Less stuff, more fries! Our first seven days in Belgium
What has happened so far:
We realised that we had far too much stuff. Way more than we needed — or even used! So we sold and donated a lot, and only packed what really mattered (ok, ok … we are now also the proud tenants of a self storage unit…). Finally, we gave up our apartment and moved into Wilma, our trusty van.
Feeling tired from the last months but excited, we hit the road heading for Belgium. The land of chocolate, beer, and of course fries. We've eaten them three times in seven days – no shame!
For me, this trip is also a bit of a homecoming: much of my family is from Belgium and I spent many holidays here as a child. Honestly though, I don’t remember all that much.
Now, as an adult, I want to get to know this country properly: slowly, curiously and with my eyes wide open and probably with a cone of fries in our hands.
Day 1: From Bechen to Belgium – with a cow-wake-up call in Aachen!
We meant to go straight to Belgium, but the traffic had other ideas. So we made a spontaneous stop in Aachen. We found a peaceful parking spot, cycled 15 minutes into the historic city centre, saw where Stefan used to live as a student, had some Vietnamese food, and just as we got back to Wilma, it started pouring with rain.
Perfect timing!
The next morning, we woke up to the sound of cows. Yes, actual cows! Living the rural dream!
Day 2: Antwerp – fries, failed workouts & fairytale architecture
Belgium welcomed us with holiday traffic (Pfingsten / Whitsun).
We found a camping spot just outside Antwerp and thought: “Let’s be productive before heading into the city!” So we attempted a self-made CrossFit session. Keyword: attempted. Let’s just say, enthusiasm was high… form, not so much.
After that heroic effort, we took the bus into the city and explored all of Antwerp by foot. It is a beautiful city!
From the charming neighbourhood of Zurenborg to the grand central station and the endless little corners waiting to be discovered.
Of course, we had fries too. How could we resist? Golden, crispy and glorious, as always.
Later, we moved to a new riverside spot in Waasmunster where we enjoyed some homemade healthy broccoli and feta bake and had a sweet chat with an older man who cycled by. Belgium, you charmer!
Days 3 & 4: Our neighbours … horses
We spent two nights in Wachtebeke, surrounded by horses and wildflowers. One day, we cycled 30 km and stumbled upon a charming art market in Lokeren. On another day, Stefan worked while I attempted to catch up on some working stuff.
One small detail: we were parked right next to a giant pile of horseshit 💩.
Romantic? Not exactly.
Authentic van life? 100%.
As an added bonus, even here in the middle of nowhere, the people we met were genuinely kind and helpful, from the landowners to random passers-by who greeted us with a cheerful 'Goeiemiddag!'
Day 5: Beach bliss and a lost shoe
Next stop: a dreamy spot near Oostende – peaceful, scenic and free of charge! We cycled to the beach, dipped our toes in the North Sea and enjoyed a beer on the beach.
Then disaster struck. One of Stefan’s trainers - which we had tied to my backback - had vanished.
We were ready to file a police report 🚓 with the sea, but luckily, it turned up just a few steps away in the sand. Crisis averted.
Day 6: Getting (purposefully) lost in Bruges
The train from Oostende to Bruges takes only 14 minutes, costs 10 euros for a return ticket and is 100% worth it. As we stepped out of the station, we were immediately greeted by sunshine and the sweet smell of chocolate wafting through the air – it really did smell like a dessert dream! When it wasn’t the smell of chocolate it was almost certainly waffles … only at some occasions it was horseshit from all those horse drawn carriages roaming the city.
We wandered through the historic centre, ate more fries (because, you know … Belgium) and soaked up the sunny, cobbled vibes. Instead of sticking to the main tourist trail, however, we let ourselves get a little lost.
Day 7: Westende – flying dragons, old VW vans “Bullis” & soggy fries
We cycled 18 km to Westende – our butts were not amused.
But it was worth it for a quirky beach festival featuring classic VW vans, giant kites, good coffee all mixed with a really cool street market vibe.
Folks brought everything to the festival, super hot portable ovens (going well above 400°C), 3D printers to quick custom miniature license plates, beautifully converted coffee-vans as well as a mini disco inside an old VW T2.
Still feeling our buts from the couple of bike rides, we made a quick stop at a Decathlon. Let me tell you padded bike shorts are a true game-changer!!
Having sorted the butt situation we felt that we needed to reward ourselves and made some burgers and tried homemade fries.
Let's just say... they were more 'steamed potato strips' than crispy fries. We'll get there!
After dinner we enjoyed the sun set.
Conclusion after one week of van life in Belgium:
Two and a half servings of fries, two new pairs of cycling shorts, one temporarily missing shoe, and a belly full of stories.
The cities were beautiful, the landscapes peaceful and the people warm and welcoming.
Things are just getting started.