Chapter 1
South of France and Costa Brava
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After a 20 hour bus ride from Berlin to Montpellier we been warming up in south of France. After the first few wild camps we stayed a few days at Ben and Janina’s (Rennes-les-Bains) for some hikes and dinners before entering the pyrenees.

The wind pushed us quickly to Spain, down Costa Brava towards Cadaques.
A picturesque little coast town in very east-northern Spain.

Besides an authentic dinner and a cozy overnighter in a hotel, we spontaneously got the chance to visit Dalis house. And who wouldn’t be interested in learning more about the great weird and surreal mastermind Salavador Dalí.

Dalí got his house already in the 1930s when he still wasn’t really famous. In the next 40 years he would design and decorate the place in a very creative and absurd way.

As a real Catalonian, Dalí lived and worked on Costa Brava for most of his life. He also found a lot of his inspiration from the native nature there.

When we were standing in Dalí’s atelier (a intense feeling) looking through the window, we could really see some iconic landmarks that reminded us to some of his work. Check for example the piece The Persistence of Memory (Catalan: La persistència de la memòria) from 1931. Its one of the most recognizable works of Surrealism.

What was surprising is that Dalí actually loved to paint in a not so comfy looking arm rest chair. He developed a huge canvas holder that he could move between two stories so he could always sit while working and move the painting to his needs in all directions.

Some more Dali (weird) fun facts:

Dali obviously liked stuffed animals. There were many. A polar bear he got as a present from a befriended writer. Three stuffed swans in his reading room which he had first in his pool till they all died. Plus Rhinos, Lions, Pumas. Not sure if they were all real but some yes.

He also was fascinated about wooden walking sticks. He had a great collection of them. From many different cultures, still remaining in the house.

Looking at all this stuff from a 2021 perspective it indeed left a bitter colonial taste. But Dali does not seem as a guy who would care.

He actually had a mirror placed near the window in an angle that would reflect the sunlight, immediately after rising over the ocean, straight into his face. Dali wanted to be the first person in the country that gets the sunlight on his skin. Humble!

He also kept a Cricket in a small tiny cage near his bed because he liked the sound of it. Alright!

Last but not least: Dali was nothing without Gala. He admired her and when his great muse and artist herself, died in 1982, Dali left his coastline House abruptly and moved to Castle de Castello and never came back to the house.

…

Costa Brava definitely left a sweet taste in our minds and tummies. Nevertheless we took a ferry from Barcelona to Sardinia.

Chapter 2
Sardinia
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November doesn't always seem to be the best time to travel Sardinia if you like it dry and sunny. But we won't let a bit of rain and storm get to us.

Modus Operandi – rain jacket instead of swimming trunks, mountains instead of beaches, accommodations instead of tent, ginger tea instead of Spritz. But Vermentino and Ichnusa does the job!

We've trundled from northern Sardinia (Porto Torres) across the east coast to the south near Cagliari, Sardinia's capital. During this time we developed a pronounced, almost pathological dependency on various weather apps to find any dry or even sunny loopholes in the weather report. Unfortunately, a fairly persistent rain and thunderstorm low was brewing over the east coast and somehow stuck there. Otherwise we would probably have circumnavigated the island twice. We just had to flee to accommodation for several days and endure it. But we discovered beautiful corners of Sardinia that otherwise would have remained concealed.

We spent a few days in Siniscola in the countryside with arguably the best hostess ever. Pina spoiled us with literally the sweetest breakfast and her homemade, traditional pastries while we communicated via Google translate, sat by the fireplace listening to her record collection and hers stroking donkeys.

A few days later we drove further inland into the mountains to Oliena, an old nuragic village in the province of Nuoro (nuraghi were an ancient people of farmers and shepherds who settled in Sardinia during the Bronze Age, whose typical stone houses and towers are partially preserved to this day).

In this area you can make fantastic hikes - we are e.g. climbed Monte Corrasi at 1460m, which was beautiful and also quite adventurously slippery after it got wet again on the descent.

