15 July 2011 - Bellingwolde, Netherlands
Italy off scedule
Crowds, crowds and more crowds made us decide not to visit Italy in August. Our plan to drive to Sicily has been changed. Within a couple of weeks we will leave for the Balkans. Our destination is some great offroad tracks in Northern Albania. We will see if we will make it there. We never what else might come up along the way.
11 september 2010 - Bellingwolde, Netherlands
Return trip to the North Cape
We made it! For the first time in our lives a trip lead us North instead of South. Our goal: the North Cape; Europe's most Northern Point that can be reached by car. Fjords, forests, steppe, glaciers, reindeer and many bush camps were the main ingredients of our 7000 kilometers long journey. It was a true overland adventure
10 November 2009 - Bellingwolde, Netherlands
A special reunion
Our old trusty Land Rover has a new owner. March 2010 it will set off for Africa for the fourth time. Look at: www.dustroads.nl
Frankie, our new travel companion!
Soon after we sold our Land Rover it started itching again.
A flying holiday is nice, but a holiday with your own home on four adventureous wheels is even more fun. With in mind our expriences and taking into acount all the things we loved but also missed of our previous car we started searching on the internet until ....... one day we finaly find the car that exactly fits the profile. Together with our travel friends Laura and Vegter, we set off and it is love at first sight. Since a couple of months we are the proud owners of Skippy, a Toyota Landcruiser HZJ 78 pick-up with camper unit. Click here for a information and pictures of the car and all the adjustments.
4 juli 2008 - Bellingwolde, Netherlands
Priceless
We are already six weeks home now and slowly picking up normal daily life again. Our house has been fixed, cleaned and furnished, all our animals are back home and since the first of July Markus is working for his old boss again. Less than two months ago we were still traveling around in our Land Rover and now it already feels like we have never been away. But although our travel adventures feel like experiences from a completely different life, they will never be forgotten. There is not a day going by without thinking about journey. Every day there are little things reminding us to one of the many wonderful moments of our trip. All our souvenirs got a nice spot in our house and we started to sort out the more than 6000 pictures we've made along the way.
After giving you a glimpse of our personal life for more than one and a half year we will withdraw ourselves back into anonymity. Herewith we would like to thank all the readers of our website. Many people, some of them even total strangers, send us emails and left messages in our guest book. For us it was very special to experience how much people sympathized with us. To all those readers who read our stories with a healthy dose of jealousy and are considering a similar journey themselves we can only say: GO FOR IT! All sacrifices turn pale compared to the richness it brought us. We have enjoyed every second of being and experiencing it together and all the memories of unique people, crazy situations, stunning landscapes and impressive animals we will carry with us for the rest of our lives are priceless.
31 May 2008 - Bellingwolde, Netherlands (67.748 km)
Back home
Exactly 14 months after we left Holland we are back home. Our journey has ended. We have travelled 426 days crossed 27 countries and driven 67.748 km. A big adventure and we enjoyed every minute of it. Not once we have regretted our decision to travel and if we have to decide again we would immediately pack our bags and go, but we have also learned that our hart lies in Holland. The world is beautiful, but Holland is our home. A special feeling that only grew stronger after the big surprise that was awaiting us when we came home. With a lot of sand and some grass seeds our neighbours repaired the lawn that was ruined by our tenants and thanks to our family our complete garden was professionally maintained. It was like being surprised by one of the famous surprise shows and we realise how lucky we are. We are surrounded by a loving and caring family and very special neighbours. That evening we are sleeping in our own clean bed. During the whole trip luck was on our side and there is even more to come. Shortly after we returned we sold our car. This week the Land Rover will be picked up and a couple of weeks later, together with Olivier, Frederique and their three children the car will be heading for Africa again. Although it will be heartbreaking to hand over the keys and watch the car leaving around the corner, we are also glad that it will again be used for the purpose it was made for. The Land Rover is built for adventure and not for a parking lot in rainy Holland. Nevertheless we experience many mixed feelings. Only a few more days and then, the only things left will be some souvenirs, thousands of pictures and many priceless memories.
Although our journey has finished there are still a few more updates to come. Soon we will post our pictures of Turkey and Europe and some time later, when we have settled down a bit we will update the overland information and look back on our adventure one more time.
