4x4tripping
Adventurer
I just finished an overlanding trip, from switzerland to southafrica, over the west route.
Because many people asked me, to do also an little writeup in english - i decide to try that - mixed with some pictures. My english is`nt the best - but i will try. When i`m finished, i can use this link for that guys who asks me ;-)
Here was the route we had planned:
And here is the car - i had choosen - not just for the transafrica - we plan too to do some other extended trips with this car...
It is an land cruiser 200 with european specs - hydraulic suspension with allows to lift and lower the car, to adjust the dampers.
Here the short specs: AHC (Active Hight Control), Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), Crawl, JBL 14-speaker system, Iphone Integration, USB Connection, Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Navigation, Anti-theft system, Sunroof, 14 Airbags, Pre Crash Safety System, Four-zone automatic air-conditioning, Pollen filter / Clean air filter, Active Traction control (A-TRC).
The Engine is an 4.5l Diesel TwinTurbo V8 who has 286 PS/HP, 210 kw and 650 Nm - a dream to drive!
Why such a modern car? Why not? In my experience in laos the locals drive often the never cars than the guys who do the world trips.. Worst case you have to move to the next big capital..
He is equipped now with an additional fuel tank, a winch, difflocks, 33" mud terrain tyres, sand ladders, ground anchor, a well sorted recovery kit, airbag lift, sideawning and an roof rack & thule roof box.
And here is too the complete team:
I dreamed since many years about - to build an overlanding setup, which allows me to stay several days out of civilization, allows to sleep inside - and has everything needed.
I bought the car, and start the buildup without to have an target to travel.. I would like to drive the americas, the silkroad, africa - there are many ideas in my head.
I did some (holiday) trips with rental 4x4`s with a friend, namely in laos and the nothern part of thailand - but with an extended trip - he dont want to join.
So i start planning the trip for me alone - and set the focus to africa.
My Girlfriend watched my plans - and at one day - she told me that she would think about - to come with me. I had never guessed, that she would like to do something like this. Not much comfort, sleeping in the car, bad roads and that for a long time.
I dont had planned about the timeframe of the trip, but - she rised in her career during our planning phase - and - you have to work a while on your new career level - to be able to work after your trip on the same level - right? The car was bought, and the first mods already done - should we wait 2 or more years?
To wait isnt one of my strengths - and i decide to do something - who allows to work and to do the trip now: we start to talk to our employers for a 6 weeks holiday - and extend that each time we talked about - so that there was at the end a commitment for 2 months
This way we are able to test our build-setup on an extended trip, see africa - and don't have to look much about the costs - we both are working and earning money.
Afterwards we can plan on an extended (at sample 1 year) trip, can change the setup of the car who wasn't good enough - that was the idea behind. In retrospect, this length was 2 months but pretty perfect – but that we dont know before ^^
Unfortunately the situation in northern africa goes worse and worse, specially mali looks pretty bad - during our planning. But we watched all blogs of peoples who work there, mailed with people in mali - and we decide that we keep our plans up.
---------------------------
Some also will recognize, that i have chosen to use a new nickname for that writeup. The old one i dont use anymore - it can be deleted or whatever. Therefore i use nickname 4x4tripping on many other places, i decide to use only one - all over the web.
----- to be continued -----
(next comes the buildup of the sleeping area (inside), water, board battery, freezer & cooler setup)
Because many people asked me, to do also an little writeup in english - i decide to try that - mixed with some pictures. My english is`nt the best - but i will try. When i`m finished, i can use this link for that guys who asks me ;-)
Here was the route we had planned:
And here is the car - i had choosen - not just for the transafrica - we plan too to do some other extended trips with this car...
It is an land cruiser 200 with european specs - hydraulic suspension with allows to lift and lower the car, to adjust the dampers.
Here the short specs: AHC (Active Hight Control), Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), Crawl, JBL 14-speaker system, Iphone Integration, USB Connection, Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Navigation, Anti-theft system, Sunroof, 14 Airbags, Pre Crash Safety System, Four-zone automatic air-conditioning, Pollen filter / Clean air filter, Active Traction control (A-TRC).
The Engine is an 4.5l Diesel TwinTurbo V8 who has 286 PS/HP, 210 kw and 650 Nm - a dream to drive!
Why such a modern car? Why not? In my experience in laos the locals drive often the never cars than the guys who do the world trips.. Worst case you have to move to the next big capital..
He is equipped now with an additional fuel tank, a winch, difflocks, 33" mud terrain tyres, sand ladders, ground anchor, a well sorted recovery kit, airbag lift, sideawning and an roof rack & thule roof box.
And here is too the complete team:
I dreamed since many years about - to build an overlanding setup, which allows me to stay several days out of civilization, allows to sleep inside - and has everything needed.
I bought the car, and start the buildup without to have an target to travel.. I would like to drive the americas, the silkroad, africa - there are many ideas in my head.
I did some (holiday) trips with rental 4x4`s with a friend, namely in laos and the nothern part of thailand - but with an extended trip - he dont want to join.
So i start planning the trip for me alone - and set the focus to africa.
My Girlfriend watched my plans - and at one day - she told me that she would think about - to come with me. I had never guessed, that she would like to do something like this. Not much comfort, sleeping in the car, bad roads and that for a long time.
I dont had planned about the timeframe of the trip, but - she rised in her career during our planning phase - and - you have to work a while on your new career level - to be able to work after your trip on the same level - right? The car was bought, and the first mods already done - should we wait 2 or more years?
To wait isnt one of my strengths - and i decide to do something - who allows to work and to do the trip now: we start to talk to our employers for a 6 weeks holiday - and extend that each time we talked about - so that there was at the end a commitment for 2 months
This way we are able to test our build-setup on an extended trip, see africa - and don't have to look much about the costs - we both are working and earning money.
Afterwards we can plan on an extended (at sample 1 year) trip, can change the setup of the car who wasn't good enough - that was the idea behind. In retrospect, this length was 2 months but pretty perfect – but that we dont know before ^^
Unfortunately the situation in northern africa goes worse and worse, specially mali looks pretty bad - during our planning. But we watched all blogs of peoples who work there, mailed with people in mali - and we decide that we keep our plans up.
---------------------------
Some also will recognize, that i have chosen to use a new nickname for that writeup. The old one i dont use anymore - it can be deleted or whatever. Therefore i use nickname 4x4tripping on many other places, i decide to use only one - all over the web.
----- to be continued -----
(next comes the buildup of the sleeping area (inside), water, board battery, freezer & cooler setup)
