This is Pascalcito standing in front of the broken car whilst our Europe Roadtrip.
My buddy Pascalcito and me had a great Idea. Our plan was to go on a Europe Roadtrip from Zürich to Barcelona. Visit a handful of cities on the way and then along the coast through Cannes, Nice, and Monaco.
Excited for this adventure we hit the road early in the morning. After driving a couple of hundred meters the engine started to make strange noises. Suddenly Pascalcito couldn’t speed up the car anymore, so we took the next exit. On the first traffic light we stopped white smoke appeared in front of us, puffing right out of the bonnet! Was this the end of our Europe Roadtrip?
We couldn't wish for a better start. We called the breakdown service. After a short investigation we had the bad news: the engine is bust.
Called a taxi and headed to the airport in Geneva. As you might know taxi prices in Switzerland are tremendous. We payed 230 US dollars to get from our break down location to the airport, which already is probably more expensive than flying directly to Barcelona.
Anyways, the only car left was a spacious family-van. We loaded the van with our luggage and went back on the road with no plans at all.
I filmed along the way and made a short film of our adventure, on the roads to Barcelona. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel
After an hour drive we stopped in a city called Annecy. This lovely little town is situated close to Geneva right by the lake “Lac d’Annecy” named after the city. after a turbulent start we slowed down and strolled through the beautiful old town. Cobblestone streets leading along old facades with wooden balconies stocked with flowers.
After four hours of driving we stopped in Nîmes, a city in the south of France. We were on the hunt for a restaurant to have dinner. After a good pizza prosciutto we explored the roman old town with its monuments and the impressive Arena.
The first city we really took our time to explore it for a few days because we were surprised by it’s pleasant atmosphere in the streets, delicious restaurants and fantastic architecture.
We made it over the spanish borders and dove right into a catalonian city called Girona. There is a river flowing through the city, crossed by several bridges and accompanied by colorful houses stacked on each other right besides the river. We tried to get up the city murals where you have a breathtaking view on the roofs of Girona.
Last but not least we had a stop in this lovely little town. Sunbathing in the bay of Calella, having a typical spanish paella and simply enjoying the goodlife.
A week of driving, exploring and having amazing meals, we made it to Barcelona. We were super excited to explore the city, parked the rental car and checked in to the hotel. more to come…
I hope you enjoyed this adventure with us on the road to Barcelona. The moral of the story is that even if we plan things properly, it can go wrong, nevertheless it's important to keep your cool. There is always a way and sometimes spontaneity can surprise you with great things in life.
Here is the video of our time spend in Barcelona:
Removed the electricity cable, the battery was full. Packed the camping chairs and left the caravan park in Geraldton. We were on the road for 3 hours and 45 minutes until we arrived Shell Beach Australia. On our way to the Shell Beach and the Shark bay area we drove a long time into the Outback. That means you better depart with a full gas tank. hours of driving without passing any town or roadhouse.
If you expect to see a beach like the copacabana in Rio you’re wrong. The Shell Beach is a beach in the middle of nowhere. As we arrived there was just another couple with a campervan leaving the place. Then we had the whole beach for ourselves. There are no food stands or beach chair vendors. It’s a beach out of dead shells as far as the eye can see. Shining bright in its pure beauty.
It might depend on the tide but at the time we visited the Shell Beach Australia the water was just knee deep in the first hundred meters in to the sea. This made it possible to run in the water which felt like running on the water! a great experience trust me. Keep in mind the water is extremely salty because the Shark Bay keps most of the water in the bay and the sun dries it out, what stays is the salt.
We rent a campervan from Apollo in Perth and went on a Western Australia Road Trip. After a short instruction we dropped our luggage in the back of the campervan, the tank was filled and we were ready to go. I was used to drive on the right side of the road so i had to get used to the left side driving in Australia. First we bought provisions and then we started this epic Western Australia Road Trip!
