Somebody asked me this earlier today.

“So what the hell will you actually be doing?”

Well, after stumbling about for a bit, the best thing I could come up with was: “Well…. er… a lot!” and laughed it off.

But that got me tihnking – of course, I knew what I thought was expected of Overland Crew, this came from reading blog posts, experiences from ex-crew and a few other collections of stories.

What I had not fully loooked at was what was expected of the Overland Crew from the employees. The little snippet below comes from Overlanding Africa:

“Overland crew are not personal servants. They are there to show you the ropes of overlanding, travelling off-the-beaten track and camping out in the wilderness. Crew will ensure that your overland tour turns into an experience never to be forgotten, whilst working very long days, seven days a week.

The crew have the added responsibility of looking after the vehicle. In-between repairing that flat tyre, getting your lunch organized, navigating through a treacherous bog hole and identifying that bird making that particular noise, they are also your companions on your overland tour.”

That kind of makes my inital answer correct – Crew and Drivers are expected to do a lot!

Also – link whore that I am – new post added to the Thorn Tree Forum over here – Link!

Cheers, Overland Wannabe.

overlandwannabe.blogspot.com

Pic of the today comes from ThisFabTrek and the best description of what he is doing comes from the guy himself:

“I am Manfred. On 22nd of July 2004 I set out for a journey. A voyage that may last a long time, maybe my entire life, a trek to discover planet Earth.”

I think I may have to upscale my own plans

Ok so today hasn’t exactly been the most amazing.

Odyssey Overland have no opportunities for me at the moment but will take file my details – They were courteous enough though so can’t complain. Would have been nearly perfect though as they are based not too far from where I am currently living.

So today, rather than wallow in misery (it was tempting trust me), I thought that I would finally get round to creating the new header that you can see above. I was rather impressed with myself hehe.

I have been using the GIMP – Graphic Image Manipulation Program, not the guy locked up in my wardrobe.

This is basically a free version of the infamous Photoshop. Yes I am aware it probably doesn’t have this feature and that feature, but hey it works for me.

The main thing I have been doing today is creating the “Stamp Effect” in Gimp. There is a tutorial of it over at this link here for any of you who are interested.

So this has now officially beome the OWB – Overland Wannabe Blog. Break out the champagne!!!! I’ll have the baby sham of course – I’m driving.

Also today I have been checking out me stats – and apparently I have some readers! Well I suppose I shall have to write something worthwhile soon. And get onto the mountain of application forms sat next to me.

Oh and while I think of it – this blog’s official soundtrack can be found here.

Cheers, Overland Wannabe
http://overlandwannabe.blogspot.com

Doubts

Big word, an arse of a word, a word that kill off dreams

Well this week i have been collecting job application forms from just about any company to do with Overlanding.

Job hunting hint #1. Always phone, whether they have the job application on the website or not. Pick up the dog and bone and holla.

Makes a better impression and when your name is headed up on that job application form you have an extra way to be noticed… “oh I remember talking to him etc”

Anyways – I have my eye on one application in particular – for Dragoman.

They appear to be a good company and have a good reputation amongst travellers. A scour of the Thorn Tree from Lonely Planet comes up with only praise for this company and a quick Google also shows people enjoying the trips.

They also provide a lot of the training and so are a natural choice for a novice like moi.

So what’s all this about doubts then?

Well – so many of the forms are asking about what trips/leadership experience I have had. The answer is quite a bit BUT, and here comes the but, it was a few years ago.

Also I have not actually been “outside of Europe” too much, short trips to America and also Sweden etc don’t really count.

- Interesting point here – many of us whinge at the yanks for not going out of America, but how many of us have never really been out of Europe? – Point over!

So with that nagging doubt in my mind I am trying to do everything possible to get me foot in the door, learn languages, find out geography information etc, in the vain hope that it will help me along the way.

Well anyways I’m off back to the normal office grind now, before the doubts become too much.

Cheers, Overland Wannabe
http://overlandwannabe.blogspot.com

Another link to a rather valuable resource for today’s near midday post – Overlanding Community

http://www.overlandingcommunity.com/

A reasonable site with news articles, vacancy opportunities and other such info. They are also trying to gain information on all the companies that are out there providing overland trips.

If you have been on an overland adventure then you can upload your own comments to this site, recommending a company or tour or just sharing your trip with others.

They also list all of the holiday discounts available from certain operators and a calendar for events that be happening in the Overland World.

Cheers, Overland Wannabe
http://overlandwannabe.blogspot.com

Ok, day 2 or 3.

Have now realised that it simply isn’t going to be a case of apply for job, apply for PCV license and off ye go.

I had never really thought it would be, but there was a dream of it being so.

There are a lot of stories of drivers getting into the trade this way. Most of these are unfortunately back in the early uears of the 60′s – 80′s, where the Old Bedford trucks were commonplace, these being merely convereted British Army trucks and nothing like today’s purpose built monoliths.

So my first post will most likely be some sort of adventure leader of sorts.

Not the dream I hear you scream!

But hang on – I’ve just checked the Blog title and it just says Overland Wannabe – So I guess that its still covered!

