How they do things in Europe
Those looking for the ultimate off-roading vehicle regardless of its practicability might consider something like this monster seen here at the Abenteuer & Allrad off-road show in Bad Kissingen, Barar...
Forum Discussion
The old Bedford trucks might have rusted away, but not their modern equivalent
see http://been-seen.com/travel-spots/truck-hotel and there are others. We have come across them in South America at Ushuia and Iguazu. Also told they are still big in Africa.
One of the main rites of passage for British and Australian adventurers - overland on or in any vehicle that could move from Australia to Britain without breaking down more than 50 times (a day) - is sadly no longer possible now that previous exciting and interesting countries on the route are permanent war zones. Even so, there is a steady stream of assorted vehicle and assorted people making the trip, albeit with some pretty major detours to avoid most of the danger zones.
As for rampant consumerism giving the poor people a wrong impression of the rest of the world, we certainly did our best to avoid that tag.
Our thoroughly-battered Iveco 4 x 4 got a lot of attention, but not because of its beautiful lines and smart appearance, and an objective assessment of the type of vehicle used by the average traveller further south than the usual haunts of US Class As would show that our vehicle was much closer to the average than any of the super trucks.
Yes, the super trucks are the stuff of boys' toys dreams, but there are very few places they can go with impunity. All of the little tracks in the jungles of Brazil and Bolivia would shred the sides of these superwides, and the so-called highways in the Andes would rip the tops off them on overhangs, assuming of course they could negotiate dozens of hair-pin bends. Even in Australia with plenty of wide open spaces, they could not get along ANY of the iconic desert and red-centre tracks without severe damage.
For instance -
Canning Stock Route
OKA is 2100mm wide and the vehicles that keep the track open are much narrower so it gets extensively pin-striped all along the sides.
Hay River Road
30km along a river bed with overhanging river red gums and the only bypasses available are driving through mature Spinifex grass which is roughly similar to driving over a heap of 50 gallon barrels lying on their sides.
and while they may not seem too difficult, those track conditions go on for tens of miles and there is NO alternative route other than to return 50 or 100 miles and stick to the sealed roads.
As they say - Horses for courses.
see http://been-seen.com/travel-spots/truck-hotel and there are others. We have come across them in South America at Ushuia and Iguazu. Also told they are still big in Africa.
One of the main rites of passage for British and Australian adventurers - overland on or in any vehicle that could move from Australia to Britain without breaking down more than 50 times (a day) - is sadly no longer possible now that previous exciting and interesting countries on the route are permanent war zones. Even so, there is a steady stream of assorted vehicle and assorted people making the trip, albeit with some pretty major detours to avoid most of the danger zones.
As for rampant consumerism giving the poor people a wrong impression of the rest of the world, we certainly did our best to avoid that tag.
Our thoroughly-battered Iveco 4 x 4 got a lot of attention, but not because of its beautiful lines and smart appearance, and an objective assessment of the type of vehicle used by the average traveller further south than the usual haunts of US Class As would show that our vehicle was much closer to the average than any of the super trucks.
Yes, the super trucks are the stuff of boys' toys dreams, but there are very few places they can go with impunity. All of the little tracks in the jungles of Brazil and Bolivia would shred the sides of these superwides, and the so-called highways in the Andes would rip the tops off them on overhangs, assuming of course they could negotiate dozens of hair-pin bends. Even in Australia with plenty of wide open spaces, they could not get along ANY of the iconic desert and red-centre tracks without severe damage.
For instance -
Canning Stock Route
OKA is 2100mm wide and the vehicles that keep the track open are much narrower so it gets extensively pin-striped all along the sides.
Hay River Road
30km along a river bed with overhanging river red gums and the only bypasses available are driving through mature Spinifex grass which is roughly similar to driving over a heap of 50 gallon barrels lying on their sides.
and while they may not seem too difficult, those track conditions go on for tens of miles and there is NO alternative route other than to return 50 or 100 miles and stick to the sealed roads.
As they say - Horses for courses.
