WHY THE SUDDEN END?

With no job, the COVID-19 crisis and all parks closed, We thought it was a smart move to head back home.

YOU GUYS WERE IN THE YUKON, RIGHT?

It was still -23 degrees when we arrived in Whitehorse. The ranch we were supposed to spend our self-isolation time at, only offered us basic accommodation (no running water). It was simply not sustainable to be living there at that time. The hosts were really nice though. All places of interest in the Yukon were closed as well. So after a week up north, we drove all the way back to Canmore, stayed with some friends, sold our car and got on a flight to Amsterdam.

This is roughly where we’ve been.

YOU’VE BEEN LIVING ALONGSIDE THE LOCALS FOR 8 MONTHS, WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER THE MOST?

Nature in Western Canada is stunning to say the least. The weather in the Rockies are as unpredictable as a tornado and that makes for jaw-dropping scenery. Canadians Hike, bike, paddle, fish, hunt, board and ski their way through life. They love their nature so much, families involve their babies in this outdoorsy lifestyle. It’s wonderful to see.

The usual Elk sunbathing on the roadways in and around Canmore is a sight we’ll never forget.

Friendly Canadians. People asking if you’re in need of any help are no exception. Locals offering you a ride or even a stay? Happened countless times.

Country music-lifestyle. As I’m writing this, I’m still listening to John Pardi’s “nothing a beer can’t fix” and “heartache medication.” Songs that have become classics and will forever carry long-lasting memories. Alberta is and will always be the cowboy state of Canada.

THE COST

It was no year of saving for us. On the contrary, this adventure has cost us quite some money. Even with both of us working, we ended up losing a couple of thousand euros. Mainly because of the location we were living in and because of the many activities we did. A small price for the life we’ve lived.

What happened to your Dodge caravan?

We sold our van on one of the local buy and sell Facebook groups for 4000 CAD. Could have asked for a bit more, but we were happy we got rid of it only days before our flight home. For your information; in Alberta, you only need to fill in a standard bill of sale form when selling a vehicle.

WHAT NOW?

Once we’re done eating freshly baked bread with crab salad in the Netherlands (have to admit, it could be worse than isolating ourselves next to the beach), we’ll slowly settle ourselves in Belgium (For the time being?). Life on the road can be weary, and Youlia and I both feel it’s time to start thinking long-term (funny, we’ve said this many times already.) We’ll see how it goes.

Fact. It feels a bit weird to be back. Since we’ve been immersed in a different lifestyle for quite some time, we’re having a hard time readjusting to this kind of life. You feel like you don’t belong here or in Canada.TRAVEL NOTE

IN CONCLUSION

We’d love to share some of the wildlife pictures we shot during the past months. Most of them were posted in a story on our Instagram, so this is for the people without insta.

If you have any more questions about our experiences. Just reach out. Take care!