Part 7: Cuxhaven & Bremen - The sea is getting...closer?

(07.07.2022-13.07.2022)

Excitedly I climb onto the train towards Cuxhaven on Thursday 07.07. Because of a blessing from the couchsurfing gods, I can stay with Duncan there. Little bonus: he is a mechanic on a ship - so my first contact with an actual sailor. Bigger bonus: he's a really easygoing guy who also likes to talk about work and with whom you can chat for hours about all kinds of things over a few beers. During the day we wade through the mudflats and fly kites - very cool, something different!

Max and I at the mudflats

Also, Duncan sneaks me into a little home/bbq party full of young sailors-in-training. So far, this is where I get the most information about the business and how I can get closer to my goal. The general tenor: "phew, that's going to be hard... you'd have to gain experience first..." Yes, I already knew that it wouldn't be easy, but the way I imagined it, it seems more and more hopeless. At the same time, I get an offer right on the spot: one of the seafarers here can get me a job on the Cuxhaven-Helgoland ferry. Even if it doesn't quite correspond to my original idea, it sounds very interesting to just get a taste of seafaring. "I'll think about it and get in touch!" So the first alternative option is already there, thats something! The rest of the evening is exuberantly celebrated and chatted. Really great people at the party I slipped into here!

Barbecue with the seafarers. Thank you, it was a very cool evening!

The following day I leave Max and set off for Bremen, where I mainly deal with organizational matters. A cheap hostel and no plans other than phoning home, posting in the blog, writing a CV, writing to shipping companies, etc. Feels good to work off a little accumulated work. Nevertheless, a short walk through the city center is possible. After Bremen has always been described as the last hole, I'm surprised - it's pretty nice here! On the last day I also get to know a group of Norwegians in the hostel, so a little trip to the bar is mandatory as well. Very spontaneous, very funny, that's the way it has to be!

Next it's time to get out of Germany - after all, a few large port cities are still to come...