Crazy idea (or is it....)

[RJW1881]

Hi all, I am a keen driver always with a fast car in the garage and regularly doing 3000+ mile road trips around Europe. The last couple of years I've been toying with the idea of driving round the world! Well now we've set a date Sep2022. This coincided well with our now 9 year old's daughter changing from primary to secondary school and gives my wife and I enough time to re-structure our business to work with very little input from us on a week to week basis for the 12 month trip. Now onto why I'm telling you this, I need to decide what vehicle to use? My original idea was to go in something like a X5M which is fast, reliable, spacious and 4x4 (for when it gets rough out there, which it will). But the more we get into the planning its become clear were going to need something to sleep in, as hotels are few and far between in Kazakhstan! This has now led me to thinking we need a VW camper. Gut feel right now is a 6.1 LWB DSG 200bhp 4motion with a custom conversion inc. pop up roof, 40mm lift and all terrain wheels/ tyres? I'll have a skim round the forum to get a feel for the place and no doubt be asking some silly questions over the next 12-18 months, so please bear with me. Should anybody like to offer some advice on spec or build, I'd be please to hear it. Cheers.

 

[Skyliner33]

Hi all, I am a keen driver always with a fast car in the garage and regularly doing 3000+ mile road trips around Europe. The last couple of years I've been toying with the idea of driving round the world! Well now we've set a date Sep2022. This coincided well with our now 9 year old's daughter changing from primary to secondary school and gives my wife and I enough time to re-structure our business to work with very little input from us on a week to week basis.

Have you done any planning yet? Thought of the route? That is probably the first decision, more and more countries are making it difficult / expensive, or both to get through.

 

[RJW1881]

Have you done any planning yet? Thought of the route? That is probably the first decision, more and more countries are making it difficult / expensive, or both to get through.

Yes we've started planning a route based around things we want to see/ experience. General gist is a loop up and over Norway and back though central Europe to Morocco, across to Tunisia, onto Italy then stopping in Bosnia for Christmas, as I have a house and friends there. Then through Montenegro, Greece, Turkey, then across the Caspian Sea into Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, China, Thailand. At this point we will get the motor shipped to West Coasts USA which will take about a month, during which time we will explore Asia or Australia by plane/ train. Then all the way down the west coast in USA, through Mexico until we hit Ecuador (essential Galapagos Island trip planned). Finally explore South America a bit, before ending in Rio, where we will ship the motor home and then fly back ourselves. What you recon?

 

[T6Paul]

@CX16 Should be able to offer some advice?

 

[Jlo]

Welcome @RJW1881 Sounds like an amazing plan! Slightly jealous

I was wondering if you considered a VW Crafter for a conversion?

 

[JOG]

Room for one more?

*asking for a friend!

 

[RJW1881]

Welcome @RJW1881 Sounds like an amazing plan! Slightly jealous

I was wondering if you considered a VW Crafter for a conversion?

Hi, Jlo thanks for the welcome. I had considered a few vans and was led to VW because of the 4wd as its going to be needed. Another consideration was drivability, I want to be as close to a car/ fast SUV experience as possible, finally the vehicle is going to need shipping twice and this will be much easier and cheaper if it fits in a standard container, which a Crafter wont although the extra space would have been nice..

 

[Skyliner33]

Yes we've started planning a route based around things we want to see/ experience. General gist is a loop up and over Norway and back though central Europe to Morocco, across to Tunisia, onto Italy then stopping in Bosnia for Christmas, as I have a house and friends there. Then through Montenegro, Greece, Turkey, then across the Caspian Sea into Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, China, Thailand. At this point we will get the motor shipped to West Coasts USA which will take about a month, during which time we will explore Asia or Australia by plane/ train. Then all the way down the west coast in USA, through Mexico until we hit Ecuador (essential Galapagos Island trip planned). Finally explore South America a bit, before ending in Rio, where we will ship the motor home and then fly back ourselves. What you recon?

Sounds a great trip. I still have visa's in my passport for Iran, Pakistan, India and China :/
Ok, from what I remember, Algeria is really difficult at the moment. Also the other country in that list that could be a bit problematic is Thailand. Also from what I can remember there isn't a drive-able route through Panama into Columbia.

 

[JOG]

I think you'll have to create a thread of your own..............covering both the conversion and the trip itself. Or, you could be really clever.......use this forum as an aide memoire on your van / conversion choices and decision making processes and indeed for the trip itself. After all, if "wrong way round", "long way down", "which way am I going" chaps could churn out books and a TV series based on the "concept" of overcoming the "will we find the tin-opener in time for supper?" dilemma, there has to be scope for a young family knocking out a version of everyone's dream.

