Germany -Where My Travel Story Began
Germany is probably the only European country I have visited seven or eight times, and yet I still feel the urge to go back again and again.
Germany fascinated me long before I ever saw it. As a teenager, I read extensively about World War II, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the rebuilding of Germany. The discipline, the engineering culture, and the football passion created an image of a country that felt both powerful and precise.
It was also the birthplace of my first dream car –BMW.
Driving on the Autobahn later in life felt like therapy for both the car and my soul.
For Julius, Germany is equally fascinating. The museums that document WWII history bring stories to life in a way textbooks never could.
“The Lost Mumbaikar says:”
“The Autobahn cured stress faster than meditation.”
“From Qatar to Dubai -The Unexpected Turn”
In 2012, I moved from Qatar to Dubai.
But my relationship with Dubai actually started earlier. I had visited the city as a tourist in 2010, wandering around places like Dubai Marina, never imagining that one day this city would become my home.
At that time, I used to look at the towers of Marina and dream.
Years later, that same neighborhood would become where I live.
Even Cayan Tower, which I once admired as a tourist attraction, eventually became my home.
Life sometimes writes stories we never plan.
The move to Dubai itself happened because of a rule change. At that time, Qatar had strict employment transfer rules. If you left a company, you needed permission from your previous employer before joining another organization in the country.
Those rules only relaxed much later, around the time of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
So instead of staying in Qatar, my career path took me to Dubai.
And Dubai slowly became home.
“The Boss Who Started My Travel Addiction”
When I joined my new organization in Dubai, my boss “Arif Bhai” became more like a big brother.
One day he said something simple:
“Shiju, I want you to go to Germany for training.”
The city was Düsseldorf.
I immediately asked if I could combine the trip with Belgium to meet a vendor who can be potential partner for us. He said yes.
That was the moment my real travel journey began.
Looking back today, after more than 90 countries, I realize something:
Arif Bhai may be the person responsible for the travel bug that bit me permanently.
Today, whenever we talk, he laughs about how that single training trip eventually turned me into someone obsessed with exploring the world.
Travel, by the way, is a very expensive addiction.
I am writing a separate blog about that.
And interestingly, Arif Bhai himself is German.
A German passport but with India still in his heart and soul.
“My First Schengen Visa”
This was February 2012.
I had arrived in Dubai barely five weeks earlier. I had just received my Emirates ID and immediately started preparing for my Schengen visa.
Until then, I had only heard the word Schengen.
I had no idea how the process worked, what the visa looked like, or how long it would take.
This was going to be my first trip to Europe.
The plan was simple:
- Germany
• Belgium
At that time there was no VFS system like today. You had to personally visit the German Embassy for the visa interview.
I was nervous.
Very nervous.
It was my first Schengen visa interview, and I had absolutely no idea what kind of questions they might ask.
While waiting there, I met another gentleman who told me he had travelled to Germany five times already. He sounded extremely confident — actually, a bit overconfident.
Seeing how nervous I was, he advised me:
“Just speak confidently. You’re going for business. After that you can see a few places here and there.”
A few days later, my visa arrived.
Not only was it approved — they issued me a six-month Schengen visa, and the processing took just five days.
Using the same visa, I travelled again in July 2012, this time visiting Germany, Italy, and the Vatican.
Things are very different today. Now the VFS waiting time alone can take two to three months, and visas are usually issued only for the exact travel dates, or maybe one extra month.
But the funny part of that day came later.
I called that confident gentleman to inform him that my visa had been approved.
He told me something unexpected.
His visa had been rejected.
He had no idea why.
That day I learned something important:
Sometimes honesty and nervousness are stronger than overconfidence.
Since that first visa in 2012, Europe slowly became familiar territory. Over the years I have travelled across almost the entire continent.
Today, only San Marino remains unchecked on my European list.
“Düsseldorf-My First Step in Europe”
This trip was mainly for business.
I was handling security systems business for the Middle East, and the vendor we were visiting was a leading company in industrial PAGA (Public Address and General Alarm) systems.
So the first three days were entirely filled with:
- technical meetings
• factory discussions
• technology presentations
But after work hours, I wanted to explore.
It was my first time in Europe. I had read about Germany endlessly.
The land of WWII history, German engineering, legends like Boris Beker, Stefi Graff, Michael Schumacher and Berlin’s dramatic past.
But I was not in Berlin.
I was in Mülheim, near Düsseldorf, a quiet industrial area.
Still, every tram ride felt exciting.
“The Girl in the Tram”
One evening, while exploring the city using the tram, I met a girl who noticed how excited I looked.
She asked:
“First time in Germany?”
I said yes.
“First time in Europe?”
Yes again.
She laughed and asked what I was doing here.
When I told her I was traveling for work but wanted to explore, she said something that stayed with me.
“You should go to Berlin… and Paris.”
I said maybe next time.
She replied:
“Who knows if there will be a next time?”
Her line reminded me years later of Katrina Kaif’s dialogue in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
Travel now.
Don’t wait for later.
Interestingly, my wife Sunitha says the same thing today.
We never know what health, responsibilities, or life situations will look like in the future.
So travel while you can.
That tram conversation changed my plan.