9 May 2008 - Istanbul, Turkey (63.720 km)
Back in Europe
Yesterday we have crossed the Bosphorus. We are back on European soil. At the moment it is still pretty cold in Turkey and as it is already our fourth visit to the country we have crossed it in a straight line, heading for warmer weather. Now are in Istanbul where the weather is nice. Not too hot, but warm enough to sit outside in a t-shirt. From all the big cities we have visited last year, Istanbul is one of our favorites. Reason enough to stay a couple of days. Next week we will go to Greece to drive down along the coast.
27 April 2008 - Yazd, Iran (59.197 km)
Pakistan survived!
The past week was a week full of tension and adventure. After waiting in Delhi for almost two weeks, where it was unbearable hot and humid, we finally got our Iranian and Pakistani visa and the big crossing could begin. Through the media and friends and family in the Netherlands we had been following the news on Pakistan and decided to take our changes. Monday the 21st of April we entered Pakistan and to be honest we were a bit nervous, but very soon we felt that there was nothing to be afraid of. Pakistan is a beautiful country and the people unbelievably friendly. Nevertheless we decided not to take any unnecessary risks and crossed the country as quickly as possible. A journey of 2000 kilometers that took us 5 days. Five full days of driving and even though we spent most of our time in the car, they were great. Crossing Pakistan was one big adventure and we enjoyed every minute of it. Since a few days now we are in Iran. Back to safety and to the Eastern world with a dose of western comfort. The roads are wide and smooth, the air is clean again and the food is safe again. And especially this last aspect is a very welcome change after two months India making the burden for Belinda to cover her head and being fully dressed in public easier to bear. Although we do have to confess that this burden is harder than expected. With temperatures of more than 30 degrees being dressed up like this is really hot.
30 March 2008 - Kathmandu, Nepal (54.000 km)
Nepal
Nepal is the last country we will visit before we will concentrate on our journey back home. An unavoidable event we are looking forward to this time. A whole year of travelling of which more than one month India is taking its tol. We are satisfied, tired of all the dirt en looking forward to being back home, but before will be heading west we will visit Nepal. At the moment we are in Kathmandu where the car will be given an extensive service. Then we will drive to Pokhara were we will enjoy a real campsite and nice Himalaya landscapes.
13 March 2008 - Dharmshala, India (51.410 km)
A piece of Tibet in India
Time goes fast. For two weeks we are already touring with our own car again and we have visited many special places. At the moment we are in Dharmshala, a mountain village in the North of India. Dharmshala lies on the edge of the Himalayas and is a refuge for may Tibetans who fled Tibet during the last years. This place is also home to the in exile living Dalai Lama. In the village you can sense a special atmosphere. De streets are filled with Tibetans, tourists and monks dressed in robes of dark red. Last night we saw an impressive protest mars against the violent occupation of there home land.
24 February 2008 - Mumbai, India
In India
Last Wednesday we safely arrived in India and one day later also the ship with our car sailed into the harbour on time. Unfortunately for us it is now weekend and can we do nothing more than wait until Monday, but then the Customs will release our car and can our new overland adventure begin. In the meantime we are discovering Mumbai and enjoying this new fascinating world.
18 February 2008 - Winschoten, Netherlands
A short visit home
Whilst our car is on its way to India, we are back in Holland for a short visit. Both our parents, who we haven't seen for the last 11 months, where waiting for us at the airport and it was great to see them again. Still, being back also felt very strange. If felt like we never left. The world was so familiar to us, and still also so unfamiliar in some ways. Besides, without a home and a car of our own we are very dependent, something which is hard to get used to and after so many months of total freedom. Another thing which is hard to get used to is the weather. The temperature is only a few degrees above zero and that is a big difference with the warm African climate. Very often we think about our "riding home" and about all the nice adventures of the last year. Although we really enjoy the time with our family we are very much looking forward to the moment we can start the engine of our Land Rover again. Tuesday the 18th of February we will fly to India and hopefully it will not be long before we have our car back.
24 January 2008 - Cape Town, South Africa ( 48.594 km)
Mission "Bellingwolde - Cape Town" accomplished
On the 18th of January, exactly 10 months after we left the Netherlands, we reached, Cape Point, the end of our adventure through Africa, but luckily not the end our journey. Within the next couple of days our car will be shipped to India and our new destination will be Bellingwolde. Filled with more than enough impressions of beautiful landscapes and with a longing for the adventures and cultures we experienced in the beginning of our trip we changed our plans. Instead of going to Australia, a great but also well organised and western country, with again more beautiful landscapes, we will now go to India from where we will travel back home crossing Nepal, Pakistan (if possible), Iran, Turkey and Europe. A journey that will again fulfil us with experiences of cultures, that are so different from our own, that every day will be a real adventure.
