I don’t know what to say… I understand that you have troubles finding the right motivation to walk on.
But on the other hand… “uni, degree, work”?… just like any other guy? Your walking project is a gift, a chance, not only for you but for so many of those following your progress, your sadness and your joy online. They (and that means “me”) can experience the vastness of the world and the freedom of travel through your eyes.
I’m also disappointed of hearing this.
Daniel, I had the same reaction than you when reading about “uni, degree, work”, but then, if you think it is such a gift to walk… then why don’t you just do it :) ? Exactly… once you are in your routine life, it is terribly difficult to get out. Not to mention that with wife and children, it’s even harder (if not impossible).
I had expected that Chris would become famous for his walk, make a book of all his great photos, maybe make a book containing the long walk story (king of what we have here), a movie, presentations, etc… This would also be a way to make a living :).
But my feeling is, that such a walk seems much more romantic (especially when reading this in your office) than it actually is (when you are alone on the road with hurting feet and unprotected from the weather).
Anyway, good luck in your new “lebensabschnitt” :).
Ah well. Good for you, bad for my after work reading :-)
Best of luck with uni and all that.
Are you going to keep this blog going?
On a side note, something you may be interested in. The book I am reading at the moment is called “Where underpants come from”. If you can get hold of it, do so, I recommend ;-)
So ist es halt – wenn der Weg sich gabelt muss man sich entscheiden. Du hast dir Zeit genommen und bist zu deinem Enschluss gekommen.
Viel Glück auf dem neuen Weg und danke für die tollen Fotos und Berichte!
O Christoph …
I am sorry to hear of your decision to stop walking for good. This is sad news for your adoring fans and addicted readers. I know this must be a difficult decision for you to finally make. Although I agree with you that uni and work are important and difficult in itself, it is, as many of your readers think, a rather ordinary feat compared to your initial plan to walk from Beijing to Germany. So you have decided to join the rank and file, and become like the rest of us?
That one, unique and immensely challenging accomplishment alone would give you a degree that few people in the world can boast of. The fact is, that so many people have the uni degree, and it has gotten many of them little recognition and does not guarantee success in anything at all. Your dream not only excited us, it inspired us, and it taught us. We all were amazed at the difficulty and immenseness of your dream, so we are saddened all the more for your decision, because it is our loss as well.
I hope that you will always keep your dream alive, no matter that it has been put on hold permantly. But you must realize that the longer time passes between your current life and the life you left in Urumqi, the more difficult it will be to ever return to the dream. So be it. We all make decisions like this with our lives. Some work out, some don’t. We can only wish you the best of luck, and happy wanderings around Europe. We will miss the opportunity to travel through Asia with you, but we hope you don’t forget us. And if you change your mind and decide to get back to the road, we will once again be your companions and students. All the best, my friend!!!!
I want to say that I respect your decision. People like to project their dreams on others and then choose things they like on him. That is the truth of applause, i think. So you no need to satisfy other’s projection. Just be yourself and make decision in your actual situation.
Yes, i agree with Jill. your fans are disappointed because you are depriving them of living vicariously through your adventures. many of us are dreamers at heart, and love to travel and see the world, but most of cannot do this, so you were our only hope, to act as two eyes for us. completely selfish reasons to wish you would continue your journey. but i also know that deep down in your heart, you wish you could have done it all. but life has other plans for us sometimes. we, the devoted audience, must accept your decision, even if it disappoints us. we are responsible for our own lives, and the disappoint, really, lies in not living our own dreams. you, on the other hand, have every right and reason to make the decisions you do, and only you know what is best for you. so don’t let our disappointment guide or hinder you. instead, keep on working toward that ultimate goal: to be yourself, and make it the best you can. we still admire you for what you have given us.
I find your decision beautiful. Why? Because it is a decision. A goal.
I find it sad to see so many ignorant people telling you what they think you should be doing. As if they understood the workings of your mind, the experiences you’ve been through, the desires you have. They seem to be forgetting that you walked over 4.000 kilometers. That’s a lot of walking. Did they walk that far? No. You did. You know what it’s like. You’ve tasted enough of it to know whether or not you would want to start walking again or go back to uni.
