Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Tag: family (page 1 of 2)

Our First Month Back in Belgium – Dog Walks, Family Time, and Research (And Our May 2026 Expenses)

June 11, 2026 / / 32 Comments

To say Mark, Maya, and I were exhausted after three months of high-intensity sightseeing and traveling in Southwestern Europe is an understatement. When living in our past campers and sailboats, we’d usually do something “interesting” once a week, but during our time in Southwestern Europe this winter, our pace was much higher and we visited sites and attractions about every other day.

Entering Belgium from France

We arrived in Belgium on April 26th, but couldn’t rest yet. My generous cousin lent us her car for a week and after one day of settling into “the little house” of my parents, our trio set off for Germany. The idea had been to check out two empty 4×4 Vario vans, hopefully commit to one, and visit with a van builder. We’d been planning and anticipating this trip for weeks.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

My cousin’s car was ours to use for a week. Nice!
Maya on her back seat

I’ll provide more details in the future, but suffice it to say that this effort was a disappointment. The first van (white) was too rusty and in poor shape, the owner of the second van (yellow) was abroad and couldn’t see us, and our chat with the builder was brief because he was super busy after a long weekend. Eventually, someone else beat us to the yellow Vario and bought it on the spot. We found out on our anniversary, which ruined the special evening I had planned.

The rusty Vario in Germany
Mark checks the engine bay
Just one detailed photo

When we returned to Belgium, it rained for two weeks straight and it felt like winter had come back. We even had to turn the heat on! We do have plenty of computer, admin, and research work to keep us busy, though. And the occasional translation job for me. Plus, as you might have noticed, I’m determined to catch up on all my blog writing.

The front of the “little house” – The entrance door is to the right.
The dining and kitchen area of the “little house”
Looking towards the living room of the “little house”
Our bedroom for the time being
Based on the size of the house, this bathroom is huge.

A nice perk about living in this little house by the lake is our daily walks. Mark’s ankle has been sore and swollen, so I took Maya by myself every morning. We try to go for a steady, one-hour walk before breakfast, which is great exercise.

Walking Maya along one of the lakes near us
Pretty swan
Taking Maya for a short afternoon walk
Canadian geese and their chicks a month ago – the babies are much bigger now!
Maya keeping an eye on two resting swans by our lake
Another walk along the main lake
Ducks and their ducklings
Walk along the bike path when it’s not busy
Rainbow on one of our main routes
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Exploring the Dordogne in Southern France with Family

May 24, 2026 / / 23 Comments

While our week in Libourne was a positive first taste of Southern France, our week in the Dordogne sealed the deal about us really loving this area – and being surprised about that!

The Dordogne region in France

Our perceived notions steered us towards Andalusia, Spain, to gauge it as a potential place to grow roots one day. France had never been on the radar, because we didn’t know much about this country (despite it being next door to Belgium) and encounters with French people around the world hadn’t been pleasant, generally. We obviously should reconsider and look forward to exploring more of France in the future!

Main towns in the Dordogne
Medieval towns we visited around the campground

Périgueux

But let’s get back to the middle of April, when my cousin, Griet, and her husband, Wim, picked us up at the train station of Périgueux after our one-hour ride with Maya and the luggage. To our surprise – but not theirs – all our belongings fit next to their vacation gear in the magical trunk.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos in galleries to read their caption.)

All our belongings in Southern Europe
Our last train ride in France
Maya relaxes at our feet on the one-hour train ride from Libourne to Périgueux
Train station in Périgueux
And, like magic, my family showed up by car – and all our luggage fit in the giant trunk!

Since this was the start of our Dordogne travels, we began with a walk through the region’s capital Périgueux itself, hitting some of the highlights and chatting with friendly locals.

Timbered house in Périgueux
Strolling the historic streets in Périgueux
The cathedral of Périgueux
I really liked the colorful shutters in French towns
One of the old towers that was once part of the wall around Périgueux

We didn’t have a lot of time, but strolled through some of the narrow streets, discovered a nice park, and photographed historic buildings.

