Tag: Hiking

• How Are You…Really?

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on March 24, 2020

  I have two trips I want to share – one from the end of February, and one from just a week and a half ago, but in light of what’s going on right now in the world I think I will save those and write a post about “real” life. Before all this corona stuff I was wanting to write a little life update anyway, but I just continued to have travel posts (wow, rough life) and never got around to posting a feelings and emotions post.

  So grab a cuppa coffee, and let’s chat about the nitty gritty. 

  

  This past winter hit me harder than I anticipated it would. We all struggle a bit more during the winter months, but I think being in a place where I don’t have family, and only have a couple friends to lean on made it harder for me. January marked one year of living in Germany, and while the time flew fast, it also moved like molasses at the same time.

  

  One of the few snow falls this winter.

  I think it goes hand in hand with me loosening my diet (and gaining 15 pounds) causing some extra loneliness and more isolation, mixed with the dark months and less movement. I still traveled once a month, but even the travel felt wrong. I know I am not alone in the winter blues, I am just hoping I can shake them soon.

  In September I made a goal to eat more food, move my body less, and free my mind a bit in an attempt to correct a five year struggle with hypothalamic amenorrhea. In layman’s terms that means I didn’t have a period for five years. I was determined to balance my hormones and get my period back, and in December it came back.

  Eating what I wanted was OK at first, but I’ve been feeling really unwell for a while now. Food allergies are food allergies despite the motive for eating more freely. 

  

  

  I’m stoked that I have had a consistent period for five months now, but I need to find a better way to accomplish this. I knew I was playing with fire by being extra loose with my diet, but my body can only handle so much. Food aside, I think ultimately it’s time for me to move on from working in a fast paced, high stress environment.

  My body just doesn’t like this type of work, nor does my mind.

  Due to the corona virus the hotel I work at has officially shut down for a month, but I anticipate it will be closed longer than a month. I also anticipate going back to the states soon, and at first this saddened me, but I feel ready. I can’t seem to shake this funk I am in and I think my body is telling me it’s burned out, and it’s time for a rest.

  

  With spring just around the corner, the weather in Bavaria has been amazing. It bounces between sun and clouds, but the sun has been dominating lately. I’ve been trying to get outside more and ride my bike, especially because I don’t know how much longer I have to enjoy these amazing bike paths.

  Sometimes getting on my bike and zoning out for a few hours is the medicine I need for the day. 

  

  

  

  

  I’m still working (minimal hours) doing tasks that can be done with a closed resort. Thankfully my parents taught me the power of saving money and I am in no way hurting for funds, but I am finding myself with a lot more free time. Free time is ok, but when it’s paired with social distancing it becomes harder.

  Even for an introvert like me. 

  It’s an odd reality for me, I thrive being alone, but the rules and restrictions that come with this pandemic (rightfully so) have me craving human connections more than normal. I’m really trying to sit with the discomfort that is coming during this time instead of masking it with food. I’ve been having counseling sessions with the U.S. chaplain that works nearby, and they have been so helpful for me.

  Of course, biking always helps too.

  

  My bike was likely one of the best purchases I made while living in Germany, it quickly became my best friend and opened so many doors for me while I was “home” in Garmisch. I don’t run anymore, and while I still hike it doesn’t happen as much. Biking has been a lower impact way for me to still move my body without causing a Sjogren’s flare up.

  The flare ups still happen, but far less often from this kind of movement. 

  

  At the end of the day, I am feeling weird. I know a big change is coming and that’s hard for me to deal with. The last year of living this lifestyle has been nothing short of life changing, and soon I will leave the only people who understand what I’ve been through. I deal with this often, because most people don’t pick up their lives and move so nomadically like I do, but just because I am used to it doesn’t make it any easier.

  On the flip side I am excited to start traveling the right way again. Never will I ever travel like I have the last year. I regret nothing, but the quickness and fast turn around of the travels I have done were too much. Being on a trip, and stressing about planning another trip is just ridiculous. There is such a thing as “too much” even with traveling.

  

  With that said, I am obviously not traveling right now with corona running rampant all over the world. I am literally taking one day at a time, enjoying the area I live at the base of the alps, and trying to find small pockets of peace throughout each day. I feel really empty right now, more so after the world started to shut down, but this is part of life.

  We can’t have the highs without the lows. 

  I miss my family more than I thought I would, and I am wanting to go home. I feel like I am in a catch 22 because I want to go, but I also don’t want to travel overseas. I literally feel stuck, and while I know I am safe where I am I worry about something happening to my family. I’ve not experienced this type of emptiness in regards to my family since I was young, and I’m not sure how to process my emotions.

  For now, I have my Garmisch family to lean on. From 6ft away. 🙂

  

  Photo taken just before the social distance rule.

