The 2 most important things you need when you travel, especially low budget and long term travel, is: A tough mind and a soft heart. Without those 2, you can rather stay home…
We are in Phuket right now, but let me take a few steps back to where we last wrote in this journal, that is where we last had good internet.
We left the chalet in Switzerland early Friday morning. The sun was shining and we could travel down the mountain on a dry road. That we saw as answer to prayer, since the weather forecast said there will definitely be snow. We travelled all the way out of the Valais and then started to cross the Alps towards the north.
It started snowing. It looked as if a feather duvet were torn open above our heads, and the snow came down in big feather size flocks. The snow was deep and the roads were slippery. We could not see much further than the front of our own vehicle. Should we go on or stop or turn around? We prayed: “God, please help us!”
Within the next minute, a road sign diverted us off the road and on to a train, that took us right through the mountains! Never before did we pay 30 Swiss franks so easily! God always answers prayers and help us where we cannot go on!! You can imagine the “thank you” prayers that was said while sitting in our car on the train. No map said anything about not being able to travel that road in winter and the GPS said “railway connections ahead” when we were halfway through the mountain(on the train) already!
On the other side of the mountain ,we went down an impressive road and through numerous tunnels. We saw green for the first time in weeks and thought that we have said goodbye to the snow. We were content. We visited Lucerne along the way and reached the destination as were indicated on the resort map on the internet. There was one problem: our resort was not there. It was 80 km to the west… The navigator lost a few points, but every one was forgiving. What we went through earlier the day, made that this obstacle was a small one! We reached Landal Hochwald, a RCI resort after 22h00, VERY grateful and full of praise unto God.
Saturday and Sunday were both days of rest, after what we‘ve gone through the previous day. Monday morning early, we drove to Frankfurt. We had to go the Thailand embassy for visas for Phuket. When we came there, they were closed for the 1 day, we had to come back the next day! Luckily it is only a 2 hour drive. We went to Heidelberg the rest of the day and enjoyed the old town with cobblestone streets and churches and castles. Then we went back to where “home” was for this week.
It started snowing along the way. It kept on snowing the whole way… The last 10km of the way, we prayed without stop. Our car could hardly move . The “snow tyres” they gave us in Gap, was definitely NOT snow tyres.( We once again saw God’s Hand of protection on us for the time in Switzerland, keeping us in the house, keeping us safe.) Back to Germany and the last 10km home. We literally crawled with our car uphill and very carefully also crawled downhill, with just enough speed to take us over the next hill. Dawie did an excellent job, drivi
ng in those circumstances, while we prayed. Two km from our house, the car could not, would not go any further. We had to stop. We walked home in the down pouring snow, on ice slippery roads, with our Namibian running shoes and got home ,once again, safely. We praised God for taking care of us in so many different ways. I must say that not 1 of us was moaning or groaning. We tackled this obstacle as a team! Dawie J got a new name along the road. Since he and his dad walked next to each other and looked exactly the same from behind, only the size differed, he was called “Mini-Paps”, because his dad is “Paps”! See for yourself on the photo!
The next day ,we had to go back to Frankfurt ,again. Going with the same road ,again. It rained through the night and the snow was washed off the roads. Dawie walked back to town to fetch the car, and we were off again. Although it started to snow again on our way back, we could make it back home IN the car. We were very grateful when we saw where we came from the previous night ,that we only had to walk 2 km.
The resort had a heated indoor swimming pool, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Wednesday and Thursday were schooldays, with lots of catch up to do. The limited internet was only available in the restaurant at certain times of
the day, only enough to deal with important e-mails. We visited Trier, the oldest town in Germany on Thursday afternoon, but Dawie will tell you more…
Friday morning early we had to leave for Frankfurt again, to fetch our visas, which was ready, praise the Lord, and fly out on Saturday. The place that was green when we got there, was snow white when we left. We were ready to leave the snow and winter behind.
Yes, we had the privilege to be there in Germany and we enjoyed it.
We also gave thanks to our Lord for allowing so many life threatening situations, because it strengthened our faith, practicing being dependant on Him and Him alone and realizing once again: Plan WITH God and ask Him to Bless you. Do not plan and then ask Him to bless your plans.
We greeted the snow and headed off on Singapore Airlines towards summer, which will last now until next year May! We flew for 12 hours into time, spend another 10 on the airport and arrived in a hot and humid Phuket on Sunday evening.
Thank you God for being with us in Europe and in Asia and with our family and friends in Namibia. Surely, you are alive and almighty and I praise your name, now and forever more!!
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