A lone tower in a pretty park: Tour de Vésone. This Tower of Vesunna is the vestige of a Gallo-Roman fanum dedicated to Vesunna and was built in the 1st or 2nd century.
Château Barrière
Ruins of a church
The many domes of the cathedral, which could be seen from our parking lot

Saint-Avit-de-Vialard

The four of us had rented a small mobile home at a campground in Saint-Avit-de-Vialard, which is a popular way to vacation in France. There are a lot of facilities – bathrooms, swimming pools, laundry, a restaurant, and a shop – of which we only used the bakery section in the store.

Arrival at our small cabin: time for a drink!
Our tiny bedroom – I couldn’t even walk along my side of the bed
Maya gets spoiled by Griet!
Griet brought a bunch of awesome bones for Maya. She loved them!

This is not really our style of accommodation, but when you’re in good company, the place you stay in doesn’t matter so much. Plus, this last cabin on the property was in a great location, far from the entrance and the commotion and next to nature.

Our cabin was very small, but in a great location.
The pond near our cabin
This campground must have been built on the property of a former farm.

We really lucked out with the sunny weather during our time in the Dordogne! We ate every single meal outside on the patio and managed to explore the region in depth and in shorts.

Cheers!
The ice cold pool area, which we never used
Our patio was half covered, despite us paying extra to have a fully covered deck.
Grilling food at the cabin
A dinner feast outside
Maya gets some cuddles.

Limeuil

Our first afternoon excursion took place in Limeuil, another picture-perfect historic village. It swiftly became our favorite one in France.

Arriving in Limeuil, which is located at the meeting point (confluence) of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers
Maya enjoyed wading in the Dordogne River
Old building with pretty shutters
Wouldn’t you want to hang out in this courtyard?

The five of us climbed the hill and strolled through the medieval streets, taking in its beauty and cleanliness. We seemed to be the only tourists around on this weekday, which made the experience extra special.

Stunningly restored historic buildings
Limeuil has prehistoric roots – I took this photo for Jacqui Murray.
Our walk uphill revealed attractive buildings.
Reaching the top of the hill in town
Photogenic house
Checking out the church of Limeuil, which is perched atop the hill
Another house with character in Limeuil
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A Five-Week Winter Visit to New England – Never Again! (And Our January 2026 Expenses)

February 19, 2026 / / 31 Comments

Making our Christmas Day flight from Santiago de Chile to Boston, Massachusetts, USA was tricky. First, we had no idea if Maya’s neck injury — and the side effects of all the drugs — would be cleared in time for the trip.

Then, we were faced with extremely slow and long lines and inefficient officials at Chilean immigration to receive our exit stamp and be able to leave the country. Impatience. Frustration. Running. Sweating. Being the last two people on the plane…

But we made it! And we looked forward to some rest, comfort, and social times in the US.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

A red eye flight to the US
The day after our arrival in Massachusetts and the US

Week 1: Fun Times

The day after Christmas (Boxing Day), Mark, Maya, and I arrived at our “home base” (aka official address) in Newburyport. The temperature contrast couldn’t be bigger. We went from 90°F (32°C) to 12°F (-11°C), and the sun set at 4pm! Snow decorated the ground and trees. This would become a theme; our surroundings remained white for the entire time we were there.

Mark’s first job: shoveling snow
Winter walk
Winter scenery
Our daily walk to the park with Maya
Maya’s first snow
Still possible to walk on the sidewalks

After reorganizing our belongings (what stays, what comes to Europe, what gets packed for our next camper, what gets donated), doctors’ visits for Maya and me, and catching up with my mother-in-law, helping where necessary for a handful of days — we already left her again to celebrate the New Year with good friends.

Our home for five weeks
Organizing our belongings
Going through our boxes from the basement, after many years
Memories of our Wirie business, which we ran for eight years
Snuggles with Maya
Mark’s childhood bear cuddles with Maya
Winter walk along the rail trail
Short days
Happy Maya!
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Three-week Stint Away from My Camper and Lifestyle – Where is Home?

