WESTERN SAHARA 25°36’43.1”N 14°40’54.8”W
my sister and i had the abstract idea of riding our bicycles from our home in Germany down to South Africa. We had no concept, no sense of what that would entail. It wasn’t our plan to ride to South Africa—it was our dream. We were unaware of what awaited us and just threw ourselves into cold water. By moving from the comfort of our childhood bedrooms onto the road and into our tent, we suddenly had to be completely independent and self-reliant. At least that’s what we thought. Turns out we were still perceived as children in the eyes of the world. Everywhere we went, in every country, we met people happy to help us, whether we needed it or not. There were always people taking care of us, adopting us, and loving us. We started this journey with the intention of reaching South Africa, but quickly we realized that’s not what this is truly about. Our journey is about getting to know different cultures, meeting new people, seeing unfamiliar scenery, and collecting experiences. Never could I have dreamed up this life for myself. Not in a million years had I thought that my sister and I would spend two and a half years cycling on two different continents and have no intention of stopping in the near future. I never imagined the deep and true love I could have for life itself. We swam with fluorescent plankton, surfed with sea turtles, and saw chimpanzees in the wild. We fell in love, not with a person but with a country, its culture, and its inhabitants. We climbed the highest mountain in Northern Africa and went hunting in the deepest rainforest of Western Africa. But nothing fascinated us as much as the Sahara desert. Putting all my weight into pedalling, I fought against the strong wind. Although my head was completely wrapped in a turban with glasses shielding my eyes, the sand still found its way into my mouth, eyes, and nose. Brows furrowed and sweat dripping down inside my clothes, I squinted my eyes to get a glimpse of our home for tonight. Through the sand whipping in the air, I could just barely make out the shape of the gas station that was serving as our shelter for tonight. I could see trucks upfront, so this station was actually operated for a change. Most gas stations were still under construction when we passed by, and there was never a problem with setting our tent up in a half-finished building. For active gas stations, this was a bit more complicated. We had to hope they would let us sleep inside, or at least behind some barrier, so we’d not be entirely exposed to the wrath of the sandstorm. HANNAH & GRETA SCHRÖDER “The bicycle is an amazing way to see the world. A sister is a perfect companion to go through life with. With my sister, I’m exploring the world by bicycle.”
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MOTHER VOLUME THREE
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