Thursday, December 2, 2010

First Friday Wild Post - The low down on overlanding from Shoestring magazine




Our next First Friday Wild Post comes from Conny Kaufmann, a gapper and Acacia Africa adventurer turned travel editor of Shoestring magazine.  If you’re in need of the ultimate backpacking list or want to hear about all the hip and happening locations from the locals, this domain is definitely one not to be missed. Your complete guide to 'getting by' in gapping, the website is full of handy hints and you can even have a crack at contributing too! 


Of course, knowing that Conny had some great pix and top tips from her 29-day East African Explorer overland expedition, we just had to share them, so feast your eyes on the continent and enjoy the ride!



“Travelling from Johannesburg to Nairobi on an overland truck is an amazing experience. My reason for going overland was simple: I wanted to see Africa, and that’s exactly what I did.”



“During my four weeks on tour, I made loads of new friends. You have to be sociable to go overlanding because you will be spending several weeks on a truck with up to 25 other travellers.”




“Luckily, there are lots of activities which help you bond and break up the routine. Some of these are optional extras, some, like safaris, are included. I found it makes sense to save money for the activities you don’t want to miss – my personal one was hot air ballooning over the Serengeti – and have a bit left over for spontaneous fun.”




"Overlanding means there might be long days of driving and not much else so you can get to your next destination or activity. Spending up to 16 hours per day on a truck is not ideal for motion-sickness sufferers. Being a morning person also helps, as some days start as early as 4am. But the scenery and all the amazing memories you will be rewarded with – as well as awesome tent-pitching skills – will definitely make everything worth while.”



If you’re curious about this overlanding craze or just totally addicted when it comes to hitting the road in Africa, check out our new brochure and kick start your New Year with a safari.  And, as it’s nearly Christmas we’ve  got one last tip to shell out.  Book your 2011 overlanding expedition before 31 December and grab a 25% discount. Check out our specials page for the full list of Terms & Conditions.



Do you think you have Wild Post status? Send us something unusual from the world of travel (250 words max + pic), email us here and we’ll add you to the growing list of entertaining nomads who’ve added more than a list destinations to their wanderlust bucket list!

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