The return: A new beginning on my hero’s journey

March 29, 2024
by Jens Hevike
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After a year and a half journey across two continents and ten countries, I am returning to Germany to begin a new chapter in my hero’s journey. Hiking has proven to be a central part of my experience, covering over 5000 km on foot and overcoming more than 12000 meters of altitude. However, despite my return, I don’t see this as the end of my journey, but the beginning of a new chapter.

Dhamma Vipassana – Meditation retreat on trial

February 8, 2024
by Jens Hevike
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After everyone had arrived, there was a light dinner and then the introduction that began the seriousness of the silent retreat, absolute silence. Basically no contact was allowed, not even with gestures or eyes. Part of the program was to hand in our phones. Reading, writing, sports, everything was forbidden.

Theft

January 30, 2024
by Jens Hevike
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On a beautiful, sunny day, I was sitting outside a café reading. My rucksack is right next to me where I can see it. Suddenly, an older woman comes by and gives her dog some of the water that is also next to me. A man in a white shirt and white headphones comes over and pets the dog and talks to the woman. That was the trick. I don’t know if the dog was in on it as a diversion or if his mistress was part of it. All I know is that there was suddenly another rucksack next to me. The thief was already out of sight.

11 questions at the end of the year

January 4, 2024
by Jens Hevike
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A year is coming to an end that was completely different for me in many ways to the previous 20 years. It was the first year in which I didn’t earn any money from my work. It was the first year in my life that I wasn’t in Germany. I answered Matze Hielscher’s questions about the year in review for myself.

GPT section 8 and 7 – I wouldn’t hike here without carnivores

December 24, 2023
by Jens Hevike
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I’m more the lush forest type. I love variety. I love walking through a forest, with its scent of needles and leaves. On the open prairie, you are mercilessly exposed to the sun. The forest offers protection. It cools. The ground is softer. The sunlight turns into a play of shadows that penetrate the leaves and needles.

GPT section 10 and 9 – The condors are circling

December 13, 2023
by Jens Hevike
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More and more condors circle above us. Large animals with a wingspan of at least one and a half meters. Although we know that the birds are looking for carrion, we can’t help but get the impression that they are just waiting for us to become their prey. Again and again they fly just a few meters above our heads. We start to pack up with a queasy feeling.

Wanderthirst

December 6, 2023
by Jens Hevike
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Nature will remain a big part of my future life. But it can’t just be hiking. I love nature, but I also love civilization, I love contact and interaction with people. I am sociable, nature is not.

GPT section 4 – Snow flurries and river crossing

November 28, 2023
by Jens Hevike
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However, we were not spared them, as we had to fight our way through the snowfields for miles. The snow had thawed slightly. We kept sinking in a little, but only until the snow had compacted into a hard surface. Our map did not show us a clear path. As before, we were on our own in this section.

Greater Patagonian Trail – Stage 3

November 23, 2023
by Jens Hevike
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The landowner at the start of the third stage wasn’t exactly thrilled to see me. He told me straight away that this was private land and that I had no business here. He had already been annoyed by enough other hikers who had simply walked across his property without asking. That’s why he had put up a gate, which I had deliberately overlooked. I had seen it, even though I had come onto his property from a different direction, but I had decided to ignore it.