Most important and foremost: Yeeees – it – is – done! I am proud and relieved to say: all went very well – magna cum laude! For the last 4 years I have been a PhD student. All of you know about the ups and also quite a lot of downs I had during these years. After handing in my thesis in the beginning of February I finally had to hold my defense on the 12^th of November 2014.

My professor called me home on short notice – only 2 weeks before the actual defense. As you can imagine, cheap flights were long gone by that time and flying home from Queenstown, New Zealand to Hamburg, Germany is not exactly what one would call a short distance flight. In my case it took 34 hrs not including the 1 ½ drive in the morning, camper van return, check-in, etc.. But well, the 14 hrs leg from Sydney to Dubai should provide some restful sleep. I am pretty sure it would have done its job, if those two little kids (~1 year and 5 years) with their juice head father, and “Cindy from Mazan” mother were not on the flight! Flight length: 14 hrs, Screaming time: 13 hrs 59 mins.

As compensation for the first part of my expedition, the flight back to Melbourne was very cinematic. 5 movies and 3 episodes of “two and a half men” made me forget all the trouble and stress of the past week.

In writing this I’d like to thank everyone who supported me during the last few years.

Special thanks fly out to:

• Martin – Most probably the person I learned most from in my whole working life + without Martin I might still be writing my thesis, thank you so much!
• Martina – She has three children, still she always managed to help me. She had the energy to explain, advise and support me where ever she could.
• Marcus – First, second and third level technical support – not a problem! Printing PhD thesis – yes he can! Psychological support (in form of beer) – he loves to help!
• Nico – Not only A3S is still haunting him in his dreams.
• Raghav and Klaus – My English left and still leaves room for improvement. Raghav and Klaus converted “denglish” into “English”….
• My Family (Eva, Parents) – thanks that you still talk to me 😉