Konaction x Hyundai NEXO:
#Microtravel from Berlin
4 minute read
Has Covid-19 made you reconsider travel? Plans to sunbathe on far-flung beaches or sightsee in busy European cities may be put on hold, but chances are - after many months of restrictions on what we can do - you’re still craving a trip, even if new safety measures might affect how that trip looks.
This was the case for Berlin-based travel expert and photographer Konrad Langer, also known as @Konaction. As with many content creators, travelling is vital for his visual inspiration - he was used to hopping on a plane to capture festivals in Kuala Lumpur, quirky buildings in the Netherlands, and art nouveau architecture in Warsaw, Poland. Now, he’s had to rethink.
As he explains, “After many months of staying in the city, I started to plan day-trips out of Berlin. From here you can roam among flowering landscapes, beautiful clear lakes, and scenic lanes.” As a seasoned traveller and photographer, Konaction is inspired by the daily life in the natural world.
And so we gave him a task where he can take a safe, stress-free adventure and also enjoy a trip with less carbon emissions. Using a Hyundai NEXO, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with nothing but water vapor as emissions, we asked Konaction to explore the sights closer to Berlin by taking a sustainable roadtrip driving up to 200km from the city. This was his #Microtravel Challenge.
As far as roadtrips go, the NEXO is the perfect driving companion. With a range of 666km,
it’s hassle-free, yet extremely eco-friendly.
As Konaction discovered, it has plenty of in-built tech to make the journey smoother, from onscreen blind spot monitors (a first for the industry and particularly handy on rainy days), and cooling and heated front seats. A wide sunroof allowed a refreshing breeze when the weather played ball.
I was surprised that the NEXO allowed me to travel to so many places within a 200km distance from Berlin, all with just one filling. KONRAD LANGER
So where did he go? Konaction fueled his car the day before his challenge, so he was ready
to leave at 4am to drive south of Berlin and capture early morning sunlight of the crowd-free Niederlausitz region.
Here’s what he discovered along the way:
5am:
Sunrise at Lake
Oderiner See
“I arrived just in time for a mystical foggy morning. After the first rays of light touched the lake’s smooth water, all the mist disappeared and it was time for me to start driving again, right into golden hour.”
7am:
The Niederlausitz Moorlands
Only a few kilometers away, a former cargo airship construction hall stands in the middle of the Niederlausitz moorlands. The vast structure - large enough to fit the Eiffel Tower inside - is now used as a theme park. In the early morning hours, Konaction made the most of its empty parking lot for a photography and skateboarding session.
11am:
Cottbus Old Town
Next, Langer headed to Cottbus, with its picturesque old town - a great choice for a photo session and coffee break. “There are two locations in Cottbus that I always like to revisit,” he says. “One is the award-winning University Library, the other one is an unusual lake pyramid at Fürst-Pückler-Park.”
3pm:
Lake Grebendorf
and Spreewald
Roadtrips are all about fun foodie breaks along the way, and what better than ice cream? Langer stopped for his at the tranquil Lake Grebendorf, before winding slowly through the UNESCO biosphere reserve of Spreewald, with its forest and calm waterways.
So what was Konaction’s take on the challenge? “Back in Berlin I only needed to top up the hydrogen fuel the day after my trip,” he says. “I was surprised that the NEXO allowed me to travel to so many places within a 200km distance from Berlin, all with just one filling. Aside from the safe and comfortable driving experience, the fact that I took an entire trip using only clean energy made my Microtravel Challenge even more rewarding.”
Konaction’s trip covered just a small corner of the world - but getting out on the road provides endless travel experiences, no matter how far you go.
So, where will your Microtravel Challenge take you?