August 11, 2022 / / 61 Comments

“Where do you live?” someone would ask.

“In this camper,” I would say, pointing at our most recent house on wheels.

“Where’s home?” someone else would ask.

“Wherever our camper is parked,” I would say. (Or “Wherever our boat is anchored,” in the previous decade.)

“Where are you from?” yet another would ask, undoubtedly noticing an accent.

“From here, at the moment,” I would answer. Easy does it and simple is what I like.

Our current truck camper and home

Of course, the reality is a bit more complicated. I was born and raised and worked and lived in Belgium until the summer of 2003 arrived and a plane to the US was boarded and I “never looked back.” The harsh truth of this decision on a social, emotional, relational, and roots level only dawns on others when I mention that all my longtime friends and all my family members still live in Belgium. This nomadic lifestyle is not for anyone with homesickness or tight-knit family needs.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to see their captions.)

Having lunch with my parents – the dish is a favorite of children here: mashed potatoes with meat balls and hot cherries
Sharing a drink and lots of stories with my cousin Griet
Belgian girlfriends
Lenn and Lena pose in front of the butterfly garden.

Ever since I met Mark, the end of 2004, my (second) residency address is in Newburyport, Massachusetts. While we never actually lived there other than short visits back from further afield and those two Covid springs and summers, I am extremely familiar with this town, our room above the garage, friends, acquaintances, and Mark’s family.

The waterfront in Newburyport

And then there’s our actual home. No matter in what form it comes, floating, driving, or being carried by a truck, it’s where I live fulltime and where my companions wait for me – whether this is in the United States or another country. It’s where my heart sings, what my soul craves, where my body relaxes, and where life makes sense. It’s my chosen lifestyle; it’s where I belong.

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Three-week Visit to Belgium – Vacation or Not?

July 29, 2021 / / 54 Comments

What is considered a vacation? Getting on a plane? Traveling to a tropical destination? Crossing the border? Visiting friends and family? Taking a road trip to the other side of the country? Staying at a hotel?

I have done all these things and I can guarantee that none of them resulted in a vacation. Mark and I have been together since December of 2004; that’s almost seventeen years. Even though we have lived a life less ordinary, in many different countries, the two of us have NEVER been on a typical vacation together (or apart) since we met. I know this is hard to believe and/or grasp by people who don’t know us well…

My plane from Boston to Reykjavik

The closest we have come to anything like a medley of peace, exploration, and relaxation without worries is a three-day city trip to Budapest in 2017 and two months of “living off the grid” in Baja last winter (this one still involved work, book promo, and the necessary stress that we seem to incur).

Based on all that, I have decided that the best way for me to describe “a vacation” is when I am able to leave my computer behind. Yep, that’s right. Not take my computer on a trip. How is that possible? I have a monthly editing job, receive occasional translation assignments, need to promote Plunge, write blogs on my laptop, save photos in folders on my computer, and have my important information (including passwords which I could never remember) stored on its hard drive. I actually considered this drastic act for my recent three-week visit to Belgium. (I really craved a vacation.) And … decided against it. That’s just too long without my most important electronic buddy.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read the captions.)

Ready for a visit “home” after three years
Quiet at the gate
The last week of June, the airport in Boston was still relatively quiet and everyone wore masks.
Quick stop in Iceland
Pretty mural in the airport of Reykjavik
Every time I have a stop-over in Iceland, I happily refill my water bottle with some of the best and purest water in the world!
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Snapshots from Newburyport, MA

August 14, 2019 / / 33 Comments

For the last month, Mark, Maya, and I stayed with my in-laws in Newburyport, Massachusetts, where we have a comfortable room above their garage. The summer is the time for us to deal with doctor’s visits, catch up with friends and family, and get work done. Here are a few glimpses of our recent “sedentary” life.

