Travel stories blog.
Ward Hulselmans writes about his experience as a passenger aboard a cargo ship from Antwerp to Ireland and from Antwerp to Istanbul. This is the transcribed text of the podcast about his journey. He shares diary-wise his experiences on board. Ward was a professional journalist for 17 years before he started writing TV series in 1989. Among other things, he is the creator and writer of the series Not for Publication, Heterdaad, Stille Waters, Witse, Salamander and also wrote two films. He stopped writing for the screen in 2019 to write only diary entries.
According to Nikki and Pol, traveling is not so much about reaching a destination, but about being on the road: "When you reach your destination after a (long) journey, disillusionment almost inevitably follows, because your journey... has come to an end." What attracted them to CptnZeppos is the concept of being on the road, which is so much more important than arriving. Niki and Pol like ways to explore 'traveling' more: "Joris, Captain of Zeppos, offered us a unique variation. Our advice? Simply: do it!"
Joke and Filip traveled with their car from Zeebrugge to Bilbao and back, aboard the Finneco freighters. A nice bonus was that they could start their second adventure well rested: "We send Joris a message that we are well off and he promptly confirms. At sea, there is a 2.5m seaway, winds blowing from NW at 5 Beaufort and regular fierce outside. A somewhat unusual rainbow colors the sky. After an hour, the harbor and the numerous anchored ships are a faint line on the horizon. The contours of the green and mountainous Basque and Cantabrian landscape are barely discernible due to the limited visibility. For the past two weeks, we have explored the coast and hiked quite a bit, including in the unique Picos de Europa from the mountain village of Sotres."
Georges De Caluwé traveled for eight days aboard the Timca.Report of a sea voyage from Antwerp to Hanko and Rauma in Finland and back,aboard the Dutch ConRo ship Timca. Where polder farmers once plowed clay fields,a seagoing vessel plowed through the dock waters of the Waaslandhaven for a sea voyage to the Gulf of Bothnia.
Antwerp - Finland, ZEPPOS-0060, July 2025
Herman Dirkmaat traveled aboard the Olivia for fourteen days.Monday, May 19,Just over a week before the start of the Hamburg-Canary Islands voyage. At 8 a.m., I check my cell phone as usual. Voicemail message from Joris! I listen to it; the message is short and clear. Due to docking, the Linda will be out of service for a month. Therefore, my planned trip on May 27 cannot take place. The shipping company is also unsure whether they will allow passengers on this trip in the future. I take a moment to process this. Two alternatives: a full refund or an alternative trip within the planned period. Terneuzen-Tornio. After a brief consideration, I choose ZEPPOS-0025 as an alternative. It was a wonderful trip with all the trimmings. The sea, the people who sail it in small communities. The camaraderie and love of seamanship made a deep and indelible impression on me (once again).Saving for the next one...!
Antwerp - Finland, ZEPPOS-0025, June 2025
Rudi Van Hecke traveled aboard the Pulpca for eight days. Completely off the map. On a container ship to Finland. Antwerp Left Bank _ On the edge of the port area, I take a last look back. In the soft light of the autumn morning, I see the Pulpca towering above the stacks of containers. It has been my home for a week, away from everything and everyone. It has taught me how beneficial it is to be completely off the map for a while.
WELCOME ABOARD
Do you want to start your own story?
Your story begins by telling us which ZEPPOS route you want to spend time on and when you want to start your adventure.
CONTACT US