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Greetings from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. An Airbnb downtown, to be exact. We stripped the Land Cruiser of all its contents and it is now standing in the one-man workshop of Nicolai.
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Overhaul #4
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Last year, in Mongolia, we got so much dust in the Land Cruiser that this killed part of the joy of traveling. So, before heading out to the vast, dusty steppes and other wild landscapes of Central Asia, we figured that we’d get the holes and cracks in the bodywork welded.
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That shouldn’t take more than a week or 2, right? But a relatively simple patch-up up job has turned into a drastic overhaul, making that #4 in our 16 years on the road. Nicolai, bless the guy, didn’t just start welding. He looked at the Land Cruiser, shook his head and pointed out a couple of serious, structural issues.
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Tired & The Future
Simply said, the bodywork’s metal is fatigued to the bone and is disintegrating. Nicolai is doing fantastic work that definitely will help keep the Land Cruiser on the road for a bit longer but, frankly, we are growing tired of these overhaul jobs, every 3 years or so and which take anywhere from 1 to 6 months.
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Which raises the question, will we do it again? Or has the time come to retire our home on wheels? What do you think?
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A full blog post or article on the overhaul will follow once the job is done, but right now we’re in the middle of it and too busy.
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Memories
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The stress and uncertainties of this renovation job brought up the pain and frustration of our very first overhaul, in 2010 in Bolivia, which took 6 months.
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It took me years to write a series of articles about it for 4WD magazine (NL) (and later a short version for Toyota Trails (US)).
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This week, I finally translated them and you can read the 4-part series on our website.
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Good Books about Central Asia
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Meanwhile we are preparing our journey through Central Asia this fall. That means reading. Not just guidebooks, but also in-depth books about the region so we get an idea of its history and cultures. Two books come to mind, both of which blew my mind.
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The Great Game
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On Secret Service in High Asia, by Peter Hopkirk
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The term “The Great Game” is used to describe the political games between Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia. For centuries, both countries feared the other was out on destroying them. Thorough research has revealed names and diaries of adventurers and spies on both sides, which Peter Hopkirk brought together in this fascinating historic account of centuries of power games (it gives, among other things, a great understanding of what is happening in Afghanistan today).
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On the Trail of Genghis Khan
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An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads, by Tim Cope
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During his 10,000 Off the Rails, a trip by recumbent bike from Siberia to China, Tim got intrigued by the nomadic way of living in Central and Northern Asia and figured out his next adventure. He would buy a horse and travel with it from Mongolia to the Danube River in Hungary. He did, and his book describes this incredible adventure as gives detailed insights in the different groups of ethnic people he meets along the way.
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More Inspiring Adventurers
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Also within the overlanding world of the 21st century we can have great adventures. Two overlanders recently published a book, check them out.
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999 Days
Around Africa
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After his overland trip from Alaska to Argentina, Dan shipped his vehicle across the ocean and set out for an long journey across Africa, down the westside and up the eastside. Additionally he published another book related to this journey: Overland Travel Essentials: West Africa; Myths, Misconceptions and Misnomers.
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Australien - Roadtrips
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32 außergewöhnliche Routen abseits der ausgetretenen Pfade,
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by Reni and Marcel Kaspar
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For the German-reading followers of this newsletter, our fellow overlanders
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extensively traveled in Australië. I imagine this to be an inspiring read for your Australia trip.
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Instagramistan
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Are you not a reader? Fear not, here is inspiration from two fantastic overland travelers who share their journeys on Instagram with mind blowing photos.
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From the Shop
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Summer time, and thus T-shirt time! Do you know we have a selection of different designs on offer? All in different colors, sizes, and some in children size as well. If you have requests, let us know.
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Check out the Latest Posts
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The Land Cruiser Restoration in Bolivia (1) - Starting the Overhaul
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After 7 years on the road, part of the chassis broke off. A restoration of the Land Cruiser was required and we found a workshop in Bolivia.
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Tips for Overland Camping at Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia)
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An ultimate overland adventure in South America is exploring the world's largest salt flats and enjoying an overland camp on Salar de Uyuni.
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Overland Travel - Legit Road Trips in South America
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The Death Road in Boliva, the Transamazônica in Brazil, and the Carretera Austral in Chile are among the popular road trips in South America.
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Follow daily bits and pieces of
Landcruising Adventure on:
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What’s Next
Well, clearly we’re stuck here for part of the summer. We’ll let you know when we’re back on the road again and where we’ll be heading - for now we have no clue yet.
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It’s been a joy to have been meeting overlanders these weeks who are passing through Bishkek. Are you in Bishkek? Do you live here, or is it on your route and want to meet? Awesome. Hit the reply button and let us know. Coffee is brewing...
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Keep in Touch
We appreciate feedback. What do you like and hate? What do you want to hear about in our future updates (or on our website)? Just hit the reply button and fire away.
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If you enjoy this newsletter, will you forward it friends and family? Thanks.
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best,
Karin-Marijke & Coen
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Thanks for all of you who are supporting us on Patreon!
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For those who don't know what we're talking about, hit the button below.
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