Survival, Wanderlust, and a Heartbeat Away from Disaster
Drama baby!
For a more dramatic vibe I´d like you too read the following lines in the voice of Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) from the TV show “24” ;). Do the beeping sound yourself :D
What happened so far:
In 2018, a zombie infiltrated Bali. Thirty days on a small island in the Java Sea.
Cooking classes. A mountain bike ride. A surprise reunion with a former schoolmate. All while a volcano lurked in the shadows, ready to erupt at any moment.
Fast forward three years. March 2021.
The same zombie vanished from Spain under the cover of darkness, behind the wheel of a white Peugeot van. Destination: Germany. The world was burning with a pandemic. Fear was everywhere. He drove 3,400 kilometers across Europe - relentless, fearless - always under the threat of infection from a deadly enemy called COVID-19.
Now it’s 2022.
Our hero - still me - is trapped in his bathroom. Phone in hand. Dialing 112. The European 911. Heart pounding, reality setting in:
“Oh my God… I’m having a heart attack.”
Yes. That happened. And it changed everything.
Back to My Voice… or Yours
After the hospital stay, I spent 6 weeks in medical rehab — a place for people with heart conditions and similar issues. It was a turning point. I worked out a lot, I wasn´t an addict but I quit alcohol, and dropped some weight. Even cut down on meat. Those changes were big, but the real shift happened in how I approach work.
A New Approach to Work & Life in Leipzig
I didn’t cut down my hours completely, but I stopped drowning in overtime. These days, I mostly stick to official working hours - and honestly, that’s a game-changer. Fast-forward to now: I live in Leipzig, closer to my parents and the place where I grew up. I’ve made new friends (something I worried about before leaving Spain), and even met my girlfriend during a photo shoot I did with her. On top of that, I’ve picked up golf - just started, but hey, it’s something - and I’m still cycling, though not as much as before.
Time for Vacation
But now… it’s time for a vacation and that´s why you are probably here. My girlfriend already had a trip to Africa earlier this year with our friends. Why didn’t I join? Simple: I needed to save for what I thought would be a very expensive dental bill later this year. So instead of going to Africa, I stayed home.
Eventually, I needed some vacation and some time to get our.
I wanted to return to a place that stole my heart years ago and show it Denise - Bali. The people, the culture, the vibe - I loved it all. So, now it´s time for our both vacation…and we’re going back.
The Final Prep
Denise, my partner in crime, is out finishing a training course to kick off a potential career change. Meanwhile, it’s my job to get everything ready: clean the flat, feed the cats (yes, we have cats), empty the garbage, and put the rest into the bags.
Lola on the left…love that little bundle of fur
And Linus on the right…shy, a bit clumsy and nonetheless lovely
The Journey Begins
Now I’m sitting in the parking lot, waiting for Denise. It’s 1 PM. Our flight leaves at 9:50 PM from Frankfurt, with boarding at 9:15 PM and about 300 km of driving ahead of us. No way I’m trusting the German train system, so we’re taking the car.
Boss: Make sure they understand that they cannot go to Frankfurt, Erfurt and/or Jena here!
Worker: Ok! Hold my coffee!
First stop: Singapore. Final destination: Denpasar, Bali.
There we go!
Singapore A380-800…a great plane but Singapore Airlines chose horrible seats for Economy class