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  • To Tunisia by campervan!

    After eight weeks in Tunisia, we are back in Europe. The country pleasantly surprised us! We hadn't expected beforehand that it would be such an adventurous trip. Imposing canyons, endless desert landscapes, ancient Berber villages, film sets, vast salt flats, cave dwellings deep underground, and the list goes on. In this blog, we take you through our positive and less positive experiences. Kelly en Richard in the Sahara Our route From Italy, you sail to the capital, Tunis. We hesitated for a long time about whether to do the tour of Tunisia clockwise or counter-clockwise. Ultimately, we chose counter-clockwise. We really enjoyed this. The south of Tunisia is the most beautiful, so if you travel north first, the journey becomes increasingly beautiful the further you go. You also end the trip along the east coast, allowing you to enjoy the vast turquoise beaches for a little while longer before sailing back to Italy. In hindsight, we are happy with this choice. The most beautiful places to visit To start right away with the highlights of the trip, here is a list of points you absolutely must not miss on a tour of Tunisia. Rommelpriste , described as the most beautiful mountain route in Tunisia, and we completely agree. If you have a 4x4, be sure to drive the old route as well. Mides Canyon , a gigantic canyon near the border with Algeria. Endlessly long and imposing, where you walk around practically alone. Oasis Chebika , a green tourist oasis surrounded by a beautiful mountain range. The route from Mos Espa to Ong Jmal runs straight through the desert, with a high chance of spotting dromedaries right past your camper. Scott el-Djerid is a 5,000 km² dried-up salt lake. With, of course, the famous iconic abandoned bus. However, we found the Sebkhet El Melah salt lake even more impressive because it is truly still white with salt here. Ksour (plural of ksar): in the southeast, you will find numerous old Berber villages. There are a great many of them, ranging from renovated tourist versions to old, abandoned ones. For example, we visited Ksar Mrabtine, Ksar Hadara, and Ouled Soltane. Troglodyte dwellings . Cave dwellings are typically found in rock faces. In addition to this type of dwelling, you can also find troglodyte dwellings in Tunisia. These are located in large pits underground. Tourists choose to visit them en masse in Matmata, but in the wider area you can find countless examples where you can discover them all to yourself. El Djem , an enormous Roman amphitheater comparable to the Colosseum, but where you are allowed to touch and sit on everything, and there are only a handful of other visitors. Of course, we could make this list much longer. If you want to find inspiration for your Tunisia (camper) trip, be sure to check out our videos for other hidden gems. Safety Beforehand, we were asked: is Tunisia safe? If you look at the Ministry's website, Tunisia is largely yellow (just like France, for example). This means that you can travel there without any problems. However, there are also parts colored red, mainly in the border region. Naturally, it is better to avoid these regions. We ended up there by accident anyway and did not feel unsafe anywhere. However, in that area, you do have to submit to National Guard escorts. Just like in Morocco, we feel more comfortable leaving the camper behind here than in a major European city. Our experience so far is that precisely because everyone here is Muslim, things like theft are not tolerated. The people In the tourist areas on the east coast, we noticed that vendors could be quite pushy. But as soon as you head further inland, the atmosphere changes completely. Children waved enthusiastically and adults gave us a thumbs-up. They seemed to be saying how cool it is that you are visiting our country. We were regularly invited for a cup of tea or even a full meal. We got the strong impression that the locals felt enormously honored that we, as Westerners, wanted to visit them. Costs Tunisia is cheap. Really cheap. As nomads, we always watch our costs. In that respect, traveling through Tunisia is truly fantastic. For example, we paid: For a liter of diesel €0.65 Baguette €0.10 Coffee in a cafe €0.50 (in a tourist town €2.00) Two pizzas with drinks in Tatouine €10.15 Admission to El Djem, the Tunisian Colosseum, €6 pp For all well-known European brands like Nutela and Nivea, you simply pay Western prices, or even more due to import tax (a 0.7l bottle of Jack Daniels cost €76). It wasn't the destination that stuck with me, but the feeling along the way. Is traveling by camper possible? Yes. Absolutely. But don't expect a standard camper trip. Campsites are scarce, and P4N spots are relatively few and far between. So you are really on your own. You will have to judge for yourself whether a particular spot is suitable for an overnight stay or not. You will also have to deal with the Garde Nationale quite often. Officers regularly came by to check on us, politely asked for our passports, and then wished us a good night. Sometimes we were even escorted to another overnight spot because they considered it safer. That felt a bit awkward at first, but eventually we realized it was mostly well-intentioned. 4x4 vehicle A question we often get is whether you need a 4x4? No, not necessarily. Globus2 isn't a 4x4 either. Although we often noticed that we would have loved to drive even further off-road. The roads are generally good, but watch out for the enormous number of speed bumps. Finally, it is good to keep in mind what to do if something goes wrong with the camper. Authorized dealerships are only found in the major cities in the east, and they often do not have the right parts in stock. Ordering is possible, but there is a waiting time of one to two months. For adventurous campers, Tunisia is truly a fantastic country. Support us: Click on this banner and buy something at bol.com A small percentage of the purchase goes towards funding this website. Compare with Morocco Many people compare Tunisia to Morocco, but there are major differences. Morocco is bigger, rugged, more colorful, and geared towards campers. At the same time, the country is also more conservative, more touristy, and more chaotic. Whereas in Morocco campers are often seen as ATMs, we didn't have that problem at all in Tunisia. That makes traveling a lot more relaxed for us. Children just wave without wanting candy, pencils, or money from you. In Tunisia, the chance of getting fined for anything is very low. In Morocco, we actually had to stop for every stop sign, and the police were often standing at the foot of a mountain, in the middle of nowhere, with a laser gun. What we missed in Tunisia is perhaps the imposing Atlas Mountains with their characteristic mountain villages. Finally Tunisia is known for all-inclusive holidays on the east coast. As far as we are concerned, that really does the country a disservice. You can step into so many different worlds within one country. The lack of other tourists gives you a great adventurous Indiana Jones feeling. If you are planning to head that way sometime, be sure to check out our YouTube series about this country. At least two new videos are coming soon to provide a complete picture of this special country. Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you will receive an email, at most once a week, when we post a new blog. If you would like to support us financially so that we can keep this website online, please donate an amount via this link .

