4 July 2005 - Sparked by the desire to ‘see and experience different culture and
people’ and to break away from their ‘monotonous’ lives, a Dutch couple, 36-year old Karin Marijke and 35-year old Coen, decided to embark on an adventure to the South East Asian region.
Karin Marijke and Coen with their 21-year old Landcruiser
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They quit their steady jobs, sold off their houses and their worldly belongings and found foster homes for their pet cats and dogs, before starting their epic journey in an old modified four-cylinder Landcruiser in May 2003.
After more than two years on the road and covering almost 40,000 kilometers, the couple is in Bhutan enjoying its ‘rich environment’, ‘unique culture and tradition’ and meeting its ‘friendly’ people.
Talking to Kuensel, Karin said Bhutan seemed like a paradise with striking and beautiful scenes like the high mountains, the architecture and the national dress.
Unlike most travelers, the couple does not have any fixed travel itinerary. “We do not want to stick to a schedule because then you will have to rush through the countries without being able to enjoy its true essence,” said Coen.
“Most travelers leave the country when they are at a state of awe but we don’t want that,” said Karin. “We get to see the real things, both positive and negative which emerges slowly and for that we need to spend more time at one place.”
The couple have spent six months in Pakistan and more than a year in India. They do not know for how long they will be in Bhutan.
As budget travelers, the couple does not indulge in any extravagant shopping. They do not buy any souvenirs, sleep in their modified Landcruiser or just pitch their tent on a roadside.
“We just spend about USD 15 a day,” said Karin.
Coen does most of the driving while Karin does the navigation. The couple drives about six hours a day but if they find a beautiful spot on the way they would immediately set up camp for the day.
According to the couple, each country they visited had its own beauty and charm but the most beautiful memories were the interaction with the people.
Apart from three flat tyres the journey has been smooth so far. Reaction from people they met along the way has been positive. Most of the people were also attracted to their old but unique Landcruiser.
The couple had bought the second-hand 21-year old Landcruiser from Germany.
“New cars are mostly electrical which are difficult to repair in this region and hence we bought a completely mechanical car that can be repaired by anyone easily,” said Coen.
The couple has so far driven through Greece, Turkey, Iran, China, Pakistan and India and their next stop will be in Bangladesh after which they have plans to drive through Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia.