And that’s why I love your decision. Walking, traveling, and adventuring are beautiful things, wonderful experiences. But so are going to school, getting a job, and raising a family. It depends on what a person wants. A person who wants to go to school should go to school. A person who wants to walk should walk. The beauty of them isn’t really found in the things themselves, it’s found in the fact that someone who really wants to do them is actually fulfilling their hopes and dreams by doing them. That’s what is beautiful about goals.
People, if you want to walk, then how about getting out there and doing it, rather than sitting on your ass reading about someone else doing it. It’s pretty pathetic when you think about it, “living” your traveling dreams via a computer screen while drinking soda and eating junk food in your nice, comfortable house. Quit urging someone else who you don’t really understand or know to do something you don’t have the motivation to do yourself. It really pisses me off.
Thank you for sharing your life with us, Christoph. You’ve taught me a lot of things, and I think reading your stories has given me a better idea of the joys and pains of walking. It’s inspired me to get out and try it myself some, too. I’m glad you’ve made the right decision, the one you want to make, and I wish you all the best in life.
Well Its high time dude… Remember its your life and its your decision. But still first time I met u I thought u are crazy but after a couple of meetings i am forced to change myself. Many of us think of doing things like this.. but you did it… I consider myself fortunate to have met you. All the best for your future assignment. Keep in touch…….
I really enjoyed reading your “living book” every day and thank you for that. It was a brilliant idea. So is your cart still in Xinjiang? Good luck at university!
please don’t judge us “fans” for being sad that Christoph wants to stop. We (at least I) certainly accept and understand his choice – we simply hoped and dreamed that life could be more like the movies: Where the hero fights through a hard time and then stands even more firmly to his goals.
For Christoph, his goals have changed. Life is not like the movies. It might not be as poetic, but it is much more real. I thank Christoph for all the marvel and the excitement that he shared, and for the “Vorfreude” when typing in his web address.
I admit that travelling through a computer screen is but a stale taste of what he experienced and achieved. But Drew, I think you are too quick to suggest that we fans are lazy, drinking soda and eating junk food. But many of us have to make do with an afternoon on the bike or a weekend on cross-country ski. Our lifes are filled with dependencies and obligations, some of which we chose and some of which were forced upon us. Seeing someone break free, and chase his dream like we didn’t dare, inspired us.
Dreams change.
Paths change.
Drew, go easy on us fools;
and Chris, it was a hell of a ride. :-)
Schade, echt schade, dass du aufhörst. Dein Blog war immer mein Lieblingsbuch. Ich wünsche dir alles Gute auf deinem Weg, thelongestway war ja nur ein kurzes Stück davon und ich war froh, dich begleitet zu haben.
Sabrina
Verdammte Axt! Ich bin ja immer ein Verfechter des Durchhaltevermögens. Nach dem Motto: Was man sich in den Kopf setzt, wird auch zu Ende gebracht. Trotzdem alles Gute und vielleicht läuft man sich ja in Wanderstiefeln mal über den Weg, nicht wahr Barry?
Everyone: Thanks for your interest and your comments, and thank you for being there during this year of walking.
One simple word of non-horseshit Chris-advice: Prioritize! :)
you have balls man, this is what I can tell you. Don´t give a shit about anybody that is sitting in their comfortable office chair and wan´t to blame you for not continueing your journey. It wasn´t ever about walking from China to Germany, this is what I figured out in the 10 minutes I red your blog!
Wenn Du mal in der Gegend um Chongqing bist, einfach kurz nen Kommentar auf unserem Blog hinterlassen. Wir haben hier ne kleine Bar, was in etwa genauso bescheuert ist ;-)
It isn’t your responsibility to be a “surrogate traveler” for those of us out here that can’t do it ourselves. Don’t let negative comments get you down.
Traveling is strange. It is its own teacher. Sometimes you can’t plan a journey – sometimes a journey has plans of its own. This journey has taught you what it needed to.
Things always change, the original plan may not be proper in the future. It’s wise and brave to stop at a proper time.
All the best on your new journey!
spät bin auf deinen blog gestoßen. Ich werde einige Zeit brauchen, all das zu lesen.
Der Weg führt zur Begegnung mit sich selber. Was immer daraus erwächst, ist das Richtige. Leben kann man immer nur vorwärts, bewerten dagegen nur rückwärts.