  • Where are all the Dutch people?

    We always run into Dutch people in the most remote places. In the middle of nowhere, somewhere high on a mountain in Norway, in a deserted parking lot in Latvia, deep in the Sahara in Morocco, or by a frozen lake in Scandinavia. But not here in Tunisia. Grotwoningen, Troglodyte Tourism is back Following the 2011 revolution and the horrific attacks, including the one on the beach in Sousse, tourism in Tunisia collapsed completely. The number of Dutch holidaymakers dropped from 120,000 to just 26,000 per year in ten years. That picture has since changed completely. Tourism has recovered. Tunisia recently even broke visitor records, and Tunis intends to bid to become the Arab Tourist Capital of 2027. Portret Tunesische man Hotel next to hotel But actually, you only see those tourists in one place. On the east coast. There, hotel after hotel stands along azure beaches. Gigantic resorts with swimming pools, bowling alleys, all-inclusive buffets, and private beaches. And don't get us wrong, if that is your ideal vacation, then Tunisia is perfect for it. Sun, sea, warmth, and everything taken care of. As far as we are concerned, however, the most beautiful parts of the country lie elsewhere. Strand bij Zarzis, vlak onder Djerba The real Tunisia As soon as you drive inland, everything changes. We found the south and west particularly impressive. The endless emptiness of the Sahara. Rugged canyons. Palm oases suddenly emerging from the dust. Ancient ksour perched on mountaintops that once served as grain storage for the Berber people . And then suddenly those Star Wars locations. Places that briefly make you feel as if you have landed on the planet Tatooine . Perhaps the most special thing we found were the troglodyte houses built entirely underground. Hospitality that touches the heart We have been invited here so often to eat at people's homes or just have a drink. A table suddenly filled. Tea poured as if we have known each other for years. Conversations with hands, smiles, and a few words that are just enough to understand one another. It moves me, every single time. Support us: Click on this banner and buy something at bol.com A small percentage of the purchase goes towards funding this website. Almost no travelers And precisely there, in the interior, we see almost no one. In eight weeks, we encountered perhaps fifteen campers. No more. In Morocco last year, we saw hundreds. Here, it sometimes feels like you are traveling through the country completely alone. There are hardly any campsites. So we are right in the middle of nature. On the edge of a canyon, among the palm trees, or somewhere in a deserted stretch of desert where it becomes completely silent at night. Lars Homestead, Star Wars Adventurous travel The police or the National Guard come by regularly. Sometimes to escort us to a safer spot. Sometimes just to photograph our passports, wish us a good night, and ask if we need anything else. That might sound more exciting than it is, and in a way, you really do need to be an adventurous traveler for Tunisia. It is not a country where everything is taken care of for you. There are hardly any campsites, and English is spoken almost nowhere. You often sleep in places where no one else is around. That is exactly what we find wonderful. The feeling of freedom, of being on an adventure in the country as it really is. As if you are sometimes no longer on earth here. Bizarrely cheap From a practical point of view, Tunisia is also remarkably affordable. Richard got his hair cut for €2.95. A liter of diesel costs about €0.66. We paid €2.35 entrance fee for a Roman open-air museum. A baguette costs €0.06 here! Sometimes we look at each other laughing when we have paid again and double-check to make sure we really converted it correctly. Where is everyone? We are truly surprised by the enormous diversity of the country. In terms of nature, culture, and people. In a country that is largely barely touched. Perhaps that will change in the coming years. For now, we keep asking ourselves: where are all those Dutch people? Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you will receive an email, at most once a week, when we post a new blog. If you would like to support us financially so that we can keep this website online, please donate an amount via this link .

