LIVE IN YOUR LANDY - IS IT POSSIBLE?

[OB1]

Tha tis what overlanding SHOULD be like. Getting a vehicle, buying ltos of kit, a house on wheels to tow, the TV the sink and all is IMO not what it should be like.

[Pumba]

Pumba, you say that like it's a bad thing

It's like they say "Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly!"

[CliffordS]

Another option can be to study hard , stop chasing the fishes through the living room and start working hard . It will increase your IQ to stop. Then you can do at least two long trips a year paid for in full and your market value increases with you being in the job market and you do not have to be single for the rest of your live . The more you get promoted the more “lavish” you can do trips to other countries and not planets. You can go somewhere every weekend as well. If something happens to you on the second option then they fly you back and you recover in a nice private hospital because you have a medical aid. Going the other rout you might have your legs amputated and you kidneys harvested to pay for the amputation in some deep rusty deep Africa hospital because you have no money.

Then again I suppose you can try to smoke and fly……yea right

I would not do it..

[Teejay]

[quote="CliffordS"]Another option can be to study hard , stop chasing the fishes through the living room and start working hard . It will increase your IQ to stop. Then you can do at least two long trips a year paid for in full and your market value increases with you being in the job market and you do not have to be single for the rest of your live .

This is a joke right?

[Steve B]

I think that if you're chasing fish in your living room, it may be a good time to quit the recreational pharmaceuticals...

[Teejay]

Okay I think some of you guys have lost it...I have no idea what you're talking about....and NO I'm not smoking anything....heck...don't even smoke....fish in the living room....who is smoking what?

[Landy Lubber]

So my plan is to sell everything I own, buy a Defender and use it to live in while I travel. What do you guys think - is it possible to live in my Landy (I'm a single guy not fussed with luxuries) - but I would need to travel economically - to camp for free - do such places exist? - Richtersveld? Any thoughts, comments, experiences will be greatly appreciated as I embark on this new chapter in my life. Thanks!

Teejay, do it!!

Mythoughts and opinions ( open to correction, all criticism welcome, i live for the outdoors.)

1) Yes, you can camp for free. My wife and i have done it in Northen Namibia, and South western Botswana (Kalahari?) But do try respect the local chief, if possible. In populated areas, stick to a reputable campsite, believe me its the cheaper option.
2) You cannot camp for free in a National reserve, like the Richtersveld. But there are areas OUTSIDE of the reserve that you can. We have just returned from that part of the world in fact. 45'c in the shade...
3) In order to travel economically, you must be PREPARED. And therein lies a big cost.
4) I like what you say about luxuries. We have a similar mindset, and are trying to scale down on the amount of @bsolute cr@p that we take along with us. I am looking to try lose the RTT, and maybe even the roof-rack, in an efort to save weight, improve fuel economy( more range) and increase speed a bit on the highway. But that is another discussion, lets not get sidetracked.
5) You must have reliable up to date navigation, with back-up( ie, two gps units) and a satelite phone. Trying to economise here will cost you your life.
6) Get the best possible Landy you can, and make sure everything is mechanically 100%. Trying to save money on starter motors, water and fuel pumps, various houses and engine monitoring systems will cost you your life.
7)Remember that "free" is a very subjective term. ( 'escuse my engrish, my vocab a bit thin.) We came across a person in the middle of nowhere, near the Orange river. He owned lifestock, and so led a nomadic lifestyle. We left some rice, meat, sugar and tea etc with him, but i would still consider this to be in the "free" category. We did not have to, but the experience of meeting this person was priceless.

Anyway, a few quick thoughts. Hope that helps.

By the way, we met a couple from Scotland, doing a 9 month trip thru Southern Africa. They had a budget of only R400 per day. This included food, camping, fuel, etc.

[Teejay]

Hey Landy Lubber

Thank you so much for posting that - much appreciated. I take every bit of your advice to heart - thank you! Re the free bit - I'm by no means a cheapskate (never have been) and I'll give the next man the shirt off my back if needs be. On the camping "for free" bit my thinking was just that I wouldn't be able to afford extravagant camp fees on an ongoing basis for a number of years (bear in mind - the reason for doing this is largely due to job loss and financial situation etc). I am very aware of respecting the chief (did a motorbike trip to Lesotho approx 2 years ago and so I'm aware of asking the chief's permission to camp etc - and leave some form of payment - whether it's food or clothes etc). Does that hold true in most African countries?

As a matter of interest (even if it's just a guideline) - how much does it cost to camp in the Richtersveld? ...and how/where does one get permits etc?

Thanks again for some good constructive pointers.

Travel safe!

[Landy Lubber]

I'm aware of asking the chief's permission to camp etc - and leave some form of payment Does that hold true in most African countries?

I dont believe i can answer that fairly. You do get genuine people in Africa, but you get chancers as well. Experience is the only recomendation here

As a matter of interest (even if it's just a guideline) - how much does it cost to camp in the Richtersveld? ...and how/where does one get permits etc?

Ah, we never actually got to drive into Richters National park itself( the whole reason we actually whent in the first place), as the bridge over Fishriver was washed away, and the pont at Sendelings-drift was not operating. So we had to drive AAAALLL the way back around Keetmanshoop, and back into SA. By that time, we had already been away for a bit too long, so we had to head home. But the park on the Namibian side made the whole detour well worth it.
Cost, availability, all that type of info is available on the WWWeb, or at least a few quick phone-calls to the parks.
Beware of just rocking up at a National park and expecting a place to sleep. There seems to be a trend of turning people away at the gates if you have not made and paid a booking at the "head office", which is usually in the next town, a brazillion miles away... This is where a good smiley attitude is essential

[Teejay]

Thanks LAndyLubber - appreciate the info