10 January 2008 - Durban, South Africa ( 45.938 km)
A special ending
First of all many thanks for all the great New Year wishes. This far from home the are extra special to receive! Celebrating Christmas and New Year in a country where the temperature is about 30 degrees was a strange feeling, but we had very nice days that will be remembered for a long, long time. We celebrated Christmas in Pretoria together with Andrew and Jaye, overlanders we first met in Jordan. We were invited at his parents and together with his family it was a very special Christmas. After that we drove to Mozambique to end 2007 with one last adventure. The last day of the year almost looked like an overview of our trip. The day that started very relaxed with some sun bathing on the beach, suddenly changed into an adventure when we went for a swim with the mighty whale sharks, an experience that will definitely be in the top ten and ended in the company of new meetings and spectacular fire works on the beach. After that we went back to South Africa. At the moment we are in Durban where we are preparing the shipment of our car. Only a couple of weeks left and then our journey through Africa will be over.
23 December 2007 - Pretoria, South-Africa (42.739 km)
Just before the end of the this year another update:
Happy New Year
For us this year was very extraordinary in every way you can possibly think of. We have made our dreams come true and experienced many nice, exciting, moving and unique moments. Through this website we would like to wish all our family, friends, old colleagues, colleague travellers, all people we have met on the road and all readers of this website a very good Christmas and a special 2008 in which all of you may receive the fortune and blessings that we experienced this year.
Markus en Belinda
9 December 2007 - Swakopmund, Namibia (39.296 km)
Time goes fast
In Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, where we met each other by accident six months ago, the idea to make a roundtrip through Namibia later this year was born, and by now the first week is already over. From the desolated dry landscapes in the south and the red sand dunes of the Namib dessert we drove to the cold and windy coast. A long trip of many kilometres through beautiful landscapes and with some nice adventures. On our first day together one of our tyres exploded and a few days later Rene and Margriet experienced how is feels to get stucked in the dessert. Although the important features of the south is mainly nice landscapes we also had some nice animals encounters. On our second night a genet visited our campsite and in Sesriem a pack of brutal jackals teased us. During the night the jackals moved our flip flops and even destroyed one the shoes of Margriet.
25 November 2007 - Windhoek, Namibia (36.629 km)
Adventure with a capital "A"
The last two weeks we are already touring through Namibia, which according to us is still the most beautiful country of Africa. Many things we could not do a couple of years ago, we did them now and the most adventurous of all was our trip through Kaokoland, the rough and deserted north eastern part of Namibia. We have travelled this area together with Kelly and Maór, two South Africans we met on our first day, lost and without brakes. From that moment on, both for their safety and ours, we travelled together and experienced an adventure with a capital "A". We survived bad roads, aggressive elephants, deep loose sands and flash floods, but the reward was huge. We have seen so much beauty. Besides we also had a great time together. At the moment we are in Windhoek, safe and sound, where we are waiting for Rene and Margriet with whom we will make a roundtrip of two weeks.
5 November 2007 - Maun, Botswana (32.970 km)
Many elephants
The North of Botswana is wilderness and nature in its purest form. We have been driven from Kasane to Maun through Chobe, Savute and Moremi, three beautiful reserves. It was a tough drive of 500 km over pistes with often pretty deep and loose sand and a lot of elephants. We never saw so many elephants in such a sort period of time. They were everywhere and one came even closer than we wished. It almost bumped into the stairs of our rooftop tent. The only bad thing that happened, was that the rough terrain again cost us some shocks. Just before we left the last reserve one of our front shocks broke and one day later the other. By now, that problem has been solved already. We have two new shocks and this time from a South African make. Hopefully these ones will last longer. During the next days we will drive along the western edge of the Okavango Delta to North Namibia. We want to hurry a bit, because we want to be in Windhoek in time. The 30th of November friends from Holland will come over. Together we will make a tour through Namibia of about two weeks. We are really looking forward to that.
