Feature: Renée from Overlanding the World
“We have discovered so many beautiful places so it is impossible to choose one country, but on our list of most favourite countries is definitely Iran because of the unbelievable hospitable people and also all countries is Central Asia because of the breathtaking nature!”
Before my boyfriend and I started our overland journey we lived and worked in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Our life was completely different than our current life as we spend most of our time in the office. I worked as a lawyer at an international law firm.
In the fall of 2017 our offer on a house in Amsterdam was accepted. As usual in Amsterdam, paying more than the list price of a house and some luck was the reason for our success. That same evening we went through our finances again and laughingly said to each other "weird to think that for the amount that we are outbid we can also travel for about two years." When the next day it turned out that the purchase was canceled, we knew it. We are going on a trip! In about two years we drive from the Netherlands to Nepal and back.
Who or what inspired you to choose independent vehicle travel as your mode of transportation?
In 2016, for the first time we rented a car to explore South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. We instantly felt in love with this way of travelling. One year later, we again rented a car in Colombia. We were both still working and this means we only had very limited time to travel. We got addicted to the freedom that comes with travelling with your own vehicle. You can just start driving without any fixed plan and it is exactly this freedom that we love!
Everyone always asks a traveller what their favorite country is. Do you have a favorite country? If not, what is a place that is special to you?
We have discovered so many beautiful places so it is impossible to choose one country, but on our list of most favourite countries is definitely Iran because of the unbelievable hospitable people and also all countries is Central Asia because of the breathtaking nature!
Overlanding sucks sometimes because…
… even after months on the road I am still not always used to taking a shit in nature between millions of insects :)
How has this experience changed you?
I don't believe this experience has really changed me as a person, but it does have gained my trust in people around the world. It has teached me that we are all people living in the same world who in the end just want to be happy and healthy life.
What advice would you give to someone with a dream to travel overland?
Don't think, just do!
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