  • The illusion of freedom

    Since leaving our working lives behind and traveling with Globus 2 , it feels like the world is open to us. Boundaries that barely exist. We drive, stop wherever it is beautiful, and stay somewhere as long as it feels right. No one tells us exactly where we need to be and at what time. Until now, that is... Kelly en Richard in Zarzis A passport as a key Even outside Europe, we still experience that freedom. With some patience, a visa, and a bit of preparation, we get far. Countries open their doors to us Europeans. Our passport acts like a key. Sometimes it beeps briefly in the lock, but eventually, it almost always turns open. However, not everyone carries such a key with them. Thelja Nature Preserve The other side of freedom Here in Tunisia, we speak to people who dream of Europe. Not to flee, not to escape from anything, but simply to go on holiday. To see what lies beyond the horizon. Their stories touch us. For while we move without thinking about it, they face closed doors. With a Dutch passport, you can travel to approximately 185 destinations without applying for a visa in advance. A Tunisian passport offers visa-free access to less than half that number. Without a visa, no permission. No freedom to discover the world the way we do. When freedom is restricted As seen in our latest video , we were recently in an area colored red on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs map. A place where you are not allowed to be. Where safety is not a given. That meant continuing our journey under police escort and spending the night right in front of the police station. We couldn't even grab a loaf of bread without an officer walking along with us. Traveling is seeing, feeling, and connecting with nature and people. Freedom in small things Sometimes freedom lies in something seemingly small. A bank card. Access to your own money. When our cards were replaced and the old ones expired, we suddenly had a problem. The new cards were patiently waiting for us in the Netherlands. The old cards continued to work for another 90 days, but what if you are away from home for longer...? It shows how thin that line sometimes is. How dependent freedom can be on systems over which you have no influence. Support us: Click on this banner and buy something at bol.com A small percentage of the purchase goes towards funding this website. Freedom is not a given For how free are you really, if it can disappear so quickly? If a boundary, a situation, or someone else's decision suddenly makes your world smaller? We often think that freedom is something we possess. But perhaps it is something granted to us temporarily. Something that can shift, without warning. The world is not open everywhere. For us, too, there are places that remain out of reach. Not because we don't want to, but simply because it is not possible. Wars, tensions, unrest. Parts of Africa or the vast Russian wilderness remain a longing. Not far away in kilometers, but unreachable in this moment. What remains We love to show how beautiful the world is. We focus on what is possible. On the bright spots, the encounters, the nature that touches us time and again. A deep sense of gratitude for the space we experience. For the freedom to move, to choose, and to discover. Not as something taken for granted, but as something we receive anew every day. Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you will receive an email, at most once a week, when we post a new blog. If you would like to support us financially so that we can keep this website online, please donate an amount via this link .

  • Coming home to Tunisia

    Sometimes no build-up is needed. The country touches you immediately, even before you can explain it. Tunisia does that to us. Can we go any further with Globus2? (Chott el-Djerid, zoutmeer) A landscape that keeps calling The days fly by. We drive through breathtaking landscapes. Mountains that glow softly in the evening light. Canyons that silently tell their story. We drive through an endlessly vast salt flat. White. Sky and earth merge into one another. We get out. Take photos and videos and let it all sink in. Looking through a lens We are happy to capture everything with our cameras again. Not to capture the moment—that is never entirely possible anyway—but to record something of the atmosphere. It is truly a pleasure to be able to share this with you. One video hasn't even been published yet, and the anticipation is already growing for editing the next one. This country is asking to be seen. The wealth of little What perhaps touches us most are the people. Their openness. Their natural hospitality. We have regularly been invited by people to come to their homes. We accepted the invitation twice. The door opens and you step into a completely different world. The whole family is there, looking at you with that warm, curious gaze. We manage with a few words of English and German. The rest happens naturally, through gestures, glances, and laughter. We do not speak Arabic or French, but that hardly seems to matter. If we really get stuck, Google Translate helps us get back on track. Traveling is seeing, feeling, and connecting with nature and people. Generosity that keeps giving What touches us is how naturally sharing happens. Even before we are properly seated, the table is already full. Coffee, tea, water, juice. As if choosing isn't necessary; everything is welcome. Then come the dates, cake, nuts. And finally, a plate of couscous appears, even though we have already eaten. It doesn't seem to matter. Giving here isn't about how much, but about the gesture itself. About being welcome. Even though the people here often have so much less to spend than we do. Perhaps that makes it even purer. Even more real. We can't help but smile when we think of home. Where we let our guests choose between two packets of cookies. Which one do you like? Then I'll open that one for you. Here, there is no choosing; here, there is sharing. Support us: Click on this banner and buy something at bol.com A small percentage of the purchase goes towards funding this website. An invitation that sticks. Before we leave, we hear it again and again: “You must come back.” We are even invited to a wedding next year. As if it is the most normal thing in the world that we will simply be there again. As if a connection has formed that won’t just disappear. Perhaps that is the case. Perhaps we are leaving more behind here than just tire tracks in the sand. Globus2 along rommel piste What are we taking with us We came for the nature. For the mountains, the canyons, the desert, and that endless white expanse. But what remains is found elsewhere. In the encounters. In the warmth. In the realization that wealth lies not in what you have, but in what you share. That is precisely what makes traveling so valuable to us. Being able to enjoy and capture nature, while at the same time getting to know the people who truly give a country color. Tunisia makes us feel that. Every single day. Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you will receive an email, at most once a week, when we post a new blog. If you would like to support us financially so that we can keep this website online, please donate an amount via this link .