24 October 2007 - Livingstone, Zambia (31.081 km)
Stolen en caught
This morning, after a delay of almost two weeks, we finally left Lusaka. Lusaka, that would have been nothing more than a short stopover on our way to Livingstone, kept us busy for quite a long time. Today, exactly one week ago, we experienced the dark side of Africa. During a very short visit to the laundry, thieves broke into our car and stole things. Initially the thieves were after money but when they could not find it, they took our new Nikon camera, our camcorder and some small stuff. What happened after that is a story you would not believe. Dealing with the police in Zambia is a special experience, we even had to pay for the investigation ourselves. Anyway, to make a long story short, with the help of Eddy, a friendly taxi driver, who witnessed the crime and was willing to talk, and with the help of the police (see picture), who were, for money, prepared to more action that we ever expected, we succeeded in catching the thieves and recovering the two most valuable items, the two cameras. Except for some small things we've got most of our things back without even a scratch.
30 September 2007 - Blantyre, Malawi (28.288 km)
Finally we meet
April last year, while we were still preparing our trip, Roel and Lizzy left for Asia. Although in a different order, they travel the same route we would like to do (Africa, Australia and back through Asia). Curious about their adventures we start reading their website and email contact starts. Knowing that we will travel in opposite directions we make an appointment to try to meet somewhere. We know that we will both be in Malawi during the same time, but by the time we approach each other all means of communication fail. Therefore, big is the surprise when we accidentally meet in a supermarket in Mzuzu. It is a great meeting and instead of going to Lake Malawi we change our plan and stay on the campsite with Roel and Lizzy for two nights. As they have already travelled the parts that are still ahead of us and the other way around we have a lot to talk about. After two days of fun we say goodbye and move on. At the moment we are in the south of Malawi and somewhere next week we will cross the border with Zambia.
7 September 2007 - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (25.713 km)
Going to Zanzibar
Rwanda and even north Tanzania al already history. The picture is taken while camping in the middle of the Serengeti. A very basic campsite, but with a magnificent view and large herds of Thompson Gazelle surrounding us. Since the beginning of this week we are back on the coast for some sun, sea and beach. With our car, we have again, found a great spot on the beach south of Dar es Salaam. Next Sunday we will go to Zanzibar for a few days. Because we cannot bring the car, we will have to travel with public transport for a change. For a few days we will be missing out on the freedom and comfort of the Land rover.
26 August 2007 - Kigali, Rwanda (23.370 km)
Our wedding gift well spent
Only 700 remain in the wild and last Thursday we were able to view them up close. We wanted to spend the money, we received in December on our wedding day for something special and we could not have come up with a better destination. We were very much looking forward to this gorilla tracking and it was an incredible experience. Was it raining cats and dogs on our wedding day, on the day of the tracking the weather was warm and sunny and the apes ...... they were also in a good mood. We were able to see them eating, fleeing and fighting very closely. One gorilla even came right up to us and lay down on his back right in front of us. There was hardly one meter of space between us and that magnificent animal that with his big brown eyes was looking us right in the eye. Again, everybody who contributed to this great wedding present ........ many, many thanks!
18 August 2007 - Kigali, Rwanda (22.393 km)
A warm welcome
The last two weeks we were in Uganda. Not only in Europe the weather is confused also in Africa it is unpredictable at the moment. In August there should be hardly any rain in Uganda, but we did not had that luck. Almost every day for some hours it rained very hard. After two weeks we had enough and it was time to move on to the next country in search for better weather. For Rwanda we only have a visa for two weeks, so we will not be here for a very long time. Nevertheless we will so some very special activities next week. First we will visit the impressive genocide monuments and on Thursday the 23rd we will do something we are already looking forward to for a long time. That day we will track the endangered mountain gorillas. Hopefully is will be dry that day and can we get very close.
7 August 2007 - Kampala, Uganda (21097 km)
A lot of wild animals
At the moment time goes very fast. Not only the days but also the countries are flying. Almost six weeks we have travelled through Kenya, but even that country is already lying behind us. At the moment we are in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. De past six weeks were very divers. After a adventurous trip through northern Kenya we have been relaxing in Nairobi and on the coast. After that we moved on to western Kenya were we visited some great national parks. The best of them all was the Masai Mara. In this park we were very lucky. In total we visited the park two whole days and we not only saw a lot of big game, we also saw a lot of predators and we even witnessed a part of the famous migration. Because of the rain, the migration is starting late this year, and for the crossing of the wildebeest we were still too early, but for the migration of the zebras we were just in time. With our own eyes we saw them grossing the Mara river in big groups. A great spectacle and great to watch. As we are still travelling with Laura and Vegter and the nights are too much fun to work on the notebook, the pictures are not ready yet. They will be uploaded with our next update.