“Belgium-Meeting a Friend After 10,000 Kilometers”
I had a short meeting scheduled in Brussels after two days.
But something special awaited me there.
A college friend of mine, Alok Kumar from Rajasthan, was working as a professor in Leuven, a famous university town.
I took a train from Düsseldorf to Brussels, and from there I took another train to Leuven.
Not the trains I was used to in India while traveling between Mumbai, Kerala, or Rajasthan.
This was my first European high-speed train experience.
The route between Düsseldorf, Brussels, and Paris is served by high-speed trains like Thalys, connecting cities at speeds of over 300 km/h.
My friend met me at the station.
Leuven was beautiful.
A lively university town filled with students from around the world.
Small streets, historic buildings, cozy beer cafés, and a relaxed pace of life.
That night we sat together at his place.
He cooked khichdi, opened a bottle of wine, and we talked about our college days.
In the late 1990s we studied together in Kota, surrounded by trucks, dust, and small shabby college hostel. He used to make the same khichdi there as well, as we were staying in the same room with other friends.
Back then we never imagined that one day we would meet again 10,000 kilometers away in Europe.
In those days our biggest problem was simple.
Our fathers would send money for the month, and we would finish it in the first week.
Then we would borrow from friends and somehow survive the remaining three weeks.
We laughed remembering those days collecting money to buy Old Monk, sharing the same cigarettes, playing endless cricket, and doing everything except studying. Then, when exams arrived, we would panic and somehow try to learn the entire semester’s syllabus in just one week.
Remembering all those things, so far away from that place, felt incredibly special. Those were precious moments. Alok and I kept talking about the same memories the whole night, enjoying our drinks. This time the drinks were not bought by sharing money like in our college days, it was fully sponsored by my friend, since I had arrived as an unexpected guest at his place.
“Brussels and the Unexpected Paris Trip”
The next morning we explored a few places in Brussels.
Even though my time was limited, the city felt charming.
The Grand Place, with its historic guild houses, is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.
We also walked through small streets filled with chocolate shops and cafés. I bought a Brussels T-shirt and shoes from the square, along with Belgian chocolates for Julius and Jordan.
But my plan was already becoming more ambitious.
After my meeting ended around 4 PM, I told my friend:
“I am going to Paris.”
He laughed.
“No way. Your meeting just finished.”
I said: “Watch me.”
“My First Paris Visit”
From Brussels to Paris, the high-speed train takes roughly 1 hour and 25 minutes.
I arrived at Gare du Nord station.
Just like that, in less than a week, I had visited my third European country.
At that time I didn’t even own a camera.
I was taking pictures using my BlackBerry Storm. Yes-there was once a time when BlackBerry was a status symbol.
Phones had keyboards, email was king, and cameras were basic.
And video recording?
Forget it.
BlackBerry later disappeared, but those memories stayed.
I have written another blog about that era and how sometimes less skilled but passionate people succeed -the Dunning-Kruger effect.
That night I stood in front of the Eiffel Tower and took a picture before my BlackBerry Storm died. After that, I visited Paris many times, but that moment has never been replicated. I have taken countless pictures there since, but that first and only photo I took on that phone remains the most special memory.
I returned to Düsseldorf close to midnight, catching the last tram to my hotel.
At 1 AM, I called my friend.
“I did the Eiffel Tower.”
He didn’t believe me.
“You are unbelievable.”
That night I realized something about myself.
My first solo European adventure had suddenly turned into something much bigger. I realized that night that I had an appetite for aggressive traveling. Maybe it was the Dunning–Kruger effect of travel-knowing very little about the world, yet believing I could explore all of it. But sometimes that childlike confidence is exactly what turns a small trip into a lifelong journey….
“Discovering Düsseldorf”
The following day I explored Düsseldorf properly.
A few places worth visiting include:
- Altstadt (Old Town) — famous for having “the longest bar in the world”
• Rhine River Promenade
• Königsallee (Luxury shopping boulevard)
• MedienHafen modern architecture district
I also tried something interesting.
The German Döner Kebab.
Ironically, Döner is considered a Turkish dish, but it became popular in Germany because of the large Turkish community that migrated there in the 1960s.
Today, Germany has more Döner shops than Istanbul.
“A Promise to Return”
That first trip ended quickly.
Germany felt historic, organized, and beautiful.
But so much remained unseen:
- Berlin and the Berlin Wall
• Black Forest
• Stuttgart and Porsche Museum
• The Autobahn driving experience
I promised myself I would return.
And I did.
Many times.
Later I visited those places. Sometimes alone, sometimes with family.
Berlin and WWII history remain subjects I deeply enjoy exploring.
Germany also holds a personal place in my life.
I have always loved German cars. By God’s grace, I eventually owned two German cars:
- BMW — my first car
• Porsche — my dream upgrade
So Germany is not just a travel destination for me.
It is part of my story.
“Your Turn”
- What was your first international trip, and did it change how you see the world?
- Have you ever taken a spontaneous decision while traveling that became your most memorable experience?
- Do you believe in the idea of “travel now, don’t wait for later”?
- Have you ever met a stranger during a trip who unexpectedly influenced your journey, just like the girl in the tram influenced mine?
- When was the moment you realized that travel was no longer a hobby but part of your identity?
Leave a Reply