Unleashed - fulltime in our T4
We are Andre, Marina, and our two dogs, Pupe and Erna. Erna joined us halfway through our journey. In July 2023, we left North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany to explore our first travel destination — Morocco — in our vintage 1992 VW T4. Our small new home, just over 2 square meters, now contained everything we owned. And so, we set off on our grand adventure. Our goal was not just to see Morocco but to experience more of the world and embrace the challenge of minimalist living. Starting fresh and seeing the world with new eyes.
Traveling through the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Portugal, the three of us (initially Andre, Marina, and Pupe) made our way to the African continent. It was an indescribable experience. The positive culture shock is something you can’t put into words and can only be understood by those who have left Europe before. The hospitality and warmth of the locals were simply amazing. We were invited by a complete stranger to stay for dinner and even park in the shade on his property. It was one of those unforgettable moments. Since we hadn't experienced winter during our journey, we were drawn northward. So, from Morocco, we traveled through Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and France, back to Germany, to head north. Our new destination was Scotland, this time as a family of four, since Erna, our second dog, had joined us.
We had the pleasure to sweat on hikes with temperatures over 45°C (113°F) during the day and then huddle together at -3°C (26°F) the same night. We got to know the Atlantic Ocean in an entirely new way through surfing and diving and became much closer to nature, making its protection even more important to us. We marveled at flamingos, land tortoises, camels, and even a white-backed vulture perched on a roadside barrier.
In the year we’ve been traveling, there have been highs and lows. We think everyone who claims it’s all a just beautiful Instagram world is hiding something. But you’re always compensated with experiences, discoveries, nature, and wonderful people if you’re open to it. We made many friendships along the way and have visited some of them in the past year. We’ve had the chance to learn about different cultures and local customs from time to time. We have now been “foreigners” for 12 months and enjoy the luxury of seeing and feeling so much beauty in the world, which made us realize that there are, in fact, no foreigners.
