Thomas Wouters

Somewhere in Europe · October 2026

People keep telling me to enjoy my holiday.

I keep saying thanks.

It’s easier.

The first time I left in Petal, the Peugeot Boxer I converted into a tiny home, they were basically right.

I’d stopped working. I had a few months. I wanted to travel around Europe.

So I did.

Four months, six countries and 16,000 kilometres later, I came home.

Trip over.

Except I lasted about two days before driving to Zeeland.

Then I came home again.

And now I’ve left again.

This time feels different.

There’s no four-month trip to complete. No particular route. And travelling isn’t really the thing I’m doing.

I’m looking for work. Writing. Making videos. Working on a podcast. Going to the gym. Buying groceries. Doing laundry. Occasionally trying to work out where I’m sleeping that night.

Normal life, basically.

It just happens to be moving.

Which means Petal has quietly changed jobs too.

Last time, she was the van I travelled Europe in.

Now she’s my home. And office. And transport.

And occasionally the reason a perfectly normal Tuesday involves finding water and somewhere level to park.

So when someone says:

“Enjoy your holiday!”

There’s always a brief moment where I want to explain all of this.

But that seems excessive.

So I say thanks.

And then go back to work.