THE AFRICA OVERLAND NETWORK

 

About 6 years ago I came across The African Overland Network website and it helped change the path of my life.

At the time I had been living in Cape Town and by pure serendipity met a friend of a friend who was about to start driving his Land Rover from South Africa to Germany, right through the guts of Africa. In my usual style, that is no filter between my heart and mouth, I blurted out ‘Can I come!?’

Turns out, I could. Yet before I could call Australia to tell my Mum her 23 yr old daughter was jumping in a Land Rover with a stranger she had met once and was about to start driving across Africa for who-knows-how-long… I thought I better suss out the whole overland thing for myself.

That’s when I found The Africa Overland Network. An incredible website that gathers together all of the past and present African Overland expeditions that have an online presence. The site filled me up with a hefty dose of information and inspiration. It helped me hit the GO button. And off I went for 6 months, driving from South Africa to Rwanda. An experience that I firmly file amongst the ‘Best Ever’ of my life.

 

^ Kirsty on the road in Tanzania in 2008

^ Kirsty on the road in North Western Mozambique filling up on water supplies in 2008.

 

 

Soon after, I met Gareth. Together we hatched the dream to drive our own vehicle across the continent.

In planning this expedition we have been fortunate enough to get to know the creator of The African Overland Network and are now lucky to consider him a good friend. He is brimming with support and wise encouragement that is absolutely contagious in the most humble and authentic of ways. We said our goodbyes over dinner in Sydney last night.

 

 

 

Martin Solms has been committed to developing the network for about 14 years.

The network brings together the inspiration and information of past and present overland expeditions. It has connected us with so many like minded people and helped us plan the expedition ahead. It’s one of those things you just couldn’t imagine not existing.

 

 

If you have an overland trip website or blog in the making Gareth and I both wholeheartedly recommend you register it with the network. Or if you know of a site that is current or past, but not yet listed on the network, you can submit it too.

Follow the link to view the site www.africa-overland.net or get Tweeting to Solmsy by clicking here. Oh, and he also runs an Overland Live blog here. 

 

Cheers