Soon another major decision is made. It will be a journey through Europe, during which a loosely fixed route is mapped out in pencil on the map of Europe. The couple does not want to have to worry about a home during their trip, so their French cottage is sold.
From France they travel to Morocco via Spain. By summer the camper will head north, to the far north of Scandinavia. And then descend along the outer borders of Eastern Europe towards the Balkans, Greece and Turkey. The idea is to move even further, towards Georgia and Armenia.
So far, the Picos d’Europa in northern Spain and the Durmitor Mountains in northwestern Montenegro have made the most impression. Lots of climbing and many hairpin bends in an environment that resembles the Norwegian Hardangervidda. “But in our opinion it is more beautiful, with long shadows created by the low-lying November sun.”
Marianne: “We don’t like big cities, we always drive around them with a wide berth. We prefer to travel through smaller villages, because we feel that that feels more authentic.” The encounters along the way make the most impression. “Having contact with people without speaking each other’s language,” he says. “A sheep herder in Morocco or Turkey, you make gestures and often end with a handshake or a hug.” You can’t get a purer contact.
According to them, traveling shows how relatively luxurious life is in Western Europe. We saw shepherds who have been wearing the same clothes for ten years and sleeping where their sheep are,” says Marianne. That makes you think. We sometimes almost feel spoiled. The poorer a region is, the more likely people are to want to help you. In the Netherlands or Belgium, no one will come to you to invite you for dinner, for example. While that happens almost everywhere.”
The wanderer’s life took some getting used to. “I found it difficult for the first three or four weeks,” says Marianne. The camper is small, you can hardly turn your butt in it. I lacked space and sometimes became irritated.” It now feels like home. We have been sleeping in the camper every night since November last year. It is familiar, we don’t really want anything else.”
They spend most of their time outside campsites: in fields, at beaches or in the forest. “We have never been sent away and have never experienced unpleasant situations,” says Marianne. “On the contrary, people offer mandarins or have a chat. My fear of insecurity has completely disappeared.”
The journey has continued to go smoothly so far. Yet there is a dark day. One with a mournful edge: dog Pluto dies on July 12 when they drive through Norway. The faithful four-legged friend is already 15 years old and that is a very blessed age for a dog. “But it really affected us. He actually just continues to travel with us.”
The two simply finance their trip with their state pension and their pension, they say. The money from the sale of their home remains on the table. “It’s not a large amount,” Marianne says. Martijn: “You can’t buy a garage box in the Netherlands yet. But a nice farm in France, that’s probably possible. If they ever leave, that is.
But when is that? Marianne has a great desire to travel. “But I see Martijn cheating more and more on the French Funda,” she laughs. Martijn: “Oh, but there is no pressure at all. I think we will still be traveling quite a bit in 2026. If things go as I want, we will be back in a year.” Then follows a short silence. “But that might be later.”