Ellen’s pink bumper

Henriette Lamprecht – She is at the age where there is no need to make a point or prove anything, taking life in her stride and controlling her destiny. To 46-year-old Ellen Horlebein, this means steering her ‘pink bumper’ towards any destination and taking the road to wherever it may lead.

“My bakkie with my pink bumper almost plays a double role. It is my ‘rolling home’, but at the same time, we can just turn at any junction and find something new to do, to explore and experience.”

A lawyer by trade and highly specialized in German law and the financial restructuring of companies, Ellen’s life revolved around work, playing tennis, and meeting friends during the rare times she had time for herself. She could travel for a month a year, says Ellen, but wasn’t able to stay away from work for longer than three weeks. Working remotely wasn’t really an option then, and a sabbatical wouldn’t be possible - given the companies she worked for.

“Basically, I was trapped in the rat race without being too bothered!”

At this stage, she and the owner of the law firm she worked for clearly had different ideas on how to lead a company, and it was no longer an option for Ellen to become an associate and co-owner of the company.

Ellen got a retrenchment letter, sold all her possessions, moved out of the house she was renting, and started traveling.

After a few months, she realized there is so much more to life and that her ‘previous life’ was not what she wanted.

“I never went back! That was in 2016, and so much has happened since!”

Travelling alone allows her to decide when and where to travel without considering someone else’s needs.

Sometimes she changes camps daily, says Ellen, other times spending a week at one campsite. Following a healthy diet is also much easier when she's on her own - there is no set time for meals. She eats when she’s hungry, having soup for breakfast “without irritating someone with my funny eating habits!”

One of the biggest advantages of traveling solo is that you are so much more in contact with other travelers, says Ellen.

“I very often get invites from other campers who ‘feel sorry' for me or think I’m going to starve to death, which is very heart-warming! People are also curious and want to know why I travel alone.”

Ellen mainly stays on campsites or similar safe places and can easily set up camp by herself. Inspiration for her next travel destination she finds in stories from other travelers, magazines, books, blogs, and social media. She also checks apps and maps for what an area has to offer.

“Thanks to the world wide web, it is pretty easy to get information. As long as there is a signal, which is very often another story!”

Usually, she doesn’t have long-term traveling plans and can easily change direction if she has a new ‘brilliant’ idea.

“I often rely on my gut when I make a decision and decide on the length of the stay.”

At the start of her travelling journey, she relied on her savings - first thinking she would eventually return to the corporate world. Eventually, however, she started her own projects as she believes it is very important to have a purpose in life.

“During the last couple of years, I invested specifically into my personal development and learnt a lot of new skills. So many people are facing a lot of issues, and I’m trying to help them find focus outside their comfort zone.”

Ellen is also a mentor to female law students, while she has another new project in the pipeline. She recently hosted retreats in Namibia, hoping to do more towards the end of the year.

She admits it is difficult to share which country and place is her favorite, but she has a special place in her heart for Zimbabwe.

“The parks are more ‘wild’ with fewer restrictions and the people are truly inspiring - I love their positive attitude and endless optimism.”

With some campsites designed in such a way that campers are ‘almost on top of each other’ - privacy isn’t always guaranteed, says Ellen.

So you often see or hear stuff not made for your eyes and ears, she admits.

Meeting other travelers can be like opening Pandora’s Box – from awesome to funny, interesting and weird to annoying or terrible!

She has a few places on her bucket list she still wants to visit, including the Bermudas, as "I do want to swim with the piggies!”

Ellen has no idea if, in 20 years, she might want to 'settle' again.

Travelling always sounds amazing, but the mind and body also need rest from time to time, as she admits being on the go permanently can become tiring.

“Many of long-term travelers slow down after a while. All those travel impressions need to be digested at one stage.”

“Social media, especially, is pushing the travel lifestyle and it all looks very exciting and like something that brings ultimate happiness.”

For Ellen, it is fine to leave a campsite in the morning not knowing where she will be sleeping at night, she admits. It feels good to only have stuff that fits on her bakkie.

“I often do not know which project and with which client or mentee I will be working. For many people, this lifestyle would be difficult and stressful, not having a safe home base. But I love and enjoy it – from the soles of my feet to the tip of my head!”

It is always worth a try - if you don’t jump, you won’t know if you can fly!

A dream is just one decision away from being an opportunity, says Ellen, so start with baby steps - spending time with like-minded people.

“That is already incredibly motivating and will lead to better things. – [email protected]; Facebook: My Pink Bumper



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