  • The rubbish of Rome

    What a mess it is there. A very old, dilapidated stadium on the verge of collapse. Fallen pillars everywhere and a large piece of wasteland with rubble in the grass. Can't they just clear that old mess? It's truly beyond words. Just imagine all the nice restaurants and shops you could build there. Or a beautiful city park, if you like. Rome's government, do something, take action! Kelly en Richard voor het Colosseum. Open-air museum Okay, okay. I'm joking, of course. In reality, Rome is one of the most impressive places on earth. Rome is one big open-air museum. Everywhere you look, you see history that has literally stood the test of time. It's incredible that these buildings have lasted so long. Will the things we're building now still be standing in two thousand years? I doubt it. The Colosseum, a time machine Take the Colosseum. What a building! And not just any old stadium: thousands of people were entertained here. But did you know they also staged naval battles there? Complete with sailing ships and all the trimmings. The idea that all this was possible in an era without modern technology? I simply can't grasp it. The other side of the story is that thousands of people and animals were murdered solely for the spectators' amusement. That, too, is hard to grasp. The beauty of decay What I called "a mess" is actually a story of beauty. Every fallen column, every crack in the marble, tells a story. Of architects who wanted to create something beautiful, of emperors who wanted to demonstrate their power, centuries of history literally visible here. If you pause to consider it, you sense a kind of timeless connection. “Rome will stand as long as the Colosseum stands; when the Colosseum falls, Rome will fall; and when Rome falls, the world will fall.” – Prayer to the Venerable Until a hundred years ago… Until a hundred years ago, buildings were crafted with an eye for detail and beauty. Today, many buildings are sleek, square, and functional, but often lack the sense of wonder that makes you see things anew with every step. In Rome, you see how craftsmanship and creativity have endured for centuries. Support us: Click on this banner and buy something at bol.com A small percentage of your purchase goes towards funding this website. Get inspired by Rome As we strolled through the streets, taking photos and filming, it became clear that this is a city that continues to fascinate, in every corner and square. So I highly recommend everyone see Rome for themselves. But until then, you can get a taste of what's to come by watching our latest video . Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you'll receive an email no more than once a week when we post a new blog post. If you'd like to support us financially so we can keep this website online, please donate via this link .

  • My biggest career move was quitting

    Just before I quit my job two years ago, I sometimes lay awake at night wondering: Who will I be without a title on my business card? Without responsibility, without prestige, without a purpose? What will be left of me if I no longer contribute in a visible and measurable way? You have to contribute something to society. Until I came across another ancient image from the Tao Te Ching: the image of water. Zwemmen in warmwaterbron in Saturnia Water that doesn't push Water doesn't fight. It doesn't try to be anything. It seeks the lowest point, flows around obstacles, and gives life to everything it touches. And in the meantime, it transforms landscapes. Without pushing. Gently. And yet stronger than stone. Last week, we stood by a small river in Northern Italy. Ice-cold water that has been carving its way through the landscape for centuries. No hurry. No strategy. Just constant movement. The stone always loses in the end. What if meaning isn't in pushing, but in flowing? Life lives itself When I left my position, I felt for a moment as if I'd lost my purpose. As if meaning were something you had to create. But as you read these words, millions of things are happening inside you without your doing anything. Your heart is beating. Your lungs are breathing. Your blood is flowing. Life is living itself, right through you. Arthur Schopenhauer In "The World as Will and Representation," the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer described how everything is driven by a single underlying force. He called it The Will. Not your personal ambition. Not your plans. But a primal current. The will to live, a life force that precedes thought. The tree grows. The dog runs. The child plays. The tree is booming. The dog is dog. The child is child. What if I just live this life instead of having to do everything? To share Since we've been living and traveling with Globus 2 , nothing feels forced anymore, and yet everything falls into place. We drive, we get lost, we meet, we look, and we share. In our blogs and videos, we share our doubts, our joys, the good and the bad moments. Not because we've devised a strategy for how we're going to change the world or what we want to achieve, but because it flows. To inspire We notice that people are touched. That someone, after reading a blog, finally decides to make that journey. That someone writes that our words help them make a difficult choice and see things differently. Perhaps that is our life's mission right now. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing grand. Simply sharing what wants to move through us. Like water. “Meaning doesn’t come from pushing harder, but from following what wants to flow through you.” Life without struggle Schopenhauer saw clearly how desire makes us restless. Always wanting more, a higher salary, a bigger house. As if this moment isn't enough. What if, beneath that restlessness, lies a silent current? A movement that doesn't come from your head, but from something you feel rather than understand. Perhaps meaning isn't a project, but something that arises naturally when you stop pushing. Support us: Click on this banner and buy something at bol.com A small percentage of your purchase goes towards funding this website. Stop pushing For me, leaving my job wasn't a step away from meaning, but a step closer. Closer to a way of life where sharing, writing, traveling, and inspiring aren't goals in themselves, but a natural expression of who we are now. Perhaps that will change someday. Water doesn't hold its shape either. For now, this is the flow. Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you'll receive an email no more than once a week when we post a new blog post. If you'd like to support us financially so we can keep this website online, please donate via this link .

