Where are you from?

We are both from The Netherlands.

When did you start your interest in exploration?

We both always loved to travel, but travelling like this really started during covid-19, we started by hiring a defender with a rooftop tent! We liked it so much we started to dig into it and bought our own defender in March 2022. 

What is a brief understanding of your background story up until you started seeking adventure?

Bas has been working at the military since 2016 and Esmee started as a professional photographer after graduating in 2020. Bas left for his deployment to Iraq for 5 months in September 2021, when he got back we started to think more and more about travelling. We bought our defender on March 22 and started to travel with it, it was already converted to a camper. Bas’s interest in photography started before he went to Iraq, (fun fact: photography is also what brought us together) he started to photograph during the deployment and he was eager to learn more about it, which is why he started a part time education for two years (22-24). Meanwhile in 2023 we started a new conversion and made the Defender to what it is today! Not long after Bas’s graduation, we left for our 6 months roadtrip through Europe in July 2024, heading towards Turkey! 

What special skills do you have to help with your explorations?

During Bas his time at the military he learned about navigation and bushcraft, but also got some medical skills. Before he decided to join the military he wanted to be a cook! So you can guess it already, he is a pretty good cook! Esmee is more the creative one, she can easily visualise how a picture or video has to turn out. She also made the scale drawings for the conversion, she is precise and organised. Which also helps us keep the car from looking like a garbage dump haha! And thinking of clever solutions is also a skill she possesses. 

Where have you explored so far?

We’ve already seen quite a lot together! But never enough! The most special places we’ve been to by plane are most definitely Finland and Iceland. We stayed in a cosy cottage in Finland and got to do many activities from here. We’ve visited Iceland twice, during summer and wintertime and are planning on going back with our Defender one day!

With our Defender we explored the French alps, Pyrenees, Switzerland, Sardinia, closer countries like Luxembourg and Belgium and now we’ve been on the road for 3 months already and explored Switzerland, Northern Italy and the Dolomites, Corsica, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and now Greece and its beautiful islands!

What is a brief understanding of your adventures so far?

We don’t really go for all the tourist attractions and big cities. We love to see nature, go for a hike in the mountains and find beautiful places to spend the night. Also meeting new people, locals or other travellers is what we love to do! Really getting to know the countries and their way of living instead of only seeing the tourist attractions and the big, more wealthy cities. 

What are the top three destinations you hope to explore next, and why?

Like we said before, we have seen a lot of Iceland but haven’t seen it all! We simply can’t get enough of their nature and how pure and safe it feels while being there. We fell in love with Iceland the minute we got there. We would love to combine visiting Iceland with a trip through Scandinavia. It has so much beauty to offer! And it’s actually allowed to go wild camping there. Also Morocco, something really different! We can’t wait to discover that country as well! 

Where would you recommend others visit?

It’s not a specific place or country we would recommend, just get out there and explore the places you want to see! The world has so much to offer, it would be a shame if so many things go unseen! Get out there and have fun, tomorrow isn’t given to everyone. 

How do you primarily travel on your adventures today?

We are travelling with our Land Rover Defender 110 from 2004. She had been maintained really well before we got her. We only had to replace all the 20 year old parts which was a real pain, but necessary! We converted our landy and added electricity to power our fridge, diesel heater, lighting and charging points! We also mounted a 270 degrees awning which was one of the best investments we made to extend our living area!

What are five pieces of equipment that you always travel with?

Another investment we made and can’t go without is our lifesaver jerrycan to purify water, this way we don’t have to buy water in stores where you can’t get drinking water from the tap. Maxtrax, also a lifesaver when getting stuck! Our tire compressor to deflate and inflate our tires when going off road. Not to forget our omnia oven which you can simply place on the gas stove to be a little more creative when cooking! And last but definitely not least, our camera gear to never forget all the special places we’ve been! 

What inspires you to explore more?

What we’ve already seen and discovered so far is what makes us want to explore more! It’s like an addiction, you just want more and more! 

How do you engage with others?

It’s very simple, just ask! While overlanding we see and meet a lot of people, we always go for a little chat. “What have you seen already?”, “where are you heading next?”, “do you have any tips for..?” etc. Just talk and get to know each other, it’s one of the best things about overlanding and no one has the same story! We also get in touch with people through social media, we made some good friends and chat a lot with people who are also travelling!

Why is it important to embrace global cultures?

You learn so much, about others but also about yourself. It can be confrontational sometimes, in a good or bad way. And that’s exactly how you learn. 

What are your goals when you explore?

Meet new people, get to places others don’t easily come and just enjoy the ride. The feeling we get once we step in the car in the morning, a new day ahead, sometimes without having an idea where we’re going next and just drive, it’s one of the best feelings ever! No time schedule and just live day by day. We never had an agenda this empty, and it’s a feeling we can’t describe. You really live in the moment, what makes every day a special one, and one you will remember! And by sharing our adventures on Instagram, we hope we can inspire others to do the same. 

What are some challenges you have experienced?

In our opinion, we haven’t faced real challenges yet. We are sure they will come, probably, but for now everything is going alright!

What has been your most meaningful moment so far?

Our most meaningful moment may not be the most exciting one, but it really meant a lot to us and others. During our trip Bas his grandma got really sick. We knew time was running out and she wouldn't be there when we got home. Which is why we made the decision to take a plane and visit her, to see her one last time. Family is what’s really important to us and is something we definitely don’t forget while we’re on the road. You’re not close to home, but you’re not far away either. Doing this short trip, returning home to see her, is also part of our journey and something we will remember for the rest of our days. The joy when she saw us, unexpectedly, and how hard it was to leave. We are glad we did what we did and continued our journey when we got back. A few weeks later she passed away and we returned back home once again to say goodbye and be with our loved ones. This part of the journey was definitely our most meaningful one. 

How has exploration changed you?

Like we said, it teaches you many things. Things you might only understand when you actually go for it! You find something in yourself you haven’t experienced before. You go for a different way of living, it may not be an easier way of living when everything you have is a few square metres but definitely more mindful. Everything you do is more vivid and just being outside so much is good for your mental health. 

What is the number one lesson that you have learnt through your exploration?

Taking risks! Not taking risks and staying in your comfort zone isn’t going to get you anywhere. Where there is a will there's a way, you just have to find the how and stop focussing on reasons why you can’t. 

How do you explore locally?

We started by driving some well known routes but really, the Netherlands is not meant for our type of travelling.. it gets boring real quick. So when we were at home we usually stayed a few nights in Luxembourg or Belgium. We could go a little bit more offroad. But this also made us want to go further and explore other countries where our way of travelling is actually possible. 

What does the explmore mantra mean to you?

Getting to know open hearted and open minded people, learn about other cultures and see as much as you can from this world! We all share the same planet and should treat it nicely. Know your own world before you leave it. 

What advice would you give to others who are seeking life changing adventure?

Please take the risk you are so eager to take! If travelling is something you want to do and you’re not yet ready to settle in your home country then please go look for a way to make it possible, if we can do it, so can you!