From the mountains we then drove - in the hope of milder temperatures - back to the coast to Cala Gonone, which is on the edge of a large mountainous national park on the Gulf of Orosei and was again super nice for hiking - natural cliffs, caves, grottos - and probably full of German hiking tourists during the high season. The sea was extremely wild and the waves were quite high for the east coast, which is otherwise known to be very calm, and the wind howled in our ears - North Sea feeling!

When we got into heavy rain for several hours on the pass road through the national park at 1100m, we both almost lost courage and our fingers froze. The weather almost managed to break our limitless optimism, but: no chance!

At the end of such rides, even after miles of extremely abrasive rocky-sandy mountain bike trails and after a few punctures and breakdowns, you are fortunately always rewarded with very special places, views and places to sleep.

For us, Sardinia has so far been a place of personal extremes and superlatives when it comes to bicycle travel. And this is what we love about it!

Chapter 3
Cabo de Gata & Gorafe Desert
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Cabo the Gata lies in the southeast corner of Spain. It is a fairly sparsely populated, mostly nature-protected, mountainous coastal region with countless bays, small beaches, sparse vegetation and a few small villages. Close to Agua Amarga we were spontaneously invited to stay in a very special old stone house. Instead of electricity, there were kerosene lamps, open fires and lots of stars. A unique and peaceful place.

In any case, this area has fallen out of time and seems almost untouched by any capitalist tourist pleasures - a beautiful spot that attracts many hippies and dropouts.

Our route then took us past Almeria, from where Spain's largest tomato plantations stretches towards the southern coast. Even before that, we drove past kilometers of tomato plantations covered with thick plastic film and wondered how the very water-intensive irrigation of the plants can take place in this fart-dry piece of land. Anyone who has ever grown tomatoes knows how thirsty they are. We always felt a bit uneasy when we drove past these plantations - not only because of the very characteristic smell that creeps into your nose - a mixture of sweet and sour fermentation, burnt plastic, dog food and old fish - is that how the fertilizer smells? pesticides? It is at least evident that here, at the expense of nature and the surrounding areas, which are truly drained, our tomato consumption is ensured in an unsustainable way during the winter. Germany is Almeria's largest sales market for tomatoes and peppers, although fortunately more and more natural pest control is being used and meanwhile at least 39% of the tomatoes are organically grown.

Nevertheless, the water problem remains. In addition, there is the fact that numerous people who have fled from North Africa work on the plantations for very little wages and live under sometimes adverse conditions in camps near the plantations. We decided to leave the coast and head further inland. Into the mountains where altitude and better views are waiting for us.

Chapter 2
Shimanami Kaido, Hiroshima and Kurokawa Onsen
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Passing by Takamatsu and Imabari, we took the Shimanami Kaido cycling trail. This scenic route takes cyclists across a series of islands in the Seto Inland Sea, connected by a network of stunning suspension bridges.

We cycled through charming coastal towns, past lush greenery, and along pristine beaches, stopping to admire the panoramic views and take in the salty sea breeze.

Our next destination on the way was Hiroshima, a somber reminder of the devastation caused by the atomic bomb. The Peace Memorial Park and Museum left a lasting impression on us as we learned about the horrors of war. But Hiroshima isn't just about its tragic past – we also enjoyed exploring the lively streets, trying out local delicacies like Okonomiyaki and Oysters, and taking in the views of the tranquil Seto Inland Sea.

Chapter 4
From Busan to Seoul
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We arrived in Busan and spent a few days exploring the city before starting our journey towards Seoul. We decided to follow the "4 Rivers Bike Path" a popular route that runs alongside the country's major rivers.

The trail was well-maintained and had plenty of rest stops, making it an enjoyable (but honetly sometimes a bit boaring) ride.

We passed through lush green countryside, charming small towns, and bustling cities along the way.

One of the main challenges was actullay the heat. 32 degress with 90% humidity felt like sitting in an onsen again. The only way to cool down was to cycle fast. The head wind did its part.

As we made our way towards Seoul, we encountered a few challenges, including steep hills and unpredictable weather, but persevered all the way. In those months, we experienced mind-blowing nature, the most delicious food, and the warmest hospitality on earth. We survived without accidents or sickness and just felt great and happy to have accomplished our first great cycling journey.