  • About loss, bad luck and still carrying on

    It all seems so fantastic. Our photos, videos, and stories. But things aren't always so Instagram-friendly for us. The past few weeks are certainly a case in point. You can read what happened in this blog post. Onderweg in Duitsland On the road in Germany Where should I begin? Perhaps with the most devastating news for me. In the past two months, seven people close to me have been told they are terminally ill. Three of them have also passed away within those two months. This has hit me hard. Some are, of course, more distant than others, but there are a lot of them. Several of these acquaintances are also my own age. So it all hits very close to home. You know, I've already shed several tears over this. Especially, of course, for those left behind. Own ailments Actually, this blog could end here. The rest of what's yet to come is completely out of proportion to the above. Anyway... At the end of my last trip, I had bursitis in my right elbow. I never knew it was so painful. Four months have passed, and it's still not completely gone. In addition, all that lugging around my father's house caused me to sprain my back. Although that resolved surprisingly quickly, it resulted in a pinched nerve in my neck, which has been causing me pain for weeks now. I went to the physiotherapist several times in the Netherlands, but that's still difficult while traveling. Flu It was over a week ago, you know. The flu. Neither Kelly nor I usually get sick easily, and we're certainly not complainers, but now we've been taking turns with it. So, last week we've been stuck in one place and mostly in bed. Guilt My time in the Netherlands was quite intense. We had, of course, rushed home, and within a week of arriving home, my father passed away. Arranging the funeral, clearing out the house, handling administrative matters. Busy. So busy that I feel like I haven't seen my children nearly enough and haven't been able to help them enough with their homes. That guilt has always nagged at me. I choose a nomadic life, but the downside is that I don't see my children much. My underlying feeling is that I've cared for them for 21 years, and now it's my time again. They're independent enough to take care of themselves. And yet... it nags at me sometimes. Even Globus2 is sick And then we're barely on our way when Globus2 refuses to start. The first morning, we discover that our jump starter is dead. The second morning, the newly purchased jump starter also fails to get Globus2 started, and we have to call the ADAC again. A new battery is installed, but that doesn't help either. The third morning, Globus2 won't start again. "What's wrong with you, man? What are you trying to tell us?" Back to the garage, where they finally discover that a computer causing the glow plugs to overheat is broken. After replacing it, we're eight hundred euros poorer, but Globus2 runs like a charm again. "We are all temporary. That realization makes every day infinitely valuable." Not a good start All in all, not a great start. Although we're also very good at putting things into perspective. All those people around me dying make me realize even more that I made the right choice. Retiring early to enjoy life. You never know how much time we have left. Ultimately, we're all terminal, we just don't know how much time we have left. Every day we've enjoyed, no one can take it away from us. Support us: Click on this banner and buy something at bol.com A small percentage of your purchase goes towards funding this website. Slow down Globus2 broke down in Germany. What luck! Our VW couldn't think of a better place to break down. Imagine if this had happened in Tunisia. Would it have been resolved so quickly? The trip was delayed for four days by the Globus2 issue. A delay that was extended by another week by our flu in Northern Italy. Wasn't this exactly what we wanted, and perhaps needed even more than we thought? Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you'll receive an email no more than once a week when we post a new blog post. If you'd like to support us financially so we can keep this website online, please donate via this link .

  • Preparations for the next trip

    Now that we know our next trip is to Tunisia, we can start preparing. We've gained considerable experience with everything that needs to be arranged, but it's still good to consciously reflect on this again. Every trip requires a new level of attention. As if preparation is also a form of coordination. Kelly druk met de voorbereidingen voor de reis naar Tunesië Since we're traveling to a country outside of Europe, we're starting with the paperwork. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tunisia is currently designated yellow. So, no problem. Our passports are still valid for the time being, our car insurance covers damage in Tunisia, and our travel insurance with European coverage is also valid there. Once all these things have received another imaginary green checkmark, the fun part begins for us: searching for places we don't want to miss. In Tunisia itself, but also on the way there. Everything gets a pin on Google Maps, so it won't get lost in the flood of impressions along the way. Practical matters Once the paperwork is checked off, the practical matters follow. In December we have Globus 2 We've had it inspected again, and the water tank has been thoroughly cleaned. The first aid kit has also been replenished, and the spare insurance box is back in its proper place. The gas tanks are perhaps the most important point of attention for us. Sufficient gas We travel with two Dutch gas cylinders, each weighing eleven kilograms, on board. We use them exclusively for cooking. Experience has shown that this will last us about six months. It's important for us to know exactly how much gas we have left when we leave the Netherlands. Dutch gas cylinders cannot be refilled abroad. Most other countries have different types of cylinders with different connections, and refilling is not permitted. Sensors Since we started using the E-Gaslevel from E-Trailer, things have become much easier. The sensors accurately indicate how full the gas bottles are. A small sensor is located under each gas bottle, which is connected to the starter pack . We easily read everything via the E-Trailer app. This is not only convenient before departure, but we also regularly check the status while on the road. This allows us to make timely adjustments if necessary. All of this is possible without a subscription. If you also want to be able to remotely monitor the gas tanks (and other E-trailer products) with the app, you need the starter pack plus in combination with a subscription. To adjust Adjusting our steering sometimes means reducing our fuel consumption. Fewer stews that take longer to cook, boiling water in the kettle first. Sometimes it also means finding a fill-up point along the way, whether official or not. Besides the E-Gaslevel, we use other E-Trailer modules that have become indispensable. With E-Level, we can see if Globus 2 is level, and E-Pressure warns us if tire pressure or temperature deviates. It gives us a lot of peace of mind. It's as if the technology is keeping a close eye on things. " Globe 2 is ready. The rest can arrive on the way. " Groceries Water and groceries are usually easy to replenish along the way. However, there are always a few items we find hard to find abroad and therefore always take with us. Think satay sauce, curry sauce, and nasi spices. Small, familiar flavors that can suddenly become powerful when traveling. Advertisement: Click on this banner and then buy something at bol.com A small percentage of your purchase goes towards funding this website. Ready for departure Finally, it's time to say goodbye. Say goodbye to family and friends, map out the route for the first few days, and then the moment has arrived. Ready to depart. For us, travel doesn't begin at the border, but with the willingness to leave our familiar surroundings and people behind for a while. Tunisia awaits. And we're moving towards it, step by step. Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you'll receive an email no more than once a week when we post a new blog post. If you'd like to support us financially so we can keep this website online, please donate via this link .

  • We've made up our minds! Our next trip is to...