  

  ON A LIGHTER and completely unrelated note, at the end of February I went out after dark and the world didn’t stop turning. It was time for Fasching in Germany, and this year I decided to go out and dance with the locals. I even drank some gin. Who am I? You can read more about the Fasching history here.

  Along with the celebration, people dress up similar to Halloween. My roommate MaryBeth and I went to the thrift store two days before the event, found two hats, and went as Balto and Pikachu. I think my new calling is to be a professional face painter.

  

  

  This was meant to show off my painting skills, and I don’t know how it turned into this.

  

  

  Thankful for these humans in these weird, unknown times. This late night celebration made me feel like I felt when I was in my early 20’s. I felt free, and I realized I can and should do what I can to keep my body healthy, but I cannot live in a bubble. Sometimes we have to let our hair down (maybe a bad analogy for my hair…) and live life.

  We never know when the life as we know it will drastically change. 

  My sessions with the chaplain are challenging me to tell people how I feel…really. This will be a continuous work in progress for me, but this blog has always been a safe space for me to spill my heart. Thank you to those who have continued to read my rambles, writing truly is cathartic for me and when people read what I have to say I feel heard…really.

  

  Bavaria is on lockdown, but we can still bike and hike alone. I’ve had years of practice with this.

  I know everyone is struggling from this limbo we’re in right now, but it helps to know I’m not alone. For now, I am still in Germany and don’t know when I will be coming home. One day, one hour, one minute at a time.

  Q: How are you…really?

  

  | 29 Comments Tagged Biking, Brittanys Life Abroad, Fasching, Garmisch, Hiking

• Exploring Edinburgh

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on March 16, 2020

  Day three in Scotland was spent exploring Edinburgh. I visited some new to me places, as well as places I had been before. Pam and I started the day with a tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a new to me location where the Queen spends her time when she is in Scotland. The weather was nice while walking to Holyrood, and continued to stay nice with breaks of sun when we finished with our tour.

  

  

  

  From here I ventured off solo to climb up to Arthurs Seat, something I wanted to do last time I visited Edinburgh, but did not have time for. I gave myself a window of three hours, which turned out to be two hours too many. The sky was clear as I began heading up the hill, but the higher I got the sketchier the path became.

  There were spots of thick ice, so I literally grabbed onto bushes and climbed up the sides of the path. This seems to be a theme for me. 

  

  Then with the snap of a finger, the weather changed for the worse. I was more than halfway to the top and I’m too stubborn to quit, so I kept going. By the time I made it to the top the snow was so heavy I felt like I was in a small blizzard. Had I not been surrounded by handfuls of other idiots like me, I would have been more concerned.

  

  

  

  Needless to say, I didn’t have a summit view and I didn’t stay at the top longer than a minute. I snapped a photo of the summit marker and quickly scooted back down unsure if the weather would continue to get worse. When I say scooted, I literally mean scooted. I crab walked down the path sliding as I went and laughing to myself imagining how ridiculous I looked.

  

  Alas, in typical Scotland weather fashion the storm blew through in less than an hour, and the remainder of the day was dry with sun breaks. I was annoyed at first, but then I realized this just gave me yet another excuse to return to Scotland. As if I needed a reason to return, I’ll go back and climb this again in nicer weather.

  

  

  After this true Scottish adventure, I headed back towards the Royal Mile to find Pam. We (and by we I mean ME) needed Kaffee und Kuchen, aka a German afternoon tradition of coffee and cake. I knew exactly where I wanted to go, it was a place I had been once before.

  A place with delicious cake, hot espresso, and one of the birthplaces of a famous novel series you might have heard of. 

  

  The Elephant House is a fun cafe in Edinburgh, known for being one of the birthplaces of Harry Potter. I came for the history of the cafe, and stayed for the delicious cake. After filling our veins with sugar and caffeine we spent more time walking around the city.

  

  

  

  

  

  Around 1600 Pam and I split off again and I ventured towards Calton Hill to watch the sunset.

  

  

  For dinner, Pam and I had another grocery store picnic date in the hotel we were staying. My dinner included grilled chicken, veggies, and hummus, as well as a new to me food that Pam bought for me on our way to The Elephant House earlier in the day. I’d heard of Scotch Eggs before, but wasn’t sure what they were exactly.

  After being in the U.K for four days without consuming ANY black pudding, this was the perfect opportunity. 

  

  

  Basically this is a hard boiled egg, wrapped in black pudding, and fried. Wow. Just wow. This was literally one of the best things I have ever eaten. My tastebuds danced like sugar plum faeries. (I’ve been doing better lately eating any and everything and handling the repercussions without spiraling. I used to get extreme anxiety if I felt my autoimmune disease flare up from something I ate, but now I just let it pass. It always passes.)

  This was a great trip to Scotland with even better company, and a perfect way to welcome turning 31. I hope to continue the tradition of spending my third decade of life in Europe for my birthday. 