12 July 2007 - Tiwi Beach, Kenya (18251 km)
Holiday in Kenya
After a long radio silence finally a new update. De past weeks we travelled through the Omo valley in Southern Ethiopia and Lake Turkana and Samburu land in Northern Kenya. Both beautiful, but very remote areas, where we really experienced the challenge of off-road driving. After a week in Nairobi where we could finally do some serious shopping again we are now in Tiwi Beach. Tiwi Beach is a real paradise. We camp right on the beach almost with our feet in sea. We enjoy sun, sea and beach and even for groceries we do not have to break up camp. Daily, local salesmen come to the car to sell us fresh fruits, vegetables and freshly caught fish. The only worries we have is the monkey, that try to steal our food if we are not careful.
14 June 2007 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (15440 km)
This is Africa
Some time ago we left the heat of Sudan and for already two weeks now we are travelling through Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a country like many will imagine Africa..... poor and dusty. As far as the people are concerned we really have to get used to the fact that we have no privacy here in Ethiopia. Really, even if we stop in the middle of nowhere, within no-time a whole crowd of people surrounds our car and they are all begging for money. Nevertheless, Ethiopia is a really green land with beautiful landscapes and sometimes very worse roads. We already had many bumpy days on the road. At the moment we are in Addis Ababa, the capital, where we had a great day together with Rene and Margriet, who happened to be in Addis on the same day as we. After almost 3 months on the road and meeting a lot of strangers it was great to be with people we already know.
30 May 2007 - Khartoum, Sudan
Heat, sand and more friendly people
About one week ago, after a special crossing we have arrived in Sudan. The ferry was crowded, hot and dirty but a very special experience. This is Africa. At the moment we are in Khartoum, the capital. In Sudan the weather is what we expected; dry and unbelievable hot. Daily temperatures almost reach 50 degrees. Fortunately our bodies are coping with the heat pretty well. To stay cool we drink about 6 litres of water each every day. Here in Sudan the surrounding and the people are again a great new adventure. Perhaps it begins to sound boring but also here the people are very friendly. We had already some special experiences. Next to the landscape also the roads are impressive. They are either perfect tar roads of extremely bad tracks. On these tracks the car is vibrating like hell. With a crowd of local watching Markus is placing some new bolts that we just lost.
20 May 2007 - Aswan, Egypt (11553 km)
Last days in Egypt
After 3 weeks our Egypt adventure has come to an end. Egypt is a really great place although the heat at this time of the year is pretty exhausting. The last days we stayed in Aswan, to arrange our crossing to Sudan. Monday the 21st of May we will take the ferry from Aswan to Wadi Halfa in Sudan. For a couple of days we will be separated from our car. We have to take the passenger ferry and our car will be loaded on a freight barge that will arrive one day later. With mixed feelings we are looking forward to this new country. On one side we are anxious to visit a new country, however on the other side we are a bit nervous for the extreme heat in Sudan. Inshalla.
11 May 2007 - Luxor, Egypt (11003 km)
Lazy days in Luxor
After some extremely hot days in the dessert of Egypt where temperatures inside the car exceeded the 50 degrees limit easily we are now having some lazy days in Luxor. We are on a great campsite with a lot of shade and swimming pool. Besides the camp site is a meeting place for overlanders where we not only met Klaas again (who we met in Damascus) but also found Vegter and Laura. In Holland we already met Vegter and Laura because we made plans to travel together on some routes. For everybody who feels with us: earlier this week we finally succeeded in obtaining our visa for Sudan. We had to drive through the chaos of Cairo, but it was worth it. Within two hours we got our visa. As we had to go to Cairo anyway we also visited the pyramids and although not as impressive as the first time, the pyramids are still something special. For anybody who wants send us a message: since the 1st of May our satellite phone is activated and sending us a sms by computer is free. See "contact" for our number and the link to the sms service.