    For weeks, we've been talking about where our next trip will take us. We're thinking about various countries, looking at each other, putting ideas aside for a while, and picking them up again later. There's no rush, but that's precisely why choosing is so difficult. There are so many beautiful places that draw us. Globus2 tijdens onze reis door Marokko One thing was immediately clear: we want warmth. The past two months in the Netherlands and the preceding months in dark Scandinavia have left their mark. We're noticing the lack of light taking a toll on us, especially our energy. We long to go outside without a coat again and take lovely walks in shorts. In mid-November, we cut our trip short. The death of Richard's father forced us back to the Netherlands. After saying goodbye, there were many arrangements to be made. It was a period when travel plans were put on the back burner. The funeral has since taken place, and the family home is almost completely cleared out. Slowly, there's room for new energy and new plans. We've now decided that our next trip will be to: Tunisia We chose Tunisia. The trip we made to Morocco early last year brought us more than we could have imagined. The culture, the landscape, the way life plays out there. It took some getting used to and slowing down at the same time. That experience has left us wanting more. Africa feels different to us than Europe. Raw at times, but also open. Tunisia seems like a country not yet overrun by tourists. It's a country we're very curious about, without knowing exactly what we'll find. Without travel description During our preparations, we noticed that there's hardly any Dutch information available about traveling through Tunisia by campervan. It's remarkably quiet online. There are also almost no Dutch-language stories on YouTube. That makes it exciting, but also appealing to us. We'll do what we always do: document our experiences. Write about what we encounter and film what we see. " Globe 2 is ready. The rest can arrive on the way. " Just look at the map Most people have a rough idea of where Tunisia is. But without a map, it quickly becomes a mystery. Just south of Europe, on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea, lie the countries of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Our route will likely pass through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, and Italy. In Palermo, we'll take the boat to Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Because it's still early in the year and the weather in Italy probably won't be great yet, we'll quickly drive through there on the way there. We'll really take our time exploring Italy later, on the way back. More than a holiday destination When people think of Tunisia, they often think of beach resorts and swimming pools. Or of the Arab Spring, which began with a dramatic event in December 2010. However, the country also has another side. Tunisia boasts one of the world's largest amphitheaters , a vast salt flat you can drive through, and landscapes so empty and expansive they feel almost surreal. It's no wonder several famous films, such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones , have been filmed here. Advertisement: Click on this banner and then buy something at bol.com A small percentage of your purchase goes towards funding this website. The desert is drawing near again We'll also be exploring the Sahara again on this trip. The desert has made a deep impression on us before. Not because there's so much to see, but precisely because there's so little. No distractions. No noise. Only space. We look forward to meeting her again. Perhaps we'll even take a Globus 2 ride through the desert sand. Sometimes we're asked if the desert isn't boring. We haven't found it that way. It's precisely in that emptiness that something happens. You slow down. You see differently. You listen better. Plus, the desert has a certain allure because of its unpredictable dryness, heat, sudden sandstorms, and cold nights. Travel with us We don't know exactly what this journey will bring. We do know, however, that we will continue to record and share everything we experience, naturally in our blogs and videos. If you'd like to follow us, you're more than welcome to subscribe. This way, we stay connected along the way and you help us keep doing what we do. You can subscribe to our blog at the bottom right of this page You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Hope to see you soon! Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you'll receive an email no more than once a week when we post a new blog post. If you'd like to support us financially so we can keep this website online, please donate via this link .

