Fri March 09 2018  —  e-mail Manfred

This is how it starts.

Flag Austria

Monday, March 29 2004

Vienna, Austria

Photography Blog

About Travel Photography,
Colors of the World.

Manfred is creator of ThisFabTrek.com, travel photography, a travel blog and a photography blog (a journey from 2004 to 2013). 'I set out to see the colors of the world, always I try to capture the colors'.

Seeing, is understanding, so I report and photograph, but formost enjoy and live those different conceptions of life (all that TV [and the web] cannot give). I reject jealousy, animosity, bigotry. Be free!

Manfred in the desert of the Western Sahara

The mind, when pondering at night and always asked those questions. What am I doing in corporate wonderland of bank, university, office or church? Who is the other animal asleep deep inside, the thinker, punk, creative, or Indian, vagabond and healer, maybe artist, writer, photographer, traveler, globetrotter? Oh God, dare you to think. When I saw the lies, gambles and manipulations I follow the old dream and set out for the journey of life lived, the journey to see the colors of the world.

During years on the road I have taken the turns as they came along, and realized one thing: Only such a small part of the planet can be explored and such a vast land and sea mass will always remain unknown, to me; many swamps, jungles, deserts and oceans will never be traveled. But then I am father of twin boys, Daniel and David, my most important, and I show them some of the wonders and colors out there.

ThisFabTrek, Photography and Journey, the Stories from the Road and Life around the World, stopped in August 2013 after more than 9 years, Love and Peace.

Last vehicle.

G20, Chevy Gladiator.

Chevrolet Gladiator G20, The boys in Cordillera Blanca, Peru.
The boys and Chevy van, Peru.

The G20, the vehicle that came to me for the Americas adventures.

6 wheeled Land Rover.

Land Rover Defender 6x6
Link to Foley

The vehicle of the Africa adventures, a Foley 6-Wheeled Land Rover Defender.

Before, the MB307.

Manfred and MB307
Journey, Middle East.

The vehicle of the Middle-East and North-Cape Journeys. See all vehicles.

Daniel and David with nanny Aisha, the best we ever had, black African Woman carrying white twin babies, in Bamako, Mali.

Travel Blog

contains Festival/Fiesta/Art photography.

generizon. clean. sustainable. feasible.

"There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo.

"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it, to tell the tale." Living to Tell the Tale - Gabriel García Márquez.

"They never taught wandering in any school I attended. ... they never taught the art of writing a book, either. It's all so mysterious."
"Wandering is an art in itself. Wandering and writing don't mix"
"Writing demands commitment and if one thing your wanderer is allergic to is that very quality of commitment, for once one is committed he runs that very risk of failure ..." Wanderer - Sterling Hayden.

"Photography enables you to grasp a place first time round. ... Photography is a means of exploration, it's a vital part of travel, almost as essential as a car or a plane. " - Wim Wenders.

"The worst prejudice we acquire during our youth is the idea that life is serious. Children have the right instincts: they know that life is not serious, and treat it as a game..." , Egon Friedell.

"How far you gonna go. Before you lose your way back home" - Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World, Achtung Baby, U2.

"If you want to be a hero well just follow me." - Working Class Hero, John Lennon.

"When I think of all the things I have done, I know that it's only just begun." - I love you, Lou Reed.

"One does not escape the Sahara - the Sahara let's you go or not" - Touareg.

"Planet earth is blue and there`s nothing I can do" - This is Ground Control to Major Tom, David Bowie.

"Glory for the crazy people/in this stupid world" - Ahmed Fouad Negm.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > europe > austria > 20040329-vienna

Still in Vienna, still at work, - but I decided to go.

I am going. I gave notice to my landlord. Agnieszka, my girlfriend is about to move out. The plan is to resign from my job in the bank some time after Easter. Yes, and leave end of May, beginning of June. First destination London, England to see some friends, then spend Summer in Scotland and Ireland. Once it gets colder move South. Destination Spain then Morocco. But all still vague, so anything can happen. Then further South? Stay in Africa? Possible. Depends on who I meet, who inspires me. Or back North when summer comes back to Europe next year? I would like somehow to see the North of Europe, before leaving this part of the world for a long time. Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia are all places I have never been to. Well, perhaps I could drift Eastwards into Asia then.

I am excited. I cannot sleep at night. Lie there for hours going through details of my plans. It is finally happening. All the pieces are falling into place. Not the slightest doubt is creeping into my mind. I have been in a one-day-I'll-go state for more then 4 years. But now it is done. I am going. Too early to communicate it all to people in the bank. But my friends and family members all know. And those who know me well enough believe me. They know come June I'll be gone forever. I have been telling them about the big journey endlessly, annoying everyone who bothered listening. Enough notice was given.

There is still a lot to prepare and a lot is an understatement. Endless lists are just being drawn up. Things I have to buy. Things I would like to sell. Things I just give away. Contracts that need to be cancelled. Ideally I will not own a thing back here in Vienna and not have a mailbox, at least not a physical one.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > europe > austria > 20040329-vienna

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