The Campervan Journey From Europe to Africa You Won’t Believe Is Real
For most of us, our campervans and motorhomes provide the chance for escape, for a different kind of holiday where the travel becomes the adventure as much as the destination. They allow us the opportunities to discover sights that are not on the regular tourist trail. Practically, traveling by campervan means we are spared the tough decisions while packing – no weight limits or suitcase sizes to stick to! For others, our campervans and motorhomes are our full-time homes. Reasons for living this way run the gambit from necessity to rejection of societal norms, but whatever the reason, life on the road cannot help but provide adventure, whether welcome or not!
For this journal entry, we were lucky enough to interview Tony Ruzek. He has taken his campervan travels to another level, delving into countries that most of us don't consider an option for road trips. He shares his many adventures below and we hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did.
How did you get into living in a campervan in the first place? Do you remember the moment you said “okay, I'm going all in”?
I think I always saw myself somewhere in a tent next to a 4WD or a motorbike. I was proud that I could set up a tent in two minutes and I didn't mind cooking on a fire. The campervan only came into the picture one winter when we were skiing in Australia, like every weekend of the season.
It was pouring down like a bucket. My ex-girlfriend had enough of sleeping bags in or next to the car. She probably wouldn't have put up with me for a third year. I tried to salvage the situation somehow. We were walking through a caravan park at the time and looked through the windows at the campervans, everyone enjoying the warmth and comfort inside. So I finally got up the courage and asked: “What would you say if we got a campervan?”
As we got interested, we realised we wanted to try it for a longer trip outside of Australia. After ten months, we realised that our camper was a real home. It was time to rent the apartment to someone else and move into the car permanently.
What three countries (or regions) surprised you the most on your travels – and why?
Actually, I’ve only driven through Australia, southern and eastern Africa so far, and last year we rounded off Europe with the Nordkapp. So I’ll talk about Africa now.
South Africa was my first country and it was a total disaster from the start. I got beaten up and robbed on the very first day. I thought I was ready for anything and knew roughly what I was getting into. But right from the start I realised it was going to be much more hardcore than I could have imagined.
But we made it down in one piece! Time to celebrate… maybe with donuts!
The next country was probably Zambia. There’s nothing special about Zambia, but it came to me after about five or six months, when I started to relax a bit and really enjoy Africa. I started driving from one place where the road ended to the next – admiring the villages and spending time with the locals in their environment at the “end of the world”. It messed with all the values and beliefs I had gathered about life up until that point.
Then I'll mention Tanzania… I've been on my way through Africa for almost a year now. I had a completely pointless attempt to cross a mountain range, but I got stuck in terrible weather in the mountains with a broken gearbox. I almost lost my camper there. I'm driving down a crazy hill on the handbrake with the door open, ready to jump out at the worst. In the end, it turned out well. I managed to get to the first village, where after three days of drinking rainwater, I finally go to get clean water to boil. I got tangled up at a public tap with the children. Suddenly, it all hit me. I was so soft from everything that I almost fell apart there. It dawned on me what a wonderful world it actually is! How children are completely blameless, how incredibly lucky I have been in life… I burst into tears.
Did you have a moment on the road where you said, “This was really on the edge”? What happened?
Certainly what I mentioned in the previous question also belongs to this category. But for example, in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, two guys attacked me at 3 am. I parked overnight under the streetlights next to the football fields with artificial turf. The richest neighbourhood in the city, sports training there took place until midnight. In fact, I have not seen anything of this level anywhere else in Africa. I felt super safe there.
That's why, when someone politely knocked on my door in the middle of the night, I climbed into the cabin and opened the door in my sleepiness. Suddenly, two guys shoved their legs inside. They started shouting at me and pulling me against the door. They yell at me “Police, police” and try to force themselves into the cabin of the camper. The guy who was further back is waving his Kalashnikov at me so that I don't miss him. I just noticed the machine gun. A second before, they almost got pepper sprayed in the face by me, which I have at the door for such cases. It didn't have to go well at all.
After about ten minutes of arguing and physically pushing against the door, during which they were unable to show me any ID or a piece of police uniform, the guy in the back ran off somewhere. He brought me a black cap with the word “Security” written on it, along with the Kalashnikov. I say that I'd be happy to go with them to the police station, but they couldn't tell me where the station was. In the end, they got on their motorbike and I followed them. Unfortunately, it's in the opposite direction from the two closest police stations in the area shown on Google Maps.
Where did you feel most “at home” – even though you were thousands of kilometers away?
I love mountains! Even in Africa, I managed to climb 7 of the highest peaks out of 14 countries I wandered through. Then, for example, the Rockies, especially the Canadian part, became dear to my heart. I have also been to Alaska about 8 times, where we go skiing with people from all over the world. Otherwise, New Zealand and the Southern Alps also have their own charm!
Is there anything that traveling has taught you about yourself that you wouldn't have discovered otherwise?
I have certainly learned to deal with many situations thanks to traveling that I would have had a hard time dealing with otherwise. In 25 years of climbing and skiing in mountains on six continents, I have found myself in trouble several times. Either alone or with my partner. Looking back, I realise that it is in the most difficult situations that my instinct and cool head can make rational decisions and get us out of trouble. I am so damn grateful for that! Thanks to that, I am still here :))
If you had to advise someone today on what car to buy or build for long-term trips outside of Europe, what would you recommend – and why?
Look, this is insanely individual. We know legends who managed to travel the world continuously for over 30 years, for example in a Landcruiser or even a Mercedes G-Wagon. In my opinion, the more space in the car, the better. But you need to realise that driving a 4-ton van or a seven- or twelve-ton truck is a completely different expense.