Was immer du tust, es wird das Richtige sein. Das Wenige, was ich von deinem Blog bisher gesehen habe, gibt mir die Überzeugung.
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February 16th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
A degree,
Your China experience,
Your rigid heart,
Keep walking on “Your Longest way”.
You will be GOOD!
February 16th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Why why why why???
No no no no!!!
Please!!
I never thought that u would never get back to the longest journey…
February 17th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Freu dich auf die Uni. Ist eine großartige Zeit ;-)
Schon Pläne wo und was?
February 17th, 2009 at 1:26 am
you could walk home after your graduation. enough time then.
i think its a good decision. :-)
February 17th, 2009 at 3:00 am
I don’t know what to say… I understand that you have troubles finding the right motivation to walk on.
But on the other hand… “uni, degree, work”?… just like any other guy? Your walking project is a gift, a chance, not only for you but for so many of those following your progress, your sadness and your joy online. They (and that means “me”) can experience the vastness of the world and the freedom of travel through your eyes.
But not anymore?
That would be sad.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:25 am
I’m also disappointed of hearing this.
Daniel, I had the same reaction than you when reading about “uni, degree, work”, but then, if you think it is such a gift to walk… then why don’t you just do it :) ? Exactly… once you are in your routine life, it is terribly difficult to get out. Not to mention that with wife and children, it’s even harder (if not impossible).
I had expected that Chris would become famous for his walk, make a book of all his great photos, maybe make a book containing the long walk story (king of what we have here), a movie, presentations, etc… This would also be a way to make a living :).
But my feeling is, that such a walk seems much more romantic (especially when reading this in your office) than it actually is (when you are alone on the road with hurting feet and unprotected from the weather).
Anyway, good luck in your new “lebensabschnitt” :).
February 17th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Alles Gute, Christoph. Hermann
February 17th, 2009 at 4:21 am
Ah well. Good for you, bad for my after work reading :-)
Best of luck with uni and all that.
Are you going to keep this blog going?
On a side note, something you may be interested in. The book I am reading at the moment is called “Where underpants come from”. If you can get hold of it, do so, I recommend ;-)
Cheers and good luck again.
February 17th, 2009 at 6:16 am
I am glad to hear that you start something new, although this time we cannot be with you.
So I would like to thank you for taking us along, it was a great ride. I really enjoyed the stories and photos.
Good luck to you und alles Gute Dir!
m.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:26 am
So ist es halt – wenn der Weg sich gabelt muss man sich entscheiden. Du hast dir Zeit genommen und bist zu deinem Enschluss gekommen.
Viel Glück auf dem neuen Weg und danke für die tollen Fotos und Berichte!
February 17th, 2009 at 11:16 am
O Christoph …
I am sorry to hear of your decision to stop walking for good. This is sad news for your adoring fans and addicted readers. I know this must be a difficult decision for you to finally make. Although I agree with you that uni and work are important and difficult in itself, it is, as many of your readers think, a rather ordinary feat compared to your initial plan to walk from Beijing to Germany. So you have decided to join the rank and file, and become like the rest of us?
That one, unique and immensely challenging accomplishment alone would give you a degree that few people in the world can boast of. The fact is, that so many people have the uni degree, and it has gotten many of them little recognition and does not guarantee success in anything at all. Your dream not only excited us, it inspired us, and it taught us. We all were amazed at the difficulty and immenseness of your dream, so we are saddened all the more for your decision, because it is our loss as well.
I hope that you will always keep your dream alive, no matter that it has been put on hold permantly. But you must realize that the longer time passes between your current life and the life you left in Urumqi, the more difficult it will be to ever return to the dream. So be it. We all make decisions like this with our lives. Some work out, some don’t. We can only wish you the best of luck, and happy wanderings around Europe. We will miss the opportunity to travel through Asia with you, but we hope you don’t forget us. And if you change your mind and decide to get back to the road, we will once again be your companions and students. All the best, my friend!!!!
February 17th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Well, I presume you will still walk, at least to the bathroom!
On the other hand, no matter how you move about, next time you’re in Beijing, the non-alcoholic beverage of your choice is on me!
Good luck!
(And if you are getting a degree, consider this: you would make an AWESOME anthropologist. In many ways, you already are.)
