The first fix on the trip. After painfully emptying the tank cup by cup until I could reach into it without spilling water the fix was really easy. One hose inside the tank got disconnected. The only difficulty is that you can’t see what you are doing. But luckily I’m very good in seeing with my fingers. Not truly a water dancer but enough to do fix a water pump blindfolded or to open up a bra one-handed without looking 🙂
Odo: 281787 Location: Flensburg (German/Danish Border)
Shopping sucks. Big time. Instead of shopping in Hannover I did it close to the border where everybody tries to rip off the Scandinavians. Not too clever. But by visiting two shops I avoided most of the traps. One issue is beer. You’re allowed to bring something around 90L and there is no refund for the german recycling deposit. You pay like 15 cent per bottle (including the crate) or 25 cent per can. If you’re a permanent resident of another country you can also but beer without deposit in shops near the border. Some people just ask fellow travellers from abroad to buy beer for them. I thought I might do the same even if it’s probably not 100% legal. But then I saw the pricing. You pay at least 1,4€ / L for premium beer. At citti market in Flensburg the only “decent” german beers where König Pilsener and Bitburger. Not exactly my choice. I ended up in legally buying Veltins and Jever for 1,6€/L (including deposit) in glass bottles. I think I will give the empty crates as presents to fellow germans travelling back or bring them to the german embassy or try to get rid of them in another way. Or I put the glass bottles in a recycling container and give away the crates as decoration. We’ll see…
The water pump is still broken. It sounds like it turns but it doesn’t transport water. Even if you suck on the tap until the water comes it’s still not pumping. I started to drain the water tank so that I can open it up and remove the pump. Since the tank has no drainage valve this isn’t exactly fun. I’ll stay in germany for the night because it’s probably more easy to get a replacement pump over here if I can’t fix it.
My progress was faster than expected. Due to the broken water pump I have to fetch a coffee and take a dump elsewhere.
Stockholm finally!
At the first glance sweden resembles germany, only that the inhabitants are more friendly. But maybe ikea isn’t the real sweden… We’ll see….
Odo: 281501km Position: Industrial area in Isernhagen, just north of Hannover
I just left. Finally. I’m tired. I try to be smart, so I will stay close to home for the first night. If I forgot something important it’s only a short drive home… It already was dark when I started searching for a spot and I didn’t find a nice place at the nearby lakes. Instead of searching around I’ll stay here, I’m tired any ways. Plenty of truckers around, at least I’m not alone… Tomorrow will be shopping day. Since everything is more expensive up north I should gather as much food /alcohol as I can transport/is legal to import. My preparations were not exactly perfect. Here is some stuff I don’t have:
(posted the next morning)
Having a supermarket next door and an elevator in the building makes loading a car quite comfortable…
Is this representing me? It’s not everything I’m packing but it’s a weird combination of stuff. We have got (from left to right):