Eighty-Two Days on the Road

In 2014, I explored into far off and distant corners of Jordan by hitchhiking or traveling on foot. Sometimes in the company of others, but mainly on my own. I encountered all kinds of people during my days on the road, igniting my curiosity for their distinct ways of life. Inspired by this experience, I decided to search for an alternative way back home to my native land, Germany. At the beginning of a long summer, I hitchhiked across nine countries in 82 days, archiving the changing landscapes and faces along the way. I experienced first-hand how nature in its splendor gradually evolved from sand colored stone deserts in the Middle East, to deep green valleys in the heart of Europe. The land changed alongside the features and mentalities of its inhabitants, sometimes gradually but others surprisingly fast. I connected with many individuals whose paths crossed mine along the way, sometimes for a fleeting moment, and others lasting for days. These photos and stories document my journey home, recorded on 17 rolls of photographic film and written in a journal I always carried with me in
my backpack.