These guys were heavily sponsored, but there is an opportunity to recover some costs looming!!!

BTW, "which way am I going" wasn't part of the series!!!

 

[RJW1881]

Sounds a great trip. I still have visa's in my passport for Iran, Pakistan, India and China :/
Ok, from what I remember, Algeria is really difficult at the moment. Also the other country in that list that could be a bit problematic is Thailand. Also from what I can remember there isn't a drive-able route through Panama into Columbia.

Cheers for the heads up on Algeria and Thailand, something to look forward to there! There is no drivable route from Panama to Columbia, you have to ship the motor round the Darien Gap.

 

[Skyliner33]

I think you'll have to create a thread of your own..............covering both the conversion and the trip itself. Or, you could be really clever.......use this forum as an aide memoire on your van / conversion choices and decision making processes and indeed for the trip itself. After all, if "wrong way round", "long way down", "which way am I going" chaps could churn out books and a TV series based on the "concept" of overcoming the "will we find the tin-opener in time for supper?" dilemma, there has to be scope for a young family knocking out a version of everyone's dream.

These guys were heavily sponsored, but there is an opportunity to recover some costs looming!!!

BTW, "which way am I going" wasn't part of the series!!!

The problem is too many people are doing it now, so coming up with something orrignal to make money is getting harder and harder.

 

[Paynewright]

In one of the VW mags a few months ago a couple had kitted their transporter out for worldly travels, incl such things as a winch.

 

[JOG]

The problem is too many people are doing it now, so coming up with something orrignal to make money is getting harder and harder.

I agree............Youtube is littered with "My life in a van" type bods and there are articles in the the Daily Fail, BBC etc which is why I was suggesting "an opportunity to recover some costs" rather than "making money"!

 

[jimc91]

that's a lot of ad-Blue

 

[RJW1881]

I agree............Youtube is littered with "My life in a van" type bods and there are articles in the the Daily Fail, BBC etc which is why I was suggesting "an opportunity to recover some costs" rather than "making money"!

Yeah, I'm not really keen on this "follow me on social media thing" I don't have a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TicTok account or follow any YouTube channels. My only social media interaction is LinkedIn for work. That being said my wife and I have discussed our daughter Izzy having the job of keeping some sort of social media diary (most likely Instagram) so friends and family can keep up to date with where we are and what were doing. Also it will give her something that is hers to manage.

 

[Loz]

From my past experience Overlanding, I would find a vehicle with the least amount of electronics and emissions crap available.

A Toyota 78 series with a "Tom's" pop-top would be my choice. We had one and a good friend of ours has one he uses as his primary vehicle for his overland business.

Tom's Fahrzeugtechnik

Tom´s Fahrzeugtechnik- ist Ihr Spezialist rund um den Toyota LandCruiser und viel mehr.

www.toms-fahrzeugtechnik.de

 

[RJW1881]

From my past experience Overlanding, I would find a vehicle with the least amount of electronics and emissions crap available.

A Toyota 78 series with a "Tom's" pop-top would be my choice. We had one and a good friend of ours has one he uses as his primary vehicle for his overland business.

Tom's Fahrzeugtechnik

Tom´s Fahrzeugtechnik- ist Ihr Spezialist rund um den Toyota LandCruiser und viel mehr.

www.toms-fahrzeugtechnik.de

Tempting but I'm not sure its what I'm after, cheers though.

 

[Loz]

If its not posh enough for you then go for a G Wagon

 

[RJW1881]

If its not posh enough for you then go for a G Wagon

Its nothing to do with "posh" bud, I just don't fancy doing 30000ish miles in something that agricultural (or a G Wagon as they are pretty agricultural as well).

 

[Ayjay]

I agree with Loz in that a Lancruiser of some description would definitely be my choice for a trip like that (or a G Wagon), I have never drive around the world in the way that you propose but I have done long road trips extensively across Europe, The Middle East and Africa. In terms of suitability, a properly sorted VW Transporter would cut it in Europe and a lot of The Middle East but, IMHO, not the less developed parts of Africa. I also think your over-estimating the off road abilities of a 4 Motion T6, regardless of what rubber and suspension mods you fit - driving across rough country is one thing but fording rivers and driving through deep mud is whole new game. Mind you, I would say the same with regard to your mention of the X5M and for trips like this, sheer off road capability trumps speed every time. There's a lot of it but this a quite a good read:Gunther, Christine and Otto. Whatever you do in the end, good luck and keep us updated if you stick with VW.