Overlanding and adventure tours
Overlanding and adventure tours
- Overlanding explained
- Kingdoms and Carnivals expedition diary
- Andi and Grant's Trans-Africa diary
- The Festival of the Desert
- 11th July 2006: Arriving in Cape Town
- 15th May: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
- 19th April: From Congo to Nairobi
- 23rd February 2006: Getting to Gabon
- 13th February 2006: Crossing into Cameroon
- 30th January 2006: Timbuktu to Ghana
- 23rd December 2005: Mali
- 15th December 2005: Mauritania
- 2nd December 2005: Morocco and Mauritania
- 6th November 2005: Morocco
- Trans Africa Expedition
- Pre-departure interview with Oasis Overland
- Pre-departure interview with overlanding gapper
- Overlanding the Silk Road
Follow an overland truck across AfricaName: Andi and GrantAge: 34  Hello! Are you well? Just over a month to go, and we’re on top of the world. So you work for Oasis Overland right? Going on trips like this one must be a great perk of the job! Sorry to use clichés, but 'someone’s got to do it! Where are you going, how are you travelling and for how long? Well, we start in the UK and travel overland through Africa in a converted Renault 4x4 truck; we finish in Cape Town approximately seven months later. It’s called a Trans Africa Expedition. Overlanding? What’s that then? It involves travelling in large groups sharing costs and experiences - individuals book themselves on a 23 to 30 week adventure, and take off across continents (Africa this time) in an overland truck with Grant and myself. How many people are you taking with you? There's 23 of us plus Grant and myself.  What’s your role on the trip; do you get to have fun too?The fun part comes first and utmost, if you're not going to have fun, what's the point of doing a job like this? As for our roles, this is how Oasis words them and I think it sums it up quite well: 'Their roles are many and varied and include amongst other things, driving and maintaining the truck throughout the trip (Unfortunately, I don't drive so this is Grant’s role), organising group activities and bookings, managing trip funds, helping with cooking as well as finding the best deals, keeping up with the party animals and making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible, but they are not guides as such, so don't expect them to hold your hand every step of the way, get out and experience things for yourself, read the guide books, get lost in markets, meet the local people and talk to them - its all part of the experience!' What will be in your backpack? How many pairs of pants and which luxury item? What? Do people own more than one pair?! No seriously, I have enough jockeys to get me through at least 10 days without having to recycle. I guess my most luxurious item would be a packet of Penguin biscuits that I'm going to hide away until we are a million miles from nowhere and craving a chocolate bar and have packed enough for everyone.  What’s the most essential thing that people on this trip bring with them?A sense of adventure and humour. What’s the most essential thing that most people on this trip forget? A Christmas present wrapped up from mum and dad Which question are you asked by most by gappers before they leave on this trip and what’s your answer? I would have to say that over the years it's always 'What type of boots should I bring?'. My answer is 'If you already have a good pair of walking shoes / boots that you are comfortable in and that have a good grip, then you need not worry about buying another pair. The reason being, you'll wear the boots on the first couple of day, whilst on the truck and camping, then after about day five you'll be in flip flops. Your boots will be pulled out for trekking in Dogon country, climbing Mount Cameroon, and then again in Uganda or Rwanda for trekking with the mountain gorillas - not really enough times to warrant spending £100'. What are the highlights of this trip? Where do you want me to start... just check out these photos and I'll send through more as we are travelling, so you can see for yourself how hard that question is to answer. What are you looking forward to most about the trip? Leaving behind the infrastructure of the western world.  Are there any downsides to being in charge of a trip like this?In five years I have yet to think of one. What top tip would you give anyone planning to go on the Trans Africa with you? To expect the unexpected as not everything goes according to plan. If you could sum up Oasis Overland’s Trans Africa trip in five words what would they be? An adventure of a lifetime Thanks! Bon voyage!   Name: Oasis Overland Address: The Marsh, Henstridge, Somerset, BA8 0TF, UK Click here >> for more on the Trans Africa Expedition Click here >> for more trips offered by Oasis Overland  Tel: 0845 344 7546
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