  

  I’m still just as in love with the U.K as I was the first time I visited in 2017. Something about this area of Europe makes me feel calm, and this trip was a long time coming for my friend Pam and I. Sometimes the universe brings people into your life you’d never expect, and Pam is that person for me. What started as a “business relationship” (I watch her adorable kitty) turned into a friendship I will cherish forever.

  Thank you to Pam for spending my birthday with me, and for coming all the way to Scotland. 

  Q: Do you have an unexpected friendship like Pam and I? 

  

  | 18 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Coffee, Edinburgh, Harry Potter, Hiking

• Into the (Black) Forest I Go, to Loose My Mind and Find My Soul

  Posted at 5:00 PM by Brittany, on November 12, 2019

  Two weekends ago one of my coworkers and I realized we had the same days off and decided to spend a night in the Black Forest. The main goal for the weekend was to visit the worlds largest pumpkin festival near Stuttgart, but more on that in my next post. We decided to make it a weekend trip and spend a day in the Black Forest, and then a day at the pumpkin festival.

  

  The Black Forest is is a mountainous region in southwest Germany, known for its dense forests and Brothers Grimm fairytale like villages. Our original plan was to spend a day hiking, but after we arrived we realized our idea of what the Black Forest was, was different than what it really was. How many more times can I say the word “was?”

  

  I left it to Google when finding a trail, which was a mistake. I saw there was a trail that took us to the “highest part of the Black Forest” and naturally that’s where I wanted to go. Come to find out this was just a short trail because most of the ascent is driven up a well paved, two way road. The views at the top were nice, but not what I expected.

  We saw a beautiful lake along the way, called Titisee, and enjoyed the view before leaving to find our Air B & B. 

  

  We started at the south end of the forest, and made our way up north. As we drove more into the central and northern part of the forest we discovered more random trails. The forest became more dense, and the roads became more windy. I didn’t expect the Black Forest to be as populated as it was, but essentially it’s just another area in Germany that happens to have more forests around.

  

  

  Our Air B & B was in a town called Gengenbach, and this location was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. Although our plans to “hike” in the Black Forest didn’t come though, we discovered an area with gorgeous landscapes and small hills to climb. We chose the Air B & B based off the eclectic photographs online, and I can’t think of a better word to describe this place.

  

  

  The location was essentially someones house, with a large backyard. Within the backyard were three tiny houses, each one different. My friend and I stayed in one with a queen bed, small fridge, heater, and a TV. The house behind ours was occupied by one older woman, and the house across from ours held a family of four (two adults and two kids.)

  Because the tiny houses were so tiny, they did not have separate bathrooms. We all shared a bathroom (in its own shipping container like room), and the photos of this bathroom online are what sold me on the place. It looked like something out of Harriet the Spy, in this scene where she is in the wind-chime garden. Harriet the Spy was my favorite movie when I was a wee lass.

  

  The colored pencil fence…are you joking!? I love. This place was so much fun, and everything about it felt like a repurposed paradise. It was overgrown with bushes, including edible vegetable plants, it had a bar with locals that came to drink in the backyard, it had a rusted old chair swing to relax on, and I loved everything about it.

  

  The communication with our host wasn’t the best, and not because of the language barrier, but simply because they were hard to find/call. I was bummed by this, but the man that owned the house made up for it the following morning when he hand delivered pretzels from a local bakery to all the tiny houses. I was outside enjoying a cuppa when he swung by.

  

  The day we arrived we had enough daylight left to explore the town a bit, so we walked towards a hill we saw when driving in. The hill sucked us in with its many striations and multi colored patches. I’m still not certain what the vines were that grew on these hills, but we enjoyed weaving in and out of them anyway.

  

  

  

  

  We sat at the top for a bit before heading into the city center for a quick look around, and a bite to eat. Along the way we found more interesting places that fit well with the unique vibe of our Air B & B. We found an abandoned child play park that looked like something out of a Stephen King novel, we found a mini zoo in a public space with sheep, goats, chickens, and most random of all – emus?

  We found the city surrounded by a wall, but upon arrival inside the wall the central area was adorable, with quintessential German buildings. 

  

  We got pizza from a local shop, and came back to the warmth of our tiny room to enjoy it before bed. The following morning (after coffee, a shower, and some slow moving packing) we headed to one more spot in the forest before making our way to the pumpkin festival. We stopped at Baumwipfelpfad, the treetop walk above the forest.

  

  This entire area was unreal, with multiple options for forest adventure, but we settled on the above spiral climb. From here we were able to see a panoramic view of the dense, colorful forest below us. This cost us ten euros each, and for an additional 2 euros there is a slide towards the top of the spiral that anyone can slide down. We didn’t want to pay to slide, but it looked like a fun time.

