Hello, we are Philipp and Yurena. We are traveling in our VWT3 Bus called Reinhold. This is our account of our travels during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Our pre-coronavirus plan

Despite the travel warning from our home country of Germany, we are currently traveling in Spain. Why? Well, that is a long story. It started about two years ago when we were trapped in the hamster wheel of normal, boring days and longed for new adventures. Our goal for this trip was undisputed, we wanted to drive down to the Canary Islands. In particular, Tenerife, because we have roots there and part of our family is still living on the island.

It seemed like a fine time to rebuild our Reinhold and make it suitable for travel. We started the rebuild in March 2020, at exactly the same time as when COVID-19 was first mentioned. At that point in time, it did not discourage us too much and we continued to work hard every weekend on Reini. The situation was becoming more and more critical. The borders closed in Spain. People were not allowed to leave the house properly for weeks and in Germany, there were also exit restrictions. Things began to look different than we had planned.

When coronavirus hit

We could have panicked. We could have, let ourselves be discouraged and disappointed that our big, long-planned dream could quite possibly burst. Yet, we made the choice not to do that. Instead, we decided to think positively, to put our energy into the renovation, and to let it come to us. Our motto at the time was: “If it doesn’t work in September … then we’ll just wait a little longer”.

Not long after, the situation actually relaxed again, the borders opened and we were able to leave in September. However, we started with mixed feelings, since at this point in time a travel license was again obligatory for Spain. On the journey through France, the mask was already compulsory in many cities. This means that the mask had to be worn in public everywhere. Face masks were also required in the campsite toilets.

Crossing into Spain

Then we went to Spain. We had been worried about crossing the border for a long time and prepared ourselves for waiting times, temperature controls, and filling out forms. Nothing of the sort was the case, to be honest, we didn’t even notice when we crossed the border. A small sign then told us that we were in Spain. Once there, not much has changed for us, except that mouthguards are now everywhere in the country, in nature, and on the campsite. This regulation is strictly controlled by the police.

Otherwise, there are also a few advantages: We are often alone in beautiful places and sights, the toilets and sanitary facilities are super clean and the museums as if swept clean of people. There is hardly any tourism. We almost only meet Spanish and French campers and always find a suitable pitch for the night.

Nevertheless, caution is advisable and that’s why we like to be out in nature. Now we will first continue through Spain, possibly to Portugal and then to the Canary Islands. We are grateful to be able to make this journey despite all adversities and would be happy if you would like to accompany us on it.

This article was kindly contributed by one of our Buslifers Ambassadors. To follow their journey, you can find them on Instagram at @volver_a_lo_simple. You can also read their Buslifers profile right here. Read more from our ambassadors, like this article about South America.

Author: Nathen

Hey Buslifers! I'm the creative director of the Buslifers Network and I am super happy to be here. I have been living in Vehicles for the last 5 years and find the adventure and lifestyle to be truly authentic and inspiring. I have self-converted three different vehicles and have a great in-depth knowledge of living on the road, sustainable living, and vehicle conversions. You can follow me @nathenfitchen or @wearewildfeet on Instagram. You might also appreciate my other page @responsiblevanlife, where I love to share knowledge about sustainable living on the road. I look forward to connecting with you!