Be fearless in the face of what sets your soul on fire.— Unknown.

The first time I sat on a motorbike it simply felt right. I’d never been interested in getting a driver’s license to drive cars. I’ve never been interested in driving cars. I’m from Berlin. It’s not necessary to drive a car there or own one. And I just never felt the attraction either.

I honestly wouldn’t even have known what kind of car to get. It was all so boring. Plus, I have a tendency to get car sick. I can’t ride in a car on an empty stomach. Makes me nauseated.

Life on two wheels was always more appealing to me and it’s healthier – as long as we’re talking bicycles.

As a student, I worked at a motorcycle exhibition. I had the night shift and we were playing around a little and tried sitting on some of those bikes – super carefully. Well, I tried one. And I felt immediately at home. I took a picture of the bike and knew that one day I wanted one.

Before I could settle down enough in life to afford getting a license and then a motorbike, I decided to leave and travel the world, live everywhere but at home and after 10 years finally returned. Not to Berlin, mind you, but to Hamburg.

I never forgot about my desire to get a motorcycle license. But most of the time I just didn’t have the time, opportunity or the money to get it.

Last year, I suffered the worst heartbreak of my life. And that’s when I decided that now was as good a time as any to finally get a license. I wanted to do something for myself. Something that would give me joy.

I wanted to get started in April, do an intensive course in two weeks or so, get the license and be ready once the season took off.

Alas, my friends had other plans and dragged me on a trip to Japan, which ate up my starting funds for the license and gear. But since my birthday was coming up, I asked for support for the license and got it, and saved up in the meantime.

I signed up for the course on the 2nd July. And I’ve been obsessing over motorbikes and riding ever since.

Originally published 30th July 2019