At the age of seven I first entered a book-shop together with my mother. While she was busy I roamed about the book-shelves with little interest. Reading was not one of my favourite activities… . But in one of the shelves the bright cover of a paperback caught my eye. On the front cover two American Indians with painted faces fought against one another. As a first-year pupil I had some difficulties to read the title of the book, but curiousity was strong enough and I worked out the title of the book: “The Last of the Mohicans.” That sounded exciting! Why did they fight against one another, who was the good guy and who the bad guy? My mother bought the book, and this has had two effects: On the one hand my reading capabilities improved tremendously within a short period of time. On the other hand my fascination about the discovery and settlement of the New World and my interest about life in nature awoke.

Following this experience I read everything on this topic that crossed my way, and I imagined to travel across this continent and to live in the wilderness.

I’ve been grown up in the city of Lauscha in the Thuringian Schiefergebirge, on old centre of the glass blowing craft. The children in that area learn skiing just before they learn walking. Consequently, I became ski jumper and for many years jumping from small and large jumping hills and flying through the air had been the centre of my life. The hobby became a serious sport that I practised in the sports club of Zella-Mehlis. This is the place were I first met Petra, and this is the place where we live today.

I always had my childhood dreams in mind, and after a period of serious sports these dreams changed into plans that I started to realise together with my wife Petra. First we travelled with a tent and backpacks, later on our equipment was completed with a canoe. Though we are individualists we do not do everything alone. In the club ’German Open Canoe e.V.’ we met people with similar interests, and we feel quite well in this community.