Why This Story Hit Me Harder Than I Expected

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here.

Like every second Sunday, one of you from the community gets to share your story in this newsletter.
This time it’s Renée’s turn — and before we dive in, I want to say a huge thank you to her and to everyone else who has been part of this journey.

Some of you know this already, but Renée was actually the very first subscriber to this newsletter. Back then I was just writing a few stories for fun — basically for friends — and now, only three months later, we’re just shy of hitting 1,000 readers. That honestly makes me really proud, and it reminds me of why I’m building this in the first place.

Alright, enough of my emotional talk — let’s get to what’s important today: Renée’s story of how she first discovered her love for travel.

Hey Johannes,

Travel has been something I’ve been doing my whole life — and often on my own. As a Gen X kid, I would take off all day, exploring trails along the river, riding my bike for miles, or hanging out at the pool until sunset.

As I got older, the radius expanded. First it was road trips — sometimes alone, sometimes with friends, it didn’t matter. In my early 20s I started flying further out to new places. Most of those trips were still within my immediate area or up and down the West Coast (Cali girl here 😉). A few quick trips to Tijuana, Mexico too… but that’s a story for another time.

During my 20-year marriage, I moved no less than 10 times. My husband was military, which is how I ended up in Germany — his last duty station, and our only overseas move. I lived there from 2012 until just about a month ago. The last few years, I was splitting life between two countries (the U.S. and Germany).

Over those 13 years in Europe, I traveled a lot: back and forth to the States, throughout the continent, and even in a converted van I had in Germany. That van was my happy place. I didn’t get to every destination I dreamed of, but I still went to so many.

Plane, train, bus, boat, car — I’ve done them all. I even keep a small bag of travel basics ready at all times. After testing endless types of gear, bags, and clothes, I’ve now honed in on my essentials. Most of my wardrobe is color-coordinated so I can mix and match outfits on the road.

And yet… as I get older, I find myself bringing along a little more. (Love my red light therapy, and I always find space for it.) Travel has taught me to be flexible, tolerant, and, above all, grateful.

If you get stuck somewhere or miss your ride (whatever mode of transport that may be), take it as an opportunity to explore around you or, even better, explore within. You might just discover something beautiful that has been there all along.

Always remember, life is 100% about the journey and not the destination.

Danke, Renée — because life is 100% about the journey, not the destination.
That’s not only true for travel, but for everything in life. And Renée shows us exactly that. For me personally, she’s also someone special, because she’s been a part of this journey from the very beginning — a journey toward a goal I don’t even fully know yet. But that’s the point: we keep moving, and I try to enjoy every single moment along the way.

If Renée’s story moved you, or if you feel like yours deserves to be heard, just reply to this email with your own. Whether it’s a travel adventure, a life-changing moment, or simply your packing routine — every story matters here.

Thanks for everything,
Your friend Johannes
Safe travels ✈️

Here are a few pictures Renée sent me, which she wanted me to share with you all:

PS: Just to let you know — I’ve built a full Amazon Storefront where you can find every single gadget I’ve ever recommended, organized by videos and categories.
I’ll keep updating it over the next weeks as new gear comes in.
👉 [Click here to check it out]