The plan is to have no plan.
If there’s anyone who can tell us something about time, it’s Jenni and Flo with their disaster-relief van.
photo: derkatastrophenschutzbus.com
The plan is to have no plan.
If there’s anyone who can tell us something about time, it’s Jenni and Flo with their disaster-relief van.
photo: derkatastrophenschutzbus.com
In June, they made their dream reality and set off around Europe as full-time vagabonds in their beloved motorhome, “Fatty”. They post stunning – and sometimes thought-provoking – images of paradise destinations, often with a coffee in their hand (yes, of course it’s Mount Hagen). Since they’re currently stranded in Greece during lockdown, I caught up with them on Zoom.
B: What is this adventure for you? A time-out?
Jenni: Hmm. It’s more of a reset. A drastic break with the old. And look how it’s turning out! The plan is to have no plan.
B: After such a busy career, don’t you get bored?
Jenni: (laughs) No!
Flo: Back then, I used to ask myself what I was actually doing all the time.
But now we're never bored.
Jenni: The days fly by. Time goes faster when you’re doing something you enjoy or that’s good for you. The days have become much shorter – but somehow still full.
Flo: We spend much longer eating breakfast or lunch and preparing meals. We also make sure we sit at the table or outside, instead of just quickly throwing something together to fill a hole all the time.
Jenni: And not falling asleep on the sofa. Instead, we sit at the table and talk to each other. And eat. Besides, our 33-year-old bus could be a full-time job in itself. We also have our own routines: in the morning, we fold up the bed, clear up, sweep out the bus. With such a small home, it’s much more important to keep everything tidy. Otherwise, you’d have nothing but chaos after two days. That does take more time.
B: And how does it feel? Are you happier?
Jenni: We live in a more conscious way now – but of course we still have problems. Things that still take up your head space, eat away at you, bother you. We are human, after all! That feeling of worry – it isn’t something you can easily shake. But life does feel easier and freer now. Even if we are stuck in the middle of a lockdown, complete with curfew.
B: That’s much more severe than in Germany …
Jenni: Yes, but it still feels easier to live here, the way we do.
B: How long will you stay? What happens with Christmas? Do you do the classic “drivin’ home”?
Jenni: No. We had originally planned to be in Iran by now. We’ve only been on the road for two years. And, unless something happens – our parents are getting older now, too – we’ll keep going. Our parents would be the only reason we would go home.
The lovingly christened “Fatty”, Jenni and Flo’s 5-square-meter motorhome.
The lovingly christened “Fatty”, Jenni and Flo’s 5-square-meter motorhome.
Time feels different on the move – it has more space.
B: How did you actually arrive at the decision to press the reset button?
Jenni: I always had this clear idea that when I got to 40, I wanted to do something different. Until then, OK, focus on business, higher, further, faster. But something different after 40. But almost two years ago, we started asking ourselves, “Why wait that long?” We were increasingly unhappy and found it more and more difficult to identify with our lives.
... So it was a case of seizing the day?
Flo: We were doing well – we didn’t have any worries. We could easily just have kept going. We had a steady income, but we didn’t feel fulfilled. I enjoyed what I did, but I was always asking myself why I was actually doing it. I didn’t ever feel like a true supporter of the product I was dedicating my time to. What if there was something more meaningful I could do?
B: Looking at you two, there obviously is. Or at least something happier. You wouldn’t believe the difference between you two and the people you see on the street here.
Jenni: We see that, too. We’ve come from a completely different life. It’s easier for us. Because we have space – time – to reflect. We feel the negative mindset when we talk to people from home or even with people here. But above all, we feel the fear. And fear can really eat you up.
Flo: We do have days that don’t go so well. If the van breaks down or something. But we don’t feel fear. It’s just a bit annoying. It’s not something you carry around with you for weeks or months and then start to feel fear. That just zaps your energy.
Jenni: We have something that not many have:
We have time to
reflect on ourselves and our feelings.
In normal everyday life, you just take whatever comes and get on with it. Now, we are able to sit down and think, “OK, what’s going on with me just now? Why am I feeling like this?” In everyday life, you hardly get the chance to do this.
B: Do you ever fight?
Jenni: Never. (laughs loudly) When you’re cooped up together in five square meters, fighting is a given. Because your only punch bag is your partner. Some days you’re in a bad mood and then everything bugs you. Then things blow up – big time. But the main thing is at the end of the day, we make up again.
B: I can’t think of a happier ending. All the best, you two! We’ll continue to follow your adventures on Instagram. Keep in touch, and thanks for having a coffee with me!