Maya feels right at home on the porch

Visits from the twins – playing with grandma and her hose on a hot day
Cera and Lily showing off yoga poses
Lily put her bow on Maya
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2018 at a Glance – Our Roaming Highlights

December 26, 2018 / / 56 Comments

When I started following my travel passion over two decades ago, my friends were curious about how I could pull it off financially. The answer: all my allowances (as a teenager and college kid) and later my wages were saved up in order to explore the world. As I (unintentionally) became a full-time nomad in 2003, peers and strangers were still apprehensive; some of them even a bit jealous.

Then, as I kept documenting my lifestyle, first through email reports in Dutch, then in Dutch and English, and eventually via my blogs It’s Irie and Roaming About, comprehension set in. I’ve always written about the good and the bad of this lifestyle and offer a glimpse into our monthly expenses. More people “get it” now, and their “I wish I could do what you’re doing” has turned into “It’s awesome how you are living, but I couldn’t do it.” There’s the family, the routines, the job satisfaction, the comfort of home, the different priorities. I get it too.

Whether you are an armchair traveler or a fellow nomad, I hope you are still interested in the content and photos on Roaming About – A Life Less Ordinary and that you continue to follow along as Mark and I set out towards new horizons in the new year. Thank you so much for being here, for reading, commenting or offering us mental support and comfort to keep living the life less ordinary. Without further ado: here are the highlights of our last year in the United States and beyond. I’ve added links to previous posts where applicable. My 2017 overview post can be found here.

January 2018

The year didn’t start too well with my mother-in-law requiring a second brain surgery and her hard road to recovery. Mark and I flew back to Massachusetts from California to help out, after finding a replacement house sitter for those two weeks. Six months later, she was back to her old self. Amazing at 82!

Flying from Southern California to Massachusetts was a shock.
Ice on the river in Newburyport
Carol receiving “get well” cards
The road to recovery was hard
Mark and I are glad we could help out
Winter sun above Boston

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A Flood of Memories – Emotions and Closure

July 26, 2018 / / 61 Comments

“My parents are selling their house and moving to a one-bedroom flat. They’re kicking me out,” I whined to Mark a few months ago.

“Your mom and dad aren’t kicking you out,” he responded. “Besides, be happy you managed to stay there and use their address as your Belgian residency all those years. I don’t know any other 42-year-old who still lives with her parents…”

Of course, I don’t really live with my parents in Belgium anymore, but my childhood home has been a safe, familiar, and reliable haven during the last 15 years of my travels. I grew up here, made friends, played volleyball as a teenager, enjoyed long walks in nature a couple of blocks away, and happily returned a few weeks of almost every year. While never a vacation, I did soak up the attention and care I received from friends and family, eager to see me, and ready to spoil me with home-cooked meals, a car to use, and laundry services.

Goodbye, childhood home!

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A Very Important Woman – My Oma

March 8, 2017 / / 39 Comments

Today’s blog post is a difficult one for me. I have written emotion-laden blogs before, like the one about our sweet, smart and cute dogs Kali and Darwin and the one about my sister-in-law Dru. I never wrote about my dear aunt Monique or my paternal grandma I called meter. Both also passed away while Mark and I were sailing the seven seas. During all those years abroad, I had one massive dread and worry. It had to do with my maternal grandma, my oma, who I loved more and longer than most anyone else.

When I was thinking about this subject, I realized it is International Women’s Day today. Perfect! What better day to celebrate the woman who meant so much to me, my whole life? Continue reading

A Fun-filled Memorial Day Weekend

June 2, 2016 / / 18 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that one of the nicest things about the A-Z Blogging Challenge was meeting a bunch of interesting people online through stories and comments. That I would actually meet one of these blogging travelers in person a month later came as an unexpected bonus!

The second half of April, I discovered Jaye and Dan’s blog “Life Afloat”, where she writes about her minimalistic life on their 33’ sailboat Cinderella. I learned that, over the summer, she and her husband would crew on the tall ship El Galeon a second time. This life-size replica of a Spanish galleon would pull into Newburyport over Memorial Day weekend. And the rest was history as they say…

With our tour guides Jaye and Dan

With our “off duty” tour guides Jaye and Dan in front of the tall ship El Galeon

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