Years ago, Lepel's parents left an hot air balloon world tour. He stays with granny Koppenol, who constantly exploits him for domestic chores, in her buttons shop and even as accomplice in the department store where she steals the buttons from clothes. After she won't even leave him the balloon kind salesman Max gave him, Lepel, now 9, runs away. He meets Max's slightly older daughter Pleun. Schoolmaster Bijts is also looking for him, but only as arithmetics talent for an academic schools contest. Max accidentally finds out the sad truth about Lepel's family.

三位被父母親家人細心呵護近30年的身障好友，為了完成腦癌朋友拉爾斯的願望，竟然隱瞞家人，偷偷計畫一段跨國之旅。 出遊的第一天就被提供殘障車的旅遊公司欺騙，害得三個人苦心設計的計劃差一點停擺。 跟著不合格的司機，不合格的殘障車，他們遠離家人，共同踏上人生第一次長途旅行。一路上面對不熟悉的環境，不同語言的國家，他們將如何克服身體上的障礙和內心的恐懼，彼此相互幫助扶持，一步步完成連家人朋友都認為不可能的生命旅程。