  

  

  Our trip to the Black Forest was not what we expected, but it was a wonderful and relaxing reality. I not only hope to return to the forest, but I hope to return to Gengenbach, to the tower area, and to some of the hiking trails near the north. Shoutout to my friend Melody who took all the photos of me in this post.

  The quality of her dSLR photos vs. my cell phone photos are night and day! 

  

  Q: Would you enjoy staying in a garden oasis tiny house, or would you rather have a hotel room with a private bathroom?

  

  | 11 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany, Hiking, The Black Forest

• You Win Some, You Loose Some

  Posted at 5:00 PM by Brittany, on November 8, 2019

  The weather in Bavaria is slowly starting to change, and there is already snow on some of the surrounding mountains. I am not a snow hiker, and while I have been loving bike rides more than hiking lately, I made sure to get in a couple more hikes before the snow covers everything it touches.

  Please don’t skip fall though, it’s my favorite. 

  

  There is a mountain right behind where I live that I have been eyeing everyday since I arrived. The mountain is called The Kramer, and it’s one of the more intermediate hikes. This meant I didn’t want to hike it solo, and it took a while to find someone with a free schedule to hike with. They say wisdom comes with age, and I have to say it’s true.

  I used to venture off on solo hikes regardless of the terrain, and now I am more conscious of my safety. (My parents will appreciate this.)

  

  It’s a good thing too, because this hike was SK-ET-CH! Granted, we (my roommate and I) went on a day it was raining (which isn’t typically a big deal for me) with limited visibility. We also planned to go the “easier” route, but discovered it was closed that day. I’m not usually one to give up easily, so we decided to go the “harder” route.

  How bad could it be?

  

  Long story short: I almost cried because I was so scared. The trail itself wasn’t overly difficult physically, but the higher we got, the steeper the drop offs on the side were. The trail was made up of loose rocks most of the way, and one wrong move meant a slip and slide to death. OK, so I’m being dramatic, but it was honestly scary at times.

  So much so, that we made it about 700ft from the summit and decided to call it quits. It got to the point where it was no longer enjoyable. We were both feeling uneasy about the path (perhaps in better weather it would be ok) and decided to turn around.

  The hike took us nearly nine hours, mostly due to moving so slow at the top because we were literally crawling. 

  

  Where we turned around.

  Although we were only a handful of feet from the top, it would have likely taken another 45-60 minutes. We got back down and it was dark by the time we made it home, so it was a good thing we turned around when we did. I plan to try this hike again, but not in shit weather, and not from this side of the mountain.

  All drama aside, I was really proud of myself on this hike. Not for my physical accomplishments, but for my mental accomplishments. This is the first hike I’ve not finished where I didn’t feel an overwhelming sense of guilt. When I first started hiking frequently in 2014, not summiting wasn’t an option. The summit was the goal.

  These days I try to enjoy the journey and the company more than the summit. I felt such emotional strength to not only accept defeat, but be proud of my decision to turn around.

  

  Don’t let our smiles fool you, this was right before we turned around and were mentally preparing for the butt scooting on the way down.

  Another hike I didn’t officially summit here was back in April, when I thought it would be a good idea to attempt to climb the Wank when there was still snow on the mountain. I thought I was closer to the summit than I actually was, but because I didn’t officially reach the cross (there was far too much snow and it was impossible to get to) I knew I needed to hike this one again.

  

  Summit elevation: 1780m

  

  We had an unexpected nice day in Bavaria a bit ago, so a group of seven of us decided to hike the Wank to take advantage of the weather. Three of the people and I worked with at Yellowstone last summer, and we hadn’t spent much time together since arriving in Germany.

  We all arrived at different times (I’ve been here the longest, and one just arrived last month) and this was a great hike together. 

  

  The view from the summit of the Wank is unbelievable. I have been making an effort to sit and savor more when I reach a summit/reach a destination I physically worked to reach. I used to hit a summit, and sit for maybe 15 minutes before leaving. It would sometimes take hours to reach the summit, why wouldn’t I appreciate it more??

  

  Cross marks the top.

  

  We hiked the Wank after work, and we were some of the last people at the top. We stayed at the top for about an hour before heading back down. The sun was setting by the time we were halfway down, providing a beautiful contrast to the surrounding mountains.

  

  Sometimes we win some, and sometimes we loose some. I “lost” the summit on the Kramer, but I won the summit on the Wank. I lost the summit of the Wank back in April, which just means I will win the summit of the Kramer at another time. It’s ok to stop, step back, and reevaluate things.

  It’s ok to readjust and plan for a better route – whether it’s on a hike, or anything else in life. 

  I catch myself cringing when I tell people how old I am, but I think it’s partly because I am surrounded by people younger than me. Truthfully, I am so happy to be out of my 20’s and being 30 is freaking awesome. I am wiser, I am stronger (mentally), and I am caring less and less what others think about me as each day passes. Life lessons make a bit more sense these days, and for that I love being in this decade of life.

