“After living in the middle of the country for 30 years, we were happy to return to the west of the country, especially for the beach. Every day is different, always lively and especially fresh & clean air.”
Wind on your snout
Ad loves cycling from Hook of Holland to Zandvoort and back: I then like to sit in one of the more than a hundred pavilions on the beach, enjoying the vastness that the North Sea offers us. Nice to go there by bike, sand between your toes, wind on your snout, once against the wind and once with the wind. Sometimes have a drink or a snack. When you're back home, you've just had a short vacation.”
Close to nature
The beach holds an important place in his heart: "As soon as we get there, we feel free, we can forget for a moment or experience something. Those are actually the moments when we are closest to nature ourselves." Ad enjoys everything around him: "With good weather, we've rowed on the North Sea a few times, and I feel happy when I row back to the coast and see all those different people enjoying themselves. The beer we have afterwards tastes divine. You temporarily forget the daily routine."
A beautiful memory? Ad has plenty of those, but one stands out: "It was actually an unpleasant moment that turned out very beautifully. Someone had, on a stormy day, had enough of life and decided to walk to England. Something happened that made her change her mind, and now she brings joy to others. All in all, that left a positive memory."
Grandpa
Ad is about to become a grandpa and has already thought of all sorts of fun things he and his wife want to do with their grandchild. “I am working on writing a book with fond memories of earlier times, the Fabeltjeskrant, my first car, etc. As future grandparents, we also have a bucket list of what we would like to do with our granddaughter. The National Park is on 1, 2, and 3: strolling on the beach, rowing at the rowing club in Voorschoten, and renting an ice cream bike cart once to hand out scoops of ice cream to cheerful people together!”
Dream for the Future
Ad dreams of a future where cars and trucks drive electrically: “I help to smartly reduce or electrify the number of trucks that go to the beach to bring or pick up items. That can be done in different ways. How great would it be if you could see in nature that she likes it and something comes back again.