As I write this final blog post, it has been more than a month since we returned to Germany. As you might expect, these weeks back in Germany have been rather more hectic than before we came home. Nevertheless, I still wanted to finish the series of blog posts about our trip.
After our short stay in Istanbul, we drove northwest fairly quickly. We spent another night near the Turkish-Bulgarian border, then again just before the border with Serbia, which we crossed in one day. After one more night halfway through Croatia (near Zagreb), we reached the island Krk after only a few days driving. It’s December in Europe now, and naturally the weather has become a lot colder and rainier. Overall, though, we the drive through the Balkans was quite pleasant and safe, as there was no snow, and just a little bit of fog on the last stretch between Zagreb and Krk.
As we drove down from the mountains towards the Mediterranean Sea, we were greeted by mild temperatures, clear skies and the vast expanse of the ocean. Although we were still hundreds of kilometres from Halle, it already felt very much like home. We spent a wonderful week on Krk, enjoying the good weather, peace and quiet, and the comforts of a house with running water, heating and a proper kitchen. We also went on a few last hikes, knowing it would be quite some time before we got to go on such wonderful walks again.
We head further north through Slovenia and Austria and soon cross into Bavaria, where we spend one night in Berchtesgadener Land. The following day, we make one final stop in Thuringia because it is difficult to find a good parking spot in Halle and we can only access our apartment the next day.
So, after 305 days on the road, we are back home on 20 December 2025. Well, at least we’re back in Halle. The first few days back were really strange. Of course, everything seemed quite familiar: the streets, the cafés and, of course, our flat. But it also felt like things didn’t belong to us – or rather, that we didn’t belong to them. I want to continue reflecting on our experiences of coming back home in future blog posts. For now, though, this last chapter of The Great Journey comes to a close.
If you’ve been following our trip on this blog, it’s probably because you’ve found it interesting, or maybe you’ve just enjoyed the photos. Either way, I hope the blog has given you a sense of being part of our journey. Cheers!