1 May 2007 - Dahab, Egypt (8731 km)
On the African continent
Dutch Queensday 2007 was also for us a special day. For us it meant the crossing to the African continent. The continent where we will stay for the rest of this year. Looking back time has passed very fast. Sometimes we can hardly imagine that the moment we left Holland in the pouring rain was only six weeks ago. Behind us are lying the experiences of the Middle East. A region that surprised us in every way and to which we keep good memories. Before us lies Africa starting with Egypt. At the moment we are in Dahab. Dabab, Egypt's divers paradise is a friendly hippie looking resort on the Red Sea, but very touristy. Never during our trip we saw so many tourists at one place, especially much Dutch tourists. For us, it is a big change, all the souvenir shops and restaurants and even more all the men trying to talk us into these places. The picture on the left was taken on board of the ship to Egypt where some members of the crew invited us to have dinner.
23 April 2007 - Petra, Jordan (8232 km)
Finally summer
We are now in the south of Jordan and with temperatures of 20 till 30 degrees it is finally summer. At the moment we are in Petra. Yesterday we got up very early to visit the Treasury before the big crowd. Afterwards we walked all the way up to the Monastery. A big climb but really worth it. On our way back to the car we visited Brooke Hospital for Animals. They have a very large clinic here where they take care of all the working animals. It was an impressive visit. Petra is an unbelievable beautiful place and luckily we have a ticket for two days. Tomorrow we will go on. First we will visit the Wadi Rum where we will spent a few nights in the dessert and then we will go to Aqaba to relax on the beach for a while and prepare ourselves for our crossing to Africa.
14 April 2007 - Umm Qais, Jordan (7302 km)
Another new land
The 14th of April we left Syria. Syria surprised us in every way and it was a delightful country. At the moment we are in Jordan, in Umm Qais to be exactly. From the tourist police we got permission to camp in the middle of all the old ruins here. From the hill top we have a magnificent view on the Sea of Galilee in Israel, the Golan Heights and the Jordan Valley in Jordan. The next week we will be travelling through Jordan. There are so many great places here, that we will stay at least three weeks.
05 April 2007 - Aleppo, Syria (5857 km)
Chased by bad weather
By now we have arrived in Syria; a bit sooner than we first planned. In Turkey we have been for about one and a half week. This is a bit shorter that we initially planned. Bad weather is the reason for this. Since we left home a depression causing bad weather has chased us almost until the Syrian border. Although in some places the weather in Turkey should be really great, we only experienced very cold temperatures, rain and even snow in Cappadocia. As we had already visited Turkey several times we therefore only visited the sites we planned and then drove towards the sun as soon as possible. Two day ago, about 250 km from the border with Syria the sun was finally shining for the biggest part of the day and the temperature reached camping friendly values. Nevertheless we had a great time in Turkey and met some wonderful people.
27 March 2007 - Istanbul, Turkey (3416 km)
Our first week
Our first week has already past. After the bad feeling of saying goodbye vanished we soon found our place and we are really enjoying ourselves. The only thing that is not so nice is the weather. The first 5 day it continuously rained and in Vienna we even had snow. Long before we left we had the plan to visit the orphanage of Iona and Henk in Romania. We found it immediately and were welcomed with open arms. It is great to see so many nice and happy children. As we really liked it there and the children liked having us there we eventually stayed till Sunday. After that we drove straight to Istanbul, in two days. Here we will stay a few days to visit the city. When we arrived yesterday evening it was already dark but it looked great. Unfortunately also here spring has not began. The trees have no leafs yet and it is still very cold. We are very much looking forward to unfold our tent for the first time.
18 March 2007 - Bellingwolde,
Almost gone
Our house is empty, the car packed and goodbyes have been said. Only one night left and then we will trade our house for our car. Tomorrow, Sunday the 18th of March our journey will definitely start. Last week, next to packing and moving we spent most of time on visiting family and friends, driving many miles through Holland. Luckily the weather was great and while driving we really felt the holiday vibes, even our first experience with African bureaucracy (we did not succeed in obtaining our visa for Sudan) could not change this.
9 March 2007 - Bellingwolde,
Only 1 week till departure left
Less than 10 days left and then our journey will begin. Since our last update we have already been home for two whole weeks and time has flown by. We have been very busy with all the preparations and our house is getter emptier by the minute. We are living on our camping gear and next to all the clothes we packed for the trip we both only have one jeans left. The last week we did some work on the car; we mounted the roof tent after the cover had been repaired and the car itself had it's last big maintenance. At the garage, we both helped and again learned a lot. The next week we will be busy with moving our furniture and goodbyes. We will also visit the embassy of Sudan, to get a visa. This way we can avoid the hassle of Cairo as we have already seen the city anyway.
