A German adventurer was robbed of his cart in Munich after he had walked with it all the way from China.
Having brought his handcart – a trolley affectionately referred to as his “handwagen” or “kabutze” – from South East Asia, tragedy struck Christoph Rehage when only 600 kilometres from his final destination.
While Rehage was staying with a friend in the Munich borough of Schwabing, his loyal and indispensable companion was stolen, according to reports.
That followed what was a remarkable feat of endurance. Rehage, a 42-year-old Hannover native, had embarked on his extraordinary expedition in 2007, setting out on foot from China with the ultimate destination being his hometown of Bad Nenndorf, near Hannover, Germany.
Covering approximately 15,000 kilometres, the explorer had been relentlessly plodding towards his goal along with his cart, with intermittent breaks, for almost 16 years.
The handwagen contained his essential belongings and it accompanied him through the diverse landscapes and cultures of Central Asia and Europe on his odyssey.
But, staying the night with a friend just after reaching his native Germany, he left the cart in his friend’s courtyard only to wake up and find his kabutze had vanished without a trace.
In a desperate plea for help and in a bid to retrieve his stolen gear, Rehage turned to Twitter, sharing his ordeal with the online community.
BITTE TEILEN: KABUTZE WEG!
TLTR: Mann wandert von China nach Deutschland. In München (600km vor dem Ziel) wird sein Handwagen, die Kabutze, von einer Hausmeisterei "entsorgt". Bitte um Hilfe. /1 pic.twitter.com/eNeMQbvVtO
— Christoph Rehage (@crehage) July 18, 2023
Adding to his anguish, Rehage then discovered that the caretaker of the place he was staying at had “disposed” of the trolley. Despite immediately reaching out to the waste management companies in Munich to enquire about its whereabouts, no leads or responses were forthcoming.
The news of Rehage’s misfortune spread rapidly across social media platforms, stirring a wave of sympathy and concern among fellow “netizens” and Munich residents. Many expressed their heartfelt support and solidarity with the seasoned adventurer, offering assistance in his quest to recover his missing belongings.
Heute war sie dann WEG, und die Hausmeisterei teilte auf Nachfrage nur mit, dass sie sie "entsorgt" hätten.
Es ist kaum zu glauben: die Kabutze ist mit mir von China bis nach Deutschland gekommen und wurde dann in München, so nah vor dem Ziel, ohne Vorwarnung "entsorgt". /5 pic.twitter.com/iTplp3yxKH
— Christoph Rehage (@crehage) July 18, 2023
The loss of his cherished companion marked another upsetting chapter in his amazing journey.
Recounting how he “was once threatened with a gun, twice hit by cars, twice bitten by dogs, and arrested several times by the authorities”, Rehager wrote that the loss of “Kabutze” was an unexpected hurdle.
“[After] I was robbed and hospitalised twice … two weeks ago I finally got on my way to Munich … Everything easy, I thought.”
The dedication and resilience Rehage has displayed throughout his arduous trek have captivated audiences globally.
He documented his adventures and reflections on the website, “thelongestway.com“, sharing his gripping story with the world.
