How One Year and Four Journeys Changed our Perspective
This week was filled with long driving days as we made our way back from Morocco, the final stretch of an incredible journey. But the monotony of the road was joyfully disrupted by a special re encounter.
Catching up on the Road
We met up with my long-time partner in crime, my brother from another mother, my former business partner turned lifelong friend: Michael along with his lovely wife Michele and their cute dog Frazer.
Together, we spent a relaxed evening catching up over good food, laughter, and memories, followed by a full day exploring the surreal landscapes of Bardenas Reales, a desert region in northern Spain. The following photos capture just a glimpse of this extraordinary place.
A Long Ride Home
The long hours behind the wheel the rest of the week gave us plenty of time to reflect. Between podcasts and stretches of silence, we talked about what truly stood out from our full year of travel. There were the rugged roads of the Balkans, the icy wilderness of Iceland, the vibrant chaos of Morocco, and everything in between. As we now wrap up our fourth major season after Northcape (S01), the Balkans (S02), Iceland (S03), and Morocco (S04), we are also marking the close of a full year on the road. We've crossed borders, immersed ourselves in different cultures, and seen the world in its contrasts.
And somewhere in the rhythm of tires on tarmac, we began to see our home country with entirely new eyes. We often hear people complain about Germany: “The roads are full of potholes.” “The trains are late again.” “Fuel and food prices are outrageous.” “The paperwork never ends.”
Travel has a way of adjusting your focus. After bouncing our truck over half-washed-out mountain passes in North Macedonia during springtime, suddenly those “bad German roads” do not seem so bad.
When we tried to find the next bus connection in rural Albania, with no schedule, no ticket machine, and sometimes no bus at all, we started to appreciate how reliable German public transport really is.
And yes, prices in Germany can sting. But try filling your tank in Iceland once and you will realize what “expensive” really means.
Even bureaucracy, our favorite national complaint, takes on new meaning when you have seen how corruption quietly shapes everyday life in other corners of the world.
In Morocco, the contrast hit especially hard. In many towns and villages, we were approached by children asking for money, Coca-Cola, or bonbons. It was heartbreaking and deeply humbling to witness such visible poverty up close. These encounters changed more than just our mood for the day, they shifted our perspective. Seeing young kids rely on the kindness of strangers for small treats forced us to confront the privileges of our upbringing and our current lifestyle. It made us more aware of how much we take for granted, and reminded us that comfort is not a global standard, but a rare and fragile luxury.
Travel does not make you blind to your home’s shortcomings. It sharpens your awareness of what works, what does not, and what could be better. Germany, like every country, has plenty to fix. But compared to the chaos, creativity, and sheer unpredictability of the world out there, so much here functions astonishingly well.
For those who do not travel, change of perspective is still possible. Look at your surroundings with the curiosity of a traveler. Notice the small conveniences that make your daily life smoother: the clean tap water, the punctuality of deliveries, the safety of walking home at night. These are privileges that can fade into the background until you have lived without them, or until you’ve seen places where children ask for sweets instead of playing, where daily survival overshadows childhood. Observing poverty in Morocco reminded us how far removed we in Germany are from the reality elsewhere, and how fortunate we are to consider such basics a given.
In the end, traveling is not only about discovering the world. It is about rediscovering home with open eyes and a heart full of gratitude.
With this article, we close Season 4 of our Morocco journey. Annika and I are looking forward to the Christmas season. Seeing both of our kids again, reconnecting with family, and taking a breath after a year filled with unforgettable experiences. It feels good to come home, even if only for a little while, until we start our next season at the end of January next year.
Explore. Dream. Discover.