25 February 2007 - Bellingwolde
A lot has happened since our last update. Our goats have returned, they just could not get along with the goats of Gre and Peter, and our horse has definitely move to his new stable. Luckily Silver really feels at home there. Furthermore we both said good-bye on our jobs last week. With thanks to our colleagues it was a great week and a special farewell. From now on we do not have to work anymore. This is a great but also very strange idea. At the moment it is Sunday evening and we really have to get used to the idea that we do not have to get up early tomorrow morning and that this "weekend" will last for a very long time. The next three weeks we will do all the final preparations.
11 February - Bellingwolde
Slowly saying goodbye comes closer. Today we took our two goats to their new home and next weekend we will bring away our horse. During our journey our goats are allowed to stay with Peter and Gre in their goats domain. This domain is a real climbing paradise and Sjoerd now even has 4 women. Leaving them behind felt strange. While we drove off, Sjoerd and Heidi were standing at the gate nervous and disorientated, watching us leave. Hopefully they are settled soon and behave, in the end they are still two spoiled fat goats. We will definitely miss them.
21 January - Bellingwolde
20th of January 2007 our first niece was born.
Her name is Marin and she weighs 4180 grams.
Click her to view some pictures
We are very much looking forward to our adventure, but if we have to mention one disadvantage it will be the fact the we will miss seeing her growing up through her first years of life.
1 January - Bellingwolde
2007 will be the year in which our dream will come true. We wish all the readers of our website a happy and healthy New Year in which dreams may come true.
Most of our days off between Christmas and New Year we have been busy with preparations for our journey. We've painted our house and stables, move a lot of our stuff to the attic, emptied the garage, digitalised our music collection and arranged our new passports. In 2007 we will have to work for another 8 weeks and then we can also pack our wake-up radio's.
13 December 2006 - Bellingwolde
Almost half of our lives we are already together. Probably for most people it therefore was not so much of a surprise (or perhaps just because of this it was) when we announced our wedding. Monday the 11th of December we got married. We had a great day and were completely surprised by all the attention, flowers, postcards and presents. Dear people many thanks for this. With the money we received we will do a Gorilla trekking in Rwanda, as this normally is too expensive for low budget travellers. On this website we will inform you how it was.
15 November 2006 - Bellingwolde
We are in the middle of all the preparations. Our house has been let, our employers informed, and we survived already two rounds of vaccinations. With about 4 months to go, saying goodbye also slowly starts. Last week Belinda turned over her voluntarily work for ADRA - EKF Children Fund (thanks for the nice farewell and great gift).
10 August 2006, Bellingwolde
We are back home. We had a great holiday and really loved Morocco.
31 July 2006 - El Jadida
Since a few days we are at the coast. The climate here is nice; 25 degrees and a nice wind. The world also looks a bit more "western" here. Tomorrow we will drive to Casablanca. Here we also plan to visit the Land rover garage. There is something we would like to do with our brakes and here it is probably much cheaper than back home in Holland.
28 July 2006 - Dades valley
At this moment we are in the Gorges du Dades. To get here we took a magnificent piste through the mountains of the High Atlas. We have spent the past days in the desert. It was extremely hot but very beautiful.
23 July 2006 - Our first days in Morocco
By now we are already a couple of days in Morocco. The county is beautiful and the people friendly and helpful. We kindly use their help because for us it is hard to communicate. The people here speak only French or Arabic and we on the other hand don't speak any of these two languages.
19 July 2006 - We have arrived in Morocco
After a few long days of driving we have finally arrived in Morocco. In total, the trip took us 4 days. This is one day longer than we initially intended, but we took it easy. Until now all things are going smoothly. Even the formalities on the Moroccan border were handled very quickly. Within 20 minutes we were allowed to enter the country.
14 July 2006 - Leaving for Morocco
The car is packed and the tanks are loaded. Tomorrow, the 15th of July we will be heading for Morocco. We will try to update the site with some stories about this trip.
21 May 2006 - New lay-out
Our final lay-out is ready! Except from the travel stories most of this website will also be available in English from now on.
4 April 2006 - We bought a Land rover
After some years of flying, we would like to go camping and tracking again. Instead of doing this with a small tent or camper our dream was to do this with a Land rover. Since today we are the proud owners of Land rover Defender rebuilt into a expedition vehicle. Our summer holidays can begin!
February 2007 - Website live
After hours of hard work, our website is finally live. For now this is not the final version. Somewhere during the next months the final lay-out will be published.
