Overlanding On Gran Canaria, The Best Way To Isolate Yourself!

After two days having autumnal weather, without blue sky, without having over 38 degrees, it was stormy, cloudy and even a little bit rainy, I took the opportunity to linger on the couch with a pot of tea to write this post.

Luckily I have finished it today!

The last days my world-weariness was once again quite strong, because we heard so many frightening news, like about a large chunk of ice, which is as big as Paris, broke off the Arctic’s biggest remaining glacier in Greenland. This probably will have an effect on the gulf stream and it could enhance the climate change. Then the western fires in the USA, the fire in the refugee camp Moria and of course “Corona”. Increasingly more often we hear about Covid-19 infected people around us.

I know it’s difficult to stay positive at the moment. But despite of all that, I try to do it. For me, watching some travel pics of our earlier trips is always helpful to stay positive! Besides I’m really looking forward to one of our next trips.

Some days ago I already wrote on Instagram, that I miss traveling a lot, but I still don't want to travel until it’s gonna be safer and until the corona curve will be flatten again. Cause the cases in all Spain are again quite high right now.

Due to all the things going on, I wonder more and more if it would be better to lower my lifestyle to the minimum to live with less comfort, in order to get out of the cycle of maintaining all that comfort we actually don’t need.

Cause I’m a little bit afraid that with less jobs (due to corona) at some point we are no longer able to maintain this lifestyle with two cars, house, dog, sports (windsurfing/surfing), traveling and the little comforts of life, like good food, good wine, the latest electrical items, fashionable clothings…etc.

But on our little weekend trips, which we did from time to time with our Lenny (Land Cruiser with roof tent), we have already noticed that a more isolated life with less comfort seems to us not as the worst thing and I already have started to believe that isolation could be a good chance, if we gonna use it right.

But I also have to admit that the first nights of our self isolated weekend trips were always a little bit scary for us, because we wasn’t used to it. Due to the quietness and silent we heard noises that we never heard before. But after we spend one or two nights we realized that these fears were completely without reason.

Not only that we have the most beautiful surroundings for ourselves, but also within a short time the important things in life became more and more obvious. In an isolated life, sooner or later everything is reduced to the following points: food, accommodation (which campsite), family, health and how to use your free time in a good and benefit way. This suddenly makes life much easier.

We don’t like any luxury vacations, we have always been passionate about adventures and outdoor activities. Spending vacation in an hotel among a lot of people, laying in the sun chair at the pool and having one drink after the other was never an option for us.

For us is it recovering when we are just leaving home for a while, it doesn’t even have to be far away. Sometimes we just drove two hours into the mountains of Gran Canaria and spent 2 nights, in such a beautiful surrounding, where nobody passed by. Being in a different place to disconnect and being isolated from everything helps a lot. Because if you spend the whole time at home you cannot disconnect well. Constantly through social media, television newspapers ore even friends and neighbors will keep you posted about everything. In particular, Social Media keeps you extremely updated with the latest and trendiest things. All that put you under constant pressure and since all the stuff going on in the world is not the most positive, it can be quite depressing.

Especially after the lockdown we noticed that we wasn’t in a good mood and we wasn’t motivated. Which doesn’t help you if you are working as freelancer. This has put us even more under pressure, cause normally it isn’t good being without jobs for a long time as freelancer.

That’s why we decided to leave just for a weekend trip right after the lockdown. It was in June and we found this little remote place at the north coast of Gran Canaria. We had such a good time with no pressure of something to do. Just relax. We brought our food and I cooked a vegetable coconut curry, wraps as well and we enjoyed to lean back and having time to cook without any time constraints. Finally we could disconnect and we found the time to read a book, having a bath or just taking a nap o two.

Our dog Nica could be with us and she was also happy to came out and to be at a different place. She always love to take care of us and having everything under control. Especially the food preparation, because some of the delicious things could fall down, and she could help to remove it from the floor immediately. I’m so thankful that she is still with us although she is already twelve years old. It’s so wonderful to watch her moving freely in the nature all weekend long without a leash.

When we are on a weekend trip and we are staying isolated at the beach or in the woods I know from my experience that it can lead to an easing of the outer appearance. This means no hairstyling, no make-up, no polished nails and not wearing the trendiest clothes, as you can see on the pics. Honestly, it feels good not to have to. Of course, you should follow the hygiene rules, like washing hands, brushing teeth and taking a shower after some days. But everything else becomes unimportant.

We installed a fresh water container of 40 liter on the roof-top, for cleaning dishes , taking a shower, but within 3-4 days the water need to be filled up. That’s why we try to use as less water as possible. And that's where we started to get resourceful.

As we don’t have a wastewater tank yet, we only use no toxic cosmetic and cleaning products. Most of all are plant based and biodegradable, what we will, of course, maintain. Everything has to be as practical as possible. Ok, sometimes you don't wash your hair for 3-4 days. But this is actually an advantage for your hair and it also saves on consumption, since you don't just have a supermarket or no fresh water pipe around the corner.

We try to recycle many things, which stimulates the mind, saves money and reduces the ecological footprint.

Besides we always try to leave the place cleaner than it was, because we collect the garbage lying around and throw it away later, as soon as we find a garbage can.

What I actually wanted to say with my post, is that this kind of isolation helps us to come back to purity. And if you have any worries and troubles, maybe the same like we have, which is totally ok and normal, try this kind of weekend trip. Go camping or travel with a van. Try to be in the nature, even if it’s only for one day. Take a hike bring food and make picnic (but please, don’t litter!). You'll see it helps you to get back on track.

Or what would you say, when you could have this view during cooking or having a picnic (see above)!

My dear ones, I don't want to convince you, but you should think about taking a short period of isolation. I think this is called also digital detox.

In my opinion all these circumstances show me, that it’s time for all of us to step back a little and try to take care of the essential things in life.

Or wouldn't you also like to spend some time on that lonely beach?

Love

Katy!

Pics by Daniell Bohnhof

Text by Look2 Ocean