I am considering taking a two-pronged approach as far as spending my time, money and energy are concerned. On the one hand, I want to buy that small property in Portugal, but I also want to purchase a truck and convert it into an expedition vehicle. Yes, I’m a bit greedy. It’s a “best of both” situation.
Well, I am happy to announce that I have decided on the truck. It’s a RUSSIAN army vehicle, the GAZ-66. Ironically, the letter for G is a Ukrainian one. So that makes me smile. (The Russians forbade the use of that particular letter!) From what I have seen on videos and in photographs, that particular vehicle is easier to maintain and can handle tougher terrain than the German Unimog! That said, it’s extremely heavy on petrol. That will have to be the compromise, then.
The USSR built a million of them back in the day, so parts are still readily available too. That’s always good to know.
Depending on the particular truck, it’ll probably be less of a modern composite box build than a school bus conversion. Of the nine GAZ-66 trucks that I have seen so far, six have metal boxes, filled with all kinds of – well – stuff. That would have to be cleared out anyway, regardless of the “historical value” that it may possess. Only after that can I begin the process of insulation and installation. It’s a good thing that I would need to strip the truck first because although that box is small by any expedition truck definition and the doors are – awkwardly – right at the back, the accessories that I want to put in there are not going to come cheap. The solar setup alone is going to cost me a small fortune. The advantage of that, however, is that I shall be able to power everything from there, including the air conditioning and water heating. And that also means that I will not be dependent on shore power. And THAT means that I can go on trips that I otherwise would not be able to.
Bluntly, I have no idea how to do any of the things that I have just waxed lyrically about. In fact, I would need to get a new driver’s license, too, to be able to legally maneuver the truck on public roads. And then I shall have to watch hours upon hours of YouTube videos, to see how the ones who have gone before, have gone before. Mostly school bus conversions, as I suspect that those are the techniques that I will need the most. And lots of glue and aluminum. In the end, when all is done, the – heretofore anonymous – truck and I can start on our adventures.
What adventures? Well, there’s Africa… and Australia… and both North and South America. And of course, there is Europe and an island called Greenland. India and China are options, too, but considering what I have seen of India’s mountain passes, I don’t think I have the necessary courage, Dutch or otherwise, to travel there.
I have only one massive problem with this, and that’s the matter of finding a way to afford this goal. The truck is relatively cheap, as far as trucks go, but the price falls in that murky area of “too expensive to be able to purchase out of my back pocket and no financing available.” Not that I necessarily would have gone for the financing option. That leaves either a proper Lotto win or getting someone – or a few someones – to sponsor me. Crowdsourcing… or maybe just a few coffees.
What say you, dear reader? Will you buy me a coffee? It’s the weekend, after all…