The start of 2023 was already one not to forget. It made me decide to quit with a few things for a while. Social media, vanlife, travel are just a few examples. I also had this idea to try getting back in a more steady way of living. And what did these choices bring me? Exactly...the reasons for my earlier choices got clear again.
Even the darkest days can end like this...
The start of the year: found paradise?
The beginning of the year started with a stressful period after buying some rural land in Portugal. I made a huge mistake with a pre-payment before the actual signing, something I always warn others for. Things didn't feel right and the options to create what I wanted were very limited. I realized that the place was stunningly beautiful, but doing it all on my own would be very challenging and boring. The stressful part started when I cancelled the buy before official signing and getting back my pre-payment. So many red flags in the behavior of the Portuguese solicitor and several official parts were skipped, so afterwards I could get some issues. The solicitor ignored messages and calls and constantly had new excuses for not giving back the money. Luckily I have some friends that know him and could conVINce him at some point. A more detailed story will be posted soon.
I love surprises
In February it was my birthday. I love surprises. I wished for it and and especially for nice surprises...just to be more clear this time. Did it work? Yes, I definitely had the most intense birthday of my life. I met a very special person from Canada and we spent 2 amazing days together. Sad that we had to split up, but that is life when you travel. I was grateful to have this experience and realized that also on a later age you can have this intense travel meetings. At the end of my actual birthday I had to pick up one of my Dutch friends from the airport. We planned a 1 week roadtrip together and she knew my travel experiences, so she was prepared... Driving to Lisbon, I was still with my head in the clouds. I received a very strange phone call and I had to explain to a stranger what I did to her cousin. It came down to me being suspected in the death of another vanlifer. I knew the person in question, I met this person once months before and there was a negative vibe around this person. It was a bad experience with someone that was under influence of alcohol and drugs, so I left that camper meetup and never got in contact again. And months later on my birthday I receive this strange phone call. In the afternoon the shit started...In all the Facebook, Whatsapp and Telegram groups a message was posted about a sudden death of a vanlifer. The FB-account of this person was public and everyone could read what she posted just a few hours before her death. My name was mentioned and she told that I was in her van and harassed her with several other men. She called the police and posted a picture of that. A few hours she was found dead. This story went viral in the vanlife community. I haven't seen or spoken this person for months and I was about 1,000 km away from where it happened. I was already used about fake stories going around earlier in my life and it can destroy you. I had to move 4 times in my life because of made up stories and lies of other people, believe me...that was intense. But this one was next level. Especially when a story goes viral and your name is mentioned. I didn't know what to do and felt not safe anymore between other vanlifers. Living in a van is like living in a close community, you constantly meet other vanlifers and most of them communicate by using social media groups. At some point even people I knew for a while started to ask me questions. After a week my friend left and I felt totally lost. Loads of hate messages and strange questions on my phone and social media. I was done with social media and also with vanlife. Having the freedom with a van, didn't feel that free anymore. I got in contact with a good friend of the person that died. He told me the story online was not true and she was hallucinating at the moment of writing. He posted a little remark at the Facebook-message and it got quiet after that. At least I was no longer a suspect at the Spanish police and I could cross and leave the country. Bright roads ahead.
Driving on a wet dark road not knowing where I will end up, and all of a sudden this bright oen veiw popped up in front of me
What to do next
I could not really enjoy this trip after a few intense incidents. I had to change something. The savings were going down and I decided to drive back to the Netherlands. I started working in the event business again and it looked all promising. But things were not as fun as it used to be. I worked with a new guy that had serious mood swings in my opinion. He actually gave me a bad name by spreading stories that were just not true. What's new?? After being spit out and praised by the same person for a few months, I was done. I started to work fulltime at an office again. In the event industry several people told me I behaved like a project manager, so why shouldn't I do a job like this? I started working 4 days a week. It became 5...as a manager you have to be available every day. In the mean time I was also a care taker for my mom a few days a week and slept there on the couch. In between all this i fell in love with a German woman (I said I would never do that again last year 😂), so every week there was a lot of traveling.