  Q: How do you handle situations like my Kramer experience?

  

  | 14 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany, Hiking, Kramer, Wank

• Kreuzeck

  Posted at 5:00 PM by Brittany, on November 6, 2019

  I am finding that despite having a handful of things I want to blog about, I sometimes struggle actually getting around to writing the posts. This post for example, is about a hike I went on in early fall. It is now nearing the end of fall. Blame it on the brain fog, or the fatigue, or the lack of motivation, but better late than never.

  

  One of my favorite things about the hikes in Bavaria, are these plaques found at the summit. If the hike has a Hütte at the top, there are plaques on the side indicating the summit elevation. This plaque is from a mountain behind where I live called the Kreuzeck, and it sits at an elevation of 1652m.

  This summit was interesting, and at first I wasn’t convinced I had hit the top at all.

  

  Summits are also indicated by some kind of cross, as if by the grace of God you made it to the top of a mountain. I love the crosses at the top, and for someone that struggled with chronic fatigue for many years, (and still does sometimes) anytime I make it to the top of a mountain I am thankful. The cross is a good reminder for me to thank God for all that I am capable of.

  I am also thankful for all the mountain friends I find along the way. Sheep, and goats, and cows, OH MY!

  

  Despite seeing the cross, I wasn’t convinced I had hit the summit. The summit of the Kreuzeck isn’t an obvious one like most hikes here, it’s more of a flat ground with other summits towering around it. This made me wonder if I had actually hit the summit, or if one of the surrounding peaks was the summit.

  I stopped into one of the two Hütte’s at the top to ask if this was the summit of the Kreuzeck, and a lovely Germany woman confirmed I was in fact at the top of the Kreuzeck. A bit anticlimactic, but the hike was beautiful none the less.

  

  I hiked this with one of my friends and we started a little later in the day, which meant darkness was close by. After walking up some surprisingly steep areas (despite the lower elevation of the overall summit) we decided to take the cable car back down instead of hiking down. This cable car only has a round trip ticket, which was annoying, but it was still cool to ride in.

  My first German alps cable car ride. 

  

  (Source)

  The hike up was fairly quick, it took us under two hours to summit. We hung around the top for a bit hanging out with some of the summit locals. At the top there is a chicken coup next to one of the Hütte’s. All the chickens were roaming free, but one chicken in particular looked as if he were picked on by the others.

  I don’t know what came over me, but seeing him missing feathers and looking a bit rough made me cry. LOL. I just imagined the other chickens plucking at him, and then I went down a momentary black hole of apology for eating so much chicken. My inner vegan was screaming to come back out, but then I had to remember why I started eating meat again in the first place.

  Point being, despite how long it’s been I still struggle with eating meat sometimes. 

  

  

  Chicken coups aside, the view from Adolf-Zöppritz-Haus (the Hütte at the top) was beautiful. We hiked on a day with overcast, but the clouds cleared just enough to provide a view of the valley below. And just like that, I checked another Bavarian summit off my list. Winter is coming fast, and I have another hike from the summer to share in my next post, but I don’t know if I’ll be doing much more hiking in Germany until spring.

  

  Q: Would you rather hike up and cable car down, or cable car up and hike down? Definitely hike up for me. I gotta work for my ride down! 

  

  | 8 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Garmisch, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Hiking

• Höllentalklamm

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on October 3, 2019

  Although in my last post I mentioned I’ve been biking more than hiking lately, I still get out and hike once in a while. The mountains surrounding where I live in Garmisch are too amazing not to explore. I was lucky enough to have a day off with BOTH of my roommates a bit ago, and I convinced them to hike the Höllentalklamm with me.

  

  There are two Klamm’s in Garmisch, the Höllentalklamm and the Partnachklamm, and I’ve now been to both. Klamm translates to a few words such as “clammy”, “damp”, and “gorge.” The Höllentalklamm is a gorge that is both damp AND clammy, which made this a great activity on a rainy day.

  

  Backyard path towards the Klamm.

  Our end goal was the Höllentalangerhütte, which is a bit further than the end of the Klamm. The walk from where we live to the beginning of the Klamm is about 4.5 miles, and from the beginning of the Klamm to the Höllentalangerhütte it’s about 1.2 miles, so we walked 5.7 miles from where we live, through the Klamm area, to the Hütte.

  

  

  The Höllentalklamm is a bit less crowded than the Partnachklamm, likely because it takes about an hour just to hike to the entrance. I didn’t mind this, because while I enjoy hiking with others around, I don’t enjoy an overly crowded path.

  

  It was a light drizzle the day we went, but overall the weather was perfect. I prefer hiking in cooler temps because I tend to overheat easily. The Klamm itself was cool, but I enjoyed what came after the Klamm more. Hiking to and through the Klamm is good for families as it’s not too intense.

