Ready to take off - A mix of feelings

So, here we are. It is January the 17th 2021, the campervan is converted, we did our test winter camping (you can watch the vlog here) and we have started our "saying good bye round" waving "goodbye" to friends and family.

We are about to take off for a new adventure - but Corona is still everywhere and travelling will be a challenge. We seriously hoped that the world would have had Corona under control by now but it has not (yet). But, we do not have our jobs and no own place anymore (thanks to our dear friend Erica again for letting us stay in her appartment!) so we are going to leave the Netherlands some day this week. Knowing that gives us goosebumps, butterflys and anxiety at the same time.

We are very well prepared but you cannot just drive through countries anymore. So this is what we have prepared and will prepare to leave safely without breaking any restrictions (well, we will still be moving in a greyzone):

• We downloaded and printed out the paperwork to fill in as a healthy check for countries like France.

• We will do a PCR-Test including a travel certificate to proove that we do not carry Corona (crossed fingers for that). That will leave us 72 hours to reach Portugal.

• We will cross Germany in 24 hours and stay for the first night in Luxembourg.

• We take all kinds of masks with us (even the FFP2 mask) just to be sure.

• We will not drive outside the curfews of the countries that have one.

• Our first destination is a friends place in Portugal who own a small farm where we can park our van and help them out renovating. We cannot wait to see them :)

• We downloaded special apps that keep us informed about the different regulations in European countries.

If we forgotten something please put it in the comments.

It is very exciting to leave everything behind especially in times like this but what I described before we have now chosen for a new life. We have already taken the first steps and are going to see them through. We have not chosen for a life without children. But we choose now to make the best out of it.

Safe travels!

Liefs, Constanze & Rick.