What I learned from earlier burn-outs, is that you should not stay in an energy sucking environment too long. This specific job was not my thing for several reasons. I realized why I quit with the rushed and overloaded life before. I tried to find my own place to live this year, not possible. Buying something in the Netherlands with a proper income? Forget it. Renting? Also forget it. Hardly anything available on the market, the prices are insane and there is a long list of people waiting in front of you. Even though I am officially homeless. Working your ass off to spend all that money on the monthly bills...welcome back to the daily grind. I admit, it is an escape the way I want to live. But is that bad?
Vinlife vanlife
After coming back earlier this year from the South European adventure, a good Dutch friend invited me for a roadtrip in Madeira. With a van. Should I do it? I would love to travel Madeira. She had to drive, because it was a van with a gearbox and I have a special driver's license. From day 1 this vanlife trip in Madeira got into another crazy adventure. We had to rent 3 different cars in 10 days and slept in a tent sometimes. Including car accident and cancellations. But the island was amazing in it's roughness and beauty. I got my fitness back in my body after this trip and became more and more relaxed in all situations. I still have a lot to tell about Madeira and will do that in a separate blog.
I took this shot during the roadtrip in Madeira, 10 days on an incredible island full of challenges
My German girlfriend is also a Portugal lover, this country is actually the reason how we met. We planned a six week trip with Vin Diesel to France, Spain and Portugal. And both we planned to work 3 weeks of this period remote. It was a god try out for me to see if this remote work would actually work. It did weel, although I decided during this trip to cancel my job after this period. Living in a van and bed & breakfast for a longer period with someone also worked fine. The first 3 weeks we enjoyed a heatwave, nothing to complain about (maybe the flies were a pain in the ass). The last work week in Portugal the heavy storms started. Driving with Vin Diesel trough flooded towns, experiencing mud streams, falling electricity poles blocking the route, wind surfing with the van...it was all part of the adventure. I took the chance to visit the Portuguese dentist 4 times in 1 week, a new record. And just when our real holiday time was ready to start, my girlfriend had to fly home. Her mom needed her help because of illness. Solo travels. I decided to do the route we originally planned to drive: Northern Portugal and Galicia. It had its beauty, challenging the forces of nature. Most days it felt like traveling the end of the world (one part was actually called 'The End Of The World'). I experienced 3 weeks of constant heavy storms, drove over flooded roads, experienced a hurricane with a van in the mountains and got soaking wet most days. The funny thing when the rain stopped sometimes? I immediately took a cold outdoor shower as soon as it stopped raining. Everyday there was a short moment of silence between the storms. The best way to be outdoors in these conditions? Trail running. I did not expect that I could ever do this again with the worn knee, but so far it feels fine.
Where there technical van issues this time? Yes! And what did I do after earlier experiences? Just do the necessary and don't wast all my money on repairing.
Vin Diesel and me enjoying the sunset on the abonded coast of Nort Portugal
Welcome to the future
I returned back in the Dutch / German autumn period for now. Plans? Not too many plans. I miss a steady place to live sometimes, but I am also happy not having the stress of owning a property and constantly fix stuff. I've seen a lot of water issues the last 2 seasons at the places where I wanted to live. I would like to be a bit more flexible the coming period. Renting in Portugal is a serious option. After traveling in many places, I do see the weather conditions changing and it is. getting more intense. Maybe living in a mobile tiny home is not that strange and it could be the future. Laws can forbid us to live in mobile homes, but should it be something to be forbidden? I experienced this year that getting back to find a normal and accepted way of living in a house is hardly possible. Besides that, it is such an advantage that you can just move your tiny house when the situation requests.
One of the beach trail runs I did. Another storm coming in, but this short period of open sky made me smile
Life can be full of storms, one after the other. In between enjoy the sun. I know how to deal with storms these days, on all levels. And what about the things like work, income, care taking? There are many options. I always knew that and once again I realize that feeling free in life is one of the most important things in life. It took a while this year, but I feel unleashed.
All pictures I used, were made with my smartphone in automatic mode. I have to get used to this model and will start using manual settings in the future, to improve quality. After using it for 5 weeks, I realized that there is also a high MP option. Stay sharp :)
