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Text: Karin-Marijke Vis
photography: Coen Wubbels
Who says you can't drive overland from Holland to Southeast Asia?
Can you drive from Holland to Hanoi? We didn't know either, but were keen to find out. In May 2003 we set off on our journey, eager to explore new countries and experience different cultures. Our car became our "All Star Hotel" for three and a half years, while we travelled seventy-five thousand kilometres through twenty-one different countries in order to drive as far east as possible. Where would our journey end?
On one of the last days of September 2002 we were outdoors in the garden of our favorite sauna complex, lying in two of the deck chairs that stood in a remote corner of the lawn, enjoying the Indian summer. "If I were to go and travel through the world for two years, would you come with me?" Coen asked suddenly. I looked at him: "Yes, I would, right away", I said and an enormous feeling of freedom overwhelmed me. I felt the warm rays of the sun on my body and a wonderful sense of freedom returned: no more pressure, no more schedules, no more "yes boss", just our own timing...
That's how our adventure started. Within ten minutes we decided to leave everything and everyone behind, sell all our belongings and buy a car which would become our home. We found our car, a Toyota Landcruiser from 1984, in Germany. It had been used for travelling before and was equipped with a roof-rack, a snorkel and a winch. We added a few more modifications, such as a hi-lift, spare diesel jerrycans, a roof-tent and an awning. On the inside we constructed benches which would function as storage and as beds, if necessary. Eight months later everything had been sold and we were ready. On May 31, 2003 we started our Southeast Asia adventure. We would drive as far east as possible.
leaving bags behind
"But how can you do this?" people asked, "You can't drive to Southeast Asia, can you?" There was SARS in China, bird flu in Vietnam, East European countries like Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia were notorious for their corruption, there was fighting in Afghanistan and the Americans had just invaded Iraq. "Isn't it dangerous?"- "Will you take a gun with you?"- "How can you travel in Iran and Pakistan, those are hazardous countries!" people said. We decided to put all these questions and uncertainties in a bag and leave it behind in Holland. We took a lighter, more colorful bag with us with other, more optimistic, reactions: "Wow, I wish I could do this", "This is an experience nobody can take from you", "I admire your making such a profound change and doing what you want to do".
We crossed Europe in four days, took a ferry in Venice to Greece, where we enjoyed two months of bush camping along crystal-clear rivers and visiting numerous famous sights. The sense of having left everything familiar behind us came to us in Istanbul, our first city with an Asian feel to it: labyrinthine marketplaces, small carts from which pilav and fresh melons were sold, and carpet salesmen who tried to lure us into their stores. With their "Buyrun, buyrun!", "Come and take your pick!" Istanbul was very much alive. We went to the Toyota workshop to have a new water pump installed. It was not possible to get a new Toyota pump, which would have taken two weeks to order, so we settled for an aftermarket one from the bazaar which worked just fine. Turkey captured our hearts with its beautiful scenery, good roads, great food and hospitable people. After three months our visa ran out and we crossed the border into Iran.
culture change
Iran brought about a culture shock for me. It took time to get used to wearing the compulsory headscarf, to being ignored in conversations and to more or less being treated as a second-class citizen. It didn't help that during the first weeks Coen and I both suffered from giargia, a nasty parasite causing severe diarrhea. After this initiation into a new culture and our first travelling "disease", Iran opened up to us, or maybe I should say we opened up our hearts to Iran. It will be the most memorable country of our Southeast Asia adventure with extraordinary experiences: our windshield wiper broke down, the necessary part to fix it was not to be found. An Iranian man with the same car as ours removed his own windshield wiper, handed us the necessary part and didn't want any money for it! We were invited into many homes, sharing lavish family dinners and learning much about the Iranian way of life. Just before Christmas we learned that my father had had a heart attack and had been hospitalized, we had to go home. But Iran didn't have ATMs and we only carried enough cash to take us through the country during three months. It's a long story, and to cut it short: we were helped by an Iranian [a complete stranger] who lent us the money for our tickets home, which for him was the equivalent of a six months’ salary!
After our stay in Holland we returned to Iran, continuing our route to Pakistan, where we would stay for six months. We crossed Baluchistan from Quetta to Gwadar, which meant driving 1000 kilometres of desert through an area where no foreigners come. Local authorities didn't know about permit rules and we were followed by secret police. At the same time we met with a lot of hospitality and friendliness. We continued our route to Karachi and then up north via the Indus to one of the most astonishing places on earth: the mountains of northern Pakistan - enjoying numerous hiking opportunities, driving off-road to the most desolate places with splendid views of snow-capped mountains and fast-flowing rivers, watching the highest Polo match on earth at 3,800 metres, and visiting small villages where people cook on firewood and where electricity is far from common.
It goes without saying that Pakistan is not a holiday destination. We had our share of police escorts, at one time were evacuated when there was too much tension between political factions and had endless passport checks along the way. Having said that, Pakistani hospitality and friendliness towards us was overwhelming and whenever we get the question: "what is your favorite spot?" our simultaneous answer is: "the mountains of northern Pakistan!"
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