10 Questions for the Adventure Travelers @roadbunnies

Table of Contents

Female Solo Travel has been on everyone's lips for a while now and has long been more than just a fleeting trend. For their 3k followers (as of November 2021), Sophia and Madeleine from @roadbunnies share exciting moments about traveling and their intimate friendship. In the process, they show how to approach solo traveling - pack your bags and go for the wild ride!                                                                     

During Madeleine and Sophia's travels, nothing goes without their Helga. With the Skoda Fabia, they go on a discovery tour through Europe once a month. On Instagram, the two share their impressions and experiences without shying away from taking themselves for a ride. A great entertainment program that we like to follow.

In spring 2022, the adventure goes into the next round. Helga will have to stay at home, but TripLegend will be there for the first time when Madeleine goes to Kyrgyzstan. She won the ticket for this trip in our last competition. To mark the occasion, the girls from @roadbunnies took some time for an exclusive interview as they trudge to France with Helga to rediscover new and old corners. Braving the cold and provided with thick jackets and hats, they are beaming - a wonderful reaction that once again shows us the open and warm nature of @roadbunnies.

Today we take a look behind the scenes of @roadbunnies in 10 questions.

You two come across as very genuine and fun girls, readers would definitely love to know more about you! Tell a little bit about yourselves.

We are Sophia and Madeleine. A year ago we started taking road trips in Sophia's car, which we call Helga. We have been on the road all over Germany and this year we were already on tour in the Balkans. With the car we drove from Cologne and Düsseldorf to Albania. Such trips we undertake once a month over the weekend. In the summer it can become gladly also times 2-week journeys. That's what we like to do the most, that's what probably makes us complete.

Helga is a Skoda Fabia, which I (Sophia) bought five years ago. No one would have guessed back then that she would eventually become a micro camper. In the end, our friendship set the course. We didn't live together for a while and rarely saw each other. While others meet their friends for coffee, we went on city trips together. Sometimes in Prague, sometimes in Mallorca or wherever else we liked. At some point it was time for me to live in Düsseldorf and Madeleine in Cologne. Finally we were closer to each other. And so it came about that we started 'road tripping'. On our first trip to Holland we found out that it is very good to sleep in Helga.

How did you come to travel together with Helga?

We spontaneously decided to take a road trip through France last year and borrowed a Ford Tourneo Custom specifically for the trip. We put a mattress in the back and removed the seats. After 8 days around the coast we realized that camping is totally our thing. In fact, no one would have expected that from us, especially our parents. But for this reason we then said: Okay, let's go camping in Holland. We hadn't even finished setting up when we were directly surprised by a nasty thunderstorm. Madeleine was washed away, including the tent. Everything was wet, really - everything! It was quickly clear to us that camping here would be impossible. Stubborn as we are, we could not give ourselves the nerve to go back. So we made ourselves comfortable in Helga. It was not the best night, but partly we slept already very well. Now we just had to perfect the whole thing. We then just learned on every road trip.

How long have you known each other and how did it come about that you became friends?

We have been traveling together for 5 years. In 2016 we did children's animation in Mallorca and got to know each other very well. I (Sophia) came into the team after. We also lived together there. In the end, we shared an apartment as a couple and each had her room. However, after about 2 weeks I moved my bed into Madeleine's room and we pushed the beds together so we wouldn't have to sleep alone. Unless one was sick, then we pushed them apart a bit so we wouldn't catch it. We were on top of each other 24/7. Even when the family came, the other one always came along. That's how the friendship developed, and it's been working for 5 years now.

Does it sometimes get a bit cramped and exhausting in Helga?

In fact, we had talked about it the other day and realized that in these 5 years of friendship, we haven't bitched at each other once or argued at all. The thing is, I think we are the same from the things we think. We also have the same views. Sometimes we don't even have to talk to each other. We're both just like that in the friendship, we always respond to each other. Even if we think at the beginning that the idea is not so great, we go into it and realize at the end that maybe it was good or realize together that the idea is stupid.

When you're in the car all day for long periods of time, do you ever get into fights? Do you have any tips for our TripLegends on how to avoid this?

I think it's also just super important to always make sure that the other person is doing well, what the other person has to say, and to always listen to both opinions. Communication is the be-all and end-all, so if you do have concerns somewhere, you definitely have to talk it out. We always did that as soon as something came up.

You are now also on the road with Helga, can you tell me briefly about it?

We actually wanted to do that (France) for a long time, but because of Corona you were not allowed to France, respectively us the numbers were partly also too high. Now the whole thing has settled a little. That's why we spontaneously decided to explore the Northern Vosges, a very special nature reserve in northern France, from Friday to Sunday evening. Here there are many castles, great forests, great rocks.

We went down yesterday, which was then of course an absolute fail. This morning, when we wanted to go to the castle with the sunrise, we realized that we were already here and only turned back at halfway because it was too dark. We thought at that time simply: 'Hä here is nevertheless no castle'. Well, today in the light we noticed that here is very well one and it is also very beautiful. The journey does not end here. (Sophia and Madeleine would still like to go hiking, to the pea rocks, watch sunsets and explore Luxembourg).