The Video on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel
1. Pinnacles Desert - Video
2. Shell Beach - Video
3. Monkey Mia Paradise - Video
4. Monkey Mia wild dolphin - Video
5. Eagle Bluff scenic lookout - Video
6. Coral Bay hidden Cliff - Video
7. Exmouth and the Cape Range National Park - Video
8. Quobba Blowhole - Video
9. Kalbarri Nationalpark - Video
10. Sandy Cape sand dunes - Video
11. Jurien Bay - Video
12. Hillarys Boat Harbour - Video
After leaving Perth we were on the road for 2 hours and 40 minutes until we arrived in the Nambung-Nationalpark. This is the National Park where you will find the Pinnacles in Australia. You pay a small fee to park right in front of the area where the pinnacles reach out of the ground. before leaving the van i checked if the batteries of my camera are still loaded, took a water out of the fridge and left to see this spectacle.
We just walked a few steps and already been attacked by hundreds of flies. They do no harm but can be pretty annoying. A huge surprise was, before we could leave the parking there were already two Kangaroos hopping around. For Australians this might not be a big deal but for me it was the first time i saw those animals in real life. that was a magical moment.
There are different theories how the Pinnacles in Australia arised. The most plausible theorie for me was that burned trees were covered in sand and turned into stone after hundreds of years.
It was a great experience to walk through this desert with its Pinnacles, all in different shape and size.
We rent a campervan from Apollo in Perth and went on a Western Australia Road Trip. After a short instruction we dropped our luggage in the back of the campervan, the tank was filled and we were ready to go. I was used to drive on the right side of the road so i had to get used to the left side driving in Australia. First we bought provisions and then we started this epic Western Australia Road Trip!
The Video on Youtube. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel
1. Pinnacles Desert - Video
2. Shell Beach - Video
3. Monkey Mia Paradise - Video
4. Monkey Mia wild dolphin - Video
5. Eagle Bluff scenic lookout - Video
6. Coral Bay hidden Cliff - Video
7. Exmouth and the Cape Range National Park - Video
8. Quobba Blowhole - Video
9. Kalbarri Nationalpark - Video
10. Sandy Cape sand dunes - Video
11. Jurien Bay - Video
12. Hillarys Boat Harbour - Video
We rent a campervan from Apollo in Perth and went on a Western Australia Road Trip. After a short instruction we dropped our luggage in the back of the campervan, the tank was filled and we were ready to go. I was used to drive on the right side of the road so i had to get used to the left side driving in Australia. First we bought provisions and then we started this epic Western Australia Road Trip!
You won’t need a GPS. The most difficult part is to get out of Perth or when you get back to Perth to return the campervan. The rentals are mostly not in the city center so it is also achievable to find your way in bigger cities without getting lost. As soon as you’re out of town there is mostly just one road which leads north or west in the outback. The only job will be to not miss the street signs for the gateway. You will find free roadmaps in the tourist information of perth and if not, buy one in a gas station.
Fill up your fuel tank. And never ride on the limit! Australia is not Europe. You will drive for hours without seeing any gas station or even a human being. So check on the map when you’ll leave to the outback and then fill up your fuel tank before you leave the last town. Trust me running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere can ruin your trip.
Buy the provisions in bigger towns or cities. The prices for groceries are a bit higher when your shop in smaller towns. Feel free to fill your fridge with raw food. In most of the caravan parks they provide gas bbq stations where you can cook like jamie does it. Make sure you hit the road with a full fresh water tank and one or two bottles of water cooled in the fridge.
The Video on Youtube about the Western Australia Road Trip. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel
1. Pinnacles Desert - Video
2. Shell Beach - Video
3. Monkey Mia Paradise - Video
4. Monkey Mia wild dolphin - Video
5. Eagle Bluff scenic lookout - Video
6. Coral Bay hidden Cliff - Video
7. Exmouth and the Cape Range National Park - Video
8. Quobba Blowhole - Video
9. Kalbarri Nationalpark - Video
10. Sandy Cape sand dunes - Video
11. Jurien Bay - Video
12. Hillarys Boat Harbour - Video
