Trust – 11/11/2021

I’ve now passed the 1,000 km mark and arrived in Slovenia.

From Verona, I headed straight to Venice, spending the night on the mainland just across from the island. The ride was fairly long, so I treated myself to two nights in a stylish hostel, a full day exploring Venice with a guided city tour, and some amazing local food. What a city! Its charm and atmosphere completely captivated me. I spent a full ten hours on the island because I simply couldn’t tear myself away from the sparkling canals. In my hostel room, there was another young woman traveling by bike—only in the opposite direction. I always enjoy exchanging experiences with fellow cyclists because I learn something new every time. She told me about Warmshowers. I had heard of it before, but I had been using the wrong website/app. Through the platform, you can find hosts who let you stay for one or two nights, take a hot shower, and usually even sleep under a proper roof. The best part is that these are people who also love traveling, have fascinating stories to tell, and often give you fresh inspiration for the road ahead.

After Venice came Trieste. I had to split the journey into two days because ever since leaving Verona, the wind had been my constant companion—and of course, it was mostly blowing straight into my face. It gets dark so incredibly early now, which makes finding a place to sleep much more difficult, especially when traveling outside the main season in a densely populated area. At some point, I simply knocked on the door of a house and asked if I could pitch my tent in their garden. And they said yes. The family was incredibly kind, and I got to set up camp on a perfectly maintained lawn.

The ride to Trieste was dominated by a powerful headwind. I was slowly approaching the area where the Bora winds become stronger. The Bora is a very strong northeasterly wind that brings dry air and usually beautiful weather the following day. Shortly before reaching Trieste, I arrived at the dramatic coastline and was rewarded with a spectacular sunset disappearing into the sea. Because of the gusts, I had to stop repeatedly to keep both myself and my bike from being blown over, which gave me plenty of time to soak in the beautiful evening atmosphere. On my way into the city, I met another touring cyclist from Switzerland who was looking for a place to stay, so I brought him along to the hostel. Trieste is a truly impressive city, full of young people and magnificent buildings. The landscape surrounding the city is equally stunning—you can start hiking uphill almost immediately and enjoy breathtaking views over both the city and the sea. At viewpoints, I don’t just enjoy the scenery—I also like watching the people. Many arrive by car, get out, take a few photos, and immediately continue to the next stop. Humans really are fascinating creatures.

From Trieste, my route left the coast and headed inland into Slovenia. This is where I had my very first Warmshowers experience—but more on that in a moment. First, a few words about Slovenia. Seriously, go visit this beautiful country! It’s absolutely breathtaking and surprisingly sparsely populated, with only about two million people living there. The landscape feels wild and untouched. There are quite a few bears living here as well, but thankfully they are extremely shy, so there’s really no need to worry about them.

Slovenia is fantastic for hiking, and after a day in nature, you can spend the evening exploring the capital, Ljubljana. Distances are short, yet the country offers an incredible variety of landscapes. Ljubljana itself is a cozy city with a beautiful old town and a wonderfully designed park. So far, I’m completely in love with this country.

Finally, a few words about Warmshowers and the way I’m traveling. Quite a few people have asked me about it. The question is usually whether I don’t feel uncomfortable staying with complete strangers—especially as a solo female traveler. Yes, I spend the night with one or several people I’ve never met before, or out in nature. But I don’t do it recklessly. I always take a close look at the situation and at the person beforehand, and then decide whether I want to stay or not. Isn’t this ultimately about trust? Trusting that life is working in your favor. Even when I’m cycling during the day, or driving a car—whether I’m behind the wheel or riding with someone else—I trust that nothing bad will happen. Isn’t that what we always do? We trust in the good, no matter what. Like when we board an airplane and trust both the pilot and the aircraft. Some people might call that naïve. But if I thought differently, I’d drive myself crazy. I don’t want to expect the worst. I want to stay positive and believe that things will work out. And I can honestly say: so far, that mindset has served me very well.