  It costs 5 euros to walk through, but if you wanted to skip the Klamm and visit just the Hütte there is an alternate route. 

  

  

  We stopped for a moment to enjoy some lunch at the end of the Klamm before walking the remaining 45 minutes or so to the Hütte. The Hütte is a popular destination for those hiking the Zugspitze, Germanys tallest mountain. Hikers often do this hike in two days, stopping at a Hütte along the way for a night.

  I would love to stay in this Hütte just to explore the area! 

  

  Lunch views.

  

  After my roomies enjoyed a beer, and I enjoyed the view, we made our way back home. I couldn’t have asked for a better day off with two of my favorite girls. I enjoyed the Höllentalklamm a bit more than the Partnachklamm, but either one is a great choice for an adventure in Bavaria.

  

  Q: Would you rather camp along the way on a multi day hike, or stay in a mountain hut? 

  

  | 7 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany, Gorge, Hiking

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on August 26, 2019

  1. Wow. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done one of these confession posts. I was looking through old blogs I’d written, and reminded myself how much I enjoy these. I also reminded myself of a lot of things, like how I used to live my life without restrictions. Change is hardest when you don’t have a choice.

  2. My favorite thing about Bavaria in the summer is all the cows on the trails. I want one.

  

  

  

  

  3. I enjoy riding my bike, but sometimes I honestly wish I had my car. After a long day and a long week at work, the last thing I want to do is bike to get groceries. It’s exhausting.

  4. I’ve found myself in a funk the last couple weeks. Could have been the revisiting of old blogs, or the physical exhaustion, I’ve just been admittedly down about my food restrictions. I know acceptance is the key to happiness, but some days I’m just O-V-E-R it.

  

  

  Didn’t eat any of this, but how beautiful is this German charcuterie board?

  

  5. I love living in Germany, but I’m burned out with my job.

  6. I bought a dirndl and wore it out in public, but I was extremely uncomfortable in it for the first hour. I typically hide my body in loose clothing, so this was hard for me.

  

  

  My amazing roommates and I.

  

  

  

  7. I got my haircut by a woman that didn’t speak english, but we made it work. I then botched it by cutting more myself. I will never learn.

  8. A little while back I went for an after work hike on a mountain called the Eckbauer. The weather was perfect when we started, but by the time we hit the summit the thunder and lightening hit and my anxiety reared up like a horse that saw a snake.

  I don’t like being in situations where I have no control (who does) and this made me nervous. Be that as it may, I still had a great time with the two girls I was with, and the mountains were gorgeously moody.

  

  

  

  9. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing that the highlight of my week was officially becoming a regular at the German shop I buy roasted chicken from.

  10. When my dad and step mom visited from the States last month, we spent their last day in Munich. We took a five hour bike tour which was fantastic, and I had a small crush on our tour guide. He wasn’t overly attractive, but he was from Ireland and all he had to do was speak. It was game over after his first word.

  I love the Irish accent so much, I still found him attractive after I saw him smoke. Who am I…

  

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 22 Comments Tagged Bike, Brittanys Life Abroad, Early Morning Confessions, Germany, Hiking

• Appenzell, Switzerland – Pt. 2

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 9, 2019

  My second day of hiking in Switzerland was a stark difference in weather than my first day. There wasn’t a rain cloud in sight, and the sun was shining so bright I was anticipating a sunburn. Thankfully my days of willingly scorching my skin are a thing of orange skinned past, and these days I lather myself with sunscreen, wear long sleeves, and hats.

  Hi my name is Brittany, and I’ve become my father.

  

  OK, so my head got hot and I took my hat off for a bit.

  We were planning to leave Appenzell around 2 in the afternoon, which left a few hours for a smaller hike. We took a different trail than the previous day, but ended up back at Seealpsee, the magical alpine lake. I was happy to see the lake on a sunny day, and the trail we took to get there was absolutely mind blowing.

  

  

  

  

  Each corner we walked around provided a different view, and each one was better than the last. We passed by a house about 40 minutes up the mountain selling fresh milk and butter. The house had goats, chickens, and a proud guard dog out front. The goats ended up running across the path to eat the grass and we stood with them for a good ten minutes watching them eat.

  

  The trail to the lake also had cows galore, and we discovered how to walk through the electric fences without shocking ourselves. And by we, I mean me. Despite the fact that I don’t normally hike well in heat, I felt really good after about 30 minutes on this hike. I was purging toxins out of my sweat like it was my job, and I was full of energy. For someone that struggles with fatigue, whenever I feel great it’s almost worthy of tears.

  Dramatic. 

  The cows, the hills, the mountains, and the solidarity of Appenzell had me lusting for a life in Switzerland. Near the lake there was a house, and as I walked by a man came out and waved to me. I imagined what it would be like to live on that piece of land with cows, my cat, and my transplanted Irish/or Scottish husband.