February 17th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
I want to say that I respect your decision. People like to project their dreams on others and then choose things they like on him. That is the truth of applause, i think. So you no need to satisfy other’s projection. Just be yourself and make decision in your actual situation.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Yes, i agree with Jill. your fans are disappointed because you are depriving them of living vicariously through your adventures. many of us are dreamers at heart, and love to travel and see the world, but most of cannot do this, so you were our only hope, to act as two eyes for us. completely selfish reasons to wish you would continue your journey. but i also know that deep down in your heart, you wish you could have done it all. but life has other plans for us sometimes. we, the devoted audience, must accept your decision, even if it disappoints us. we are responsible for our own lives, and the disappoint, really, lies in not living our own dreams. you, on the other hand, have every right and reason to make the decisions you do, and only you know what is best for you. so don’t let our disappointment guide or hinder you. instead, keep on working toward that ultimate goal: to be yourself, and make it the best you can. we still admire you for what you have given us.
February 18th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
How sad… :-(
But I wish you good luck for this new project.
Have fun at university and thank you sooooo much for sharing your way with us!!!
Steffi
February 20th, 2009 at 2:34 am
我英文不好，所以在“stop”这个词上面琢磨了很久，它究竟是不是“停止”的意思。
看到这个大大的红章，真的有点触目惊心。
很难过，毕竟都已经走了快一半儿的路了。
但是我也知道，做出这样的决定，一定有充分的理由。
当累了的时候，我们想上路；现在走累了，或许又开始怀念以前的那种平静稳定的生活。
我相信你是跟着心走的人，无论我们多么自私地希望你能够带着我们大家共同的梦想继续这段美妙的旅程，如果你累了，也应该歇一歇了，毕竟我们不应该成为你旅途上的担子，而你也已经跟我们分享了这么多沿途的美丽风景。
谢谢你老雷（请允许我这么称呼O(∩_∩)O），你已经帮我们完成了我们的梦想，而我们却始终还只是在梦着。
谢谢你！！！！！Danke!!!!!
February 21st, 2009 at 6:08 pm
I find your decision beautiful. Why? Because it is a decision. A goal.
I find it sad to see so many ignorant people telling you what they think you should be doing. As if they understood the workings of your mind, the experiences you’ve been through, the desires you have. They seem to be forgetting that you walked over 4.000 kilometers. That’s a lot of walking. Did they walk that far? No. You did. You know what it’s like. You’ve tasted enough of it to know whether or not you would want to start walking again or go back to uni.
And that’s why I love your decision. Walking, traveling, and adventuring are beautiful things, wonderful experiences. But so are going to school, getting a job, and raising a family. It depends on what a person wants. A person who wants to go to school should go to school. A person who wants to walk should walk. The beauty of them isn’t really found in the things themselves, it’s found in the fact that someone who really wants to do them is actually fulfilling their hopes and dreams by doing them. That’s what is beautiful about goals.
People, if you want to walk, then how about getting out there and doing it, rather than sitting on your ass reading about someone else doing it. It’s pretty pathetic when you think about it, “living” your traveling dreams via a computer screen while drinking soda and eating junk food in your nice, comfortable house. Quit urging someone else who you don’t really understand or know to do something you don’t have the motivation to do yourself. It really pisses me off.
Thank you for sharing your life with us, Christoph. You’ve taught me a lot of things, and I think reading your stories has given me a better idea of the joys and pains of walking. It’s inspired me to get out and try it myself some, too. I’m glad you’ve made the right decision, the one you want to make, and I wish you all the best in life.
And the photograph is wonderful.
-Drew
February 22nd, 2009 at 9:09 am
Christoph, glaubst du, dass du eher dich verloren oder eher gefunden hast?
—
Do you think, that you lost or found yourself?
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:49 am
Hi Chirs,
Well Its high time dude… Remember its your life and its your decision. But still first time I met u I thought u are crazy but after a couple of meetings i am forced to change myself. Many of us think of doing things like this.. but you did it… I consider myself fortunate to have met you. All the best for your future assignment. Keep in touch…….
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:56 am
I really enjoyed reading your “living book” every day and thank you for that. It was a brilliant idea. So is your cart still in Xinjiang? Good luck at university!
