- Devices OFF - Nature ON
- Reizen met Impact
- Small-scale
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Starting a start-up in the middle of the pandemic may not be so special, but starting a travel company, on the other hand, is. We, Jimmy & Gerty, started Unplugged Outdoor two years ago. We wanted to create a place in the middle of nature where you unwind and regain your footing. Literally. A place where you push your OFF button and start discovering, meeting and simply being yourself again. How we got here from always being online to an offline life, we tell you in this blog.
Away from everything for a while
We have just returned from the Philippines and feel de-stressed and especially rested as we sit on the plane. Together we talk about our Filipino adventures and how suspicious we were at first about these people. Soon we found out that it was pure curiosity and genuine hospitality and kindness of the residents. Time and hour did not matter these past few weeks. Just being far away from everything, from home and from work.
We step straight into the rat race
Welltalking about work ... "What time do you start up on Monday and what does our schedule look like this week?" asks Jimmy to Gerty. At that moment we land in the Netherlands and the what's apps and emails fly in as if we haven't been away. Standing at the station, we notice that everyone, and I mean everyone, has their cell phone in their hand. People hardly see what is happening around them. The contrast of "unplugging" and always being on vs going offline and not having to do anything, starts to bother us. We've been seeing too many people literally and figuratively drowning in this frenzy for too long. The worst part of this is, we are participating in it ourselves! Because being at home means we step right back into the rat race.
"Our future was briefly turned upside down."
Diagnosis burnout
Less than a year and a half later, Gerty comes home one day crying. "I almost had an accident because I didn't realize I was driving through the red traffic light," she says. "I am so tired and for a while I don't know how to keep all the balls in the air." This was the drop, the last drop Gerty needed. From a hectic consulting job in banking, to sitting at home diagnosed with BURNOUT.
Which exit should you take?
Together we earned more than modal, lived generously and had a fat car under our ass, but did this really matter? During this period, we also found out that children were out of the question. Our future was briefly upside down. And then suddenly you are at that crossroads, which exit should you take?
"And suddenly the mental turnaround was a fact"
Healing effect
During this period, Gerty learned that being in the middle of nature had a healing effect on her health. Jim, on the other hand, was further specializing in the outdoor world. And suddenly the mental turnaround was a fact and the seed was planted for Unplugged Outdoor.
Unplugged Outdoor
Boterbloemstraat 28
4841 LM Prinsenbeek
Basecamp spot in the forest & in the mountains
Phone number
+31 (0)6 164 476 33
KvK no. 85131709