  

  

  After we found our way to the lake, we walked the entire circumference before starting our descent back to the car. The reflection of the mountains on the water looked like something out of a Thomas Kinkade photo.

  

  It’s been almost a month since my trip to Switzerland, and it still holds the top spot of any place I’ve been thus far. I will surely be back, and while I’d like to visit the bigger cities, I want to spend more time in the quiet mountain towns. What I love about hiking is that I can shut my brain off. It’s very meditative, and all my unrealistic thoughts fade away.

  

  

  I’m realizing lately I no longer enjoy hiking alone as much. My parents are going to love reading that, but ultimately I am finding that sharing a hike with someone I enjoy spending time with makes the hike that much more enjoyable. I started hiking alone because I didn’t want to wait for others, or because I didn’t want to sit around just because no one wanted to go, but then I kept hiking alone because I liked going at my own pace.

  

  I still very much need my solo hikes at times, and going at my own pace is unbeatable, but after hiking at my own pace, but WITH other people on this Switzerland trip I realized there are other options for an enjoyable time with others. Basically I’m turning soft and all my posts for the next while are going to be related to needing human interaction.

  Whod’a thunk. 

  I guess I’m not so dead inside after all, I just need to find the right people to spend my time with. Life has a funny way of showing us things we need when we are ready to see them. Big thanks to my roommate for an amazing weekend getaway that I still daydream about, I can’t wait to see where we go next! Until then, enjoy this AWESOME short video my roommate made of part of our trip. (0:22-0:27 are from Liechtenstein.)

  I don’t think I make a normal face once in this video. LOL.

  Q: Do you prefer hiking alone, with others, or with others but at your own pace? Big fan of with others but at my own pace, although sometimes I can’t let go of feeling like I’m too slow. Alas, the right people won’t care. ❤ 

  

  | 18 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Hiking, Switzerland

• My First German Summit

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 29, 2019

  I’ve been posting about my travels outside of Germany lately, but haven’t said much about my time spent IN Germany. It’s so easy for me to loose track of the beauty around me because anytime I have three days off (sometimes even just two) I’m looking at other countries I can travel to. It’s funny how Germany feels like “home” and just like when I’m back in Washington, I want to get away from my home and into the world.

  

  Contrary to popular belief, I DO work here. I work close to full time averaging around 35 hours a week, but I make it a priority to get out and away as much as I can. Something as simple as a walk (or soon a bike ride!) into town is a helpful reprieve and reminds me I am in another country. The hotel I work at is American, and after a few days of not leaving the American military bases I am in dire need of an escape. Hearing people speak German, or exploring the alps is all I need to recharge.

  I’ve managed to get into the surrounding mountains a few times, and as the snow continues to melt I look forward to my summer of hiking in my “hometown” of Garmisch. My first taste of the alps was a short 30ish minute hike to what we call “the swing.” I have been to the swing twice, and the second time I happened to meet a German guy admiring the view. He casually mentioned he built the swing, and has only ever met American’s at the hidden spot.

  

  

  After I visited the swing I explored more of the area nearby. I’m literally surrounded by mountains, but have mostly stuck to a mountain called the Kramer. I plan to summit the Kramer soon, but my first semi climb on the Kramer was to one of the many hütte’s in the alps. One thing I love about the German mountains is that they have hütte’s all over them, which are restaurant cafe’s where people stop for a bite, a beer, or a baked good.

  

  

  I made my way up to Sankt Martinshütte on one of my days off for a view of the city and a cup of tea. It was a moderate climb and felt good to dust off my heart muscle after a sedentary winter. Both the swing and Sankt Martinshütte are accessible by foot from the hotel I live in/work at, and there are so many other trails nearby that will be great for a day off or for an after work decompression.

  

  

  My third mountain adventure, and first official summit since living in Germany was on the Wank. The Wank is a bit further (will be easy to get to when I buy a bike), so I drove with some friends the first time I explored it, and took a bus the second time. The first time I went I didn’t summit, I just went up part way to Tannenhütte for a post work adventure. My friends had a drink, and I soaked up the views.

  

  

  After figuring out how to get to the Wank I felt comfortable going alone the second time so I could summit. I was a bit premature with this decision, because there was still quite a bit of snow at the top. I wore trail running shoes with minimal traction and was a bit scared coming back down, but I was too stubborn to turn back without hitting the top. I was the first of my coworkers (that I know of) to summit the Wank for the season, and three weeks later others started to make the Wank their first summit of the season too.

  Shameless brag. 

  

  

  

  I met two German women at the top that thought I was crazy for not having the right shoes or any trekking poles. The Wank is 5840ft with about 3500ft of elevation gain. I was surprised I hit the summit as easily as I did. It was a push, but I felt stronger than I expected. It was probably the waffles and coffee I splurged on for breakfast. Thanks to Alfred, I felt the push after my hike (and thanks to my breakfast choice) and was out of commission for a day or so, but these things are just a part of life with an autoimmune disease.