  • Ten countries later and this is what stuck

    Over the past six months, we traveled with Globus 2 across Europe: Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Almost 20,000 km, through familiar and unfamiliar countries. We traveled leisurely and lingered longer where we felt comfortable. In this blog post, we look back. Not as a travel guide, but as travelers. We share both the positive and negative experiences. Atlanterhavsveien Noorwegen Review by country Let's go through the countries one by one, but we won't be covering Germany. After all, we just drove through there as quickly as possible to get to Poland. Prefer to watch video? Our YouTube channel has all the videos we made during this trip. Poland 🇵🇱 Poland surprised us. Not with the landscape, which we found somewhat dull and monotonous, but with the sense of safety and cleanliness. The cities were cleaner than we expected, much cleaner than the larger Dutch cities. However, we did miss the lively atmosphere and bustle in these cities. There are a few places we'll always remember: the Adršpach Rocks, just across the Czech border, where the rock formations feel like a fossilized fairytale. Auschwitz , which takes you back to the events of WWII. Don't forget to book in advance, as it's often fully booked. And then Gdańsk: unlike the other cities we visited, we found color, life, and character here. Don't forget to try the pączki , a delicious filled doughnut. Or the freshly made pierogi at a local restaurant. Stołowe Mountains net over de grens in Zuid-Polen Baltic countries: Lithuania 🇱🇹 , Latvia 🇱🇻 , Estonia 🇪🇪 The countries (don't call them states!) Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia created some healthy tension beforehand. Is it safe? What exactly is the toll in Latvia for cars over 3,000 kg? In hindsight, this was completely unwarranted; here too, we felt safe everywhere and didn't pay a toll anywhere. While in Poland we primarily felt the effects of the former German occupation, here we sense the USSR past. Old Soviet apartment buildings, Orthodox churches, the KGB museum , and memorials to the silent resistance, such as the Baltic Road and the Hill of Crosses, made a deep impression on us. De breedste waterval van Europa , Ventas Rumba in Kuldīga The landscape remained flat, yet slowly changed. More and more forests and more silence. We also saw more and more animals: cranes, storks, foxes, deer, badgers, and even brown bears. That makes our hearts beat faster. Watch our video about photographing brown bears here . Free camping is also well-organized in Estonia. Campsites deep in the greenery, with wood already laid out for the evening fire. Beren spotten in noord Estland Would we return to any of the Baltic countries? Probably not. It was a beautiful experience, but not worth repeating. "The real home of man is not his house, but the road." Finland 🇫🇮 Finland means forests and lakes. Endlessly hilly with forests and lakes. Peaceful and sometimes a bit boring. And mosquitoes. Lots of mosquitoes, which have had a rather negative impact on several of our hikes. Anyone who absolutely loves Christmas should definitely visit Rovaniemi, where Santa Claus lives. Yet, the country has a certain purity. Free camping, well-marked trails, fire pits by the water, often with already-cut firewood. And of course, you'll encounter the first reindeer from the Arctic Circle. Connecting with the locals isn't easy. Finnish is, of course, completely incomprehensible, but the Finns are also very private and don't stop for a chat. In Finland, they don't engage in small talk at all. Children have to learn that when they have English lessons at school. For those who want to slow down, fish, or disappear, this might be the perfect country. We missed the ruggedness of the mountains. Rendieren in Lapland Far North of Norway 🇳🇴 As soon as you enter Norway, everything changes. The mountains take over the landscape. In summer, the sun refuses to set. This does something to you. You have more energy, and you might as well take that mountain hike in the middle of the night. And that ruggedness—that's what we love! The number of reindeer we saw here is staggering. Overal vrij kamperen in Scandinavië We started in the Varanger region , far from most tourists. It's so raw and breathtaking. Along the Barents Sea towards Hamningberg, you drive along a seemingly endless coastline. Water, rugged rocks, and reindeer. We need nothing more. Then we head towards the North Cape, and then slowly descend along the coast south. The vibrant Sami culture is truly inspiring if you delve into it a little. We wrote this blog post about it in August. Wandelen op de Lofoten We feel so privileged to have been able to explore the Lofoten Islands for a full three weeks. There was no rush to get back in time for work. We took all the back roads and enjoyed several mountain hikes. The Lofoten Islands, however busy in summer, are a must-see on any trip to the far north. But the island of Senja and Vesterålen are also gems where you can easily spend weeks. If you're still in this area after September 1st, you have a good chance of seeing the magical Northern Lights. Something you'll never forget. Vanaf eind september kans op Noorderlicht We've skipped southern Norway (everything below Trondheim) for now. We chose to visit some more highlights in Sweden and return another time to explore the beautiful south of Norway. Sweden 🇸🇪 Sweden may be less spectacular than Norway, but it possesses the same vastness. The country exudes space, especially in the north, where young people are flocking to the big cities of the south. It's not always easy to connect with the older, less-populated population. Even if you do manage to connect, don't talk about your feelings; that's simply not done in Sweden. In central Sweden, the Wilderness Route is a must-see on any trip. We were there in September and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful autumn colors. Note: The Wilderness Route is usually closed from mid-October to early June, depending on snowfall. Kloof bij waterval Hällingsåfallet langs de Wildernisroute What surprised us was the sheer number of mystical places in the south. Burial mounds, stone circles, and tranquil landscapes that recall a time we can no longer imagine. Places that don't scream for attention, but whisper. Anundshög and Ale's Stones were well worth a visit. Mysterieuze plekken in Zweden Denmark 🇩🇰 Finally, Denmark. Just like every other time, we had mostly wind and rain. Perhaps we were unlucky, perhaps it's just part of it, but the sun barely showed up. It should be noted, however, that we didn't have much time for Denmark because we had to rush back to the Netherlands due to Richard's father's health. Copenhagen slipped through our fingers. Too wet, too crowded, not enough room for Globus 2. But we definitely want to come back for that. What was definitely worth visiting were the burial mounds, the dolmens , and the cliffs of Møns Klint. Even under a gray sky, they exuded a timeless quality. Advertisement: Click on this banner and then buy something at bol.com A small percentage of your purchase goes towards funding this website. Finally Six months on the road, ten countries. What remains is not the sum of places, but the understanding that travel always brings us back to one point: attention. To the landscape, to the moment, to the two of us, and to ourselves. Some countries asked for time and were given it. Others turned out to be primarily meant to be driven through. That's okay too. With Globus 2 as our home, we feel that this journey isn't the end point. It has become a way of life. As long as it feels that way, we'll keep traveling. Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you'll receive an email no more than once a week when we post a new blog post. If you'd like to support us financially so we can keep this website online, please donate via this link .

