounging (fingers crossed).
We said our goodbyes and headed off along winding country roads before joining the autobahn toward the Nürburgring.
Cotty was very excited, and we arrived over three hours early for our booking — which worked out perfectly. We found free parking almost as close as you could get, a surprisingly interesting and very graffitied WC, and then it was suddenly time to go.
Boom — into the car, and off.
Our driver was Stefan, an amateur racer who estimated he had driven the track over 1500 times. It showed. He was calm, precise, and completely at ease, overtaking Porsches and closing quickly on other cars like it was nothing. It was so much fun — honestly I would have gone again immediately.
Near the end of our lap we passed a crashed car, and shortly after that the track was closed. We had just made it through — perfect timing and more good luck.
Afterwards Cotty took what felt like photos of every car imaginable, and we returned to the Gnu, which had attracted a very friendly couple, Celine and Dominic. They were impressed with our setup and the fact we’d shipped the car from Canada. He knew a lot about the Nürburgring and VWs, and they were genuinely lovely to chat with.
From there we headed for Luxembourg, which is deceptively tricky — one moment you’re in it, the next you’re back in Germany without noticing. We stopped at our favourite EU grocery store. Not quite as good as the one in Bruges, but still successful for stocking up.
We briefly considered heading into Luxembourg City, but instead pointed the Gnu toward Paris, where we knew we’d find a cool house and a comfortable bed.
The heat has been the main challenge. We can handle it, but it’s not our favourite. Normal-to-cold is definitely our sweet spot, and rain is fine with the right setup. The Gnu also tells us when it’s unhappy — dropping into limp mode (turbo disabled by sensor) when overwhelmed, needing about a 10-minute reset before carrying on as if nothing happened. It did this in torrential rain in Portugal, heavy rain in Norway, and again in extreme heat on a highway climb at 130 km/h — a very clear “nope.” Ten minutes later, it was fine again.
We arrived in Chatou late, exhausted but in a good way. We were welcomed by our friends and immediately felt at home, and pretty much went straight to sleep.
A very long, very many-kilometre day, but the solid cool sleep made it worth it.
Today is a proper rest day — almost nothing on the agenda, which feels slightly surreal. We have shows to catch up on, and that alone feels like a very good plan.
It’s funny that even though the trip is winding down, we both feel so good that it feels like we could keep going. That says a lot about how well the Gnu is working, how good the mattress is, and how much easier the harder moments feel together now.
We both feel like this trip has been so much fun we would happily do the whole thing again. Everywhere had something interesting. We loved meeting old friends and new ones along the way.
The standout places this time (so far) were probably Estonia and Quedlinburg, with a strong intention to give Oslo and Norway more time on a future trip.
Now we’re scheming how to dodge the heatwave and planning the last leg of this incredible adventure…