  

  

  

  At the top of the Wank there is a hütte called the Wankhaus. It was closed when I went because I went before it was open for the season, so I’ll have to return sometime for a tea. I tried to hike the Wank again a few weeks later, but my body was not having it. I only made it 1/3 of the way up and had to turn back. I had a small pity party and then had to get over it. The hardest part about living with Sjogrens is listening to my body when it tells me “no.”

  

  View from my bedroom, where I spend a good amount of time resting.

  Any movement is better than no movement, and I love how the German culture in Bavaria is very active. I love seeing the locals out walking the trails. Old, young, dogs, pointy ear squirrels – you name it. Regardless of age, people are out walking the flat and manageable trails and sometimes I need those reminders that it’s ok to not always climb UP a mountain, but walking around one is just as beneficial.

  Admittedly it can be hard not to compare my abilities now to my abilities before I was diagnosed with Sjogrens. Mentally I still want to run all the miles, and climb all the mountains, but physically I just don’t always have it in me. I feel lazy when I struggle, but my fatigue can be so bad it’s hard to put one foot in front of the other. When I push too hard my joints hurt, my back aches, my organs feel funny, my lungs struggle to get air in them, my skin breaks out in itchy rashes, and then I take days to recover.

  Alas, I will not quit I just have to moderate. Without the climbs, there are no amazing views. 

  

  View of Munich from St. Peters Church after climbing 300 steps.

  All this to say life is Germany is moving along. I’d be lying if I said it were easy, and most days I struggle with my health, but I’m doing the best I can for now. Bavaria is beautiful, and I’d be remiss not to make the most of my time here. One day at a time!

  Q: Do you listen to your body when it tells you it needs to rest?

  

  | 16 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Hike, Hiking, Solo Hike, Travel Abroad

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on May 1, 2018

  1. I finished. I’m done. I have a (debt free) bachelors of science in communication. I’m no longer a super, super, super, super senior!! The last two years have been dedicated to (finally) finishing college, but it hasn’t fully sunk in yet. #thanksstarbucks.

  

  2. My final week of college didn’t come without its trials. My laptop died the week I had a huge project due, and my final. Like 100% dead. It wouldn’t have been a big deal, but I needed multiple programs that were downloaded on that laptop. I ugly cried multiple times for the first time since I was in a relationship. #thisiswhyimsingle. 

  3. Everything happens for a reason, and since my laptop died before I was finished with college, I was able to use my college fund to buy a new laptop. A MacBook Pro to be exact. She is sexy as hell, but gave me mad anxiety when purchasing. Even though it was not my money being spent, I’m as frugal as they come and I got stress sweats from spending $2k on a laptop. #thanksmomanddad.

  

  4. This is my last week working for Starbucks. #allthefeels. 

  5. I went for three hikes last week. The third hike hurt and I felt like I was in the earthly version of hell. I think three was too much for my body, but the views were all stellar. #outofshape.

  

  Hike one I found my squad goals. All these men are ages 60-70.

  

  Hike two I found snowcapped mountains.

  

  Hike three I found my ego.

  6. I cried on the third hike for a solid two seconds before I told myself to get over it. Sometimes my mind (my ego) wants to do things my body can’t do. On that day my body could barely put one foot in front of the other. #humbled. 

  7. I tiptoed through the tulips for the second year in a row. Except this year the tulip fields were drowned by excessive rain and mud, so we drove around and found our own tulips to view from afar. #fofree

  

  

  8. I’ve been in a reaaalllyy good place with my physical health the last little while. I’ve been eating extremely high fat and low carb, including quality grass fed meats and my body is HUMMMINNGG with clarity. Basically meats, vegetables, and fats are what I’ve been eating. When you listen to your body, it rewards you. #everyBODYisdifferent.

  9. It was Hades hot in Washington last week. Most of us up north do not have AC, myself included, so when it’s above 75 I FEEEEEL it. I would have sold my first born child for a dip in Lake Crescent. #ioverheatQUICK

  

  Another photo from hike three.

  10. I’m happy to report I only had to return one pair of shoes to REI before finding the right ones. Against my better judgement I tried out a pair of hiking shoes that were ankle high. I took them on hike one last week, and it was immediate regret. So I took them back and got the same shoe….low top. #stickwithwhatyouknow.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 46 Comments Tagged Arizona State University, College, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, PNW, Starbucks

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• BRITTANY- Self proclaimed minimalist "granola" striving to maintain a balanced, healthy life with good food, long hikes, strong relationships, exploration, lots of broccoli, and laughing like it's my J.O.B. Currently living and working in Germany, join me on my adventures abroad!
• Contact: blissfulbritt@yahoo.com

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