  • After Autumn comes Summer

    In northern Scandinavia, we were already in the thick of it. Autumn. Unavoidable. Trees were ablaze. Yellow, red, deep orange. The air was clear and crisp. The days were noticeably shorter. The landscape seemed to say: look closely, now I'm at my most beautiful. Driving with the seasons The further south we drove, the milder the weather became. The cold receded, and the days stayed longer. Suddenly, we were back in late summer. As if time had changed its tune. Or perhaps we weren't driving away from autumn, but taking it south with us. Our latest video featuring footage from Denmark and Germany The richness of autumn We've been to Scandinavia many times, and every season has its beauty. But autumn was more beautiful than we'd ever seen. So beautiful in color, so rich and raw at the same time. Not as a prelude to winter, but standing alone and full of pride. The seasons of a human life While driving, I thought about the sweat lodges I used to frequent. They say we humans also live through the four seasons. We often neatly divide them by age: spring, summer, fall, winter. But who says you only get one spring? Or that summer can't start over after a long fall? “Looking at the seasons, you see not only the landscape, but also yourself.” Spring Spring belongs to the east. Where the sun rises. The season of beginnings. Of ideas that present themselves without a clear form. An inner knowing that something wants to move. Spring is fresh and restless at the same time. It demands trust, not because you know where it's going, but precisely because you don't yet. Summer Summer is in the south. The sun is high. Everything is open. Energy flows more easily. What you've previously committed now carries you. Not because life knows no resistance, but because you feel you can handle it all easily. Autumn Autumn belongs to the West. The light fades. Things can no longer be held. The season of farewell, but also of harvest. Of seeing what has ripened. Of lessons that only reveal themselves if you dare to look at them. Winter And winter. The north. The silence. The return to the core. The period when nothing is necessary but takes on great meaning. On the surface, everything seems to have ground to a halt, but underground, work is underway. Prepared. Without haste. My father's winter My father recently passed away. We had to cut our previous trip short to say a final goodbye. Looking back, he was in the winter of his life. His world shrank, his body slowed down. Much of what had previously guided him disappeared. And yet, beneath that silence, all sorts of things happened. Things were wrapped up, perhaps for him, but certainly for me. His death felt not only a loss, but also a completion. Advertisement: Click on this banner and then buy something at bol.com A small percentage of your purchase goes towards funding this website. Against the calendar According to the calendar, we're undeniably in winter right now. But it doesn't feel that way to me. If I'm honest, I'm currently living in spring. All sorts of things are emerging, yet still without clear outlines. A new trip is about to be planned! We're traveling again, but where to? The center point Perhaps what concerns me most is who within me observes all this? Who determines which season I'm in? There's something that can observe, that can distance itself. The Native Americans call it the center point. The place from which you can observe without merging with what you feel. You're not angry, you act angry. You're not sad, you act sad. And you're not a season. You move through it. What season are you in? Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you'll receive an email no more than once a week when we post a new blog post. If you'd like to support us financially so we can keep this website online, please donate via this link .

  • Where the earth whispers

    The world is full of mysterious places. Everyone knows the pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge, or our own dolmens in Drenthe, but there are also places that are much quieter. Places that whisper only to those who are willing to listen. Sweden is full of them. During our trip, we went to such hidden places, not to seek answers, but to feel what happens when you open yourself to the unknown. Ales Stenar , Zuid-Zweden What places of power do to us Places of power have raised questions for centuries. What actually happens there? Why do you experience silence and clarity in one place, while you feel unsettled in another? Some people say the veil between the worlds is thinner there. That the energy is more intense, as if a deeper layer of the earth is briefly revealed. Whether this is true, we don't know. But we do know that we always breathe differently in such places, as if something in our bodies recognizes something older than we can even comprehend. Our latest video featuring images of the power places in Sweden The Earth as a living being Just like humans, the Earth is a living being. That idea may seem vague to some, but for us, it's actually quite earthy. From a spiritual standpoint, the Earth has a body, a soul, and perhaps even a form of consciousness. Its energy flows along lines and nodes, just like our meridians and chakras. The places where this energy converges are called power points, while the pathways along which it moves are called ley lines. Perhaps it's poetry. Perhaps it's science we don't yet understand. But whatever you call it, it changes the way you see. " The earth holds secrets that will only be revealed when you do." Sweden as a mystical landscape Sweden exudes nature. Forests that seem endless, lakes that reflect the sky, rocks that hold stories. The country carries a quiet magic, as if every stone still remembers what it was like when the world first began. No wonder the stories of elves, gnomes, and trolls are still alive here. While searching for special places, we discovered that the country is full of mysteries, both great and small, that are far from all covered in the tourist guidebooks. Anundshög, the breath of the past Our first stop was Anundshög, Sweden's largest burial mound. A place where footprints have lain for thousands of years. You don't just sense history there. You sense a presence. It's as if the mound and the stones themselves breathe. Ales Stenar, ship of stone From there, we headed all the way south to Ales Stenar, the stone ship that towers high above the sea. The stones are arranged in an oval formation reminiscent of the skeleton of an ancient Viking ship. Some say it's a calendar, others call it a sacred place. What it truly is, no one knows. Perhaps that's precisely its power. It invites us to look without trying to understand. Labyrinths, tombs and other riddles There were more places like this. Bruadungend, where ancient graves lie that may be much more than just resting places. The Tibble Labyrinth, whose original purpose is unknown. An initiation, perhaps. A ritual welcoming spring. Who knows. Where lies our own strength? In silence, we wondered where our own power actually comes from. Do we always have to be far from home for that? We often think so, but that turns out to be a misunderstanding. The Netherlands, too, has its own mystical places. Increasingly, dolmen excursions are being organized where the focus isn't just on stones as burial chambers, but on stones as carriers of energy. This does require an open mind, but perhaps that's precisely what these times demand. Advertisement: Click on this banner and then buy something at bol.com A small percentage of your purchase goes towards funding this website. The compass that points inward Perhaps that's the true magic of such places. That they teach you to see anew. That they show you a compass that points not north, but inward. Enter your email address at the bottom of this page and you'll receive an email no more than once a week when we post a new blog post. If you'd like to support us financially so we can keep this website online, please donate via this link .

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