A Tesla World Tour: How it feels to be on the road for 20 months [Part 1]

Guest Contributor: Ralf Schwesinger

Hi, my name is Ralf. Some of you might know me as "Mr T" from Mr & Mrs T on Tour. I am a Tesla owner, enthusiast, and club member in Switzerland who traveled the world in a Tesla.  

Above: Ralf Schwesinger, aka "Mr T" (Source: Mr & Mrs T on Tour)

THE DREAM

As far as I can tell, traveling the world is a dream many people share, but most of us never really dare to try, even if they could afford it. No matter when (or how long) it's on your mind, the fear of escaping one's own mouse wheel and leaving behind "normal life" tends to be far too big a dream to chase. 

Above: The Great Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway (Source: Mr & Mrs T on Tour)

Nicole (aka Mrs T) always loved to organize weekend getaways. She was the daring one who wanted to travel the world originally. I was actually quite satisfied with regular weekend trips. However, in some sense, weekend trips remained an excuse not to try the real thing. A world tour. Yet, my mind began to shift with the purchase of our Tesla. And before I delayed the dream any further, the greatest adventure of my live had begun.

What exactly changed my mind? Well, that's another story to tell … 

THE MISSION

As I always say: “Acting more sustainably should not stop with driving an electric car, but it is a good start!” We wanted to discover new destinations where we could recharge our car’s batteries as well as our own, and share the experience with others in order to inspire people to switch to electric cars and a more sustainable lifestyle. What began as a weekend trip soon became a life-changing concept.

Top Photo: Our Model S in front of Hotel Benen Dieken Hof - Sylt - Germany; Bottom Photo: Our Model S in front of Hotel Maria Cristina in San Sebastian (Source: Mr & Mrs T on Tour)

PREPARING FOR "TAKEOFF"

One of the hardest things for me to do was to quit my job and leave my team behind. I still remember the day when I went into the office and asked my boss if he could chat for a minute. Everyone who knows me can tell that I am not a shy person, but in that meeting I was not able to open my mouth for about 5 very long minutes. Cancelling the lease on our home in Switzerland and putting all our belongings into storage turned out to be easier for me.

Above: Farewell Switzerland (Source: Mr & Mrs T on Tour)

Having bid farewell to our family, friends, and members of the local Tesla Owners Club, we set off in April 2018, accompanied by a Tesla Film Crew who documented the beginning of our journey. The "weekend getaway that never ends” had begun.

Above: Tesla documented the beginning of our journey as part of their 'Tesla Customer Story' videos (YouTube: mrandmrstontour)

TRAVELING EUROPE

In total we visited 238 destinations around the globe; 125 hotels in 14 countries across Europe alone. It's hard to describe in one article what all those countries had to offer, both from a cultural as well as natural perspective. Every time we crossed a border, mother nature seemed to change her lovely face.

Above: Piedmont France (Source: Mr & Mrs T on Tour)

Trees started to look different, the air smelled new and unknown — sometimes almost mysterious, like in the eucalyptus forests of Portugal or the vineyards in Piedmont.

Above: Hanging out with members of the Tesla Owners Club in Belgium (Source: Mr & Mrs T on Tour)

One thing, however, was always the same. In every country we visited, members of local Tesla Owner Clubs were so welcoming and really made us feel like we were home.

THE WORLD’S FIRST EV TRAVEL GUIDE

While the idea for #recharge, the world’s first EV Travel Guide, was born immediately after my first Tesla Model S test drive. I had no idea that this amazing electric car would bring me to so many beautiful places I had never seen before. 

Above: #recharge is the world's first EV travel guide (Source: Mr & Mrs T on Tour)

I hope that our book allows you to travel with us. And if you have a friend who's not sure yet if (and why) to switch to an electric vehicle, we've included a separate chapter where we provide plenty of good reasons. To learn more, check out the book and get inspired to hit the road and begin your own all-electric adventure.