There are a lot of vans dreaming about this stuff, but in the end it’s only a few of them who actually can say: I DID IT!
I`am talking about the Van, travelling through Europe to the amazing kitespots, the slopes, the mountains, skateparks, awesome beaches, incredible views, lonely places or big cities. To let go of everything and just drive…too many miles and adventures! Meet: VAN, he is one of those lucky vans! Powered by the wind & the sun
Van:
Van: Volkswagen T5
Born: 2007 re born 2020
Favorite place: The Beach
Favorite ride:
Ride into the sunset!
Favorite drink: Diesel
Favorite Country: …………….. the
unknown.
Co-driver:
Name: Dog
Born: December 2020
Favorite place: the frontseat,
Favorite ride: the once with the scariest views!
Look at him enjoying the view of the snowy mountains in Italy and the sunset in Greece a week after, I bet every Van would love to do this. In the past year this brave bastard took me to competitions & training in the far end of Spain, France & Italy. Conquered the snowy French and Italian Alp`s just before driving me to the next winter/water training destination in Tarifa, Spain. The past months he took me all the way down to Greece, driving through Hungary, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Greece and a lot of the little Greek islands. Boats, gravel roads, staying nights on the beach! Enjoying the freedom of being a kite van.
But his life hasn`t always been like this you know.
He had a full body make over saved out of the old storage – somewhere down in the hidden garage in the cold. So he would look great and could take me proudly on the road trips, of my life. Always seeking – Never lost, to the best kitespots, training locations, to the World cups, the European and World championships in snowkiting, into the world of the Olympic dicipline kitefoiling, kitesurfing and wingfoiling. While also giving me a home away frome home when working and studying.
By the way I am Mariska. A Dutch professional kitesurfer / kitefoiler who never converted a van before. Yup that`s me. Worked on the conversion for some weeks /days (this looked like this >>>)
About the girl: Clumsy, impulsive, no building experience, above all impatient and not such a good planner – always making the most out of everything.. impossible is not a fact but an option. But hey everything you give time grows… right? Using a jigsaw for the first time in my life…cut a hole in the roof of the van (under the good watch of the neighbour – who just sat peacefully sipping his coffee away and thought what the heck is she doing..?!), day in day out just figuring out wat the next step will be, prioritising my kitesurfing, kitefoiling equipment…and a bed to sleep in… Turned out great in my opinion.
“You see that bag of tools? It’s my constant traveling companion. It literally rides in the passenger seat. It’s not much for conversation but it’s always there for me when I need it.” The Start of #Frontseatstories
