What is OVERLANDING?
Overland travel, to us, is traveling by our own vehicle across multiple international boundaries with the goal of exploring and getting to know places off the beaten path. We are modifying a 4×4 van to be as self-reliant as possible. It took us a while to decide on a Mitsubishi Delica as our overland beast. The others in the running included a 4Runner and a Land Cruiser. We couldn’t find either with diesel engines (or at least not any that were importable) or with lots of space inside. The Delica won our hearts over with its quirky style, bad ass 4×4 capabilities, diesel engine and roominess inside.
All the changes and upgrades we decided to make will allow us to live in remote places for long periods of time. We now have a 1000 mile fuel capacity, so we can go where ever we want. We also decided to add a diesel hot water heater, a water filtration system, solar energy, a mobile kitchen with refrigeration, a recovery system, a security system, and a super comfortable sleeping area.
The journey and the experiences we encounter will ultimately determine our route. The goal for us is not so much the destination as it is to be present, connected and mindful with each experience, culture and place. The folks over at Overland Journal pretty much sum it up to say that “Overlanding sees the journey as the purpose” with great rewards of “history, wildlife, culture, scenery, self-sufficiency.”
