Having my entire wardrobe available, sleeping in my own bed and not having to pack or unpack every few days felt almost like a luxury. But staying home certainly didn't mean doing nothing. My weeks filled up surprisingly quickly with friends, writing, learning, food, exercise, getting things done—and, inevitably, planning the next trips.
And then there was the weather. Munich went through several heatwaves during those weeks, with days when the best strategy was to stay somewhere cool, find some shade—or ideally get onto the water.
Rafting down the Isar
One of the most memorable days was our company outing: a traditional Isar raft trip from Wolfratshausen to Thalkirchen.
Rafts were an important means of transportation in the past - about the technology, importance and history there were several info panels.
During one of the heatwaves, being on the water was exactly the right place to be. The trip follows the Isar canal and the Isar towards Munich, and getting splashed or cooling down along the way was very welcome.
And then there are the raft slides. Watching a huge wooden raft head down one of them is one thing. Being on it is considerably more exciting—and definitely wakes up anyone who has become a little too comfortable.
It was refreshing, fun and a very Bavarian way to spend a hot summer day.
Looking up – the eclipse
Another memorable moment this summer required very little travelling: just going up a few floors.
Together with a colleague, I watched the eclipse from the rooftop terrace of our office on the fifth floor. The terrace looks out towards the west, giving us a great view of the sky.
Armed with eclipse glasses, we watched from above the rooftops of Munich as the sun slowly disappeared.
Not every memorable experience requires travelling somewhere. Sometimes you just need to go up to the fifth floor and look west.
Writing instead of travelling
A lot of my summer was also spent looking back at where I had already been.
I met regularly with an international group for our writing club, sometimes at the restaurant on the top floor of Oberpollinger, sometimes at Café Bla.
Laptop out, something to drink or eat next to me, and then a couple of hours trying to turn thousands of photos and travel memories into blog posts.
My China trip alone provided enough material to keep me busy for quite a while.
From China to Japan – and the next trips are already planned
At the same time, I was already looking ahead.
One of my bigger future travel plans is Japan in 2027, which leaves me around 9–12 months to prepare. I signed up for an intensive Japanese course and also attended a lecture about Japan.
After spending weeks in China depending heavily on translation apps, perhaps there is some motivation to arrive in Japan knowing a little more of the language.
But Japan isn't the next trip. September and October are already filling up: Brussels and Kozen to visit friends, Hannover for the IAA Transportation—the biggest truck show in the world—followed by Crete with EJ and then Madrid.
Madrid wasn't originally planned quite that way. I had already bought a ticket for the Shakira concert on another date, but changed my plans so that EJ and I could see the concert together.
And between all the personal travel, there is also the Women Automotive Summit in Ludwigsburg.
Apparently ten weeks at home were enough.
Getting the boring things done
Of course, ten weeks at home also meant there was no excuse for some of the things that are much easier to postpone when travelling.
One of them was my tax declaration, which had to be submitted by 31 July this year. Not exactly a highlight of my Munich summer. But there is a bright side: whatever comes back can go straight into the travel budget. Suddenly doing the tax return feels a little more rewarding.
Beer gardens, restaurants and making home nicer
And then there were the things that make Munich particularly enjoyable in summer.
Meeting friends in beer gardens, sitting outside on warm evenings, going back to old favourite restaurants and discovering new ones. During the heatwaves, however, choosing a shady beer garden—or simply waiting until later in the evening—became rather important.
Without having to squeeze everything into a weekend between two trips, there was time to simply enjoy the city.
There was also time to tackle some projects at home. With a new exchange student arriving in October, I started upgrading the guest room to get it ready for its next inhabitant.
And once you start with one room, other things follow. I repotted plants that had clearly outgrown their homes and made a determined attempt to kick out some of the clutter that had accumulated over time.
After weeks of hotel rooms and living out of a suitcase, it actually felt quite good to spend some time making my own home nicer again.
Yin Yoga, massage – and a lot of laughing
My weekends also developed a rather nice rhythm.
Friday evening was for Yin Yoga—a quiet and relaxed way to finish the working week.Saturday afternoon was massage time.
And then there was one Sunday when I tried something completely different: a Laughter Yoga class.
It isn't something that's offered regularly, so I decided to give it a try when I had the chance. Yes, deliberately laughing with a group of strangers without necessarily having anything to laugh about initially feels every bit as strange as it sounds.
But that's rather the point—and it was certainly a different way to spend a Sunday.
Exploring Munich with the Deutschlandticket
I also used the summer to explore more of my own city by public transport.
With the Deutschlandticket already paid for, there is very little reason not to jump onto a tram, bus, U-Bahn or S-Bahn and go somewhere different.
Instead of only using public transport to get from A to B, I sometimes used it simply to explore—to take a different route, get off somewhere I don't normally go and discover another part of Munich.
On particularly hot days, an air-conditioned bus or train also had a certain additional appeal.
After weeks of high-speed trains, DiDis, metros and buses across China, there was something rather nice about exploring without luggage, tickets to book or a passport to show.
Travel doesn't always have to involve an airport or a suitcase.
Sometimes it can simply mean getting on a tram and seeing where it takes you.
A summer at home
Ten weeks in one place felt unusual after so much travelling and living out of a suitcase, but they certainly weren't boring.
I rafted down the Isar during a heatwave, wrote about China, started learning Japanese, met friends, enjoyed Munich's beer gardens and restaurants, worked on my home, did yoga, had massages, tried Laughter Yoga—and even submitted my tax declaration.
And with Brussels, Kozen, Hannover, Crete, Madrid and Ludwigsburg already waiting, those ten weeks were a chance to enjoy being home before the suitcase comes out again.
For once, Munich wasn't just the place between two trips. Munich was the destination.
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