You two make a very independent and strong impression on me. Unfortunately, women are often told to be especially careful when traveling, have you already encountered such prejudices and if so how do you react to them?

Unfortunately, we get to hear that super often. Especially because we are super happy to travel in the Balkans. But we are also both women who just like to explore Arab countries and therefore we get to hear that really often. I mean statements like: 'Aren't you afraid? It's dangerous to sleep in the car'. In principle, I find that a bit difficult. Of course, these are concerns that are perhaps also important. You should think about whether what you are doing is dangerous or not. The problem, I think, is that just because I'm a woman, it's super difficult to say, "But that's dangerous for you. Many women are also frightened by this and in the end they no longer dare to travel. In principle, the criminals don't really care which car they break into and rob. That's why we think you should try everything yourself and not let other people talk you into it. The Balkans were a dream, the people were super nice and partly knew that we were sleeping somewhere alone. No one broke into the car. They were all super friendly people, it was a dream. Sometimes I have a bigger problem in Germany when I walk across the street. We just think it's a shame that as a woman you should always worry.

Would you say that your way of traveling through Europe helps you to travel more sustainably?

We haven't taken a plane trip yet this year, but we also know that it would be more sustainable to travel by train. But we also have to admit that it is anything but easy to plan our desired routes completely via the rail network. That's why we claim our way is more sustainable than some others. We also make sure to cook a lot ourselves with regional products. We also don't have it packed in plastic and always have our own bottle with us. You don't need plastic bottles anyway, we prefer to fill our water.

Sustainable travel is for us and among campers to leave a place as you found it or even more beautiful! For us it is important to leave the places as beautiful as you want to see them in their beauty. That you always take garbage with you, sometimes not even your own. That one does not drive over field ways, but only at the side or on the associated roads. That also belongs to the aspect of sustainable travel: that one pays attention to the environment and the environment.

Also culturally - do you have any local advantages from traveling by car? If yes, which ones?

Unbelievably many. We like to have breakfast in the car and just leave the trunk open. Then we've had the situation super often that people just sit down with their camping chairs, that's just cool. But also in general we learn a lot from people. For example, in the Balkans, people put colorful towels over their cars to keep the sun out. That made such a difference! That was absolutely awesome for us. Once we couldn't get up a mountain with Helga and then someone had to help us and drive Helga up.

We have also learned so much. When we were in Albania, for example, there were super many cuddly toys hanging from the houses. We were super surprised about that, but then we learned that the cuddly toys protect against the evil eye.

Madeleine, you won our competition to Kyrgyzstan, - how did you come to apply for it and how are you preparing for the trip?

That was a total coincidence. One of my absolute favorite photographers was in Kyrgyzstan and I saw the pictures. It struck me how incredibly beautiful this country is and that I would like to go there alone. From then on, I said I absolutely have to go there. My old roommate was born in Bishkek and always confirmed the beauty of the country. But I didn't manage to go there until now because I didn't have so much time. But I really wanted to be there next year for my birthday. My birthday is now a week after the trip. That's cool. When I saw the message that I won, I knew it was a sign! To be honest, I had already forgotten that I had participated. I had also told Sophia at the time that I had commented, but it just slipped my mind again.

I'm most looking forward to the second or third day. Building the yurt and that with the eagle. It is simply an experience that I could never do so. Through the local guide I hope to see things that I could not see normally, or to get insights that would not be possible as a normal tourist. Simply to get a deeper insight into the culture. I'm also just looking forward to the differences between the capital and then how it will be rural.

Your advantages of TripLegend
Experience your adventure

Want to experience an unforgettable adventure yourself? Find your dream destination for the adventure of a lifetime now at TripLegend. Discover our handpicked destinations.

Popular articles
Our trips
Borneo round trip
13 days
from 1999€
Philippines Palawan Essentials
9 days
from 799€
Uzbekistan Essentials
8 days
from 899€
Cambodia Essentials
12 days
from 999€
Montenegro round trip
5 days
from 1299€
Sri Lanka Round Trip with Jaimy
12 days
from 1499€
Uganda gorilla round trip with Ali
10 days
from 2899€
Nepal Essentials with Nic and Sam
11 days
from 1299€
Montenegro round trip with Ali
5 days
from 1299€
Namibia round trip with Ali
15 days
from 1999€
MEGA SALE

Double your discount up to 1.200,- €when you book with a friend today! 😍

Save on our unique trips, including our Namibia trip, with up to 300,-€ Discount.

👫✈️ Unique friends campaign 🚨: Book together with a friend and we'll double your discount - for both of you! 🎉

Offer only until on January 31! ⏰

Wait! A 50€ voucher is waiting for you

Sign up now for the TripLegend newsletter for free and get 50€ off your first booking (with full payment). Get travel inspiration and adventure ideas delivered to your inbox.