Sun, Sand, and a Side of Jeep Thrills – How We Escaped the Tourist Trap.
Let’s face it, in our early years in Holland, vacations were a luxury we couldn’t afford. Our idea of a getaway was renting a cabin at a camping site and spending a week there, stretching our budget as far as it would go.
But after a few years (and Thom getting way too cool for those camping cabins), we decided to splurge on a budget-friendly, all-inclusive trip to Turkey. That meant joining a herd of Dutch tourists and staying in one of those massive, soulless hotels that felt like a whole city built just for sunburnt travellers.
The food was plentiful, but…well, let’s just say beige played a starring role. The facilities? Once grand, now showing their age like a faded beach umbrella. But hey, it was cheap, and with a little squinting, you could almost pretend it was glamorous.
The saving grace? The Mediterranean Sea, sparkling like a turquoise dream. Thom was thrilled with the swimming pool, especially since we took our vacations at Christmas to escape the cold Dutch winter. She also loved the kids’ activity area, where she could play with other children instead of just being stuck with her boring old parents.
Yoni found joy in horizontal napping (his true talent!), and I revelled in some much-needed “me-time” while they were busy having their own adventures.
Then, in 2004, after a few days of feeling like a caged bird in that resort, I spotted a brochure for a jeep tour into the mountains. Eureka! I knew this was the key to unlocking Yoni’s inner adventurer (and his love for driving). A private jeep tour. Sold! And Thom? Her adrenaline-loving heart did a happy dance at the thought of bouncing around in a jeep.
Just as predicted, they were both in! Off we went on our epic adventure, which turned out to be fantastic. We explored a forgotten castle, stumbled upon a local family’s home high in the mountains (where we were greeted with incredible hospitality!), and enjoyed a riverside lunch of freshly caught fish (thanks to the owner’s quick fishing trip!).
Now, even though Yoni wasn’t a huge fan of group activities, I knew he was secretly having a blast because he displayed his unique sign of love – the “affectionate finger bite” (don’t judge!). Luckily, our darling daughter managed to capture this bizarre moment of romance in this photo.
So there you have it—Yoni’s unique way of saying “I love you” is proof that love comes in all shapes and sizes, even the slightly toothy kind!