February 24th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Dear Drew,
dear others,
please don’t judge us “fans” for being sad that Christoph wants to stop. We (at least I) certainly accept and understand his choice – we simply hoped and dreamed that life could be more like the movies: Where the hero fights through a hard time and then stands even more firmly to his goals.
For Christoph, his goals have changed. Life is not like the movies. It might not be as poetic, but it is much more real. I thank Christoph for all the marvel and the excitement that he shared, and for the “Vorfreude” when typing in his web address.
I admit that travelling through a computer screen is but a stale taste of what he experienced and achieved. But Drew, I think you are too quick to suggest that we fans are lazy, drinking soda and eating junk food. But many of us have to make do with an afternoon on the bike or a weekend on cross-country ski. Our lifes are filled with dependencies and obligations, some of which we chose and some of which were forced upon us. Seeing someone break free, and chase his dream like we didn’t dare, inspired us.
Dreams change.
Paths change.
Drew, go easy on us fools;
and Chris, it was a hell of a ride. :-)
March 2nd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Schade, echt schade, dass du aufhörst. Dein Blog war immer mein Lieblingsbuch. Ich wünsche dir alles Gute auf deinem Weg, thelongestway war ja nur ein kurzes Stück davon und ich war froh, dich begleitet zu haben.
Sabrina
March 3rd, 2009 at 3:55 am
Verdammte Axt! Ich bin ja immer ein Verfechter des Durchhaltevermögens. Nach dem Motto: Was man sich in den Kopf setzt, wird auch zu Ende gebracht. Trotzdem alles Gute und vielleicht läuft man sich ja in Wanderstiefeln mal über den Weg, nicht wahr Barry?
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:07 am
Everyone: Thanks for your interest and your comments, and thank you for being there during this year of walking.
One simple word of non-horseshit Chris-advice: Prioritize! :)
March 4th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Really enjoyed your blog. Thanks for all the hours of reading and looking at picture. Best of luck to you!
March 5th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Nice pictures, nice website!
March 6th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Where are you now! Still walking?
Just happend to fall down your website…amaxing..
March 10th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Christoph, have u ever think about publishing your foto and word,even in chinese version.
March 31st, 2009 at 5:49 am
Hi Christoph,
you have balls man, this is what I can tell you. Don´t give a shit about anybody that is sitting in their comfortable office chair and wan´t to blame you for not continueing your journey. It wasn´t ever about walking from China to Germany, this is what I figured out in the 10 minutes I red your blog!
Wenn Du mal in der Gegend um Chongqing bist, einfach kurz nen Kommentar auf unserem Blog hinterlassen. Wir haben hier ne kleine Bar, was in etwa genauso bescheuert ist ;-)
Viele Grüße,
Meiling und Sven
April 28th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Am I the only one to worry about the caboose?
What happens, where is it left?
Regarding your ‘’small” journey, thanks a lot for having shared yourself with others…
Only to add, ”Seul les imbéciles ne changent pas d’avis” ;-)
May 5th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
BobLeChat: Thank you for this comment!! I am happy that you thought of the caboose… she is fine, Uncle Shen is taking good care of her! :)
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:40 am
It isn’t your responsibility to be a “surrogate traveler” for those of us out here that can’t do it ourselves. Don’t let negative comments get you down.
Traveling is strange. It is its own teacher. Sometimes you can’t plan a journey – sometimes a journey has plans of its own. This journey has taught you what it needed to.
And now? Now you move on to your next journey!
June 8th, 2009 at 4:19 am
Ashley: I am happy about all the positive vibes I have been getting from all of you!! :)
November 8th, 2009 at 3:16 am
Things always change, the original plan may not be proper in the future. It’s wise and brave to stop at a proper time.
All the best on your new journey!
November 8th, 2009 at 3:25 am
Yarra: Thank you!
February 13th, 2010 at 2:52 am
spät bin auf deinen blog gestoßen. Ich werde einige Zeit brauchen, all das zu lesen.
Der Weg führt zur Begegnung mit sich selber. Was immer daraus erwächst, ist das Richtige. Leben kann man immer nur vorwärts, bewerten dagegen nur rückwärts.
Was immer du tust, es wird das Richtige sein. Das Wenige, was ich von deinem Blog bisher gesehen habe, gibt mir die Überzeugung.