I'm thinking of, for example, a Carnet, sending a car from continent to continent, road tax, diesel fuel, changing tires, etc. Some might think that after winning the lottery, a Unimog or 8×8 Man would be the best solution. But not every bridge in the world is prepared for 12 tons, and not every tree can be driven under with a cabin that is 4 meters high.
What was the biggest technical problem you encountered along the way and how did you overcome it?
I had contacts for 6 official service stations across Africa, where it would be expensive, but it would be possible to fix anything. In the end, it turned out that there were only two. I was very sobered up when I arrived at the first service station in Cape Town. When the local boss saw my gearbox, he called all his mechanics to come and take a look. No one in Africa had ever seen this robotic gearbox. At that moment, I realised that the biggest problem would be the gearbox.
A few months and 30 thousand kilometres later, the nightmare unfortunately began to come true. I tried to solve it in eleven service stations a total of 12 times. In the end, I had no choice but to try to drive 4,200 kilometres from Nairobi, Kenya to the nearest service station in Namibia. Unfortunately, after 700 kilometres of returning, the gearbox finally gave up. This was followed by a 1,000km tow on a rope across Tanzania to the Kenyan port of Mombasa. From there, two months on a ship to Italy, where it took 9 weeks to get a new gearbox and a refurbished robot.
How do you deal with things like insurance, visas, or spare parts when you're in Tanzania? Do you have a “Tony hack” for that?
I believe that there is no point in insuring against anything that won't ruin you. It's impossible to find an insurance company that will insure a truck on other continents without some little scams. Like in one case, claiming that you have American citizenship. Even then, the sums are astronomical.
When dealing with officials, whether customs officers, the police or the army, you need a bit of experience and a knack for it. Different situations require different approaches. You also have to play the good or the bad cop sometimes, depending on how the situation develops. The big “weapon” is the phone. I have fictitious contacts saved in my phone, such as the police headquarters, the anti-corruption hotline, the Ministry of Tourism, the French Embassy, …. When the worst happens, I show it to the official and ask if I really have to call them.
If anyone starts to make any claims or demand special fees, have it shown in writing somewhere in the price list. If they manage to find or create something, I immediately take a picture of it and put my phone back in my pocket. If the clerk blows up, they'll make a mess of you. In extreme cases, this can also be used on the clerk himself. You just flash him/her and put your phone back in your pocket. Suddenly everything is forgotten and the conversation or rather the argument is focused on deleting the photo and on “how could you dare to do that!?”.
“Tony's hack”? I haven't been to an ATM in Africa for two years. Instead of paying ATM withdrawal fees, I go to a gas station where they take credit cards to pay for someone's gas. How many times can you talk the clerk into taking your card and giving you cash for a small fee?
What is a “travel luxury” for you today – something that is not necessary, but makes life more beautiful?
Africa taught me such a lesson that I don't even think about this anymore! I don't care about an inverter to plug in my coffee maker anymore. In Africa, it's often a luxury to even find water for coffee that can be boiled.
How does your routine change when you are with your family/partner compared to when you were traveling alone?
When there are two or more people in a car, you need to have a bit of a system… Know who does what and when. Otherwise, you'll quickly get on each other's nerves. As for safety, even when I'm alone in the car, I try to do things properly. In Africa, it mainly means parking overnight so that you can leave within 30 seconds in case of trouble. So, most importantly, park properly, no nose to the wall. Have the dishes washed and put away. Know where the keys are. Always be on the lookout, ready to react quickly in case of an emergency.
If you imagine someone who only travels to Europe for vacation – what do you think would give them the most if they ventured outside their “comfort zone”?
Everyone should realise that life is too short to live only on weekends and holidays. I understand that not everyone is ready to quit their job and go away for a few months. But it is a priceless experience! I think that in the Czech Republic, planning all the details in advance is a big problem. Sometimes it is worth just following your nose and experiencing the “unplanned”. I do it all the time.
Do you think the world is still safe for motorhome travel today? What helps you have peace of mind?
I didn't enjoy much peace of mind in Africa. It's still a bit nerve-wracking. If you sleep “wildly” on the streets or between villages without streets, it often happens that someone starts banging on your door at night or in the morning. It's not pleasant, but you can get used to it.
I've slept “wildly” in cars on all six inhabited continents. I think Africa is unfortunately the worst in terms of safety. Although Central America was also a real rodeo at one time. Otherwise, I think that with a little common sense, the whole world is safe! A lot of things can be eliminated by where you stop, how you behave, who you let or don't let know.
How do you feel in the overland community on the road? As an Australian and a bit of a Czech among Germans, English, Dutch…?
I've been traveling as an Australian with an Australian passport for half my life. If you also have an Australian licence plate on your car, there's no point in confusing anyone. Sometimes Germans or Dutch people will point out my accent and the fact that it doesn't sound much Australian, then I mention I grew up in the Czech Republic.
Are you planning to compile an overview of popular routes outside of Europe, perhaps as a guide for others who want to go further than usual?
I prefer to write in English, when I have to. But the fact is that I have improved a lot in written Czech over the last two years. I mean, I know there is always room for improvement:) All of this mainly thanks to Facebook! If anyone wants to follow me, please find me on Facebook as “Antonin Tony Ruzek”. But I am advertising myself and digressing…. I think that such a publication is still missing in Czech. There hasn’t been that much written in English or German outside of Europe either. I think it would be a good idea to put something together!
And finally – what would you say to people who dream of traveling but are afraid to take the first step?
When we're old and sitting on a porch in a rocking chair, we'll definitely regret the things we didn't do more than the things we did try. So when do you think it would be the best time to LEAVE RIGHT NOW!
