 84.000km to drive from Berlin to Cologne We all know the stories about people who trust their route guidance systems and make miles of loop ways or even get wet, when the systems show a bridge, where you should better use the ferry. But the 84.000 kilometers 79 years young Heidi Hetzer drove from Berlin to Cologne in her 1930 Hudson "Hudo" are of course another story. Starting her journey around the world in 2014, a longtime dream of Mrs. Hetzer began to become reality. And that was to follow the tracks of Cläreonore Stinnes, who travelled around the world in an Adler Standard Six between 1927 and 1929. Heidi is on the road since July 2014 and had to conquer many challenges since then. "Hudo" broke down several times, Heidi fractured a finger in Kazakhstan, got mugged several times, lost a part of a finger during a repair in the USA and the worst news was the cancer diagnostic conveyed in december 2015 in Peru. She interrupted her tour for about one month, had a surgery in Essen (Germany) and as soon, as the doctors gave their OK, she entered the next plane back to Lima, where Hudo already waited for her to make some more miles. South-Africa was the next step and in January 2017 Heidi and Hudo shipped to Spain. During the following four weeks, the route guided her through Portugal, Spain again, France, Belgium and The Netherlands to Aix-La-Chapelle and at the 3rd of March, after a short detour to the hospital, in which her cancer-surgery was done, Heidi and Hudo arrived at Cologne, where I had the great pleasure to meet this fantastic duo. If you didn´t know Heidi's age, you absolutely wouldn´t believe it (and the authorities in China also trusted in her age of 69, that she stated, because it´s the maximum age to be allowed to drive a car there). Seeing this 79 year old lady climbing onto the roof of the car like a child, her smile and the patience for taking pictures and small-talks is absolutely applaudable and inspiring. So let´s keep our fingers crossed for the last days of her journey! All the best for you Heidi and have some safe last miles till your arrival in your beloved Berlin! |
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Almost home after 84.000 km in a 1930 Hudson
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