We RV'd through Germany!

Renting a campervan made the trip exactly what we wanted it to be

Update - The Trekers YouTube video on this is here:

“And away we go, or however you say that in German!”

That’s how our video series on YouTube about our monthlong trip through Germany starts. And it really summed up how I was feeling at the time.

After more than a year and a half of planning, we had finally arrived in Frankfurt and were embarking on 30 days of travel in a foreign country in a rented campervan. It was fun, exciting, daunting, and somewhat unbelievable.

Roadsurfer did not sponsor us, but we would recommend them. The entire rental experience went very well.

After a trip to a nearby Aldi store to stock up on food and miscellaneous supplies, we headed about 30 minutes east of Frankfurt to our first overnight stop: a llama farm. We booked the stay through the Roadsurfer camping app. (For those in the U.S., it’s similar to Hipcamp.) It offered us the tranquility we desperately needed after a long travel day from Michigan. The llamas were quiet companions, and the isolation was perfect. Despite the rain, the journey overall was smooth, and slipping into a restful night on the peaceful farm was sheer bliss.

What’s not to love about a peaceful stay on a llama farm for your first night in a foreign country?!

Everything went according to plan on our first day. The flight was ahead of schedule, and so was our camper pickup. Shopping at Aldi was both familiar and new; comparing the stores at home versus in Germany added a layer of fun to our excursion.

The rest of our German trek whizzed by, and now we are back in Michigan. This trip had been years in the making and allowed Jessi to reconnect with friends from high school and college. And what better way to explore Germany than with the freedom of an RV? We can’t think of a way, because we live so much out of our Airstream and had previously lived out of a campervan. We felt right at home in the rental, even though we were in a very foreign land.

Our trip was more than just sightseeing; it was historical immersion. From Roman times to the 20th century, Germany’s rich heritage enthralled us. Navigating narrow roads and small parking lots tested my driving prowess, but I quickly got the hang of maneuvering in tight spaces with the camper. We specifically chose to go in the Fall, because it offered an abundance of first-come, first-served campsites and fewer crowds. That was perfect for our explorations and something we would not have had as much luck with had we gone in the summer.

Yes, we visited touristy sites like Neuschwanstein Castle, but we also broke away from the popular spots because the RV we rented allowed us to do so.

Because it was September and October, rain seemed a constant companion. Despite the dampness, the RV lifestyle allowed us to pivot plans seamlessly, changing our route or destinations on a whim when heavy downpours occurred.

We’ve been spending a lot of time digging through the thousands of photos and videos we shot while visiting Germany (as well as Austria and Switzerland). We’re looking forward to sharing more about our trip during the YouTube series.

I’ve also discovered that we have way too much stuff back in Michigan. Between our house, our Airstream, and our van that we use as a tow vehicle, we have managed to accumulate much more than we need. We survived a month-long trip overseas with two small suitcases and two backpacks — and that included space for hauling camera and computer equipment! And yet, somehow, back in the states, every space we have is brimming with stuff we think we need, much of it “just in case.” As the old saying goes, “People are like goldfish; they grow to the size of their bowl.” But that’s something else to write about another day. Right now, I need to dive back into editing videos.

~Ari

UPDATE - Our YouTube video about this is now published:

The Trekers YouTube video on this is here:

To follow our Germany series on YouTube, start with the first video here.

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