"Welcome to frockland´s world of travelling!" frockland's Profile

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March 2011 - working on an archaeological excavation project. Bad money & cold rain but lots of fun!

February 2011 - finishing a book, "Geschichten vom alltäglichen Wahnsinn", about my seismic work life!

July 2010 - circumnavigating the Baltic Sea on my FJR!

October 2009 - back to work again with a new company in a new place. At the moment I´m "enjoying" the rainy climate of Northern Ireland.

September 2009* - I´m back from a short motorbike trip across the Balkan and East-Europe. (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Cosovo,Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Italy and Austria - 5500 km on my FJR!)

November 2008* - finally I returned home after a 143 days long hitch. Madagascar is different!

July 2008* - back in Tanzania to prepare a job in Madagascar

May 2008* - I started to up load a few videos. They all were taken by my photo camera, so quality is not the best, anyway enjoy them!

April 2008* - waiting at home for the summer to come. meanwhile I´m preparing a "home page"with some sideshows, pictures, mp3 etc.

March 2008 - I will finish my job in Southern Germany with the Polish company "GT" soon and finally relax at home for a couple of weeks, before the "Seismic Circus" will start again. Pictures can be seen here: "Hassloch"

November 2007 - Things are changing quickly. After another 7 weeks in Mozambique and Tanzania I decided to take a job offer of a German company and left Africa! For the next 6 month I will work at home (just for a change!)

July 2007 - Back home for a short while before I will start the bike again and ride for another time to Moldova & Ukraine where I will hopefully make it this time to Yalta! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

May 2007- I´m off to Malawi for a short visit in Monkey Bay to visit the "Back To School Foundation" - Project of Birgit Albers and then back to work in Tanzania until July when the bike season will start! :-)

April 2007 - I returned home after an eight week stint only to find out that I was losing a friend for another time! Being betrayed and frustrated I escaped to Malawi.

February 2007 - Time was flying again and I need to return to my work on the tropical island of SongoSongo in Tanzania. The location is amazing but often the job is frustrating and for sure not a holiday! Unfortunately I didn´t manage to visit all my friends I wanted to meet - sorry!

Kilwa Masoko - Working in Tanzania - SongoSongo

November 2006 - Summer is over and I need to start working again. For the next couple of weeks I´m off to Tanzania!

September 2006 - Finaly on the road again! Eating miles on my FJR towards Albania!

June 2006 - I packed my things and drove to Estonia were I spent a brilliant time in Tallinn and Saaremaa

April 2006* - my days in Sudan are finished and at the moment I'm at home. Summer is coming soon and I´m preparing for some motorbike trips.

November 2005 - I went back to southern Sudan to start working again in the Great Sudd, the large swamps in Southern Sudan. Based in Rubkoner near the border line between the north and the south where the area is full of soldiers. Its rough and wild but interesting.

Some of my Sudan stories are here:

Gjirokastra (Albania)

Far, Far Away

I've seen the yellow lights go down the Mississippi
I've seen the bridges of the world
and they're for real
I've had a red light of wrist
Without me even gettin' kissed
It still seems so unreal

I've seen the morning in the mountains of Alaska
I've seen the sunset in the east and in the west
I've sang the glory that was Rome
And passed the hound dog singer's home
It still seems for the best

Lalibela (Ethiopia)

And I'm far far away
with my head up in the clouds
And I'm far far away
with my feet down in the crowds
Lettin' loose around the world
But the call of home is loud
still as loud

I've seen the Paris lights from high upon Montmartre
And felt the silence hanging low in no mans land
And all those Spanish nights were fine
It wasn't only from the wine
It still seems all in hand

And I'm far far away with my head up in the clouds
(Slade)

Travelling a passion?

Sun rise in Mtwara

I started travelling whenever I had enough money and time since I was 17. Most western European countries I`ve seen. East Europe I travelled when the "Iron Certain" made it a bit difficult. I also visited Southern Africa, Northern Africa, Middle America and the Middle East. My favourite places are Malawi, Zimbabwe and Bratislava

...and there is still a RTW trip to do before I get old.

Warum Reisen?

