A B&B on wheels, holistic hugging, harp museums, Walloon wolves and more... Here is The Brussels Times' weekly round-up of positive news stories to get your weekend off to the right start.
Today's positive pick
A Belgian couple has transformed a former French school bus into a luxury 'hotel on wheels', offering clients sustainable road trips across Belgium and beyond.
27-year-old Lore Steyaert from Alsemberg (Flemish Brabant) together with her boyfriend Jonas De Smet from Oudenaarde (East Flanders) had dreamt of the ambitious project for about five years. In October 2022, they finally decided to buy a 12-metre school bus, converting it into stylish, mobile accommodation.
The process took around six months to complete and was mainly undertaken by 33-year-old Jonas, but also with help from friends who worked in carpentry.
The pair had already worked in the travel industry for several years: Lore worked as a glacier guide in Iceland, while Jonas organised hiking trips in Norway.
"But we wanted to start a business of our own," Lore told The Brussels Times. The market was competitive, so they needed to find a niche. "We had already been living in a camper van for several years, so thought 'why not make it bigger and let people join us?'"
Credit: Off the Beaten Path
The bus-turned-hotel was built with guests in mind and has all the amenities of a modern hotel including a bath, shower, kitchen and private 'pods' for sleeping. It can accommodate up to nine people, including Lore, Jonas and their border collie Kyra, with five inside beds for guests and a roof tent for two.
The 'Off the Beaten Path' experience provides much more than just lodging, however: Lora and Jonas offer all-inclusive package excursions with a full travel itinerary, where they cook and lead an array of energetic activities for their guests.
"We really like active road trips, with hiking, kayaking, climbing and cycling," Lore told The Brussels Times. "We do all the guiding so they have activities during the day, but we also give people 'free days' so they can relax and do what they want."
Guests can sign up for 7-day, 10-day or 14-day trips depending on the location and activities on offer. Most customers have so far been single but Lore stresses that the trips are also open to couples.
Credit: Off the Beaten Path
On the Road Again
The Flemish couple has just completed their first summer season, on the road since mid-June on three separate holidays. "We could not have dreamt of a better summer season. Everyone was very happy with their trips," Lore enthused.
They spent two months in Norway and embarked on various beautiful hikes through nature, with their favourites being the 8-hour, 10-kilometre Kattanakken climb, Besseggen and a glacier hike on Nigarsbreen.
"It's always so nice to be able to bring people to places where they would not go themselves, but we are able to take them there because we have the experience," Lore explains.
Credit: Off the Beaten Path
'Turning dreams into reality'
Lore and Jonas pride themselves on providing slow, sustainable travel, where they limit driving time as much as possible (maximum two hours a day) and cover small distances instead of rushing from place to place; the aim is to allow guests to experience nomadic existence and reconnect with nature. As well as taking their time, travel plans are also not set in stone, allowing them the flexibility to move according to the weather.
There are various weekends away planned across Belgium this autumn, but the couple hopes to travel further afield next year, taking guests to Italy, Greece and Iceland. "It's just the beginning. We are both big dreamers but we also love turning dreams into reality."
To find out more about Lore and Jonas' hotel on wheels, see here.
Other stories from this week to make you smile:
1. 'No one else to hug': Cuddle therapy is a hit in Brussels
An embrace floods the brain with chemicals proven to be good for our health. Sadly, many people do not have anyone to hug. But Belgian hug therapist Madeline Marbaix is changing this. Read more here.
2. Belgium's Mini Harp Museum named best free tourist attraction in the world
The best free tourist attraction in the world is not a scenic beach, a historic landmark or a vast national park as some might expect, but the Mini Harp Museum in the Belgian city of Bruges. Read more here.
3. At least seven new wolves spotted in Wallonia
Two new litters of wolf cubs have been spotted in the south of Belgium, with observatory cameras showing that at least seven cubs have been born. Read more here.
4. Dutch-language music enjoys unprecedented surge in popularity
The contemporary music scene has witnessed an important shift, with Flemish and Dutch headliners consistently selling out festival slots and city squares overflowing with eager fans. Read more here.
5. Brussels park first in Belgium to be included in prestigious cultural route
One of Brussels' most hidden Art Deco gems, the van Buuren Gardens, is the first in Belgium to be included in the renowned European Route of Historic Gardens. Read more here.
6. Belgian attempts to break non-stop swimming world record
Belgian adventurer Matthieu Bonne set off at 10:00 on Thursday in Greece on a world record attempt for the longest non-stop swim at sea. Read more here.
