Philosophy behind overlanding
As we approach the end of our trip I feel more comfortable discussing the philosophy behind our decisions.
On motivation
With Africa in mind, we bought a truck.
We stripped it down and built it up,
From metal to frame, and frame to camper,
From 'survive' to 'enjoy', and 'enjoy' to 'pamper'.
Heater, electrics, a hot water shower,
Do we need more panels, will we need more power?
Does that shelf look level? Does is need re-positioning?
How will we survive without air-conditioning?
The budget is swollen, departure pushed back
We haven't even started the custom roof-rack.
But wait...
Do we need all these gadgets and chaff
We can make do with less, save ourselves the faff
If we run out of power, we'll learn to use less,
go back to the plan and remove the excess
No air-conditioning, we'll just get a fan,
Why get a toilet and not a bed-pan?
Too far? Okay, toilet's back on the table,
But we'll cut out the other stuff. Synthesis - Hegel.
We stripped it down and built it up,
From metal to frame, and frame to camper,
From 'survive' to 'enjoy', and 'enjoy' to 'pamper'.
Heater, electrics, a hot water shower,
Do we need more panels, will we need more power?
Does that shelf look level? Does is need re-positioning?
How will we survive without air-conditioning?
The budget is swollen, departure pushed back
We haven't even started the custom roof-rack.
But wait...
Do we need all these gadgets and chaff
We can make do with less, save ourselves the faff
If we run out of power, we'll learn to use less,
go back to the plan and remove the excess
No air-conditioning, we'll just get a fan,
Why get a toilet and not a bed-pan?
Too far? Okay, toilet's back on the table,
But we'll cut out the other stuff. Synthesis - Hegel.
There are two primary motivations for building an overland camper. The first is the truck itself and the second is the trip it's intended for. All builders have both motivators but they are likely in unequal measure. The difference is manifest in the attitudes of different forums. The Overlander forum is a truck forum, whereas the HUBB is a trip forum. During a build its likely that your focus shifts towards the truck itself as difficulties with its construction are faced and support is sought to overcome them. When your motivation is the trip it's important to remind yourself regularly what you are setting out to achieve to re-align your focus.
Our ambition was to spend a year in Africa in our truck, not to own a show-truck. There is nothing wrong with wanting a show-truck to tour the UK in but it is important, if your ambition is to travel, not to get sidetracked. A show-truck that is to be built and improved upon for a decade will have very different budget and time constraints to one built within a year for a certain trip. They say "best is the enemy of good" but a more helpful interpretation is "good enough is best".
There is a whole community of talented and devoted individuals who have gone to great lengths to document their builds which is a great resource to draw from. Hopefully one day this website can become one of them. Not to showcase our work, but to make it easier for others wishing to do the same. As you are reading through their advice however, ask yourself what their motivation is and whether it's necessary for you to go to the same lengths.
On the opinion of others
In Western (especially British) culture there is an insidious, subconscious tendency to pressure and influence people to conform to a well-trodden path. For those of us in our 20's the path looks something like: School-University-Job-House-Family-Pension or similar. Deciding to pack in a career to go travelling with no intention of returning will lead to some interesting discussions. Although etiquette dictates that they should be outwardly supportive and say things like "ooh, how exciting" and "I guess you've got to do these things while you're young", they often follow up with comments that fall into a number of themes:
Destination scaremongering
"Africa is so dangerous, you be careful"
"I'd never go, my brother-in-law left Zimbabwe 30 years ago and said he'd never go back"
Most people will bring up their own fears which are usually not supported in fact. How dangerous 'Africa' is having neither witnessed it first hand nor checked official statistics. There are over 50 countries in Africa each with different risks and cultures so one shouldn't equate risks in Sierra Leone with those in Botswana.
Path-abandoned scaremongering
"What will you do for work?"
"Will you job be there when you get back?"
I have yet to meet a homeless person who ended up on the street because they took a break from architecture and never managed to get 'back on track'. Those who abandon the path do so for a reason and it is unlikely that they desire to return to the same path one year later (though I've known it to happen).
Hypothetical Vicariousness
These comments are usually well-meaning but misguided advice that begin with the phrase "If I were you..."
"If I were you I'd go in an old Land Rover"
"If I were you I wouldn't go to Angola"
"If I were you I'd take the whole truck apart and inspect every piece before going on a trip like that".
In reality, if you were me you wouldn't do it at all, because you haven't done it. Usually this advice is related to their own fears or ignorance and is not worth considering. Exceptions obviously exist, if you are talking to someone who has actually been on similar trips and is qualified and trusted then do listen, but try to ignore unqualified, unexperienced, and untrusted advice. This can be difficult when it come from a well-meaning family member.
Destination scaremongering
"Africa is so dangerous, you be careful"
"I'd never go, my brother-in-law left Zimbabwe 30 years ago and said he'd never go back"
Most people will bring up their own fears which are usually not supported in fact. How dangerous 'Africa' is having neither witnessed it first hand nor checked official statistics. There are over 50 countries in Africa each with different risks and cultures so one shouldn't equate risks in Sierra Leone with those in Botswana.
Path-abandoned scaremongering
"What will you do for work?"
"Will you job be there when you get back?"
I have yet to meet a homeless person who ended up on the street because they took a break from architecture and never managed to get 'back on track'. Those who abandon the path do so for a reason and it is unlikely that they desire to return to the same path one year later (though I've known it to happen).
Hypothetical Vicariousness
These comments are usually well-meaning but misguided advice that begin with the phrase "If I were you..."
"If I were you I'd go in an old Land Rover"
"If I were you I wouldn't go to Angola"
"If I were you I'd take the whole truck apart and inspect every piece before going on a trip like that".
In reality, if you were me you wouldn't do it at all, because you haven't done it. Usually this advice is related to their own fears or ignorance and is not worth considering. Exceptions obviously exist, if you are talking to someone who has actually been on similar trips and is qualified and trusted then do listen, but try to ignore unqualified, unexperienced, and untrusted advice. This can be difficult when it come from a well-meaning family member.