The long wait is finally over. RoboCup 2025 is just around the corner – and, as always, the journey there is rarely easy, but always exciting! While most people in Erlangen were still wrestling with the final preparations for RoboCup, Tobi was already on his way to beautiful Brazil to help with setup on site. The calm before the storm, you could say.
Part of our team met on Saturday, July 12, 2025, in the early morning hours at Nuremberg Central Station. With tired eyes but full of anticipation, we headed towards Munich Airport via the ever-popular Deutsche Bahn. There, as planned, we met up with the rest of the group at 8 a.m. After check-in, we proceeded to the security check – which, surprisingly, went almost smoothly. Thanks to good preparation and our team’s persuasive skills (supported by a trailer about us, which will be online soon!), we were well-equipped. Our main stars – the robots – passed through security without any issues.
The first flight was a rough one: turbulence, a hard landing, and a fully
booked plane – typical Lisbon.
Stopover in Lisbon
But the best moment was a funny coincidence: we ran into our colleagues from the SPL team up north – the Hulks! Now we were on the same flight and had a really pleasant exchange. That’s RoboCup for you – it brings people together. After a short stay in Lisbon – including one or two much-needed coffees – we continued our journey. Well, not quite immediately. We had to put up with a one-hour delay before we were finally able to board the plane to beautiful Salvador. A little after 11 p.m. local time, we finally heard: Bem-vindo ao Brasil! One last suitcase took its time, but eventually we boarded our team bus – a.k.a. the airport shuttle – and headed to the hotel.
Around 1:30 a.m., we finally stood at the hotel reception. But patience was still needed: communication was a bit sluggish. With a mix of hand gestures, foot pointing (and a little tech), we eventually made it. The journey wasn’t without its hiccups – but hey, what would a real RoboCup adventure be without a few minor obstacles? Unlike the trip to Bordeaux – the horror trip – we arrived well, with robots, team spirit, and a proper dose of adventure in our luggage. Now the real fun can begin!
Arrival picture the next day