Meroe (Sudan)

"Reisen ist eine Gemeinheit. Es zwingt Dich, Fremden zu vertrauen und wegzugehen von der Waerme Deines Zuhauses und Deiner Freunde. Du bist ununterbrochen aus dem Gleichgewicht. Nichts gehoert Dir, nichts als die absolut notwendigsten Dinge: die Luft, der Schlaf, die Traeume, das Meer, der Himmel - alles Dinge, die mit Ewigkeit zu tun haben, oder eben mit dem was wir uns darunter vorstellen."
Caesare Pavese

The Sudan Mission

On the road

In October 2004 I started working in Sudan near the region of Wad Medani and Dinder in between the millions of irrigation canals and flooded fields.

In April I my company transferred me to southern Sudan and I was able to experience the difference between Northern and Southern Sudan. I never felt so cut off civilisation and security. The unhealthy climate did the rest not to make the mission enjoyable for me. Working in the Sud, the large swamps, of the White Nile is no fun at all!

More pictures can be found here (for slideshow clic on "Prasentation starten"):

Southern Sudan - Northern Sudan - Sudanese Faces - Working in Sudan

Iran - What an experience!

Working in Iran

In December 2002 I gave up my job as a social worker to join a small seismic company. I left all my social security behind and made my way to the "Land of the Mullahs" where I was working in the south western region, not far from Abadan, in the small village of Hendijan.

After being there twice I put some parts of my diary on VT. Everything is true and happened like I wrote it down. Names are changed, cos "...you never know!"

Hendijan-Hell-Report

Side street in Tallinn (Estonia)

Something about my VT pages: I still didn´t find the way of writing and presenting tips in an interesting way but I´m working on it. I always dislike pages where many tips are about an identical topic only to show more pictures.

On my pages I try to give ´practical´ tips for low budget travellers. Also I try to put tips together in one mask and avoid to write about things that can be looked up in any travel guide describing things better than I ever could do!

I will not answer questions of VT-members who do not build pages. VT without sharing wouldn´t be VT! So, do your bit, please!

If somebody
wishes to use some of my pictures, then please ask for my permission first!

Thanx to all my friends on VT and IRL staying in touch with me! It means a lot to me and I hope that you will not forget me. Even when I will not be on VT or answer mails it does not mean "Out of sight - out of mind!", not at all! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

"Wer sich nie getrennt hat, der kennt auch nicht die Freude des Wiedersehens!?
("Drei Kameraden" v. E.M. Remarque)

Intro Updated Sep 16, 2011
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Comments (35)

jumpingnorman Nov 5, 2009 at 9:52 PM Report Abuse

Hi there - you are featured member and we have same birthday...hope you have a jumping picture of yourself too for my collection of jumping VTers on my homepage...Cheers, Norman :)
janetanne Sep 8, 2009 at 2:59 AM Report Abuse

Happy Birthday and Happy Travels. Janet
Donna_in_India Sep 8, 2009 at 12:21 AM Report Abuse

Wishing you a very happy birthday! Love your hp - very interesting!
riorich55 Apr 15, 2009 at 8:38 AM Report Abuse

Enjoyed your Madagascar video. Looking forward to viewing others.
yumyum Apr 27, 2008 at 12:21 PM Report Abuse

Just read your Seismic travelogue! Need to come back and read more. Where is this 9 to 5 social work job?! I only know lots of overtime :(
Astralka Nov 13, 2007 at 12:55 PM Report Abuse

Is this true? =) When one expects you to be in Africa, you are at home, and the other way round :-) anyway I am glad that you had such a job opportunity
nada1712 Jun 3, 2007 at 1:35 PM Report Abuse

Lovely pages
Tobias_Plieninger Dec 24, 2006 at 11:35 AM Report Abuse

Hi, I wish you a merry christmas! Frohe Weihnachten! Gruss aus dem Schwabenland! Von Tobias
Acirfa Dec 20, 2006 at 2:41 AM Report Abuse

Had to return to your pages as your life is a source of interest and passion to me, ie the amount of time spent in Africa. Off to peruse your pages now.
KiKitC Sep 8, 2006 at 2:59 AM Report Abuse

Hope your birthday is full of friends, fun and laughter.