Where are you from?

We are both from The Netherlands.

When did you start your interest in exploration?

For Yannick it started a few years ago on a trip to New Zealand. It changed so much for him. He had a hectic life with work and private life unbalanced. Being there he saw how easy life could be. And to be with nature, enjoy the elements and the good and the bad of it. He decided he wanted to see more places like this and to feel alive again, not being lived. Nienke basically got dragged into it by him and fortunately she liked it too! We decided we didn’t want to live the ‘normal’ life, we wanted to explore, feel, live, grow and see the world. There is so much more to see, and this is the time for it. Now we are young, wild and free!

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

Nienke worked as a nurse. She saw with her own eyes how fast people with dementia lost everything they had and also how families lost their relatives. Not just the old people, also the younger ones. We also worked together in the gardening company of Yannick and while working we rebuilt our first purchased house. After living in it for one year we decided to sell it and to stop living the normal life for now. We prepped our Land Rover Defender to be overland proof and we shipped it to South America.

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

As said before, Nienke is a nurse. She is trained to keep calm when something happens or someone needs help. Beside that she’s a wonderful cook and makes the most delicious dishes you could ever think of! Yannick at the other hand has some mechanical skills. We converted the Defender ourselves and he learned a lot during this. He also knows how to work on electronics and to do carpentry. While doing maintenance we usually work together because it’s easier with the two of us and we learn both.

Where have you explored so far?

We have been to a lot of places so far. We like to do little and bigger trips. We have made beautiful trips to Switzerland and Portugal, but also spent three months in England, Wales, North-Ireland, Ireland and Scotland. And currently we are already ten months on the road in South-America where we have travelled through Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and parts of Paraguay and Brazil. And so much more to come!

What is a brief understanding of your adventures so far?

We like to go to remote places and see indigenous villages and people for example, but we also enjoy to hike in the mountains. On the other hand we think the desert is a special place as well. The diversity is enormous. Our journeys are very diverse.

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

We would like to go to the Middle-East, Mongolia and Africa in the future. The cultures and habits are so different from our Western mentality. We are so curious!

Where would you recommend others visit?

That’s a tough question because the world is so big and beautiful! But so far, we recommend Ireland and South-America. 

How do you primarily travel on your adventures today?

We travel with our Land Rover Defender 110 from 2006. We bought it stock and converted it to our home on wheels. We have everything we need which is not much. We try to, and you have to, live minimalistic. The car itself is very capable for doing longer trips. The best modification has to be the pop-up roof. It makes the car into a real home. It brings so much more comfort and a private space to retreat yourself. Secondly the interior. It’s simple and robust but very efficient. We can shelter from the elements but it’s also designed to live fully outside. Thirdly we have a very simple but sufficient electrical system. Like the rest of the car we wanted it to be as easy and reliable as possible. For example, we recharge our domestic battery while driving or with our 370 watt solar panel. 

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

In terms of travelling with a Defender, we always travel with tools and some spares. For regular maintenance or repairs. We travel to remote areas and it’s good to know your own car. Secondly we always have drybags with us to keep gear from getting moisture or damp! We always have our water filter with us because it’s hard to rely on fresh sources when going remote. Furthermore, recovery boards and a good shovel. Although we have a winch, we almost never use it. Last but not least, good sleeping bags! It is very important to not get cold at night, especially high up in the mountains. We have ones that you can zip together which makes a very warm and comfortable bed. And don’t forget: our hammock (yep, that’s number six).

What inspires you to explore more?

There’s so much to see and the world has so much to offer! Go! Enjoy! The world is not as bad as the media sometimes suggests. People are good, people are friendly.

How do you engage with others?

That’s pretty easy in fact. Because we overland we always meet new people and we always ask people for tips and information. Other people come to us or we approach them. Social media is also a good source to get information and to get in touch with each other. 

Why is it important to embrace global cultures?

You’ll definitely get a wider view of the world and it makes you a better human. Spread the word and transfer it to others!

What are your goals when you explore?

For us it’s never about just getting to one point. It’s about the trip itself and the unexpected things that happen along the way. We never plan too far ahead if you already could call it a plan. By travelling like this you embrace more and you don’t make choices based on a timed schedule. It gives us a lot of freedom. On the other hand, we also have to choose because we are quite slow. It’s just not possible to visit everything but that’s how we do it. For example, by missing out one popular tourist highlight which can be very expensive, we have very beautiful and worthy encounters in small villages where no tourists are. When we look back on our adventures, we really can remember every single day. That’s so special! When you just live your normal life you can’t, because it’s just living the same life every day again. 

What are some challenges you have experienced?

Language is a hard one. And a lack of fuel for example. But also getting parts for the car when you need them. Our Defender was never introduced in many countries of South America which makes it hard to find spare parts for them. We carry some with us, but you always need the part which you don’t have of course. In Bolivia we encountered a massive fuel shortage. It shaped our trip through the southern regions because of that. It’s part of the journey but we really had to be careful where to go. We once had to wait one and a half days just to get 80 litres of diesel. It was the first time we had to beg for fuel and we had to be very creative to get it. It also made the relationship with the Bolivian people complex because there was always a sense of dishonesty. We knew they had fuel in the small villages but they just didn’t want to sell to us even if we paid more than double the price. Luckily we could speak some Spanish by our arrival in Bolivia which made the search easier! In the beginning of our trip we could barely speak Spanish and the things we knew were also different from the Spanish in Europe. By talking a lot to people we learned. A good lesson!

What has been your most meaningful moment so far?

We had a few, but for us it’s always the people you meet along the way. Those moments stay with you forever. South American people are so interested, truly kind and helpful. The countless times we are invited will always stay with us and how they give us an insight in their lives. We will always remember the phrase: “The house is poor but the heart is rich”. Even though this particular guy had nothing, he invited us for a safe stay in a big city.

How has exploration changed you?

In so many ways! I think we can say we have a lot more patience and we’ve become more helpful to other people. We now always think twice and are also more humble. 

And, we still learn so much. Our view of the world has gotten much bigger.

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

Dare to ask! But so much more, being humble and to be minimalistic, be satisfied with what you’ve got and are able to do.

How do you explore locally?

We mostly go by foot. We live very close by a natural reserve and we just cross the street to get to it! So, we almost go on a daily basis. 

What does the explmore mantra mean to you?

We should not judge too fast. We judge before speaking to someone, just by the look of them. We truly believe that’s wrong. We are all humans sharing the same planet and it’s a given thing we should explore more to understand each other more. 

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

Don’t be afraid. The world is waiting for you. We gave up a lot of things for doing this, including selling our house. It’s totally worth it. The people you meet, the experiences you get and going to the most amazing spots the world has to offer.