A Postcard from Lodge am See

Greeting an old friend: revisiting Raus for a city escape

Cracking open the cabin door of Raus is déjà vu; my body recalls the calm between the walls of the simple, perfectly-formed cabins. In the year between trips, I’ve chased accommodations close to nature, but they’ve been more humble and rustic. Back here, I find luxury in the simplicity and quality. And after roughing it in hostels for the years gone by of my twenties, I welcome nice things.

Same may be the cabin, but different is the story. This visit, with a fellow city-dweller and close friend from a busy Berlin startup, took us to a lakeside lodge with a hot tub and sauna. If you have a bit of time for me, reader, I'd like to start our story where all good stories start, at the beginning…

An arrival to remember

Place the fault on poor planning, or the fickleness of Deutsche Bahn, but we arrived at our destination in the late evening. We were immediately overtaken by a sensation that was foreign to both of us, being accustomed to the illuminated city streets, it was dark – the night was jet black like a still night sea.

The hovering bus we disembarked gave us light for a brief moment, illuminating the grass below our feet. But soon the light creeped away from us, and a sinking feeling settled in our stomachs. How would we find where we needed to go? Luckily, one guy got out at the same time and took pity on us (clearly not from this town). He gestured for us to follow him as he was going the same way – pointing to a torch light he wore on his head and stopping to increase the light level, “better?” he asked. We nodded gratefully.

I set the scene for you to imagine how we arrived into the cabin: relieved, and coming down from using our full alertness to find our way. In the Raus complex, the once pitch-darkness was eased by little lights, and the path to our cabin lit up before us like a warm invitation.

You won’t judge us I hope, if I admit we rushed a little to get in. Sighing with relief as our code worked and looking around in wonder. We were all “wows” and “look at this” like little kids, and after setting aside our things – we looked at the natural wine set in the centre of the table. Joyfully, and without longer than a minute’s thought, I said goodbye to my month-long drinking detox and made a toast to our trip with my dear friend.

A different kind of luxury

Being in nature is like suddenly being able to breathe in your largest, slowest, freshest breath. To uncomplicate your life. And to give yourself permission to not entertain millions of thoughts of what you should be doing. Waking up to see the trees brushing the walls of your cabin, I felt like a different person.

Nature is a teacher, and this was felt abundantly on this short escape. The tree is not stressing that it has not visited a multitude of locations in its life, never mind in the space of a few days. Or whether it would be better to be in a completely different forest entirely. It just is. And we marvel at it all the same. It is valued by those around it for simply existing and it does what it does.

Gratefully, this feeling was extended to us on our trip. So we did not force ourselves to make an extended itinerary or do everything possibly available to do. We gave ourselves permission to do everything and nothing, simply checking in at the moment that the thing was an option, and moving on without a wistful look back.

Simplicity is the heart of it, when I think about it. Everything about our stay was simple. From having our fridge stocked with organic, delicious food, to a perfectly equipped kitchen, it required not much thinking, there was everything needed, and not a thing more. And this is a different kind of luxury in itself.

Little adventures: what to do with your time

I suppose the way one is supposed to spend time is reframed while on this trip. More from what to do, to a chance to be, and have quality time. And I'll explain: in the throws of daily life, particularly in the busy city it can feel like you’re stealing a couple hours with your loved ones. But in the quietness of the cosy cabin Raus offered something invaluable: time with one person that’s uninterrupted and pure. Proper listening. One focus. True stillness and quality time.

Our first activity was venturing out into the forest to see the local town. We walked by the lake and tall trees, soaking up the quiet sound track of nature: crackling branches as we stepped and the hushed ripples of the water. There’s something about immersing yourself between the trees that puts true space between yourself in the present moment, and your life back in the busyness of the city.

Of the last to-do, came our most rewarding adventure: Successfully making a BBQ beneath a starry night sky on our final night. Being two women in our 30s, we discussed how the task was often delegated away from us. Our eyes glittered with the opportunity to master this classic.

Sure, it was the night and vision was limited; but we had our will, a torchlight and Google. And in the end, we succeeded in creating one of the most rewarding meals we will remember in our lives. Was it smooth sailing? No. Graceful? Never. But it was utterly perfect. The food was rich and sumptuous – and we couldn’t stop gushing about how good it tasted, and how good we felt, as the calm from the cabin reached every element of our bodies.

I walk away from this trip thinking of Raus cabins as somewhat of a pill for the frantic city life, easy to take, as the few clicks needed to book. I wonder if perhaps it reflects some kind of off balance in my everyday life, but nevertheless I imagine it won't be long before I'll be needing it again. I stayed in Lodge am See, halfway between Berlin and Hamburg.