Nature as a friend. Analog emergency data. Mini carabiner. Titanium lunch box found. Bivouac instead of tent?

April 9, 2024. At 7:55 a.m., I woke up and walked to the university. On the way, I observed the sky, which was completely gray. There was nothing exciting to see, but suddenly I noticed seagulls flying low. "Maybe it will rain soon," I thought to myself, even though they weren't swallows.

At 9 a.m., I stopped at HanoMacke to enjoy my morning coffee and observe nature. I wondered what all the technological aids like navigation devices or weather apps were for when nature is always present and can teach us so much. I wish to communicate more with nature and make it my friend, no matter where I am—whether in the jungle, in Antarctica, or in the desert. All the plants and animals should become my friends.

At 9:30 a.m., I was in the upper library, jotting down my ideas in my journal. Shortly after, a blonde woman sat at my table and greeted me with a "hi" and a smile, which made me pause since I didn't know her.

At 11:25 a.m., I treated myself to a food and coffee break and daydreamed a little while sitting cross-legged. The weather was pleasant, with a light breeze. In my mind, I imagined how my superheroine, dressed entirely in black with long blonde hair, would approach me at that moment.

When I looked out the window at 1 p.m., I noticed that the gray sky had transformed into wavy, dark clouds that were slowly moving in. To my knowledge, it would begin to rain in the next hour.

At 1:20 p.m., the first small raindrops pattered against the windows until the rain developed into a proper downpour. A grin spread across my face—my interpretation of nature had worked. Unfortunately, I wanted to leave at 2 p.m., but I had left my rain jacket at home because it had been so warm. I needed to come up with a solution to always be protected from rain, whether through a rain poncho or by carrying my rain jacket with me at all times.

At 3 p.m., I made my way to the city. There, I visited the outdoor store and the outdoor department at Sportcheck to seek inspiration. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the perfect pants, as most had visible logos.

At the train station, I stopped by Rossmann and bought a permanent marker to label the inside of my backpack with important information. I also grabbed some vegan coconut cookies.

On the way home, a man in his 50s approached me: “Excuse me, do you happen to have a lighter?” I replied that I don’t smoke. “I figured as much,” he said with a friendly grin.

As I turned onto Jahnplatz, I had to chuckle, thinking how funny it would have been if I had had a fire starter—though that probably wouldn’t have been ideal for cigarettes.

At home, I emptied my mailbox and opened the apartment door. There stood Thomas and Lina in the hallway, engaging in conversation.

“There’s a letter for each of us today,” I announced.

I handed Thomas his letter and passed Lina hers.

“This one is for Lara,” I said, placing it on the dresser.

My new health insurance card had arrived.

I prepared a few sandwiches and occupied myself with various sleeping bags. In doing so, I discovered something new: a bivy sack as a compact alternative to a tent.

Additionally, I searched for a leak-proof titanium lunch box with a handle, so that it could also be used as a cooking pot. Finally, I found one that will replace my glass lunch box. This way, I would have a practical solution to take my food with me while also being able to heat vegetables. The weight reduction would be an impressive 80%.

I also ordered a few black mini carabiners to equip my backpack, allowing me to attach my water bottle to the outside.

At the end of the day, I checked my underwear and was pleased to find that it still smelled fresh. I'm thrilled: once Merino underwear—always Merino underwear.

In the meantime, I noted important information like my ID number, health insurance number, blood type (A+), my email address (in case I lose my backpack), and my sisters' phone numbers inside the backpack. The blood type and email address are visible, while the other information is more hidden.

Upgrade: I can access my important data and phone numbers without a laptop or phone and also without electricity, as long as my backpack is with me.

Continue Reading