A year on the road
Van.we.travel
Tear down all tents and go traveling. That's what Niki and Martin did. The two Podersdorf residents set off in April 2023 and are currently on home leave in Podersdorf.
Who wouldn't want that? Just up and away. Working from the road. See the world. Staying where you like.
Two people from Podersdorf am See have fulfilled exactly this wish. They actually wanted to go on a backpacking tour through Cambodia, but Corona thwarted their plans.
"So we quickly bought a bus," say Niki and Martin. It was already fully equipped and the pair spent the summer months sprucing it up.
"Then we went on a test tour to Corsica and Sardinia," they say. From that point on, it was clear to them that this way of traveling was exactly their cup of tea. "The freedom and independence is what we want."
But after another trip to Albania and Montenegro, they also knew they needed a shower and toilet on the bus. So they bought an empty van in the fall of 2021 and converted it to suit their needs in the winter. They wanted to travel. Longer. Onwards.
Everything sold, apartment rented out
The "new one" was tested on short trips and the last "bugs" were ironed out. A trip to the north was planned - to Holland, Denmark, Scandinavia. As I said: longer. Further.
We were due to set off in April 2023, so the trip was prepared. All the belongings were sold at the flea market. The apartment was rented out, the car sold and pulled into the bus. "The less we owned, the easier it was for us to simply drive away," they say. They are certain: possessions are a burden. "Even though it was strange to break everything up, to practically sell your life, it made everything better. We still have five boxes full of odds and ends in grandpa's cellar. But we want to get rid of the ballast too. We'll certainly sell the things at the flea market."
The day of departure was approaching. But the weather in the north was lousy, even worse than here at the time. "We weren't really happy to drive out into the cold," they both smile. "Neither of us could have endured any more rain." So they changed their plans three days before the start. Instead of the north, it was to be sun, beach and sea - Greece, to be precise.
And Niki, Martin, "Beni" and "Karla" loved it there. Instead of one month, they spent three months there.
After Greece, they took the ferry to Italy, where both humans and dogs experienced quite a culture shock. Because it was August, peak season and therefore a lot of people. "The cities were beautiful, but it was definitely not the best time to visit them. So we moved on to France and then spent a month and a half on the Spanish mainland."
Wintering in the Canary Islands
Niki, Martin, "Beni" and "Karla" spent the cold season on the Canary Islands. "We visited almost all the islands and really saw a lot while island hopping."
They met Jose on Gran Canaria. He has been living in a bay far away from civilization for 15 years. "He walks eight kilometers to the next village every day to get water for himself and his dog. We met him at Christmas and he invited us because it was his birthday." Although he doesn't actually own anything, he cooked for them all. They even had pancakes to celebrate. "We were always amazed at how little people have and how generous they still are." He also told them that he was happy and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
They also met other people on the trip who impressed them. "For example, we met a girl who left home at 18 and has been on the road for 12 years. She set off from Sweden and never went home again. That really inspired us. And it was also a point at which we asked ourselves, what do you really need in life?"
You need the basics like clothes and food. But possessions are a burden. The less we had, the freer we became.
Niki und Martin
Her answer was clear: health. Because if you're not well, you can't have enough money to make it better. And the second answer: time. "And you should make good use of it."
The two of them traveled on almost every day; there were few spots that captivated them for longer.
Crete, a place of longing
Sometimes they returned to the same place. Crete particularly fascinated them. The two call the island their place of longing. "We had the best time there," they agree.
What did they like? The warmth of the people, their openness, the simplicity and straightforwardness of life that they were able to experience there. "There was hardly any tourism where we were," say Niki and Martin. They also never stayed in campsites with their van, seeking freedom and seclusion. Once again, they emphasize the acquaintances they made. "Many of them really got under our skin," they say, "and we learned a lot. We saw how little some people have to be content with. But they want for nothing. They are happy and one thing above all: generous."
The plan was to spend two and a half weeks on Crete. In the end, it turned out to be almost eight weeks. "We enjoyed the island and life there so much that we didn't have to stress about getting away again. When we had already finished with the island, we added another ten days. Simply because it was so beautiful."
Departure mood from the end of February
But from the end of February, there was a sense of optimism. "We knew we had to be home by the end of April. So we had to plan when we would take the ferry to make it work. As soon as the commitments were back, some of the relaxation was already gone."
In spring, the four of them spent another month in Portugal, then headed to the north coast of Spain, the Cote D,Azur and finally back to Podersdorf am See.
"On the one hand, we knew we still had quite a way to go. On the other hand, we still wanted to see Portugal extensively. When you know you only have three weeks and 3000 kilometers to drive home, you're on the go the whole time. So we weren't really relaxed anymore."
Coming home was difficult
Coming home was difficult at first. Because the clocks simply work differently here. "Our life at home is much more externally determined, we have more obligations. He wants to see you, you have to go there, there's a party where people want to see you. You're also more influenced by the media. We didn't have a TV in the van and didn't read the news for a year. That did us good and we didn't even notice a lot of things. But that wasn't a mistake either and it was really good for us," they agree.
The two of them and their pets will be in Podersdorf am See until September. Then they will continue their travels. "First back to Crete. We want to spend the winter there. This time we are starting with an open end. No fixed date when we have to be back. After Crete, we're thinking of Turkey, but we're not planning anything else. How long will we be away? We don't know!"
Her tip for those who also dream of simply setting off: "Just do it. Our saying is "Today is life, tomorrow never comes. Many people don't dare to just drive off and leave everything behind. Or they say it's not possible because you need a lot of money. No. That's not true. If you want to do it, then have the courage to quit your job and find ways and solutions to make it happen. Our advice: do it while you're young and don't let it remain a lifelong dream!"
If you like, you can also follow them on Insta and Facebook at van.wir.reisen.
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
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