Hii Hive! Long time no see!
Last week, we finally went on a roadtrip with the camper van! Follow my journey and I will show you some beautiful places in Europe in the following 2 weeks, starting from this blog! The first place I wanna share with you is this wonderful beach in Bredene, at the west coast of Belgium.
Our self converted camper van
As most of you know by now, I am busy converting a van to a camper, which we used to travel with for the second time now. It still needs lots of work before it is finished, but I am kinda struggling with some hard jobs. So far, I feel very proud that we can survive with the electricity, charge it with our solar panels and cook delicious food in it. It even has a private chef on board, called Samuel, also known as my boyfriend :)
The only part of the van which isn't working yet is the water system, so we still need campsites to wash the dishes and shower. Hopefully we can call our next trip fully offgrid!
The campsites in Europe are very nice and usually have toilets and hot showers. The campsites are not fully booked and crowded at this time of the year, early summer, as it is still low season. The guests now are mainly retired people, who are often staying a month or longer in a comfortable camper or caravan. But also some couples who are touring through Belgium.
Waking up in the messy van, chilling a bit before having breakfast. I built that bed myself! And the laptop is charging my own electricity set up!
Heey! let's have breakfast!
Enjoying the sun while eating our first van prepared breakfast (Just boiled eggs and coffee but hey, can you make that in your car?). I love this way to start the day
Nobody probably gets how exciting it felt to cook my first eggs in the van. This flame looks beautiful to me
The neighbors at the campsite
From this campsite in Zeeland, south of the Netherlands, we went to Bredene, a beachtown in Belgium. We had to drive around an hour to arrive here, but we were waiting on the way for around 15 to 20 minutes in front of a bridge. Some bridges in Holland can open for the boats to pass! Such a technology right? The waiting was for us as people on holiday not a problem, but if you live nearby and have to wait while in a rush, it might be another story. Anyway, it is impressive what they can make nowadays!
Waiting 15 to 20 minutes since the bridge was open. Such a technology!
We picked Bredene as our destination since we found an affordable campsite which gives ACSI and ANWB discount, so we paid 18 euros a night for 2 persons and the van. It is just a few minutes walk from the beach, and the weather is quite sunny and perfect for a beach walk. I still have to work online some evenings, and with these kinds of activities I am sure to be back on time to work.
The Beach of Bredene
Our first destination is going to be Bredene, A belgium beachtown. One thing I like about this beach here is that it has sand dunes next to the beach. It gives the beach a more natural and wild atmosphere compared to a beach with a dike. The sand dunes are naturally made by the wind blown away from the beach. The grasses growing here actually hold the sand in place, allowing the dune to grow higher and higher. It is good protection for the land against high water during storms.
The view we had from the top of the dune
Walking over a tiny path between the high grasses, Try to not step on the grass, it is important that it stays healthy to protect the sand from being blown away
Just like at the dutch beach, you can always find seagulls and lots of nice little shells. The pictures are not so good, I'm not proud of them, next time I will try a bit more my best. I promise!
Seagulls trying to score their lunch
I like this pink shell
It is very common here to see those stones in the sea, the pier, partly covered in green algae and mussels. The birds like it to stay here too, and hopefully find a nice meal since there are many sea creatures living between the rocks. That makes it a paradise for the birds. It is quite dangerous to swim next to the pier, as the current of the sea will pull you further and further into the sea, no matter how good of a swimmer you are. Be carfull!
A dog trail
Some details
I always love these detailed pictures on the beach, from foot trails, sand shaped by the waves, little pools of water, it is what makes the beach the beach, a place to unwind and find peace, a place to think and a place to relax.
Thank you for passing by! Curious what the next place will be I will share? It is an old historic city, and it might be my new favorite city in Europe! And if you are not from Europe, you probably have never heard about the place! Follow me along if you are curious now :)
Meet Sascha, a 24-year-old Dutch girl, who loves traveling, photography and adventure. Right now, she is building her own tiny home on wheels. Which she might use as her home while studying next year, But first, she might go to New Zealand for a working holiday year! Does that sound exciting? Don't forget to follow for more exciting travel stories and to see her van be converted to a beautiful tiny home on wheels!
See you next time!
Regards,
Sascha