Dear reader,

The past few months have been very busy for the committee. Some members were discharged from their board functions at the study association and also the lectures weeks have started out. We even had our first exams of the year.

The last few days of the trip have been so busy for both the committee and the participants, we were not able to write any more articles for the website. To give everyone who reads this blog a good idea of what happened during the tour, I hereby give you a short overview of the remaining days.

Day 2:

On the second day we had plenty of time to get breakfast and pack our bags. After that we had to get to the bus, which was parked a few hundred meters further on, because our street was blocked by a bazaar.

In the early morning, a part of the committee had already left for the Subway to get the lunch for during the bus trip. The people at the Subway didn't understand the amount of Subways needed at first, but after some trouble the committee members were able to be just in time to catch the bus. More about this can be read in the report special by the committee.

During the bus trip everyone enjoyed his or her Subway. After more than an hour of driving we arrived at the second company of the trip. This was Brose, a company which specializes in producing electric motors for automotive. At Brose we were welcomed with a 'snack.' This actually meant a complete lunch was prepared for us. Because we did not want to disappoint our host, everyone picked a roll and listened to the company presentation at Brose.

After the presentation it was time to have a tour in the factory. This was a very fascinating tour. We were able to look at machines winding the coils of the electric motors and saw how different production processes were managed.

After the excursion at Brose it was time to travel to our hostel in Stuttgart after we said goodbye to the Brose representatives. Because it was quite hot that day, we made a stop in the highway to stock some beverages for the trip. After a few hours driving we arrived at the hostel, which was on the top of on of the mountains which surround the city of Stuttgart.

After everyone got a room and left their stuff at the rooms, we went to see the city. In the city a wine festival was going on. After walking for half an hour over the festival area, we found a cosy little restaurant. Because we were in Germany and they served beer in liters, everyone ordered one. Unfortunately the restaurant had only 6 liter steins available. After that we had a great meal and went to explore the city nightlife.

Day 3:

At the third day we woke up early to go to the Porsche museum. After a quick breakfast everyone hurried to make the bus in time. After a short trip through the city we arrived at the Porsche museum, which is in the middle of the Porsche factories. Everywhere we looked, we saw Porsches.

After admiring the many Porsches, we entered the Porsche museum, which is an impressive building itself. After entrance, everyone got a headphone set, so the guide did not need to shout all the time, disturbing the other guests. At first we went outside and the guide told us something about the building and about Porsche in general. After that we walked up the 'spiral.' In the first circulations the older Porsche cars and cars designed by Mr. Porsche were shown. One of them was the well-known Beetle.

After having a look at the older Porsches, we moved up and the Porsches were becoming more and more like the modern Porsches. Nearly at the top we got to take a look at some of the most famous sports cars ever made and at the top we ended with Porsches latest model, the 60-year edition of the 911.

After the tour some time was left to explore the museum ourselves. Some took place in a Porsche to get photographed inside, some had a closer look at the exhibition and some went to listen to a specially prepared 911 that was revving in the middle of the museum.

After the Porsche Museum, the last company visit was planned. We went to the optical division OMRON. At this plant many optical sensors used in production lines for automotive are made.

At OMRON we first had a warm welcome by Mr. Christiani. After the warm welcome, an even warmer lunch was prepared at the dining hall. After getting ourselves stuffed with the food, it was time to have a look at the production facilities. During this tour various aspects on the production of optical sensors were treated. It was clearly visible the first few days had taken its toll on some participants. Nevertheless, also this excursion was very interesting and we learned a lot about production techniques. After the company tour it was time to say goodbye to the OMRON representatives and after making a photo, we went back to the hostel, but not before stopping at the city center, so we did not have to take the long walk down from the hostel.

Also this night we enjoyed the nightlife in Stuttgart, but this time more thoroughly, because the last company visit had been that afternoon. We noticed it was quite tough to enter the various clubs in Stuttgart.

Day 4:

On the last full day in Germany we visited the Mercedes Museum in the early morning. It was clearly visible the short night had taken its toll on the participants, but after having a look at the first (again it started with the older cars) the faces cleared up and everyone was participating actively in the tour. The guides told us everything, from the design of the building to the smallest differences between two cars.

After the visit to the Mercedes Museum we went back to the hostel, again with a stop to drop off some participants at the start of the hill, although most people went to the hostel to get a nap. At dinner time we gathered with all the participants at the city center to have dinner together. After having some trouble finding a suitable restaurant, we managed to find a place to eat with the group.

After the dinner it was time for the participants to thank the committee vice versa. After the presents were handed over to the committee, it was time to make the best of our last evening in Stuttgart. To our surprise it was not possible to get in any club with a group of more than 5 people, so we decided to go to a normal pub. During our search we came past a group of youngsters whom we asked where we could find a place to get a drink. They pointed us to a café slightly out of the city center, but at least we were able to get in there and party. The only problem was that everyone was too tired to party. After a few hours we left the bar. Most people went to the hotel, but some people went back to the city center and enjoyed the rest of the night.

Day 5:

The fifth day was the day of the trip back. After having packed our bags and having breakfast, we left only half an hour late. Soon everyone in the bus was sleeping, tired of the trip.

During the lunch break we had a stop at a highway restaurant, where everyone woke up and the first stories were told.

We hope we gave you a good impression on how our trip has been. At the moment we are wrapping up the trip and making the final report. If you want to know more about the trip, you might be interested in in receiving the final report. I you are, please send us and e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .