Table of Contents
- Winter in Morocco with the Van
- Spring in Tarifa, Andalucia
- Summer in Galicia
- Autumn heading south
- My 2025 highlights are simple
- 2026 Wildfullness
- Tips, Tools & Trips to help you create and experience a wildful lifestyle
I'm writing this from my van, parked between banana plantations next to the sea, in Gran Canaria. The tide is going out, there is no wind, and there's a little swell. Perfect for the longboard! It sounds like luck. And it is! But also, because these days are rare. Prior to being at the right place, at the right time, a lot of things need to be in place. Like reaching this place, having a van, and a surfboard, knowing where to go for surf, safe for my dog, not having appointments, or injuries, knowing how to read the waves, and then actually catch one. And after many years of doing this, it's smooth operations, but the gratefulness remains real!
So here we are! Before I jump in the sea, I wanted to make a little 2025 summary. For myself. But also to show you that slow adventure travel lifestyles are a possibility, with nature. And perhaps some of my experience, learnings and tips from this year, are inspirational or useful for your path.
Where 2024 was a year of big milestones, a new book, a film, a WILD 850 km hike across the Pyrenees, and an ocean nomads sailing fleet in Greece. 2025 was a year of flow, friends, family, and fundamentals.
Here's a recap!
Winter in Morocco with the Van
I started this year on African soil. In Morocco with the van. Again.
It’s adventurous, affordable, wild, random, calm, peaceful, spacious, and for those wondering, safe! And also, living in the van with a dog, there are only so many places where you can go to when winter kicks in, and you want to live outdoors.
I already knew my way around, as the year before I spent 6 months in Morocco. This time is felt more like being in one of the places I feel home. I had ambitious plans to work on stories, videos and ocean nomads expeditions. And partially I did. But more beautiful things arose!
My parents came to visit, my sister, my dear friend Nicole, and my ocean nomads sister Briannis! Priceless to spend this quality time with people you love. It was not just catching up. It was sharing life, and adventure. And that had all the priority!
Read: Morocco Vanlife & Dog Preperation Tips if you're curious to live Morocco yourself.
Flow with Nature
Each year the feeling and flow becomes stronger. To live with nature. By now, it has become quite naturally. In 2025, I pretty much ignored the modern-day calendar and really live with the moon. Like the tides, our and nature's energy also ebbs and flows with the moon. And synchronising with that is soo powerful. And it keeps you in balance. Living nomadically, I need to put extra efforts in feeling rooted. Being in tune with the moon, the weather, the feelings, and cycle is key. And this year a lot of this flow just happened automatically, noticing the signs of nature. From knowing what kind of work to do when, when to rest, what to eat when and with which spices, and what to forage.
If I could only recommend one book to live in tune with nature it's this one: Moontime: The Art of Harmony with Nature and Lunar Cycles. I picked it up once in a second hand book store in a rural french village. Life has never been the same.
Also, I'm continuing to deepen my Ayurveda knowledge. If my funds allow it, 2026 I'll be going to India to experience panchakarma, and to learn from where it originates. If you're interested in Ayurveda, here are some more resources and books I recommend.
Writing this article at the end of 2025 feels a little bit unnatural. We are in the midst of winter. Nature is resting. Winter is for slowing down, rest and reflection. Not for building and starting new habits january 1. So also, if you don’t feel the 2026 reset rush and renewal, relax, you are in tune with nature. In nature, the new year begins in spring. That said, a little bit of reflection is good. To feel if life is going where we want it go. It's a process right.
Spring in Tarifa, Andalucia
The Morocco visa expired, so back to Spain in spring. I spent it in another home: Tarifa. The outdoor and watersports mecca of Europe where I've been coming since 2013! Luckily, I still have some friends based there and friend re-visiting too. I've just been based, simple, wild and free, next to the sea.
You may like to read: Tarifa. An Adventure Travel Guide
Here you can order my books: Salz Auf Der Haut & Ocean Nomad
And Jonte, Wingo and I went a few days hiking in the Grazalema mountains. A really cool hiking area in Andalucia.
I surprised my parents with a visit! They had no idea. It was the first time in possibly more than a decade that my brother, sister, I and my parents were together.
I'm a Youtuber now!
I started Youtube back in 2017 when hitchhiking the world by sailboat, but didn't manage to maintain while living the adventure (hard disk got salty and things like that;). The channel has been dormant for many years, but now I'm back! On Youtube, telling slow adventure travel stories! I'm very driven to connect you all more to nature and slow adventure travel and lifestyle possibilities.
Are we friends there yet :)?
At the moment, the stories are mainly about hiking across the Pyrenees and long-distance hiking. Hiking long distances has been very impactful. I hope I can find a rhythm and way to share more about wildful living by van, sail and with nature. What it's like and how you can too.
It's a learning curve this youtube thing. But I'm so grateful and happy that it's received well. Within a few months 5000 of you subscribed, and +300.000 watched the videos this year. How cool is that! I like the long form way of sharing stories. It allows for more depth and meaningfulness, as opposed to the quick scrolling short-form, which today feels like it's 90% AI generated. It's way more work, but much more rewarding!
If you get value from the videos and/or would like to support these creations, you can do so on Patreon (and get some goodies too :). Thank you for supporting the stories on Patreon! I'm currently at 4$ per video. The struggle is real, but the drive is bigger.
Join on Patreon to support these productions. I created some exclusive goodies for the supporters.
Here's my first Youtube come back video:
Summer in Galicia
Once it gets hot in southern Spain, I move up north. For many summers, I've been going to Galicia. I love it! It feels like my summer home. Jonte set off to live his lifelong dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail. I roadtripped up in a few weeks while making some stops, from the dreaded yearly camper van check (which was the low light of the year but eventually I passed:)), to a few days hiking and camping with Wingo, and visiting my favourite hot springs. And then…
I rented a HOUSE!
I could not remember last time I actually lived in a house. For many years i lived on sailboats, and for many years I'm living in my van. I felt the need to have less variables, which, with vanlife, sailinglife and hiking life are just a given. I wanted to work, ground, and have access to a big kitchen so I can cook delicious things! And so I did.
Some highlights:
Having running hot water
No nomad variables (Stayed in a house 🙊)
Access to a fridge AND freezer
And a spacious kitchen
Destination exploration with mum
Lived without a phone for a while
Ocean Nomads meetuppies
The superparents coming for a visit
Fixed window (🙏superpapa)
Coffee with neighbour Carmen
Full on quality time with Wingo
Peaches from the garden
Henrike & Pitu sleep over
A forest full a berries next door
Surfing with Bri, Jonte & Dani
Lupe the drive by bakery
Welcoming Jonte back from his Appalachian Trail adventure
Getting the van a serious cleanse (🙏 with supermama)
And I was very excited to move back into it the van!
After more than 2 months in a house, I really felt I'm still meant to live nomadic.
Outside. Simple wild and free, in, on and near the sea.
Ocean Nomads turned 5!
This was quite a moment for me!
FIVE YEARS AGO this crazy dream floating around in our anchorages was officially launched: the Ocean Nomads Community! In 2020 we launched the Ocean Nomads membership community to better connect you all to the ocean & each other.
With a vision of adventurous ocean souls who actually care about each other AND our blue planet. A community where adventure meets consciousness. Where sailing isn't just about showing of the new bikini in the tropics, but about the connections, the meaningfulness we attach to our dreams and adventures, and the impact we make together, at sea and beyond.
Ocean Nomads is no longer something I created. It is something we are building together. A global movement of ocean souls exploring consciously, protecting what we love & cultivating ocean-minded lifestyles
What started with small sailing trips has grown into many Ocean Nomads
💫Joining & Leading trips
🌱Hosting meetups & just sharing adventures
💙Teaming up for purpose-driven projects
⛵️Helping each other with your boat projects and voyages
Through our trips more than 200 people have now experienced life at sea 💙 Many for the first time.
And beyond our trips many more of you have taken each other out on your own adventures.
That is the ripple effect we aim for.
From experience comes awareness. From that comes caring & action. ON now has turned into a movement of people living with nature and leading with values. Proud of of all the Ocean Nomads and of me :). And for all the excitement to come!
New and more Ocean Nomads Adventures
In 2025, with Ocean Nomads, I organized three Ocean Nomads expeditions! From the Canary Islands to Cape Verde, a Skill Build training in the Canaries, and a big voyage from Mallorca to the Canaries.
We organized, the biggest Ocean Nomads expedition of the year: sailing from Mallorca to the Canaries. Myself I didn't join, and I took the ferry with Wingo and the van. I'm super proud of the Ocean Nomads crew on making this wild ocean adventure happen! The whole crew arrived safe and with big smiles!
And we received an EU grant with Ocean Nomads! To improve our green and digital operations. Lots of exciting developments happening. If you are pulled towards a life connected to a nomadic life with nature, come say hi in the community! We're rooted in sailing but spreading our wings to more ways of living, travelling and being with nature. It's the value that unite us! It's a nomadic place to feel home we offer.
New in my nomadlife! A starlink mini for working anyyywhere (you can opt in and out of plans). I finally got one. Thank you grant! Get 1 Month free.
Zero to Ocean Nomad got a big update!
The summer with the stability of a house, and the luxuries it comes with, like tap water, a powerplug, no noisy neighbours, was for working and creating lots. I went all in on working on Ocean Nomads, this blog, and the Youtube channel.
A big win was to open the new edition of Zero to Ocean Nomad, a mentorship I put my heart and soul in to help other travel the world by sail. And new ocean adventurers signed up! Early 2026, the next round will open.
Autumn heading south
After summer Jonte, Wingo & I head south with the van. We didn't see each other for 3,5 months. Some may find that crazy and wild. But living our own dreams and adventures is what also make the relationship work. From not seeing each other, we move in 24/7 in the van or tent. Now that's wild, isn't it? But we're having fun. Jonte made some vlogs of this roadtrip:
Not for long. What better way to have some quality time than going on a little hike.
The fisherman's trail was on our way and so we went! I can highly recommend this trail as a starter trail for anyone curious to doing a multi-day hike. 226 km on the South West Portuguese Coastline. Wow! What a very beautiful coastal trail.
Interested in hiking this trail? Here's a guide
I've spent many winters in the Canaries before and happy to be back! I'm pinpointing my favourite spots on the splashy new Ocean Nomads map.
We ended the year with a hike across Gran Canaria. Just 4 days in the wild. What a trail! Video coming soon on Youtube!
My 2025 highlights are simple
The biggest treasures aren’t the grand milestones but the smallest, simplest joys while working toward the bigger goals and adventures. The little things and joy found in living a life connected to nature, whether I’m traveling in my van, hiking, camping or sailing the seas. Like:
- The moments of finding flat spots to pitch and park, and water to drink.
- Legs that carry me across trails
- Being in good health
- Friends, family and love that appreciate me with my wild nomadic lifestyle.
- Ocean Nomads family sharing and caring for each other
- More outdoors than indoors
- Showering in wild hot springs, rivers, or the ocean.
- My tiny house on wheels, still rolling strong after 5 years being the main basecamp!
- Waking up to my own rhythm, free from alarms or schedules.
- Stepping out of the van, barefoot, into random wild places.
- A house on wheels that’s still rolls
- No accidents or sickness
- And becoming an Ayurveda wizard
- To be in balance with whatever life brings
- Just to live with nature
The little things are the big things. Make sure you notice them.
Just good days, living in tune with nature, with lots of memorable moments.
It's the small, raw, real moments that make you feel SO grateful and ALIVE and remind me why I choose to live this in this nomadic way in nature.
May it serve as an encouragement to you to start today, and to help you realize your slow travel lifestyle dreams that may not be far away…
I plan to deepen my Ayurveda knowledge, continue to create more, live slow, be, and inspire to get outside and live a life with nature. Above all, create more and better tools and tips to help you do so too!
If you like to see more tips and tales on living a slow adventure travel lifestyle with nature, sign up for my Newsletter and Youtube.
Let me know in the comments what you'd like to read or see more about! Your input will help me prioritize!
2026 Wildfullness
Be wildful you all!
It makes you feel curious, healthy and alive!
Be close to nature. Get out there and explore. It puts you in awe and oh, makes you aware about the world, and helps to plot your course and act accordingly. Go slow, without a tight schedule so you can follow the weather and feelings and unforeseen. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and live your desired life. You are not too old, too young, too rich, too poor to choose a simple life. Health is the real wealth. Stay true to yourself and your values. Don’t take anything or anyone for granted. Never make assumptions. Breathe the fresh air. Be more outdoors than indoors. Be kind to you and to others. Focus on end goals and trust and embrace the journey.
Here’s to another year of wildness, of stepping out of comfort zones, of connecting deeper with nature and each other while living slow. And here’s to the people who make it all so worthwhile, Ocean Nomads, friends, family, and strangers who become like family.
Let’s keep creating ripples of adventure, kindness, and connection!
Thank you for following along. I wish you an adventurous and wildful 2026!
With Love, Suzanne
Tips, Tools & Trips to help you create and experience a wildful lifestyle
Curious to Sailing life?
I wrote to ocean travel guides introducing you travelling the world by sailboat: Ocean Nomad and Salz auf der Haut.
With Ocean Nomads we plan to facilitate more ocean adventure opportunities. The first expedition is on the agenda, sailing the Western Canary islands and explore ocean nomads lifestyle. Check out Ocean Nomads Trips.
Zero to Ocean Nomad will be back soon too! It's the toolkit I created to introduce you to sailing as a way of travel and life and how to get started.
Sailing, Skillbuilding and Community Adventures with Ocean Nomads, like Offshore Skillbuilding in the Canary Islands, Sailing Canary Islands to Cape Verde, and another Ocean Nomads network Gathering in Greece. Learn more here. Also, we'll be relaunching the Zero to confident Crew Members Ocean Nomads Course with fresh new updates. Join waitinglist here.
Curious to Vanlife?
Through this blog and Social Media I continue sharing tips and tales from the vanlife adventures. Say hi on Instagram. The next months I'll be sharing from the Canary Islands.
In the making:
Eastern Canary Islands Vanlife & Adventure Guide
Morocco Vanlife & Adventure Guide
Curious to Hiking life?
Video tips and stories are out on Youtube! Find some guides on this blog. I'm an ambassador for thruhiking now. Together with Jonatan and Ocean Nomads, we're creating something to support fellow and aspiring long-distance hikers. Express your interest here.
May your clothes smell like campfire
the shoes be muddy
the nails dirty
the memorable moments wild
and the heart be full!
