Looking back

The start of a new year is always a good time to look back. I thought about what we’ve experienced or learned since we’ve started traveling a year and a half ago. Here it is:

• Making a lot (too many) plans leads to the same result as making no plans at all.
• We love to explore new places, it was our main reason for traveling. But on the other hand; when it comes to finding everything we need, like a supermarket, water source or garage, we don’t like the fact that everything is always new…
• We were never fast travelers, but now we are even slower, staying in the same place for days. Most of our days now start as a leisurely Sunday.
• Some days however can be quite stressful, especially if it is difficult to find what we need in yet another new area.
• The van miraculously gets smaller when the weather and our moods aren’t that great…
• In the poorer countries most people are more friendly, helpful and willing to share than the people in the rich countries…They invite us into their homes without being worried we are going to rob them or murder them in their beds. We’ve never been worried about this either and have always felt and been save.
• Having limited choice in clothes is easy and relaxing. Fashion is overestimated and outside of the big cities people usually don’t care at all.
• Not being able to get the things you need makes you more creative with the things you can get.
• There’s always a solution, it might not be the easiest one, but there’s always a solution.
• An outside shower in the winter is cold. ?
• Fortunately it turns out you can go 8 days without showering and other people still invite you over for coffee.
• Moms were wrong; you don’t get sick from being outside in the cold with wet hair and no coat on. As a matter of fact you don’t even get sick when your naked and wet outside in the cold (don’t get any kinky ideas I’m still talking about showering).
• Oddly enough people are much more worried about covid in the rich countries with easily available good health care, than they are in the poorer countries where people can’t afford (good) health care.
• Having an unlimited amount of time to do what you want, can sometimes get boring because there’s not an unlimited amount of activities available.
• You can clean pretty much everything with wet wipes, whether it’s your butt, a stain in your clothes or the inside of the refrigerator. 
• It’s much easier meeting new people, whether those people are fellow travelers or locals doesn’t really matter. It may not leed to lasting friendships but it’s fun while it lasts.

We’re looking forward to new experiences in 2022. Happy new year everyone!