Still I’m off to fill in the 5 page application now for Toucan Travel – I suppose it’s good that they vet people thoroughly, on their knowledge of regions as much as everything else. Meaning if you are travelling you will recieve a good service.

Still – not sure if my GCSE knowledge of slavery really counts as true “history” for the Africa section!

Yer – end of blog update, must go write to more companies – for a list of them I’m currently loking at this list (link) on go-overland.com

There’s quite a few there, I have a feeling my Inbox may be full, or completely empty – which would be rather dissapointing.

I’m really going to stop writing this blog now.

Just a Quick Link for any of you thinking of taking an overlanding holiday or for any of those that are crazy like me and wish to staff these tours.

Check out www.overlanding101.com, from Mark Fittal

Written by a former / current driver. There are tales on there of a whole host of experiences and you can buy or download the book for £2.50 (or £4.44 for the actual book). Purchase now here: http://www.lulu.com/content/928170

This is a damn good (and hilarious) read. And I can certainly recommend it to anyone who is thinking about this kind of life.

Anyways… back to the office work. (for now)

So what is it I am looking to do I hear you ask.

Well…. see below video from Exodus Travels for a bit of an overview!

…And below you can find a handy cutaway of an average Overland Truck, taken from www.africatravelguide.org

And a few external views taken from Nomad Adventure Tours…

To start with I thought I would just explain myself a little…

Why do i want to do such a “crazy” thing.

Well its damn well not actually – think about this for one second…

We live in a world where the amount of money that exists doesn’t really exist,

• Where everyday you go into work to make money yet seem to spend half of it just getting to work,
• Where adventures must be completed by Sunday evening at the latest so you can be back at work on Monday morning bright and early to give your all for the company
• Where most of your efforts at work do wonders for the company, but somehow not for you.
• Where you are so tired in an evening after your long day and long commute that family activities are limited to eating tea together.
• Where your ‘life‘ revolves around making sure this routine is carried out

Now i don’t want to sound like some sort of hippie (which I’m really not, I listen to German Hardcore music for christs sake!)

So I decided that this wasn’t worthwhile, nor something I really wanted to do.

Why have i got to where I am now?

Fair question, why have I not already made this decision already. Why did I not up sticks and leave straight after school?

Well really I believe there are two factors to blame here: Me and the education system.

Let’s start with me shall we?

I take 90% of the blame here for not shifting things on. I have always wanted to do things like this but have never really been able to plan anything in advance, nor have I ever managed to save enough money for a big old overlanding adventure.

So I went down the normal path without really saying anything. Off to Uni (Because the schools in the UK are all basically jusdged on how many people go to university this was the route that was “right for me”, hated that, left…

Off to work, started off Okay.. it was an ‘adventure’ in it’s own right as all of life is of course, but now I have come to the realisation that I could flit around ‘normal’ jobs treating each one as it’s own adventure or I could actually go out there and do what I really want to do and what I have always wanted to do.

Me and Trucks

Ask anyone who knows me. I love driving.

I also love any large vehicle. I grew up with my father in the army. He was in the REME (auto technicians in camoflauge). This meant that there were always lots of big vehicles around, from Landrovers up to Tanks and everything in-between.

Since then I just seem to have some sort of admiration for large vehicles, and a want for driving them! (please feel free to use the comments box to remind me how sad I am and the fact that I am compensating for something hehe!)

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Above: at the annual Campervan mecca (the Camping & Caravan salon @ Dusseldorf, Germany

Me and Travel

Whilst my sister and I were gorwing up our parents had a variety of caravans and campervans. Our holidays consisted mostly of travelling hundreds of miles, stoppping, travelling more miles, stopping and so on.

I have never really grown out of this “windscreen tourism” – traveling through Europe whenever possible in my own van, stopping off here and there whenever an opportunity presents itself and stopping over in campsites in a tent for a few days when somewhere that is ripe to explore presents itself, A bit of a European ‘softcore’ overland experience really.

Me and Overlanding

I have always wanted to travel, but i have always dreamed of actually being able to make a living out of it, passing on stories to others and generally providing a service.

This is where overlanding comes in. It provides all the things I could want. Endless scenery explore, a reasonable dollop of “windscreen tourism”, a group of eager travelers as companions and lashings of driving in a large truck.

Well thats how the ideal situation would go anyway…

The reality is probably more like this – ridiculously long drives, crap weather meaning hours are spent crossing just a few miles of terrain, eager companions turn into whining and rebellious and tired hordes and the scenery keeps on trying to kill you, especially the wildlife.

Wake up tomorrow morning, the rains gone and everyone is exhausted. But you’ve made it… Smile!

After a long long time, working away at normal jobs, going to university, starting courses i never really wanted to do and never really applied myself to I have decided that as of Yesterday (Monday the 24th November 2008)that i want to become an Overland Driver or at the very least some sort of Luddite on an overland drive

Quite momentous actually!

I’ll be blogging my journey from now to finding work, and hopefully beyond. If anyone fancies getting in touch with me please contact me somehow – (i’ll get something working, of that i am sure!

Anyways – First step – about me!

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